Summer stretched her arms up and away with a loud grunt. "Ah can't stand it!" She glared at the house around her as if it had done something. "It's just." She cut herself off with a scowl, stomping to the exercise equipment and hopping on it. "Hate it."

She began a vigorous trotting session down the simulated streets of Canterlot, trying her very best to shake the funk. It wasn't working. "This house is too quiet!"

With both Winter and Maple back at work and her lovely little ones at pre-school, she had been left alone in the house. She thought it would be relaxing. Instead, it was maddening. "Hate!"

She huffed, trying to calm herself. "You're a grown pony. You can handle this. Yer not stuck in one house, think bigger." She nodded, closing her eyes and imagining the town as a whole. "Ah could, yes, there." She stepped off the machine, ending her trot. "Let's not cry about it and get to doin' something!"

Summer took a fortifying breath and squared her shoulders, squelching the loneliness threatening to sink its claws back in. She had weathered isolation before. This was merely an echo, she reassured herself - no need to spiral down that well of despair again.

Besides - her family was thriving, merely occupied elsewhere at the moment! She ought to feel pride, not resentment.

"Think bigger," Summer muttered, seizing her saddlebags. No law said she must wilt here in an empty home when the whole bustling town awaited. She would simply...redirect her energies.

Pausing at the doorway, she glanced back, half expecting tiny hooves to come pattering after. But the rooms remained still. Quiet.

Summer grimaced. How she missed that sweet chaos already! Yet there was no turning back the clock's steady march. And didn't those precious pupils need a place to return home to?

"This house may feel mighty big and empty now," Summer declared, bracing her shoulders, "but it's my duty and delight to make it full o' love an' welcome when they all come trottin' back."

With purposeful strides she embarked into town, whistling a spritely melody. Lonely or not, life carried brightly onward! She would tend the hearth - and herself - until her family gathered 'round again.

First stop - the market, where she could fuss and fill the pantry for her loved ones. Summer smiled, picturing the little ones helping bake sweet potato pies tonight. Then maybe a new throw blanket to finish, for curling close as she listened to each foal's largely unintelligible babble about their day.

"Summer?"

Summer looked over at the mare that had said it. "Oh, if it isn't..."

The mare rolled a hoof with a smirk. "You got it..."

But the name refused to rise, buried in so many life events. Summer wilted with a tense laugh. "Ah am so sorry. Didn't we go to school together?"

"We sure did." The mare didn't look offended. "We used to spend Hearth's Warming together more oft than not. Lovely times. Where ya been, Sum Sum?"

Summer blinked as memories began to raise. "Hickory Treats?"

Hickory flashed a bright smile. "Ah knew it'd come to ya." She closed and the two hugged warmly. "The moment you got involved with that kirin fella, ah really lost ya. How's--" She paused, glancing away, ears pinned briefly. "How's that workin' out?"

Summer returned her childhood friend's embrace fiercely, blinking back a swell of nostalgia. Sweet reunion after so much water under the bridge! Yet Hickory's unfinished query pricked her conscience. In her personal bliss, had she neglected this treasured companion?

Drawing back, Summer searched Hickory's face, reading the flicker of hesitation in her gentle eyes. She knew that veiled skepticism all too well - had felt strangers' doubtful glances often in Winter's company those first fragile years. Recalled wishing fiercely that even one friend would stand proudly at her side through the raised brows and barbed whispers.

Resolve hardened Summer's jaw. She had left Hickory alone on that twisting path, but no more. This new chapter would be written differently!

"Oh Hickory..." Summer clasped her hoof, beaming pure sunshine. "It's workin' out more wondrous than I ever dreamed! Why, Winter's just the sweetest soul ya ever did meet, an' his kindness grows daily as him an' Maple raise up our precious foals."

At Hickory's astonished blink, Summer fished a photo from her saddlebag with maternal pride. "Can ya believe it? We got three now - Spruce, Dusk and lil' Dawn! An' I tell ya true, ain't nopony makes me feel so loved an' secure as my dear husband an' wife."

She squeezed Hickory's hoof, meeting her uncertainty with affectionate conviction. "I know it ain't some fairytale romance by most standards...but my family is my whole world, Hickory. My happy endin' and new beginnin' all at once!"

Gazing fondly at the photo, Hickory slowly nodded, tension easing from her posture. "I can see plain as day that sparkle in yer eye, Sum...If'n these two make you shine so, I ain't one to begrudge it."

When her soft grin returned, Summer exhaled relief, embracing her once more. "Enough 'bout me - tell me everythin' I missed, Hickory! Seems I got some catchin' up to do with my best gal..."

Hickory snorted with a flick of her tail. "Not so fast." She raised a hoof to Summer's snout, pressing it. "Start by not pretendin' havin' a husband an' a wife is a normal thin'. It ain't." She chuckled with a smile. "So tell me how that's working out? Ah barely got time to keep mah husband straight. Havin' two sounds like a huge headache, not gonna lie."

At their mention, Summer imagined Hickory's husband, and went dark in the cheeks. "Your husband! He met Maple... An' ah blanked! Sandy Shores, ain't he?"

"That's the one." Hickory laughed at that, a rueful smile on her face. "Love him when I'm not ready to throttle him over somethin'. A fine stallion. No regrets. He's a great papa, loves his kid like nothin' else in the world."

Summer sighed gently at that. "Winter's the same way. Here's to good fathers." The two mares touched hooves in agreement with that idea. "Now... ain't gonna claim it'd always work out the same. We had some rough patches, but we stuck it out, an' we learned each other... And my family's nothin' but... The deepest love, ah mean it."

