Silver Linings of a Young Mare's Life

“Get a day job …” Silver Spoon grumbled into her cell phone. “I won’t be around to support you forever… I mean how could I refuse her in her present state?” she stared across the counter at the shelves full of produce and sighed, sending a crackle of static into the receiver.

“Your mom just won’t leave you alone! I mean, you barely have any time to go shopping anymore!” Diamond Tiara replied. “I bet she’s still not over him.”

“Well, it’s not so bad… I mean, they were married for twenty years and he just died a little while ago… isn’t it a little too soon to be looking for another stallion?” Silver Spoon asked, turning her head towards the door as the little bell above it indicated a customer had arrived. “Welcome to The Grim Grocer!” she called across the room.

“She’s not going to be able to marry forever. She’s not even what you’d call ‘young’ right now. If she doesn’t find a stallion soon, she’s going to die cold and alone,” Diamond Tiara said, her voice fading a little, replaced by a different noise.

“Hey! Don’t talk that way about my mom! Is that… rushing water in the background?” Silver Spoon asked as the customer browsed through the shelves.

“Ignore that, our yacht just struck a commoner’s fishing boat. Wait, daddy! Don’t apologize! That crash spilled my drink! Daddy! What are you…” Diamond Tiara’s voice cut out as Silver Spoon turned her attention back towards the customer.

“Busy day?” the customer asked. He was a dark brown mare with a poorly-dyed light-purple mane. His black eyes drew towards the massive plastic scythe hanging above the cash register as Silver Spoon checked out his items.

“Hardly,” she replied. It was the unsurprising truth. A grocery store themed after a cemetery wasn’t exactly the most popular place to purchase food. “That’ll be thirty bits.”

“Hey… uh… just wondering, but… what’s that scythe for?” the pony asked.

Silver Spoon groaned audibly as the door behind her flew open and Grim Gina, the store owner, came striding out in a black cloak. “Go on, my acolyte… tell the customer what the scythe is for,” she said in a low, silly voice. “And don’t forget to strike the pose this time,” she hissed.

“Its…”-Silver Spoon unhooked the scythe and pointed it awkwardly towards the customer-“…for slashing prices…” she said, wincing at the terrible pun.

“Argh! You did it wrong again! Here!”-Grim Gina grabbed the scythe out of her hooves-“It’s… FOR SLASHING PRICES!” she boomed as she leveled it at a nearby poster advertising 50% off on prune juice. Silver Spoon slammed her hoof into her forehead.

The customer applauded as Grim Gina brandished the scythe, flailing it around before replacing it on its stand above the register. “Here are your groceries, sir. Remember, we’ll beat our competitors’ prices or die trying…” Silver Spoon said, sighing again. “Of all the places to have a job,” she thought.

“You know, I’m starting to get this vibe that the reaper isn’t in you…” Grim Gina said, placing a robed hoof on Silver Spoon’s shoulder. “Your day could do with a bit more excitement, don’t you think?”

“They’re groceries,” Silver Spoon grumbled. “I get that it’s a themed store, you don’t need to be so… into it though. I mean what about that old mare you scared half to death?”

“The ambulance got here on time...”-Gina smiled-“Oh lighten up, will you? You’ll never make employee of the month with that attitude,” Grim Gina replied, heading back into her office.

“You only have one employee!” Silver Spoon called back before turning towards the rows of Employee of the Month certificates that all read ‘The Fearsome Reaper of Price Slashing’, depicting skulls and crossbones. “Oh come on! That’s not even a real pony! And besides, that symbol stands for pirates!”

“You see? That’s the kind of energy you need when you’re talking to customers!” Gina called before her office door slammed shut. Silver Spoon ground her teeth as she flipped her phone open. Surely there was somepony who could distract her from this madhouse.

“Welcome to The Grim Grocer!” she said, scrolling through her phone as the door rang in another customer. A shadow passed over the counter as hoof steps approached.

“Texting on the job?” a stallion’s voice asked. Silver Spoon looked up, peering over her glasses. Before her stood a white stallion with a teal mane and blue eyes, not particularly tall or muscular but still very much in shape. “You should give those beautiful eyes a rest. Staring at a tiny screen all day won’t do them any good,” he said.

