Sweeter than caramel

"Ah don't want to hear it Luma!" echoed Applejack's voice from within her once silent home. "It's happenin’ and there's nothin’ Ah can do ‘bout it!"

"Sweetie, there's no reason to get so worked up about this. Sure we may be in trouble, but who hasn't in this part of life?"

"Well then where were ya huh?! Where were ya when they showed up and told us that we only have ‘til the end of the month to put up the money for the farm or we lose it huh?!"

"I was in school, actually learning the science behind this stuff so that maybe I could actually do something meaningful around here."

"I told ya ah could teach ya everythin’ ya needed but nope, ya gotta go and throw away anythin’ ah say."

"I'm just being smart about this hon. Financially we both have issues here. I love this farm with all my heart but if I can't support myself on top of that, then I need to branch out."

"Then why don't ya let go of that house ya live in and come live with us?!"

"That house is a symbol of respect Applejack, one of my first real accomplishments in life. Why don't you come live with me? We can finally be an independent couple and the farm wouldn't be that far away."

"Ya musta gotten an apple wedged in yer brain ‘cuz there's no way Ah'm leavin’ mah family. Why don't ya just admit that ya don't care ‘bout us?!"

"Applejack, I would give my life for you all and you know it, but you have to realize that things are not always gonna go your way."

Wrong choice of words bro. She gasped at the words before slapping you, storming off in a fit of rage. You held your cheek to calm the stinging sensation, sighing as you slumped down in the chair and closed your eyes. What happened to us? It used to be so cute whenever she got mad but now, it's… concerning me. It used to be that we could put in a hard day's work and cuddle together as the sun went down on the horizon. Now any type of fight or argument is unavoidable.

"Havin’ a lil’ bit of trouble?"

You reopened your eyes to see Big Mac standing in the doorway. "Everything is fine."

"I reckon it ain't. Could hear ya two going at it like wild dogs all the way out by the lake."

"Not like we were being quiet." you said as you massaged your temples. "I…I don't know what to do Big Mac. Everything was fine all those years. We had our lives ahead of us, we were supposed to take over the farm, make a living out of it, raise a family here. This was our dream… but now…" you said as you slammed your fist down on the arm of the wooden chair, the support cracking at the pressure as a single tear rolled down your cheek. "It's like she's expecting me to single handedly save this farm!"

"Calm down there partner."

"Sorry… I'm sorry… it's just… I don't how she did it but during my 5 years here, bonding with everyone and everything the apple family strives to show to the world, I love it all. I wouldn't give it up for a million bucks, even though that would help us right now… Look, if you could calm her down that would be great. I'm… gonna go home and clear my head."

"Sorry ‘bout her partner. Y'know she's a fighter."

The drive home was bad, the silence was even worse making your mood ten times more depressing than the entire argument itself. You thought getting home would help, the comfort of your warm house surrounding you while you played your favorite game about a blue blur. All it did, however, was showcase how much of a coward you were just running away from the entire situation. You laid back on the bed which was still in the living room, a hefty sigh leaving your body as the game came to a pause. "Ev’rybody wants to be a cat… cause a cat's the only cat… who knows where it's at." You weren't sure if that was even relevant to the situation but it seemed appropriate to calm your nerves. Suddenly your phone rang, that same tune picking up your attention.

Youtube Video

As soon as you took a look at the caller in question, you began to regret picking it up in the first place and wanted to let it ring. You couldn't unfortunately, she would kill you. "Hello?"

"Luma?...It's…Applejack."

"Um…hey honey…“

"Yeah…hey…can we talk?"

"You promise you cool now?"

"Ah'm not goin’ to scream at ya if that's what ya mean."

"Oh thank god. Thought I was gonna have to bring a cross to the next argument."

"...Cut it out Luma."

"I can see that you're not in that mood. You and me, we're on the same page. No more jokes, got it."

"Would you just let me in?"

"R-right."

You quickly hung up and proceeded to the front door where she stood in a nervous wreck. After walking her in and placing yourselves upon the bed, you oddly looked away from her with both a mix of nervousness and fear. It's as if you had a high school crush on her all over again, except this time, it was fear and not shyness. "Ah'm..." She tried to speak but ended up choking on her words. You were obviously both afraid of the situation’s tense atmosphere, so much so that you couldn't help but verbally argue with yourself.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Say something."

"I don't know what to say."

"Dude, you can fix this with little to no words. All you have to do is say something."

"But what if I mess it up?"

"Look virtually anything you say at this point is better than just sitting here."

"But what do I say?"

"Look, just say anything… but say it with meaning. Let's try an apology for example."

"Are you sure?"

"Just say it with feeling."

"Alright… here goes."

"Applejack… I'm sorry… for, um… accidentally running over your prized chicken last year."

"What the… what the hell was that?"

"I don't know, you said apologize didn't you?"

"I didn't think you'd just choose something out of the blue. Look, try something else and this time actually make it relevant."

"I mean… I want to apologize… for screaming at you back there." Better. "Even though you kinda started it."

"No you fool, you doomed us both!"

"I'm sorry, I panicked."

Finally, she took hold of your hand making you tense up as you thought she was about to break it. To your surprise however, she caressed it, almost like she was savoring the feeling. "Look Luma, Ah know what you're trying to say and Ah think we both need to do some forgiving."

"Whew, for a second there I thought you'd be..."

"Don't... say… another... word."

"But..."

"She just forgave us, just roll with it."

"Um… yes Applejack, we both need to forgive and forget."

"Now what was that about mah chicken?"

You and your imaginary conscience couldn't help but scream, "Dammit!"

