"What a day!" Dusty said as he sat on the hard plastic bench. That was the norm all over Sugar Cube Corner. The heat outside was fierce, and the restaurant quickly became an oasis of air conditioning in the late-summer sun. Nestled in one of his arms was a girl as drenched as he was with sweat.
"Don't you feel… All icky when you touch each other while you’re both sweaty like that, Applejack?" Rarity cringed. Applejack had no care at that moment, nor did she care that she was drenched in her own sweat after hard days work with Dusty's arm around her. His fatigues stuck out in a room full of rich and vibrant colors.
"So Dusty, how is the ROTC?" Dash asked between gulps of her soda.
"The new guys just need to be whipped into shape. Maybe you can help, Dash." Dusty chuckled.
"ROTC? Nah, I'd rather be in the Wonderbolts!" Rainbow Dash swooned.
"Suit yourself, Dash. They could use someone like you up there."
"Applejack! How was your date with you… 'Man'," Rarity interrupted with a giggle.
It was weird for Applejack to go steady with someone first, especially when they all expected it would be Rarity and her thirst for the tall handsome guys with money. In fact, it was Rarity that found out Dusty's feelings for AJ. They didn't talk much before, but he admired her from afar. And on a hunch, Rarity introduced them one day. From there, the rest was history.The puppy eyes, the fighting to actually ask for that first date… Again, that had to be pushed along by Rarity, who was always looking out for her friends.
"Our date? Nah, it was nothing." Applejack said as she began to casually reach into her pocket to send a text.
Dusty reached into his pocket after he felt the vibration from his phone.
"So, about that date….I need to talk to you about that."
"What’s the matter??"
"I'm late."
"Wait, what?"
"It's nothing to worry about, Dust."
Applejack shuffled off of dusty and scooted out of the table. "Ah gotta use the restroom," she said. She walked off gingerly, which worried Dusty. She stopped when she was halfway and covered her mouth. She dashed into the bathroom, which got everyone's attention. Applejack's four friends rushed after her, with Dusty in hot pursuit. He only stopped when he realized it was, in fact, the girl’s restroom. He waited for Applejack's friends to walk out. When they did, they had concern written all over their faces. Pinkie Pie looked like she was about to pop.
"So, do you have something to tell us?" Rarity asked.
"What?"
"Had a little 'fun' on your last date?" Rainbow teased with a wink.
"I have no idea what you guys are talking about..." Dusty rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"Can I be the godmother?" Pinkie squealed.
Dusty was so confused at first, but then it hit him like a ton of bricks.
His heart sank, and the fear of everything hit him like a freight train. He jolted to run in the bathroom but stopped himself because it was the girl’s restroom, once again. He attempted to go in again but stopped himself.
"Oh just go in!" Rainbow ushered.
Dusty closed his eyes and walked. Inside, he heard Applejack, and what seemed to be, her sobbing in fear. He walked to the nearest stall and opened it to see Applejack on her knees next to the toilet bowl. She was white in fear, and her tears streaming down her cheeks.
Dusty got on his knees next to her and brought her into a hug.
"it's going to be okay AJ, It is going to be okay..."
***
As Dusty stopped his truck in front of the Apple Barn, they sat to contemplate what was about to happen.
"Do you think they’ll be mad?" Dusty asked, fiddling with his fingers.
"A-Ah don't know. We've never have this happen in the Apples before."
"Oh come on, it has to happen, right?"
"Well, only one way to find out," Applejack gulped as she got out of the truck. As they took the short walk from the gravel driveway to the back door, Dusty grabbed Applejack's hand.
"It’s okay. They’re family, remember?. They will love you no matter what."
"Uh huh," Applejack nodded as they walked up the porch. Before Dusty could reach for the door, Granny Smith swung out.
"Well, I thought someone was coming! Hello, Dusty… Yeah, I can tell from your faces something is up.” Granny’s expression became neutralized, “Alright, the family is at the table. Come on."
