Light filtered through the room, and illuminated the room. Usually Berry Punch kept the curtains closed, but she needed the extra light today. Roseluck's coming over. The two had come to an agreement to meet on workdays during their shared lunch times. She couldn't believe she asked, and much less that Roseluck accepted. She tried to soothe her anxiety, but it was determined to stay ruffled.

Now she was left to clean her house before she arrived. Although, clean might have been too strong of a word. Conceal worked better. She was going to conceal the mess to the best of her abilities.

A paint can was wedged between the back of the couch and the wall.

"How'd that even get there?" she muttered. She tried to tug the can out, but it didn't budge. Fine. She tried to move the whole couch, but something stopped it's movement. What? She put in more effort. The distinct sound of cracked wood filled the air. Her ears shot up. No.

She made her way the other side of the couch. Now she understood why the couch refused to move. A wooden carving got caught between the couch foot and a small wedge in the floor. The intricately detailed carving of Manhattan was ruined, cracks lined the surface and part of it was crushed completely.

"No, no, no," she whispered to herself. Being careful not to damage the carving further she extracted it from the bottom of the couch. Berry Punch sat on the ground and examined the carving. The lettering set into the base was still legible: Little reminder of home, no matter where your heart is.

She still remembered the day she left for college. The carving had been with her through her worst moments, always a little light she could take comfort in. Now I bucked it up. Her last personal reminder of how things had been was as scarred as her now.

Why didn't I keep better track of it? How was I so careless? Before she had a chance to spiral down into her thoughts a knock sounded at the door. Oh, right! Roseluck. Dammit, nothing's really clean. She place the carving in the middle of the table before she opened the door. Berry Punch swung the door open only to be met with Derpy instead. Instinctively she narrowed the field of view of the inside of her house from Derpy.

Derpy didn't notice as she dug out a letter from her saddlebags.

"Here ya' go! Sorry it took so long, your mail keeps getting mixed up with other mail at the office. I swear somepony messes with it when I'm not looking."

Berry Punch took the letter.

"Um, thank you."

"Not a problem!" Derpy waved before she took off to the sky.

She shut the door and walked over to her couch. The label and return address made it plain who it was from. The only thing in question was should she open it?

She looked over at the pile of unread letters on one of the side tables. How they found her new address after she moved she didn’t know, but they always sent a letter every once and a while or for the holidays. Berry Punch usually tried to pretend the letters didn’t exist. It was easier. Now with the warped from of the carving in front of her, and a newly delivered letter in her hoof she found it hard to toss this one away.

Times like this make me wonder if Celestia really does meddle in our lives. She hesitantly opened the letter. She didn't know what to expect. Anger? Disappointment? I haven't replied to one letter the past four years. What else should I expect?

Dear Berry Punch,

I hope you're doing well. It's been a long time since you replied. We're both worried about you. Your father a bit more than I am, but when is he not? I have faith you'll return a letter one day. Until then I hope you and your art are doing well.

Hey, Berry Punch, Dad here. How's my only child doing? Great I hope! I'd be pleased as punch (ha!) if you'd send a letter back. It's been too long since we talked. It'd be a relief to see you visit too! Feel free to drop by at anytime. You know you're welcome. If you do visit, bring a friend or more if you can. It'd be nice to meet some of the ponies you hang out with. Anyhow, I hope you're doing well and you reply and/or visit soon.

Love,

Mom & Dad

She placed the letter on the table. The weight of her guilt which had been pushed into her mental attic had fallen through the roof and onto her head. It's fine. I'm fine. Just need some time to put myself together and get this room clean. A knock sounded at the door. She looked to the ceiling. Roseluck. Buck.

"One sec!" Berry Punch stumbled over herself as she set up a cloth sheet over the entrance to the rest of the house, specifically the kitchen. Still haven't gotten around to those dishes. She rushed around the room, and stacked items in the kitchen from the living room. Once she was done the living room still contained paint stains, and alcohol stains, and general food stains, but it had to be enough. No time! No time.

She tried her best to put up a mask. Between the letter and the carving she was shaken, but didn't want it to show. The letter! Right. She tucked the paper with all the others before she went to the door.

At the door she hesitated. I haven't let anypony in here. Ever. Letting sompony into her personal space was dangerous. Wouldn't it be easier if they went someplace else around town? Or even Roseluck's house? She decided she wasn't entirely sure. Maybe testing the waters will help sort this out. She hasn't given me any reason not to trust her. Her mind felt it pertinent to remind her: Yet.

She opened the door and let Roseluck in.

"Sorry it's like this, I didn't have enough time to clean everything up." Berry Punch knew she was lying through her teeth. Sounds better than 'Hey, sorry things look terrible. I haven't cleaned up properly in three years.' Some part of her prepared for any demeaning comments.

Roseluck looked around the room, nodded to herself, and placed her saddlebags down next to the table.

"I understand, but if you need help cleaning you can ask. I'm sure Minuette wouldn't mind either."

You... want to help clean my mess up? In a way the response was frustrating. Even when she thought Roseluck's own mask would slip, and the real her would come out nothing happened. Does she even have a mask? The question was uncomfortable. The thought of a genuine want to help somepony else without strings attached was foreign to her. I need a drink. She was so wrapped up in her own internal debate she didn't notice the sound of the large window by the door being opened.

