UnCakeFul

It was that evening when it began. Not Granny Smith's birthday, that was over. She had enjoyed her apple pie so thoroughly, she tried to give Mrs. Cake a present! Politely refusing, Mrs. Cake smiled and said Granny Smith's enthusiasm was enough. It was the end of the party, and the Apple family were saying goodbye to their relatives.

"Well, that was a pleasant surprise, Mrs. Cake. We asked you to do the catering; we didn't expect the most delicious apple pie we ever had! And what a BIG 'un too!" Apple Jack said, licking frosting off her lips.

"Oh, thank you, dearie!" Mrs. Cake said.

"We just wanted Granny Smith to have the best, like she deserves!" Mr. Cake said. "It was all Cup's idea actually! Doesn't she do a wonderful job? Such detail, such--"

"Oh, stop it, Carrot!" Mrs. Cake said chidingly, nudging him in the shoulder.

"Say, you worked so hard today, why don't you go on home, and I stay to clean up?" Carrot Cake said, grinning happily. "Get some rest."

"Oh, I couldn't," Mrs. Cake said. She was tired, but she didn't like the thought of Carrot staying a few extra hours to clean up. That was a big party; not only were the Apple family there, but a lot of Ponyville too.

"No, no, I insist!"

He was so enthusiastic that she couldn't refuse. In fact, she was grateful, but she'd been raised to be as demure and polite as possible...it was her instinct to help others. Her mother had said it was impolite to refuse.

"Okay, but don't work too hard." She waved goodbye and began to leave the barn, a to-go bag of the Apple family's best shoved in her mouth by Apple Jack. She was just about to leave the doorway when a gust of wind blew her mane out of its typical beehive hairdo. It flew to the side and hung limply to the side as rain followed swiftly after. She'd forgotten that the weather ponies had scheduled a rainstorm for that evening.

"Oh...dear..." she sighed, looking at the limp, soggy bag in her teeth. "What a mess..."

It got darker and darker as the rain got heavier and heavier; Mrs.Cake had barely made it into town when the downpour came full on. Groaning with frustration, Mrs. Cake began to gallop; Sugar Cube Corner was in the center of town so it was about a mile from the Apple family farm.

"Madam!" A voice called. It sounded familiar; dark, deep and gruff. "Oh, madam!"

"Y-yes?" Mrs. Cake replied over the sound of the rain, shivering and wet.

"Over here!" Mrs. Cake turned to see that the speaker was the Foreman. He was standing by a cottage she'd probably passed by a million times and never seen.

"Oh...thank you!" She galloped over, grateful to get out of the rain.

"Normally I stay in Cloudsdale, but that's far off and on wet nights like these I have this here cabin." He grinned.

"Why, it's lovely!" Mrs. Cake said, shaking her mane free of raindrops and gingerly stepping inside. Well, he may have a big mouth sometimes, but she knew he was really a gentleman. "I'll only be staying a few hours, of course, because my husband will be wondering where I am if--"

"Not to worry, madam!" Foreman said, smiling. "I've got to get to bed 'cause I wake up early for the flight back! Derpy's got some training in store for her!"

"Oh, really?" Mrs. Cake asked. She didn't know why, but she was feeling coy. "Well, then!"

They walked inside and she gasped to find stacks of boxes everywhere. "What are these for?"

"Oh when I'm not commanding a team I'm running a self-made delivery service!" Foreman grinned.

"Wow..." So not only was he polite and generous with an attitude, he was self-sustained too! What a combo! Carrot was like that too...but sometimes he was too focused on his work, and didn't give enough attention to her. They barely gave enough attention to each other to start even thinking about children! Oh, the troubles between the passion of work and the passion of romance!

"Oh, will you look at all these boxes!" He sighed. "I've got so many to deliver. Want to see what ponies around here order?"

"Oh...I...'' She was a little curious. But she'd been taught never to snoop. This was his business though, and it was in his house..."Well, sure!"

"This is for Jack Hammer in Cloudsdale!" Foreman said, pointing to a box. "A magically-imbued nail and hammer kit made of Light-tanium! It's one of the first of its kind, and he's gonna test it for a company in Canterlot!"

"Well I hope it hits the nail on the head!" Mrs. Cake giggled.

They laughed for a moment, then he said, "It's nice having company, actually. It's been a bit lonely since my wife left me for a unicorn."

"Oh?"

"Yeah...I came home one day and she was gone, no note...then I found a letter from her lover." He hung his head as if he was thinking of the aftermath.

"Oh my...I'm so sorry, dearie,"

"Dearie...she used to call me that." He lamented. Then he looked up at her. She stared into his big, brown, eyes, realizing slowly that he was up to no good, bringing her here. But then, it appeared that he was just a lonely pony who wanted company. But he knew she was married! Did he think her stupid? "You know, you're lucky, having an honest husband like that."

"Yes, I really am," she said, nodding fervently. "I really should be going, look at the time!"

"Wouldn't you like some tea to keep you warm before you go? I have Cloudesdale Moonshine!" He'd already began pouring it.

"Oh, I shouldn't, but--oh all right, I'll stay a little longer!" Mrs. Cake didn't know why it was so hard to pull away from him. She did feel sorry for him, working alone and living alone...she'd stay, but JUST for tea.

"I'll only pour a little, this stuff's strong! It's got real moon shine in it!" He grinned.

Mrs. Cake smiled obligingly and sat down, taking a sip of the piping hot tea. Her body immediately flowed with warmth and she couldn't help but turn her usual polite smile into a big grin. He was so polite, so nice, and so lonely. He didn't have what she had...she had something, she should be grateful! But oh...the workload had been so tough lately, they hadn't had much time together and she was aching for romance...

He gazed back at her, staring into her eyes, a grin on his face. "You know, it's funny how we ended up meetin' again."

"Yes, what a coincidence..." Mrs. Cake said carefully. "You know, I really should go. Carrot will be waiting for me and--"

"No, no, don't worry about it! It was a pleasure having you!" He nodded violently, as if trying to let go of some feeling.

They both got up at once, and marched toward the door, Mrs. Cake nervously glancing at him all the while. He reached for the door but stumbled on a loose floorboard, grabbing onto her as he fell. He got up gingerly, careful not to put too much pressure on her shoulders as he was twice as heavy as she.

"Well, fancy that! Looks like I'll have to replace this floorboard after all!" Foreman said, chuckling. "Well, here you are, Madam."

"Sir Foreman, your arm's still around me." Mrs. Cake found herself staring into his eyes again. They were nearly hypnotizing, they were so deep and brown.

"Well, fancy that--"

Without realizing what she was doing, she threw herself upon him and they landed in a warm embrace, feeling the same emotion--desperate, desperate attraction.