A Winter wonderland

It seems I am not disappointed in my hopes for summer. Last Sunday was Summer sun Sunday, the official start to summer, and already things are looking up. A fortnight ago I attended the annual Calligraphers' Guild meeting and awards. After three years of hard work, I have finally been recognised! I won the big one, the most prestigious award of them all! I am now officially the best calligrapher of the year! I have it framed on the wall in my work area, proudly declaring me, Quillswell to be the best calligrapher in all of Equestria. Furthermore I have a sign on my front window telling everypony that passes the same. My client list has greatly expanded ever since I won!

Just as well then that I recently finalised the purchase of the shop next to mine, and planning permission to create an entrance between them. Up until last month, a lovely older couple ran a florists there, but six months ago, they told me they were going to retire soon. After some thought, I approached them with an offer to purchase it and also consulted a builder about creating a single shop by knocking down the wall between our shops.

As it turned out, they were only to happy to sell to me, and the builder said he couldn't knock it down completely (it's a load bearing wall) but he could easily put an arch in. Work starts next week and should take about a month. I plan on using the new section as the main shop, as it's the larger of the two, being at least twice the size. My current shop will be used as spillover and for private viewings and other more intimate gatherings. With the growing number of customers, this couldn't have come at a better time. For years I had struggled, making ends met by being cheaper than my competitors. The guild refused to recognise my hard work and skill, choosing instead those of lesser ability. I wondered if I'd ever “make it” as they say. Well now I can put those fears behind me! It's like that old song says, you just have to hold on to your dreams and not give up, even when you think your ship has sailed. The only downside is that I'm getting run off my feet with work now! I may have to hire someone to help me.

My shop is not the only thing that is expanding right now. Winter recently announced that she's pregnant. It seems all the lovemaking during her oestrus wasn't just a bit of fun. In hindsight, I should have seen the signs – the bloating, morning sickness and most bizarrely, her sudden request for a share of the pork scratchings from my pantry.
That last one was the one that set the gears of my mind turning to the possibility of pregnancy.
'Winter, are you sure you want to try some? You hate meat.' I asked her.
She was adamant that she did, claiming that she suddenly had the notion of trying the things I ate.
It was only later that she came home and sat me down, saying that we had to talk.

I remember her putting a bunch of pamphlets on the coffee table – all to do with pregnancy and foalcare.
'What are these in aid of? Someone we know expecting a baby? Your friend Violet?' I asked, totally clueless, in the way only men can be.
'No!' she moaned in exasperation, 'I am! I'm pregnant! I just got back from visiting my doctor.'
At first I was flabbergasted at what she was telling me. I didn't think for a second that she had cheated on me, but I couldn't believe that she could be pregnant by me. I thought for sure that she must be mistaken.
'How can you be sure? I mean, can a Human and a Pony even make a foal?' I asked
'I'm sure. I went to the doctor just to be sure, and she assures me I am pregnant, and that you are the father.'
'All right then, I guess the question is where do we set up home? We can't continue on as we have. I can't continually drink cloud walking potions, and I can't ask you to move down here, it's far too cramped for a start.'

Winter thought about it for a while and then her face lit up with sudden inspiration.
'Hey, you know where the Wonderbolt academy is?'
'Yeah?' I said slowly, wondering what she was driving at.
'You know how it's on a plateau high up in the air?'
'Yeah?' I said again, still not getting it.
'Well, there's another plateau not too far away that used to have extra barracks on it. But now they've been turned into a nice apartment complex! I've got a friend who lives there. The apartments are huge! You have three bedrooms, a living area with a nice wood-burner and all the usual stuff - kitchen laundry and so on.'
I thought about it for a while, I could easily afford the place, and the commute wouldn't be too arduous, but I had become rather attached to living in my little garret above the studio.

However, in the end I have decided to make the best decision for my wife and our unborn child – or rather children, as Winter tells me the doctor is sure that we can expect twins. I have spent the past week compulsively reading and re-reading the pamphlets that Winter brought home, and they quite clearly state that extended time spent below certain altitudes as well as repeated changes can be bad for developing Pegasi foals and puts stress on the mother. I am determined to ensure their well-being at all costs. And that cost has come to fifty thousand bits as I have the paperwork on my desk, signed and ready for delivery to the realtor's office first thing in the morning.

I have not the faintest clue how I will manage fatherhood, but as with all things I expect to muddle through. I will probably make a few mistakes, but with Winters help, I am sure she and I will make splendid parents.