I folded my forelegs under me and rested by the fire. Even though it was summer, I still enjoyed the fire going. I don’t know what it was that made me love them so much. Maybe it was the smell. Or watching the flames dancing on the wall. Or how it warmed my coat. My sister Cherry Berry was dragging a log over to me with her mouth.
“Do you want help with that?” I asked as she kept dragging it along the carpet. She shook her head to the best of her ability.
“Nwah ah gwat it,” she mumbled around the log and I assumed she meant “Nah I got it.” She tossed it into the fire and sighed as she sat down on her haunches. “I don’t know how you can have a fire going on right now Cheerilee. It’s like seventy degrees outside.”
“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “I just like the fire going. It’s nice.”
“It is,” Cherry admitted. “Reminds me a lot of when me, you and Berry were fillies sitting by the fire late winter nights.”
I tensed up slightly at the mention of our youngest sister. It had been Celestia knows when we saw her last. When she was nineteen, she took off to far parts of Equestria. She used to send post cards but those stopped years ago.
“When was the last time we even saw her?” I asked curiously. Cherry froze and put a hoof on her chin, rubbing it.
“I want to say mom and dad’s funeral,” she finally said. “Yeah it was then. Because she brought the coltfriend she was seeing at the time.”
“Can you believe it’s been six years since mom and dad passed?” I asked as I stared at a picture of us three sisters along with our parents above the fire place. I think it was harder to believe they passed away within days of each other. Berry Punch was in the far corner with a smile that if you looked hard enough, you’d know was forced.
“Yeah it’s hard to believe,” Cherry sighed sadly. “I miss them. All three of them.”
“Berry’s not dead,” I chuckled. Or I hope not at least. If she was, we would have hopefully heard something. “She’s probably busy running around some mountains. She always was the adventurous one compared to you and I.”
“Yeah she was,” Cherry said wistfully. “I’m pretty sure she hates me. We did get into it pretty bad at the funeral over her coltfriend.”
“Yeah I know,” I scoffed. “I had to break up your guys fight in the coat closet. Pretty sure we got banned from that funeral home because of that. But if we wanna play the blame game about why she left in general, I did lecture her pretty hard when we were growing up about going to school and focusing on her grades.”
If anything, I blamed myself partially for her leaving. Well, dad probably didn’t happen either. Especially when he kicked her out. Something about not bringing honor to the family name. That had been a nasty fight we had witnessed. Me and Berry had always been at odds growing up about taking school seriously. Secretly I wish I was as carefree as her. She just took it all with a smile and let stuff roll off her back.
“She had been so eager to leave the funeral home too,” Cherry sighed. “Probably was happy mom and dad died.” I gave my oldest sister a dirty look.
“As much as they fought, they were still her parents. I caught her crying in the bathroom over it. I also caught her and her coltfriend fighting in the coat closet,” I admitted. I had to admit, I was not impressed with her choice of partners.
“I know. We all heard them fighting. It got super quiet and awkward. I went in there to help her stand up for herself and she shouted at me to get out. That’s what started our fight,” Cherry replied. “Can you believe at how big she was at the funeral?”
“Typically I would be saying that’s rude but yeah she seemed more rounder in the belly area,” I admitted. “You think she will ever come home?”
“I hope so Cheerilee. As much as we had fights, she’s still my sister and I love her,” Cherry agreed as she poked the fire with the poker. “She always had such a strong personality. I always secretly admired and was jealous over it.”
“Maybe one day she will come home,” I said. “And then the three sisters will be united again. We can challenge the flower sisters to the best sister competition.” Cherry and I chuckled.
“That doesn’t exist Cheerilee,” Cherry pointed out with a smile. I gave her a shrug and rolled my eyes.
“Then we can make it exist. The sisterhooves social didn’t exist either until somepony created it,” I answered. “But one day she will come home. Hopefully without her colt friend. What was his name again?”
“Uh I think it was Golden Grape?” Cherry answered and shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure. I know she said it either when they first got there or during their screaming match.” Whatever his name was, I certainly wouldn’t allow him in my house. I’m not a violent pony but I’d buck him out of the door so fast. She hadn’t said much but he was pretty rude to Berry all the time based on how she was acting during the funeral.
“I think so. Not sure,” I sighed. “We should get marshmallows and roast them. I think I like fires because they remind me of when we were fillies and roasting them. Life was easier back then.”
“Got that right,” Cherry chuckled and stood up. “I think we got some marshmallows in the kitchen. I’ll be right back sis.” I gave a nod as she trotted off.
I glanced out the window and hoped Berry Punch was doing the same wherever she was at and that she was at least safe and happy.