They walked in, and Applejack's face was white with fear. Dusty held her hand tighter. ‘It's going to be okay.
Big MacIntosh and Applebloom were sitting at the breakfast table, waiting for Granny Smith's home cooking. She was about done but turned off the gas for what Applejack and Dusty had to say. They took their seats, and Applejack took a deep breath.
"Ah might be pregnant." Applejack came clean. No preamble, no build up. She just laid it all out on the table.
For Dusty, it felt like it someone had knocked the wind right out of him.. Granny Smith didn't say a word and wandered off to another room.
Applebloom felt like she was walking on Cloud Nine. "I'm going to be an aunt?! This is awesome! It's going to be so cool having a baby around to play with, feed, and take care of, right Big Mac?!"
Big Mac gave Dusty and his sister a glare, but gave a resigned sigh afterwards. "Applejack, you are ya own woman. I love ya with all mah heart, even if you are having a baby before graduating high school."
The sound of the Granny Smith’s footsteps from the other room filled the air, as well as her singing.
"Hey little grandchild, who's your Superman? Hey little grandchild, who's the one you want?"
She walked into the room, brandishing a double-barrel shotgun aimed for Dusty. Dusty let go of Applejack’s hand and scrambled back and away from his girlfriend so that if Granny did fire the shotgun, it would just be him catching lead.
"Hey, little grandchild shotgun!"
"Granny! Stop aiming the wedding shotgun at Dusty!" Applejack cried out.
"Oh, he’s fine. It's not even loaded! Gotta make a stop at the old supply store. Dusty, I knew you since you were a little cub! What on earth were you thinking?! What would your grandfather say if he was still around to see this mess?!"
Dusty gulped and had a nervous smile. "He would probably take me out for a beer to celebrate and to flirt with you."
"Yep, that sounds like him," Granny Smith giggled as she blushed, shouldering the shotgun.
"Ah said might, y'all. We won't know until a few days from now." Applejack chimed in.
"Well, you have a few days to prepare for the end of ya young lives and to go into adulthood…. Or throw Applejack down a flight of stairs"
"Granny!" Applejack and Dusty snapped.
"Oh please, Applejack! That's how girls did it back in my day."
"Can we be excused? I'm right tired," Applejack said as she stood and took Dusty by the hand to lead him upstairs. Dusty turned back to see Granny at the foot of the stairs, her shotgun still in her hands and her song on her throat.
"It's a nice day to start again,
“It's a nice day for a white wedding."
***
"That could’ve went worse..." Dusty said as he sat on Applejack’s bed. She sat next to him and leaned on him as he wrapped his arm around her.
"Well, better than hollering, throwing things, and banishing us from the farm like I feared. Still…"
"It’s alright, sweet-"
"What did I tell ya about the pet names?!"
"Oh, but you get to call me ‘sugarcube’ whenever you please."
Applejack smirked and sighed."Well, we have a few days until we find out. Ah was wondering what we were gonna do until then."
"Well," Dusty said as he let go of his girlfriend to look out the window, "How about I take you out to dinner tomorrow."
"Dusty…"
"I mean it!" He said as he walked back and got on his knees in front of Applejack. . "We go out, enjoy ourselves, and not think about this stuff until the time comes."
"Ah... Ah don't know…"
"If these are our last days to be young and responsibility-free, we might as well have one last 'date'. What do you say?"
"Oh what the hell. Yeah, let’s do it." Applejack said with a grin.
***
With his finest plaid button-up shirt and jeans, Dusty rolled up in his pickup truck to front of the Apple residence and honked his horn. Granny Smith was sitting on the porch in her rocking chair with her shotgun still in hand.
"Haven't I told ya before to get out of the truck and knock on the door?!" Granny hollered.
"It's not like we are on our first date, Granny!" Applejack said as she walked out in a beautiful orange sundress with three apples printed on one side. With her cowboy boots and hat, Dusty's heart began to flutter.