Silver Spoon tossed her mane and put the phone down. “Are you going to buy anything?” she asked.

“Oh, c’mon, don’t be like that… I was just walking by and saw the most beautiful mare in the window of a grocery store and thought maybe she’d like to have a bit of fun after her shift. Coffee and biscuits, my treat?” he asked, smiling.

“Do you know any adjectives other than beautiful? And it’ll be too late for coffee by the time my shift is over,” Silver Spoon replied coldly.

“You have an edge. I like that. Dinner then. I’ll meet you at Sugarcube Corner at six,” he said, heading out the door. “Gorgeous,” he added. “Elegant. Breathtaking.”

Silver Spoon sighed. “Six-thirty,” she called, and the stallion turned and nodded. It wasn’t until he left that Silver Spoon realized she hadn’t gotten his name. She flipped open her phone, blushing from a mix of embarrassment and annoyance as she checked the time. “Well, Silver Spoon,” she said to herself, “looks like you’ve got a date in two hours.”

At five-thirty, Silver Spoon left The Grim Grocer, removing her dark employee’s vest and cleaning her glasses with it. She looked around as she checked the time on her phone, tapping her hoof impatiently. An old, lanky butler pony approached tugging a personal carriage. “You’re late,” Silver Spoon said, stepping into the carriage.

“My apologies, milady. I was starting dinner. We will be having carrot stew with braised eggplant, your favorite, if I recall correctly,” he said as the carriage began moving. “Your mother felt that you deserved a treat for your first day working. She looks forward to spending the rest of the evening with you.”

“Actually, I’ll have to disappoint her,” Silver Spoon replied, watching the world pass by as the carriage moved onward. “I have other plans.”

“This isn’t in retaliation to her insistence that you find work, is it?” her butler asked, slowing the carriage to face her and raise an eyebrow.

“I have a date tonight with a pony I met. I was kind of roped into it,” Silver Spoon admitted, avoiding his gaze. “I mean… could you tell my mom I appreciate it, and hold nothing against her? It’s just… I don’t know, I… hasn’t this ever happened to you, Cultivar?”

“I can’t say I’ve been in this particular situation. But I’ll let her down gently,” Cultivar replied, turning back to the road. They continued in silence for ten minutes before arriving at a mansion.

“I’ll be getting ready for my date. Take me to Sugarcube Corner in an hour?” Silver Spoon asked, hopping down from her seat.

“Milady… you are a young mare now and should know of the impact of your decisions. Your mother’s health isn’t in the best condition. Are you certain you can’t be troubled to spend the evening with her?” Cultivar asked. Silver Spoon stopped in her tracks and turned around slowly.

“I… well… I can’t just stand him up, can I? I mean, I made the date first before I even knew about it… What would you do?” she asked, shifting her weight uncomfortably.

“I can’t presume to understand the mind of a young mare. But I know that your mother loves you dearly and knows that her days are numbered. She too was young once and would forgive you if you left to enjoy yourself. But…” Cultivar said. Silver Spoon’s phone rang, cutting him off.

“It’s Tiara… could I… please?” Silver Spoon asked. Cultivar sighed as she ran into the house.

“Very well,” he muttered to himself, entering the house. “Prepare the carriage for Sugarcube Corner at six o’clock.”

Candelabra took a deep breath, inhaling the musty scent of the books that lay before her in the study. She made her way over to the large open window and stepped out onto the balcony, gazing at the estate below. “The carriage is back,” she whispered. “See that, honey? Our daughter’s back from her first day at work.” The door to the study opened silently behind her and hoof steps approached.

“I figured I’d find you here,” Cultivar said. “Deepest condolences, but your daughter cannot join you for dinner tonight. She has dinner reservations with a stallion at Sugarcube Corner. She did not provide a name.”

Candelabra turned slowly, past the family butler, and walked back into the study, sitting down in a large plush chair. Cultivar moved to close the window.

“Please leave it open,” Candelabra said gently. “This was his favorite room. The way the sunset lit up the walls with its orange glow…” Cultivar moved closer to her.

“He was a good stallion,” he said, placing a hoof on her shoulder. They stared at the room in silence for a while, listening to the ticking of the grandfather clock.