Hickory eyed Summer thoughtfully as they meandered through the market stalls. She tried picturing Sandy cozied up with another mare, laughter and little ones abounding. The image simply wouldn’t gel. But then Sandy had barely mastered managing their solitary Dust Storm some days!

“Deepest love, hm?” Hickory pursed her lips. “Won’t deny I’m havin’ a hard time wrappin’ my head ‘round it...then again, I knew that kirin of yours seemed a gentle soul right off.”

She bumped Summer playfully with her hip. “An’ however unorthodox yer arrangein’ is, ain’t no erasin’ that look in yer eyes whenever you say their names.”

Summer flushed, unable to restrain a sentimental sigh. Before she could elaborate though, Hickory waved a dismissive hoof, chortling.

“Aw shoot, you’ll have me blubberin’ in the daisies next. I believe ya, hun. Just glad it all turned out.” She halted, brows pinching. “It did all turn out, right? Can’t been no picnic gettin’ hitched to two at once. Folks didn’t give you sour grapes ‘bout it I hope?”

Summer's bright laughter surprised her. "Oh heavens no! Well..." Summer grinned impishly. "Most were real supportive, ‘specially once Spruce came along. But Cousin Citrus, oh how that old biddy carried on somethin’ awful!”

Hickory cackled brightly. “Do tell! Bet she turned as green as her namesake, fussin’ over improperness. So what outta wedlock scandal did ya lay on the ol’lady?”

Linking Hickory’s foreleg through her own, Summer regaled her with the tale of Citrus’ snide remarks and how karma had the last laugh. Their chorus of mirth turned more than a few bemused heads down the market lanes. But Summer didn’t care one whit - her dear friend was back at her side.

"Ah can't even say how much today's brightened me up." Summer lifted her bag of purchased things. "Ah should get this home." She looked away and back to Hickory. "Wanna--" Summer smiled hopefully. "--see it? Don't think you've visited the bigger house."

Hickory brightened immediately. "You bet ah would! Haven't visited in near forever." She stepped past Summer, looking ready to lead the way. "Let's see it! What's come of the place? Same, no, you jus' said it got bigger. You built an extension on it?"

Summer laughed nervously, walking along. "Ain't like that. Maple had a fine house, didn't want to give it up. Ah didn't either. So--" She clopped two hooves together with a brief pause in her walking. "--we put 'em together."

Hickory slowed a little. "You jus'." She rolled a hoof in the air wildly. "You put 'em together?! That ain't the answer most ponies would go fer, ya silly thing."

Hickory eyed Summer skeptically during their brisk trot towards the unusual abode. “So lemme get this straight--" Hickory leaned in closer. "--you an’ that tree-tappin’ pony jus’--" She imitated the earlier hoof clop. "--tied yer houses into one great big two-family affair?”

Summer flashed a dimpled, unrepentant grin. “Well, the fellers haulin’ em made it look easy as pie. Bet they coulda made us one great big ol’ mansion if’n we asked sweet enough!”

Despite herself Hickory snorted, shaking her head. Trust Summer to defy convention at every turn, even down to her living quarters! “Only you, Sum--" Her ears danced. "--though I confess, havin’ the built-in foalsitters next door probably takes a load off.”

She blinked as the quaint saltbox cottages came into view around the bend - homes she knew well - now bridged by a simple enclosed walkway that flowed seamlessly into expanded dimensions.

Summer swept a hoof towards the cheery estate, flush with pride. “It’s been the perfect fit, Hickory! Never trippin’ over each other but always nearby when we need extra hooves on deck.”

She nudged her friend playfully. “C’mon then, I’ll give ya the grand tour ‘fore the little seeds come spillin’ in from school!”

Despite her lingering reservations, Hickory found herself charmed by the unconventional abode’s warm, patchwork charm as Summer guided her through each tidy room. This hodgepodge haven bore no resemblance to Cold Sterling Manor’s imposing opulence, yet felt thrice as nurturing.

“Y’all really have found yer own groove here,” Hickory mused at last, watching squirrels scamper outside the window where once two separate walls had stood.

Summer's smile glowed pure sunshine in return. “With my family surrounding me, I’m home wherever we wander. But I won’t pretend having our little castle don’t feed my soul too!”

Without being asked, Hickory began grabbing things from Summer's bag and helping get them away. "You know." She pushed a can into a drawer. "You have to come visit, yer whole family! Sandy's already met the lot of you, so shouldn't be no big deal."

She brightened. "Oh! We have this fine grill just in front. We should have a nice BBQ. Roast up some delicious things, all be together." She went in for a fresh hug on Summer. "Two families, happy together."

Summer smiled at the thought of it. "Now that sounds jus' lovely. We'll just have to find a day when we're all off from work to do it."

Hickory snorted loudly. "They don't ever tell you in school that schedules are the things that'll go standin' in the way as an adult. But don't you worry not one little bit. We'll figure it out, an' then it's time for a grill."

Summer bumped gently against her rediscovered friend. "That sounds wonderful. Ah'll be at work in a few days mahself, but ah got the same schedule as Winter, so that ain't even makin' it harder for ya."

Hickory clapped with building joy. "Ah'll post about it. Maybe we'll get a few townies stoppin' by to share in the fun. This'll be great."

Summer smirked at her friend. Getting excited about her plans was a very Hickory thing to do, but she felt she was safe letting Hickory gallop forward towards it. "Sounds like a blast."

Author's Note

Being home alone can be a drag. Good thing she thought of better things to do!

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