"You look beautiful," Dusty said, mesmerized by her sheer beauty.
"Thanks, dusty. You don't look so bad y’erself. Look at you, dressing all up for me."
"Even washed ol’ Tank too… Or…" Dusty said, looking at the new layer of dust that collected on his newly washed truck.
"Well, that’s a shame. I guess you might need to get that washed, partner." Applejack smirked.
"Yeah," Dusty said, rubbing his back from the embarrassment.
"Since it was my road that made it dirty, I should wash it."
"You don't have to do-"
"In my bikini," Applejack said as she waggled her eyebrows.
"Oh, ah…"
Applejack smiled at her boyfriend’s dumbfoundedness as she hopped in the pickup. "So, where we going?"
"Rarity suggested a steakhouse a town over…"
"Dusty.." AJ said with an annoyed tone. "Did ya just take restaurant advice from Rarity?"
"Yes?" Dusty replied as he began to drive off, the sound of the gravel and dirt being crunched by the tires. "And I'm going to stick to my guns here and say it will be a great place… I hope."
***
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Dusty?" Applejack tapped her foot beneath the tap.
Dusty sighed, "Don't take recommendations from Rarity ever again."
"And?"
"If the place doesn't sell beer, don't go, even if we can't buy it."
Applejack giggled and then looked down at the "dinner" they had. It was a few steamed vegetables, a scoop of rice, and some piece of sorry beef that the fancy place dared called a ‘steak’. They were also given weird looks from the clientele in their suits and formalwear, looking at the two young 'ruffians' that looked like they’d met at their family reunion and began dating ever since.
"Well, AJ" Dusty said,scoping out the exit. "Wanna get out of here and have a juicy burger and freshly cooked fries instead?"
"Now we're talking!" Applejack said with glee.
"Alright, let me get this check though… Sixty bucks for two appetizers. Rip. Off.”
***
"This is more like it," Applejack said. Her legs were crossed on top of a few thick blankets that covered the bed of Dusty's truck. The tail was down, which allowed them to see the view of the town at night from on top of a rest area that was called 'Lover’s Lane'. In front of them were their burgers, and between them was a box of fries that they had bought and shared with ketchup and ranch as their sauce.
"It's a pretty night," AJ observed as she bit into her burger.
"Not as pretty as you, miss," Dusty said with a smile.
"You flatterer, you," she said with her mouth full.
"Well, I do like it with meat in your mouth," he smirked.
"Hush, you!" She said as she gave him a playful push.
They finished their burgers before they went under the sheets, the communal fries still between them and slowly picked off by the two.
"Dusty?" Applejack asked.
"Yes?" He grabbed her hand and threaded their fingers together.
"What happens if we are having a baby?"
"Well, that’s when I’ll join the Royal Guard."
"Dusty…"
"It's the only way I can truly provide for you and our baby."
Applejack shook her head. "It’s not the only way, sugarcube. You can always just stay with us and work the farm. It ain't as romantic as the Guard, but you can always have a family here."
"It wouldn’t feel right if I did so," Dusty said. "But I guess we should cross that bridge when it’s done being built."
"Right... Hey, Dusty?"
"Yes-" Dusty turned his head to have his lips meet with hers. The kiss became deeper as Applejack’s tongue forced itself into Dusty's mouth, staring their slippery, wet dance. They broke off the kiss slowly, and Applejack had that look in her eyes from their last date, the same one that started this entire mess.
"Right here?"
"Of course!" She said as she moved over and sat on top of him, assaulting him with even more tongue kisses.
"Condoms?" Dusty asked between the wet smooches.
"In mah bra."
"But what If we get caught?" The thought just occurred to him.
"Why do you think I wore a dress and not jeans, sugarcube?"
" I love it when you get all five steps ahead of me," Dusty smirked between kisses.
"Is that so? Well, I bet you are going to love this next step." Applejack said as she reached into her bra to pull out the condom, “I know I will.”
