The school bell rang, ending the school year. I waited patiently at my seat while all the other foals ran toward the door.
“Okay, everypony!” Miss Cheerilee called. “Have a fun and safe summer break.” The safe part was directed specifically at Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. Some of their adventures in cutie mark crusading seem a little far-fetched, but the town hall did have a giant scorch mark, so maybe they did get fireworks.
Everypony else was in front of the door, so I got up and calmly made my way to the back of the line, just like Miss Cheerilee taught us. As I walked past her, she put her hoof on my shoulder.
“Dinky, can I speak to you for a moment?” I nodded, and she walked us back over to her desk. She gestured for me to sit down, and I did.
“Yes, Miss Cheerilee?” I smiled at her, except it wasn’t a full smile, 'cause I didn’t know what she called me to her desk for.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Dinky, it’s the end of the school year. That means you’re going home for the summer with your mom.”
“That’s right!” I said, sitting right up. My back hooves swung beneath me, since they couldn’t touch the ground.
Miss Cheerilee wasn’t smiling. I wilted a little, before remembering proper posture.
She took another deep breath, which made me wonder if she was okay. Deep breaths are for when you’re having a hard time calming down, after all. Miss Twilight used to have to do them all the time, according to Mister Spike.
“Your mother has been experiencing some… trouble lately. Has she told you?” I shook my head. “Well… you know how, er, enthusiastic Apple Bloom and her friends are?”
I nodded, and had to choke back a laugh. They sure were enthusiastic! In fact, they had been the examples when we learned that word two weeks ago.
Miss Cheerilee sighed again, returning me to our conversation. “Your mother was like that when she was a student here. The problem is, she never quite grew out of it. You, on the other hand, outgrew the crusading phase rather quickly, much like Miss Twilight.”
“Actually, Miss Cheerilee, I’ve been learning from Miss Twilight, and she’s taught me words like serendipitous, grandiose, and reckless.”
Miss Cheerilee frowned. “Why did she teach you reckless?”
“Something about Rainbow Dash crashing into her window again. It turns out reckless doesn’t mean ‘without wrecking’, even though most words ending in -less mean ‘without’. So it should actually be reckful.”
“Anyway, Dinky,” Miss Cheerilee said, ignoring what I had just said, “I need you to stay with your mom. Make sure she doesn’t get too carried away with things, and help her out whenever you can.”
“Okay!” I said, hopping out of the chair. Those chairs were really uncomfortable after a while. We learned one day that it’s because equines aren’t supposed to sit, but they couldn’t have students lay down, 'cause they tend to sleep through class if they do. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon seemed especially grumpy about it, 'cause they need beauty sleep. I’d have to agree, 'cause bags under your eyes are not beautiful at all.
I waved goodbye to Miss Cheerilee, who straightened up her papers and sighed again. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve seen her sigh this much since the first day, when the Cutie Mark Crusaders told us about all their adventures. I saw her at Twilight’s later that day, asking about ibuprofen or something like that. It sounded like a medicine, and Mom told me not to take medicine unless you’re sick. So I hope Miss Cheerilee didn’t try to take medicine again, 'cause she seemed fine.
I walked out of the school and took in a breath of fresh air. It’s always nice, because in summer, the windows are closed 'cause it’s too hot out. I headed off to the post office, which was Mom’s new job. Apparently, the weather team didn’t like her, so they said she couldn’t work there anymore. That seems kind of mean. I don’t even know what the team does. Teams score points to win games, so maybe Mom didn’t score enough points, but she told me once that there are other ways to help a team, like play goalie. It doesn’t seem fair to me.
The post office was on the other edge of Ponyville, so I walked through the square to get there. A few ponies said hi to me, but most adults are content to let foals roam. They still watch, though, like we’re going to do something spectacular. I don’t understand, but they tell me vague statements about making sure nopony tries anything funny. I thought they liked funny ponies though. Miss Pinkie seems really popular.
Speaking of Miss Pinkie, she saw me as I passed Sugarcube Corner. I don’t know how she saw me, since I was on the street and she was inside, but Miss Twilight says to never question Miss Pinkie. She seems kind of odd when she says that, though, like she wants to know too.
“Heya, Dinky!” Miss Pinkie said to me. “How’s it going?”
“It’s pretty good. School’s out, so I’ve got more free time now!” I beamed at her, which I almost can’t help doing. She’s such a good Element of Laughter.
“Awesome!” she said, grinning even more widely than me. She pulled out a cupcake. “Here, have this to celebrate your super-duper funtacular day!”