"Look AJ, I really want to apologize. I'm sorry for not understanding how you much you actually needed me there. I realize I’m there only about half the time I would like to be and that seems unfair to you guys if we're to take over the farm one day… Oh, and the chicken thing too."

"Well Ah'm a lil’ upset about mah chicken but Ah'll get over it. Ah should be the one sayin’ sorry sugarcube, mah thoughts were a little… stubborn at the time. It's just that this farm is mah future. To see it threatened like this is just downright irritatin’."

"You at least were nice to the guys who gave you the notice, right?"

"Well…" Applejack said as she trailed off.

(2 days ago)

"It's OK partner, Ah got her pretty much restrained." Big Mac assured the man.

"Well as much as I'd like to believe that, even in that state, I'm pretty sure she'll still try to set me on fire with her mind. … She's trying to do it right now, isn't she?"

"Staaaaaaaare..."

"Easy, girl." Big Mac chimed on.

(End flashback)

"It was… quite the experience." she nervously chuckled.

"You tried to set someone on fire with your mind again didn't you?"

"Want me to try on ya too?"

"N-no. So how are we gonna handle this?"

"Ah have no idea." she said as she laid back on the bed.

"Me neither. I doubt you guys wanna get a loan right?"

"And be in even more debt, Ah reckon that's the best idea ya've ever had."

"Very funny. So who was it?"

"Who was what?"

"Who were the guys that you bought the farm from?"

"That's land, not farm."

"Sorry, who did you buy the land from?"

"Don't really remember. Last time Ah did see it was on the paper they handed us when they decided it was a good idea to run on up there and repossess the land. We don't have money like that no more Luma, all of it pretty much went into the farm and the crops."

"Well, how much are they asking for?"

She sighed before saying "Ten grand."

"Ten grand? That sounds like it could be doable."

"Did ya forget that we only have ‘til the end of the month to put together that type of money?"

"No, but I'm optimistic."

"Did ya also forget what time of year it is? It's colder than the north pole right now and only time will tell how long ‘til it starts snowin’. Our crops ain't goin’ nowhere as far we're concerned."

"Damn, you're right." you said as you joined her on the bed. "Have you talked about it with Big Mac and Granny Smith?"

"..."

"AJ?"

"What did you do?!"

"I asked her a simple question, what, is that against the rules?"

"Do you realize that what you've done?!"

"No, what's wrong with a simple question?"

"You fool, Granny Smith passed away two years ago!"

"Oh my god..."

"Fix this, fix this now."

"Oh crap AJ, I'm so sorry. I swear I'm the most forgetful person on the planet." Quickly you threw your hands behind your head and stood up. "Go ahead."

She turned over and looked at you with confusion, no hint of anger detected in her eyes. "What are ya doin’?"

"Free shot… you know for bringing that up."

"Ah'm not mad."

"Y-you're not?"

"No, ah've learned to deal with that by now. It made me a lil’ emotional but nothin’ this cowgirl can't handle."

"Oh thank god."

"And yes, Ah have talked to mah brother about it."

"Well what did he say?"

"He said…that maybe we should give in and sell it to ‘em instead of waitin’ for ‘em to just take it."

"No no no, there's no way I'm going to let them just have the farm. You guys made me love this farm too much for me to just give it up."

"Not sayin’ ya're wrong sugarcube, but it does seem like the best solution."

"This farm was to supposed be our future. A place where we can do what we both love, a place where our kid was supposed to be happy, a place where he or she could have fun, bring friends, and eventually grow up and make their own destiny."

"Luma…"

"I know I'm getting carried away, but…you know, I've been thinking."

"It ain't no secret ah guess. Been wantin’ our own lil’ girl too, somethin’ we can really be proud of."

"I'm sorry, girl?"

"Yes, a girl."

"You mean boy?"

"No Luma, ah'd like a girl."

"We're gonna have to bet on this."

"What reason could ya possibly want a boy more for?"

"Well hello, I'm a boy. I look forward to teaching my son all the things he needs to be a man."

"And ah look forward to teachin’ mah lil’ girl all the things she needs to be a strong and respectable young woman."

"Look, the point is, I want to see our little boy or girl enjoying his or her life out there on those acres, coming home from school with a smile on his or her face and friends by his or her side."

"Well… unfortunately, Big Mac already made the plans."

"What plans?"

"We got ‘bout a week ‘til the end of the month. If we can't figure out a plan by the end of it, then we're packin’ everythin’ up."

"Applejack, that farm has been your home since you were a little girl, you can't be serious about just leaving it."

"Ah wish Ah weren't. Must've argued like angry dogs for over an hour before Ah figured it was the best course of action.

"This really sucks."

"Better get thinkin’ then."

"So crops are pretty much out of the question right?"

"We definitely didn't harvest enough this year to sell. Most of it is to survive the winter."

"And definitely no loans… C'mon think Luma."

"No need to hurt yerself sugar. How ‘bout we go get some grub and maybe it'll come to us then."

"Couldn't hurt. You know I really am sorry about the chicken."

"How do ya run over a chicken?"

"I lost control of the tractor. That was a very bloody day for Mr. Needlemouse."

"Ya named the chicken."

"I had to scream something when I ran over it. You're not mad are you?"

"Not at all, doll."

"You sure… Cause you're staring at me pretty hard."

"Staaaaaaaare…"

"You can't actually set anyone on fire AJ."

"Oh really? Did ya forget ‘bout Equestrian magic?"

"Equestrian wha- OH CRAP OH GEEZ PUT IT OUT PUT IT OUT!"

As you frantically rolled on the ground trying desperately to put the fire off of your nice jacket, AJ proceeded to the car with only a slight chuckle to give.