Dusty chuckled as he felt her cheek brush up against his.
"Saddle up, cowboy," she whispered into his ear.
***
Applejack stood in front of the bathroom door in thought. Behind her, Dusty, her family, and her friends were in a semi-circle, waiting for Applejack to finally take the test. There were varying degrees of emotion from joy, to excitement, to worry.
"Well, here I go," Applejack said, about to reach out and open the door. She was stopped by a familiar hand.
"Hey, no matter what happens, I’ll be by your side." Dusty said with a warm smile.
Applejack smiled and, as a single teardrop started making its way down her cheek, turned around and gave the love of her life a single kiss. "Thank you."
Like a true gentleman, he opened the door for her to go in, and slowly shut it behind her, but not before having a final say. "I love you."
Then came the wait. The insecurity and fear turned the seconds into minutes and the minutes into hours. It seemed that way, at least for him.
Applejack's friends were talking amongst themselves. Rarity was leading the conversation, affirming her position as the wedding and baby shower coordinator.
"Don't you fret, Dusty," Granny Smith said as she polished her shotgun. "Shotgun weddings are ceremonial. Unless you really want a shotgun up your keister, which I have to say ‘Find someone else to do that, ya sick freak’."
Dusty gave her a concerned look and continued to pace the door. He might have paced around a hundred times, only to lose count after seventy-five times. After an eternity and a half, the door opened. Everyone stopped to see a somber Applejack standing in front of them. Dusty's heart sank, her face told the story…
… Or so he thought.
She lifted her head, revealing a grin that felt like the first one she’d ever given Dusty.. She lifted her hand to show the result:
Negative.
Everyone blew a sigh of relief while Dusty and Applejack went for a hug. Their attempt was halted by the double-barrel of Granny Smith’s shotgun.
"That kind of PDA is what caused all this in the first place. No, you have to find another way."
It felt awkward for the young couple to be put on the spot like that, but they found another way.
Dusty reached out his hand in front of Applejack and she returned it with a firm handshake.
"Who wants to celebrate!? The food and drinks are on me!" Pinkie hollered.
***
"Eat up!" Pinkie said as she placed down the giant baking sheet of chili fries with a pile of forks for all to use. The french fries were still scalding, and the amount of chili and cheese ensured that there was only a rare occasion where the fries were not covered in it. Each girl and Dusty began to pick at the giant sheet pan before them, grabbing chunks of the concoction of goodness. To wash it off, they had shakes and sodas. Free of charge, of course. It was just one of the many perks of having a friend work for the shop had.
The girls were chatting amongst themselves about the gossip of the day while the young couple was relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. The last few days were a living hell for them, forty-eight to seventy-two hours of uncertainty, all washed away knowing they know can concentrate on their futures and not worry about bearing a child. Seventy-two hours of hell, and all they got to show for it was a baking pan of chili-cheese fries and unlimited shakes.
"Ya know,” Applejack said as she leaned into Dusty, her head on his upper arm, "If I was expecting, Ah wouldn't of mind,"
"Really?"
"I meant it! I mean, it would cause chaos in the farm and the apple clan, no doubt, but having a child together would… It would be lovely."
"I couldn’t agree more," Dusty said as they exchanged a kiss
"You know, we didn't even think of names!"
Dusty smiled. "Oh, I already decided if it was a boy he would be named Oakflesh."
"What?! Dusty, that's a terrible name! Apple Orchard should be the name!"
"What?! Does it have to be an apple related one?" He shot back
Applejack gave him a condescending glare. He locked eyes with her, only for the both of them to laugh. As the celebration went on, they continued to bounce the baby name ideas off each other. Perhaps one day they’d finally decide on one, together.
Author's Note
I have a Skype group for fans of my work, pre-readers, proofreaders, and editors. If you want to join this group (and Skype is free to get and register btw) add me (louisros1990 is mine skype) and tell me you want to join the group.
