Mrs. Cake worked fervently in the kitchen, her latest masterpiece almost complete. It was Granny Smith’s 80th, and she was determined to make something worthy of the pie-loving founder of Ponyville. She’d put together a delightful concoction of cider-infused apple pie and was busy spreading the filling when Mr. Cake came bustling in, looking exceedingly busy as usual. He was carrying a faded yellow notepad that clashed brilliantly with his orange mane.
“Honey, I’m home! I have a list of other things that the Apples want for the big day and an order of Naponieons from the Mayor for a town hall meeting and the annual spring party in Canterlot is coming up and Spike put in a good word to Celestia so we’re doing the catering! Isn’t that wonderful?” He beamed, dropping the notepad.
“Oh, um, yes dear,” Mrs. Cake smiled. She’d already been up early planning the weekly special…now she’d probably not be done until late evening. She enjoyed the work, but when it fluctuated it really fluctuated.
“What’s the matter Cup?” Carrot immediately sensed her distress.
“Oh, it’s just the workload, you know,” she sighed. “Even when we’re working together sometimes it’s a bit much.”
“Oh, I see…” He frowned at the floor for a minute, but perked right back up. He seemed to have boundless amounts of energy, and that’s what Cup loved about him, among other things. He never looked unhappy for more than two seconds. “Well, my dear, why don’t we go on a day trip soon? Take a break?”
“Oh?” Mrs. Cake asked. “But what about the home re-furnishings we were planning on? Or Twist’s Cuteseñera? Or the Wonderbolts Derby catering gig?”
“We’ll find a date and keep it, my dear! Don’t you worry! I know we’ve got days off but I understand if you really wanted a vacation!” Carrot grinned, picking up the notepad and putting it on the counter. Mrs. Cake smiled, knowing how sincere he was, but wondering if they were ever going to stop being so busy. Times were hard-pressed in Ponyville. Even though on the outside it seemed like a serene, quiet place—which it was for the most part—it was downright expensive especially if you were a self-sustained pony like the Cakes. Mr. Carrot Cake was always so sincere, earnest, and kind but always such a busy body. They never had any time to talk about anything like they used to when they first started out ten years ago…it was always work now. She loved him dearly, and when Pinkie Pie was around to help the workload lessened a bit…but still, she longed for a nice holiday…
“Oh…honey, I know you’re so busy—we’re so busy!” Carrot said, sensing her distress. “Why don’t I take over the pie-making and you take a lunch?”
“Oh, that sounds like a wonderful idea!” Mrs. Cake breathed a momentary sigh of relief, knowing that the workload would only increase on his side.
“You know what I’d like?” Mr. Cake mused as Mrs. Cake gave one final check of the stock in the front display. “A family…a real family…a couple of kids to help out and take over the business when we’re gone…”
A family…they’d given this some thought before, but either it wasn’t the right time or something, because they tried several times to have children and it had never worked out. Maybe the stress had gotten to them…whatever it was, they had not been successful in the baby-making business. It would be nice though…maybe Pinkie would fill in for them more if they had a real reason for not working…that pony needed to party less after all.
Mrs. Cake trotted out the door to go see the sandwich shop across the way. Breathing in the fresh morning air (it was now 11:00), she decided to get her favorite dandelion spread to go so she could eat in Sugarcube Corner and help Carrot by re-stocking the front counter displays. She did love her work, really—she did. She loved satisfying the ponies of Ponyville with her delectable creations. She’d almost named the place Delectable Delights…but that was a shop in Canterlot already. She prided herself in her craft, and marrying Mr. Carrot Cake was one of the best things she could have done for herself. Even if they never had kids, they’d be unstoppable.
Unstoppable—as she walked out of the café with her order, a pile of boxes suddenly appeared in front of her and she collided with it, dropping her sandwich. “Oh—oh my!”
“Derpy!” A gruff voice said from above. “How many times do I have to tell you—pack the boxes so you can see over the top!”
“My bad,” said an alto female’s voice from behind the boxes. The boxes were lowered to the ground in a poor attempt at being graceful and tumbled over.
“Derpy…remember, the only reason I hired you is—oh, hello there, miss!” A large brown Pegasus lowered himself to the ground beside the smaller grey one. “So sorry, Derpy here’s new.”
“N-not to worry!” Mrs. Cake said. He called her miss…nobody called her that. Was that something formal they did up in Cloudsdale?
“Here, let me get that for you,” he grinned, showing large white teeth. “Call me Foreman! Everypony does!”
He picked up Mrs. Cake’s tousled to-go bag and she gingerly took it from his mouth in hers. Even though he was gruff and surly-looking, he was clearly a gentleman on the inside. An interesting fellow, no doubt. She looked behind him to see her husband trot outside across the way and water the flowers.
“Well, that looks like my husband’s about to take his break, better head back!” She grinned sheepishly, and began to canter off, but he stopped her.
“That’s your shop over there?” He asked.
“Oh, um, yes,” Mrs. Cake nodded with her mouth full, the to-go bag rustling. “We have all the best quality sweets!”
“Well maybe I’ll stop by some time to make up for today!” He grinned.
“You really don’t need to--”
“Oh, come now, it’s Cloudsdale custom! I’m sure you don’t get many folks from Cloudsdale around here! Sorry to make a bad impression!” He glared at Derpy, who grinned sheepishly back.
“Oh…well, if you insist,” Mrs. Cake nodded. “See you around!”
She hurried off, waving.
“Who was that?” Mr. Cake asked, peering curiously at Foreman and Derpy as Foreman helped Derpy make two trips to the back of the café.
“Oh…just a nice pony who helped me out.”
“You think he could give us a hoof?” Mr. Cake said jokingly. Laughing, they went back inside. Mrs. Cake would soon realize just how much of a help Foreman would be.
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.