"There we go!" Roseluck inhaled. "Airing out a room helps me think. Fresh air is, well, refreshing." She placed a cylindrical container on the table, and two cups beside it. She smiled as she opened the container and filled both cups halfway.

"Same tea as last time. Since you liked it."

Berry Punch sat down nearby and took one of the cups. She took a tentative sip. Sure enough the same flavor as last time. Still good. Not the drink I wanted, but it'll do.

"How's your day been so far?" Berry Punch ventured.

"Normal. Things slow down this time of year. It'll pick up around the later holidays." Roseluck tilted her head. "How about you? Things aren't too bad at work?"

"No. Thanks to Minuette, Copper Tail has kept his distance."

"That's good, I heard he was a piece of work."

"Yeah, but Minuette handled him." Her feeling of discomfort lingered only because the mare reminded her of Pinkie Pie. Any thought related to the pink mare she pushed away. "It was nice of her."

"That's good. I was worried she might have pushed your boundaries." She chuckled. "She doesn't mean to, but it happens." She seemed to hesitate. "What happened to that?" Roseluck pointed to the carving.

In her initial rush to tidy up the room Berry Punch had forgotten about the object entirely. Now the mangled carving was the center of attention. Attention Berry Punch sorely didn't want.

"It's a gift my Dad gave me when I left for college." She still didn't know how to resolve the issue of it being broken. A small part of her mind ventured about a visit, but she pushed it down.

"Oh, I'm sorry it's broken. Minuette knows a bit about woodwork, she might be able to help."

"That would be nice of her, but... it wouldn't be the same." Could I just ask him to make a new one? She internally grimaced. Yeah, sure, the first letter I send back is asking for something. So selfish.

"I understand, something made personally for you means a lot. Somepony else emulating it not so much, right?"

Berry Punch nodded. She took another sip of tea as she mulled the problem over.

Roseluck too seemed to mull something over if the thoughtful glances to Berry Punch were any indication.

"Do you remember when we were in my garden the first time I invited you over?"

"Yeah." Where's she going with this?

"You read a note from Lily's Picture, didn't tell me until we were out in the garden, and then the issue was cleared up with a talk." Roseluck traced the rim of her tea cup. "Well, you have a problem now that can be solved in a similar way."

"Are you suggesting I visit them?"

"Yes. You don't have to take it," she admitted, "but as your friend I think it would be good for you."

Berry Punch sat back, her eyes on the carving. It would be nice to see them again. A worm of guilt burrowed around her heart. How can I apologize for silence? She decided to cross that bridge when or if she got there. I wouldn't want to go alone. She looked over to Roseluck and wondered if she meant what she said back in the garden.

"If I decide to go..." she hesitated, "I would want you to come with me. If you want to."

"Of course. I would need a heads up and a planned time and date to go, but I can do that for you."

Roseluck didn't know it, but her answer tipped the balance in Berry Punch's head. Alone would have been difficult for her to do, and easy to avoid. Now with an offer of assistance it was easier to imagine doing despite the worries circling her thoughts. She made her decision.

"Would you feel fine leaving two weeks from now?"

Roseluck seemed pleasantly surprised at the response. She nodded then smiled.

"How long?" She asked.

"Three days, counting the day we leave." Berry Punch clarified with, "weekend days, I mean."

"I can do that."

The two mares hammered out the finer details including a time to meet at the station and which tickets they could both afford. For housing, Berry Punch suggested her parent's house since they had two couches and a spare room. Roseluck also added some places she'd like to see while they were there which Berry Punch didn't mind.

With a plan in mind Roseluck left back to her job. Berry Punch still had ten minutes to burn since her boss allocated an extra amount of time for her since the summer sun celebration.

She laid her parent's letter down on the table and then laid an empty sheet of paper next to it. She decided to keep it short. She hesitated and carefully chose her words. The sound of quill on paper filled the room. Once she was done she looked over the words. Part of her wanted to rewrite it, another wanted to crumble the entire paper and put it off, but she knew putting this off was the last thing she should do. Despite her worry she folded the paper and slid it into an envelope. She would drop it off at the post office after work.

Warm wind blew through the city in the early morning. While the weather was in the last gasps of summer, the transition to fall was going to take place in a weeks time. Soon the wind would be cooler, and the leaves would swirl out of the grasp of the trees and onto the ground.

A mail pony landed at the doorstep of a house on a quiet street. It was a short building squished in between the taller buildings beside it. Flowers with smiley faces on them were painted on the lower section of the house.

The mare flipped through the letters in her bag until she found the right one. She pulled out the letter, dropped it into the mail slot then flew off.

Dear Mom & Dad,

I know it's been awhile. Sorry if this is coming out of the blue, but I'm coming to visit two weeks from now on the weekend. I'm bringing a friend. We can talk more when I'm there.

Love,

Berry Punch

Author's Note

Small transitional chapter this time. Technically this was a part of the next chapter, but I didn't like how long it was, so here this chapter is.

As always critiques and corrections are welcome.