It was a beautiful sunny day, the sun beating down on two earth ponies working hard on the summer flowers sell this upcoming summer. A bunch of rope came out the house and a bell was connected to the top of the rope to a tree in the backyard. After all, everypony loved sunflowers and daisies. I wiped my brow as I pulled some weeds from the ground and spit them into a basket.
“It’s pretty damn hot out,” I grunted as I lifted a bag of dirt and started pouring. My older sister Daisy gave a chuckle as she watered some flowers.
“Got that right,” she agreed. “At least we will make a lot of money this year with the sales.” Daisy handled the monetary and financial side of the business while I managed the flower selling side. A noise made my ears prick up and my head swiveled to the noise. My eyes widened and I gave a sigh at the sight of my sister Lily trying to walk into the garden.
“Lily!” I trotted to her and Daisy’s head shot up. I gently touched Lily’s hoof with mine and her cloudy eyes widened. I lifted our hooves in the sky and did my name sign. Lily assigned everypony she knew with name signs so they could tell her who they are. A name sign was a gesture she made in the sky with her hoof. Mine was a rose and Daisy was a daisy.
”Are you okay?” I tapped out on her fetlock. Lily had been born deaf and blind so we learned EHS. Equestrian hoof speech, you spell out words by tapping on the pony.
”Yeah. I just wanted to smell the flowers and touch them,” Lily tapped back on my foreleg. I gave a smile at that and looked at Daisy.
“She wanted to smell and touch the flowers,” I explained. A look of frustration crossed Daisy’s face.
“She could have rang the bell and got one of us to help her,” Daisy sighed. We had installed the pulley system. Whenever Lily wanted to come outside or needed help going to the bathroom, she could pull on the rope anywhere in the house or her room. Lily hated asking for help, especially for using the bathroom. She was super embarrassed about it so we usually stood outside the bathroom door until she got done. She always wanted to be independent and do things on her own.
"I know," I sighed as I stroked Lily’s mane. "But you know Lily. She wants to do things on her own." Lily looked at where she thought we were and reached out a hoof. With a sigh, Daisy took her hoof and did her name sign. Lily made an excited sound and hugged Daisy. Daisy gave a laugh and hugged her back.
"Nice to see you too sis," Daisy tapped Lily's foreleg. I reached over to a lily growing and bit it, pulling it out of the ground. I took it in my hooves and carefully put it in Lily's mane above her ear. She looked over at me confused.
"She put a lily in your mane," Daisy tapped out and an excited sound came from Lily as she clapped her hooves together excitedly. I smiled happily at her reaction. Lily had always loved them, lilies were her favorite flower. Even if she couldn't see them, she said their smell was the best of any flower.
"What do you guys got planned today? Lily asked as she tapped on my head. I shrugged and put my hoof to my chin.
"She wants to know what we have planned," I told Daisy.
"Just gardening. Maybe go drop some flowers off at Twilight’s castle for Starlight," Daisy grunted as she hoisted the bag of dirt on her back and started trotting slowly and pouring it. I quickly translated it to the Lily and her eyes lit up.
"Can I come along?" Lily asked hopefully and grinned at me.
"She wants to know if she can come with to the castle and help with the delivery," I announced. Daisy froze and a grin slowly came across her face.
"It has been a few days since she's been in the town," Daisy mused. "I can take her and we can stop at the castle." I grinned and quickly relayed the message to Lily. She made a squealing sound and reached out with her hooves spread apart. I took the hint and hugged her, smiling.
I trotted slowly, making sure Lily could keep up. My back ached from the saddlebags weighed down by flowers but I was enjoying the day with Lily. Rose decided to stay behind and make dinner. We were keeping the fact it was Lily's favorite of eggplant lasagna a secret.
"Hey Daisy!" Junebug greeted me with a smile. "Hi Lily!" Junebug took Lily's hoof and did her namesign. Lily grinned and hugged Junebug. "What are you two up to?"
"Delivering some flowers to the castle," I did simply. We tried to keep the information of who we delivered to a secret. Confidentiality and all that jazz.
"Ooh," Junebug nodded enthusiastically. She reached out for Lily's fetlock.
"Are you having a good day so far?" Junebug tapped on Lily. Lily gave a shrug as I watched carefully.
"It’s been good I guess. Almost fell down the stairs trying to get downstairs to smell the flowers but oh well. How are you?" Lily responded.
"Well don't do that! I've been good. Just enjoying the town," Junebug answered.
"Same. Well, enjoying walking around town. Can't really see well," Lily let out a giggle. Junebug frowned slightly at her response.
"Don't joke like that. I don't like when you make fun of yourself," Junebug said.
"Sorry." Junebug gave her a hug and tapped something on her head. She turned to me and hugged me.
"I gotta go now. Take care, Daisy!" She waved and galloped off. I guided Lily to the castle and knocked, expecting Starlight or Twilight. To my surprise, a dragon opened the door.
"Hey Spike," I greeted as I peeked over him. "Twilight or Starlight home?"
"Nah they're out. They asked me to collect the flowers for Granny Smiths funeral. Applejack was too busy doing the preparations and asked us to get them." I forgot that Granny Smith had passed away in the night a few days ago. The entire town was feeling the loss, especially the Apples and their cousin, Bon Bon.
"Alrighty here you go!" I handed him the flowers carefully. "Tell the Apples they have me and my sisters condolences please."
"Who's that?" Spike asked, pointing at Lily.
"That's my sister," I told him curiously. "Haven't you met her?"
"No," Spike shook his head. I hated we forgot to introduce them. Maybe we needed to take her out more than five times a week. Being her primary guardian with Rose was a hassle ever since more and dad died but we wouldn't have it any other way. She was better and more comfortable with us anyway than some home.
"Spike this is Lily," I announced. I quickly tapped the same thing on Lily and her eyes lit up. She eagerly held out a hoof. "She wants to meet you. Let her feel your face, it's how she tells ponies apart."
"Uh okay?" Spike stood still as Lily's hoof explored his face and scales. She let out a gasp and looked at me in curiosity. "I'm a dragon."
"She can't hear you," I sighed. "She was born blind and deaf." I quickly tapped out what he said on Lily's leg and her mouth formed an O. She tapped on my leg and I smiled.
"She says hi and it's a pleasure to meet you," I translated.
"Can you tell her I said the pleasure is mine?" Spike asked and I gave a nod, quickly tapping out what he had said. Lily gave a giggle and smiled at him.
"We have to get going now. Thanks Spike," I sighed and waved a hoof in front of his face. He didn't reply, just stared at Lily with a growing blush. "Spike?" He snapped out of his stupor and nodded.
"S-see you two around. Come back soon!" Spike hastily shut the door and I shrugged off his suddenly weird behavior.
"We're going home. It's time for dinner," I tapped on Lily's fetlock. She nodded and wrapped a hoof on me to keep her balance.
"What's for dinner?" she asked as we walked. I gave her a grin knowing her coming response.
"You're favorite," I answered and she burst out grinning and gave a laugh.
Yay! Thank sis!" she violently tapped on my back and I winced at the force she used. She got excited and forgot how strong we earth ponies could be.
"It's not a problem," I answered with a grin as we headed home.
"Not a problem at all."