I tilted my head. “Where did you get that from?”
She giggled. “Why, my saddlebags of course!” Miss Pinkie lifted her saddlebags from her side, which I was sure had been bare a moment ago. “I’m not completely random, you know.”
“But… were those there before?”
Miss Pinkie snorted. “Well, duh! Saddlebags don’t just appear out of thin air!” She then started laughing again.
Sometimes it’s better not to question Miss Pinkie.
I told her I had to meet up with Mom and gave her a polite goodbye. She waved and invited me back anytime I wanted.
Once I was out of sight, I looked at the cupcake. Diamond Tiara told me a story once about Miss Pinkie’s cupcakes, and ever since, I’ve always checked them. This one was normal chocolate, though, so I ate it. I think Diamond Tiara was just being mean.
The rest of the trip to the post office was fairly quiet. Even though it’s part of downtown Ponyville, most ponies spend their time at Sugarcube corner or Quills and Sofas. It’s amazing how much business a store with two items can get!
I walked into the post office through the front door. They don’t tend to like it when fillies walk through the back door, even if that filly is the daughter of a mailmare. That’s okay, though, there isn’t much in the back room anyway. It’s pretty much just a bunch of boxes of mail, sorted into little cubicles, which Mom once said was for each part of Ponyville. As small as Ponyville is, there are still kind of a lot of cubicles, and therefore a bunch of postal workers. I think Mom said there were fifteen of them. That means the routes are kind of small, but that also meant Mom got home by the time I was out of school on most days.
As I approached the front counter, Miss Desk Jockey saw me and smiled.
“Hi, Dinky! I guess you want to see your mom?” I nodded, returning her smile. “Okay then, let me see if she’s back yet.”
She turned to walk behind the desk toward the manager’s office. I couldn’t hear what was said, but it seemed that Miss Desk Jockey was unhappy with what the manager was saying.
A moment later, after the debate had stopped, Miss Desk Jockey walked back to the front, no longer smiling. Her boss, Wind Runner, walked up to me. She put a hoof on my withers and knelt down to look me in the eyes.
“Listen, kid…” she started.
“Dinky,” Desk Jockey coughed from the corner.
Wind Runner glared at her, then turned back to me. “Dinky… your mother doesn’t work here anymore. She had to be fired-”
“Fired?” I exclaimed. “Why would you do that? What could she have possibly done that deserves you setting her on fire?” Wind Runner shared a look with Desk Jockey while I clutched her shoulders. I clasped my hooves to my mouth.
“Oh my gosh, I have to go check on her in the hospital! I have to make sure she’s okay!” I ran toward the door.
“Dinky!” I heard Desk Jockey yell as I raced outside. It was too late; I was already on my way to the hospital.
…
I ran into the doors at the hospital. It wasn’t my fault! I was scared and I forgot that those doors were enchanted to open themselves. The doors slid apart, revealing a lobby full of ponies staring at me. Two Nurse Redhearts ran up to me.
“Dinky! Are you alright?” They merged into one Nurse Redheart, who put a hoof on my forehead.
I jumped back with a yelp, sending me back into the doors. I could feel a bump growing beside my horn, right above where her hoof had been. Hitting the doors again definitely hadn’t made any of the pain go away.
“Miss Redheart, I’m fine!” I said, even though my vision was a little blurry again. I shook my head back and forth a few times, revealing that Nurse Redheart was looking at me funny. I huffed, 'cause the last time she had given me that face was when I fell out of a tree. I said I was fine then too, but I still had to sit there for over an hour while they ran ‘tests’. I didn’t even get a lollipop.
The other ponies were still looking at me. I turned toward them, and all of a sudden they were super interested in their magazines. I turned back to Nurse Redheart.
“Where’s my mom?”
Nurse Redheart raised her eyebrow. “Your mom? I don’t know, Dinky. Shouldn’t you be the one telling me where she is?”
I sighed. Grown ups are so frustrating sometimes. “I don’t know where she is, though! Miss Wind Runner at the post office said Mom got fired today.” Something caught in my throat at the thought of Mom on fire. My vision went fuzzy again, only this time it was 'cause my eyes were watering. I looked down at the floor. “If she’s not here, then I don’t know where Mom is.”
“Dinky…” Nurse Redheart said. I felt her hoof on my shoulder. She went quiet for a moment, then said, “Your mom’s not here. She didn’t get burned, and I’m sure she’s at home right now, waiting for you to get there.”
