Father's Day at Grandpear's
"Come on and hurry up with packing, we can't be late!" hollers Granny from outside in the cart.
"Coming!" holler the siblings as they run down the hall and into the cart, Apple Bloom stopping briefly to grab her apple blanket and great seedling doll.
"You still need those?" asks AJ with a smile.
"What? We haven't done a trip to the Pear side of the family ever. I'm nervous and I needed something to hold," responds Apple Bloom somewhat annoyed with her big sis.
After about a twenty, thirty minute drive, they arrive at Grandpear's new house on the outskirts of Ponyville. There, Big Mack helps unload the cart as does Applejack while Apple Bloom goes with Granny to knock on the door.
"Nervous or sad?" Big Mack asks Applejack.
"Neither. I'm made." She then whispers into his ear. "He's the reason they're dead."
"I know," Big Mack whispers back, "but we need to let that go now. Please try to enjoy yourself. We're with family."
"Fine," responds AJ with a snort. "I'll try." The two then bring the luggage into the house and set it down.
"It's good to see you again, my grandcolt and grandfillies," says Grandpear with a smile.
"And you, too," says Apple Bloom as she goes over and embraces him in a hug. Her siblings then slowly follow suit. Granny just smiles.
"It's good to see you again, Prickly," says Granny with a smile.
"And you, Crabapple," responds Grandpear with a laugh. "It's nice y'all stopped by to visit for Father's Day."
Aj soon lets go of her grandfather's grasp and goes and stares out the window and drawing in the dust on its sill. Little does she realize she's drawing a pic of her with her parents in the dirt and dust. Big Mack notices this and goes and confronts his sister. "You need to stop being so cold towards Grandpear," he huffs. "You need to be better behaved. You're so, you're so stubborn!"
"You two, what's going on?" huffs Granny when she hears Big Mack and AJ yelling at each other.
"In all honesty," responds Aj, "I just don't like being here. I don't like Father's Day. You know this. You know I didn't want to come." She then runs off in tears to her guest room. Big Mack runs off after her to comfort her.
Unfortunately for Granny, Grandpear heard all that. "My granddaughter hates me. She blames me for her parents' death, doesn't she?"
"Yes," sighs Granny. "We thought things would change after they first reunited with her, but for AJ, those scars run deep. She was so close with her parents, much more than her brother and sister."
"Yeah, I get it," responds Grandpear sadly his tail going between his legs. He then heads to his room and cries. Granny runs off to confront her granddaughter.
A few moments later, Aj hears a knock on her door. "Come in, Granny," cries AJ. "I already feel bad for hurting his feelings."
"Well, that's a start, I suppose," responds Granny as she sits on Aj's bed. "But you need to let go of the past. He's not the reason they're dead, well, not anymore. Please learn to get along with him. It's Father's Day."
"Okay," responds AJ, "I'll try. But deep down, you and I both know he is responsible for their deaths."
"Yeah, I know," responds Granny. "But put that aside for one day, just today and today only."
"Oh, okay," responds Aj as she embraces Granny in a hug. She then runs off and apologizes to Granpear which he embraces with open hooves.
Father's Day at Grandpear's
Later that day, they all sit down to a Father's Day dinner of sugar pear mash, pear tarts, apple sauce, apple tarts, caramel apple slices, daisy salad, roasted carrots, apple juice, pear juice, roasted potatoes, sweet watermelon skewers, amongst other things.
"This is amazing, well cooked," says Aj with a smile. "Maybe this family Father's Day won't be so bad after all."
"Do you know I still remember when it was called Sire's Day?" says Grandpear with a smile, slightly boasting.
"Really?" says Apple Bloom curiously.
"Yeah," responds Grandpear. "And Mother's Day used to be called Dam's Day. They were called these things back even before Equestria was founded. About fifty years later, maybe 100, did they start calling Sire's Day Father's Day and Dam's Day Mother's Day. I just love Equestrian history. It's so much fun."
"That's so cool!" squeals Apple Bloom.
"Yeah, that is really neat," respond Aj and Big Mack in agreement with their sister. Grandpear blushes.
"Thanks for finding my stories and history tidbits interesting. Most ponies don't and just dismiss it as me being a senile old stallion."
"No problem," respond the siblings. "The stories and tidbits really are quite fascinating."
'Maybe this isn't so bad after all. He's actually really interesting and fun.' Aj thinks to herself. 'Even if he is the reason our parents are dead.'
After dinner comes to an end, Grandpear pulls Aj to the side to talk to her in private. "I know you're still mad at me even though you hide it. I know you think I'm the reason your parents are dead, but I'm not. I have something to show you. It's an old letter from your granny." He hands the piece of paper to Aj and lets her read it.
"Dear Grandpear," Aj reads. "I have some bad news. I know you don't like talking to me, but it's about your Pear Butter. She and Bright Mack got in an accident and passed away. They fell from a cliff while trying to save me and the foals from timberwolves. I...I'm sorry. Granny." Aj gasps. "They died trying to protect us. It really wasn't your fault."
"No, it wasn't my fault. They loved you and your siblings very much and they'd do anything to protect you, even if it meant their own deaths."
"Well, I'm glad to know the truth," responds AJ with a sigh as she embraces her grandpa in a hug. "I'm sorry for blaming it all on you."
"Don't worry child, you're forgiven," responds Grandpear with a smile and tears. The two then go back out and look at family scrapbooks together of when their mother was a filly. Aj smiles as she looks at them with her grandfather, grandmother, and siblings. Maybe she doesn't hate the holiday so much anymore. Sure she still misses her father and mother, but she always will. Her hate of Father's Day may have faded away and with it her hate of Mother's Day, but she can't believe her anger was wrongly founded for so long. She can't believe she blamed Grandpear for something he never did. Now, how will she ever learn how to forgive herself for all those years of judging a pony for something he never ever did? She doesn't know yet.