“About Silver Spoon…” Cultivar said, breaking the silence. “You know how young love is… she asked me to tell you how much she appreciates you and she made the date before knowing.”

“She can go this time…” Candelabra sighed. “She’s old enough to make her own decisions.” Cultivar nodded.

“She will be ecstatic to hear the news,” he said, bowing and leaving the study. The door gently clicked shut, leaving Candelabra alone in silence.

“Shut up! Grounded for a whole week?” Silver Spoon asked loudly as she dug through her closet.

“Can you believe it? I can’t begin to tell you how lame he is… saying how I embarrassed him in front of that stallion. I mean, who was the genius that sailed into our yacht anyway? My drink was probably worth more than his shoddy little fishing boat,” Diamond Tiara replied, a tiny voice from the cell phone on Silver Spoon’s dresser. “Anyway, how was Goofy Gina today?”

“Not too bad, actually. I have a date in an hour,” Silver Spoon said, extracting a smooth white dress with a bright blue sash. “Not with Gina! A stallion I met at work,” she said quickly.

“Ooh, do tell. Is he handsome? What’s his name? Oh, hay. I have to go now. Mister Grounded for life wants me to apologize to that idiot on the phone,” Diamond Tiara replied.

“I… don’t know, actually. I never asked. He is kind of quirky, though…” Silver Spoon replied, struggling to put on the dress. “I’ll find out more for you tonight.”

“Don’t leave a single detail. Kisses!” Diamond Tiara said as the phone clicked and went silent. Silver Spoon turned towards the mirror and admired her reflection, undoing her braid and letting her mane flow freely.

There was a rap on the door. “Your mother has excused you for the evening,” Cultivar said, coming in. Silver Spoon smiled in relief. “Beautiful. You’ll knock him dead.”

“That word again… I mean really. Anyway,” Silver Spoon replied, undoing her braid and brushing her hair, “how is she?”

“Milady?” Cultivar asked, although he knew who she meant.

“My mother. How is she doing?” Silver Spoon replied. “Is her health okay?”

“Her body is healthy again, but she’s been spending more and more time in the study lately,” Cultivar said. “She doesn’t seem to be letting go any time soon.”

“Oh please, mom, it’s been two years now…” Silver Spoon said to nopony in particular, getting up from her dressing table.

“And what of you? Milady was in tears on the day of her father’s death, if I recall,” Cultivar said. “Not that I blame you.”

“I got over it. I just figured to myself that life moves on,” Silver Spoon said, applying two drops of lightly scented perfume behind her ears.

“But family’s the most important thing, is it not?” Cultivar asked.

Silver Spoon frowned. She knew what he was trying to get her to do. “You know I can’t stay… but I’ll go talk to her.” Cultivar stepped to the side as she strode out the room.

Silver Spoon hesitated in front of the study’s polished wooden door. Her mane stood on end as a cold breeze rushed across her forelegs. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Mom?” she asked softly, entering the room. Candelabra was reading an old leather book. A cup of tea and some pills shared a table with a small lamp beside her.

“Silvy,” she said, setting down her book. “You…” she stopped, tears coming to her eyes as she noticed her daughter’s appearance.

“Mom, are you okay?” Silver Spoon asked, rushing to her mother’s side. “What’s the matter?”

Candelabra shook her head, smiling through her tears. “He would have loved to see you now… It feels like just yesterday you were born. And now…” Silver Spoon wrapped her mother in an embrace, trying to avoid looking at the pills on the table.

“Mom, please don’t. I miss him too, you know that. But please… it’s not good for your health,” she said, strategically turning to avoid getting her dress wet.

“I want you back by ten, try not to spend too much money, and please… be careful,” Candelabra said, burying her face into her daughter’s back.

“Alright, mom… I can take care of myself,” Silver Spoon replied, pulling away.

“I know you can,” Candelabra replied with a small, tired grin. Silver Spoon’s eyes widened as she gazed past her mother, spying the time on the grandfather clock.

“I’m going to be late! Gotta go! Love you!” Silver Spoon called as she galloped down the hall.

“I love you too…” Candelabra whispered to the empty room.