The only thing I could respond with was a sniffle.
“C’mere.” She wrapped her front legs around me. I tried not to cry like a foal,but I couldn't stop myself. Her hug made me feel a little better, though. Nurses give good hugs. They’re warm, like an old blanket you have from when you were really young, the one that you pretend you don’t still sleep with. She smelled like soap and lotion, which was probably exactly what the smell came from. Her hooves ran in small circles on my back, and she gently swayed.
It wasn’t as good as Mom’s hugs, but it was a close second.
My sobbing turned to hiccups after a while and the hug I had been wrapped in was slowly taken away. I saw that I had left a small pool of snot on her leg, which I apologized for like Mom taught me.
She smiled a little smile at me. “That’s not the worst thing somepony’s done to me. Not by far.”
I tilted my head. “What’s the worst thing?”
Her smile faded. “You don’t want to know.” That response confused me; I didn’t know whether to laugh or stay silent. I picked the second one, which seemed like a good choice. She shuddered. Seeing me, she apparently remembered that I was there. The smile returned, only broader and warmer.
“Come on, kid. I’ll get you a sucker. You could use one.”
My ears drooped. “Do I have to get a check-up?”
For whatever reason, that seemed really funny to her. I was completely serious though. I don’t think I’ll ever understand grown ups.
Her laughter died down, which was a little sad 'cause I like her laugh. “No, you don’t have to get a check-up,” she said. “We can even get one for your mom.” In a low, serious voice she added, “I think she needs something sweet today.”
…
The door was already ajar when I got home. I pushed it all the way open with my hoof, since I was using my magic to hold the lollipops.
“Mom, I’m home! I got you a lollipop. They didn’t have muffin flavor, so I got you blueberry 'cause that’s the most muffin-y flavor they had.” I heard a sniffle from the kitchen. “Mom?”
She was sitting at the table, crying over a stack of mail. A few of them had things stamped on them in red ink. I made my best effort to be super quiet, 'cause one time I caught Silver Spoon crying, and she got mad at me. I tiptoed into the doorway. If I could just get to my room, maybe I could wait it out and we could pretend she hadn't been crying. Maybe then things would be okay again.
One of my toys had other ideas, and I stepped on it. I yelped, causing Mom to turn her head to me. She didn’t seem mad, just surprised. Her crying slowed, though.
"I'm sorry, Mom! I didn't mean to walk in on you crying! I mean, I can leave you alone if you-"
Mom wrapped me in a big hug. I was a little surprised, but I didn’t mind. Remember how I said Nurse Redheart gave good hugs? Well, Mom’s hugs were even better!
This time, her hug wasn’t as good. It actually made me more worried. Mom usually gives me hugs when I have a bad day, not the other way around. I didn’t mind, though.
Remembering that she had been fired, I had to smell her just to be sure she hadn’t been burned. Her hugs still smelled like banana nut muffins, her favorite kind. She smelled like home. I relaxed. That mailpony was lying when she said Mom was on fire! I forgave her, though. It was enough just to be in the familiar warmth of Mom’s arms.
After a while, though, Mom pulled away, and I felt all her warmth leave me. Her eyes were still watering as she looked straight at me.
“Dinky, you know I love you, right?”
The question hit me out of nowhere. Mom and I had never directly said it, but I knew we both loved each other very much. Why did Mom need to question it?
“Mommy, of course you love me, just like I love you!” She closed her eyes and slowly nodded.
“Good. Always remember that, Dinky.” She sighed. “And please don’t hate me.”
“Hate you, Mommy? I don’t understand…”
With a sniffle, she turned away from me. “Pack up your bags. I can’t take care of you anymore.”
“What?” I walked up to her. “Why not?”
She lowered her head and stepped away from me. “I’m broke, Dinky.”
I stood on my back legs and put my hoof on Mom’s shoulder. Her muscles tensed up at the touch. My head rested on her shoulder as I wrapped my front legs as far around her as I could.
“I’ll fix you, Mommy,” I whispered.
She inhaled sharply. Her head turned, and she looked at me out of the corner of her eye. I dropped down, because standing hurts, but I hugged her leg. I felt her other hoof wrap around to my shoulder, and Mom nuzzled my cheek.
“Promise?” she whispered back.
“Promise,” I answered, looking up at her with a grin. She gave me a half-smile back, but that was okay, 'cause that was half a smile more than she had before.
“Everything’s gonna be okay, Mommy.”
She chuckled and kissed my forehead. “Yes, I think it will be.”
