Chapter 6 – A Million or Zero Fucks Given

Leave me the fuck alone – CheeseDeluxe did not say this… well yet

I woke up to her crying again… I pinch my nose and exhale as I turn over and find the other half of the bed empty once again. I drag myself out of bed and go into her room. Shes curled up in the fetal position sobbing.
“Shhhh shhhh shhh” I coo as I get on to her bed trying to comfort her.

My presence helps bit as she calms down a fair bit after I get onto her bed. She turns over and starts to nestle into my chest.

“When is Mom coming home Dad? When?”

I shake my head, “I just don’t know. I just don’t.”

She sobs a bit more before finally falling asleep.

This happens far more than it should and it’s time that this ends. I can feel the tears soaking through my shirt. Tomorrow this has got to change.

Berry Punch awoke late in the afternoon. She was in the back alley of a small bar lying by a few trashcans. She rubbed her head trying to ward off her hangover.

She had been out drinking by herself again. She did so often, a little too often. Berry had been struggling with drinking. She saw the way her family and friends looked at her, she knew they were aware of her... "problem."

Occasionally one of them would speak up to her about it but she was to prideful to accept their help.

Bucking hell! What time is it? She looked up to the sky seeing the sun already high in the air. "Ugh why is it so bright out here!" She tries to stand up only to fall straight into one of the trashcans.

Well lets try this again. Using the side of the bar to support herself she slowly works her way back up. Why do I keep doing this to myself.

Well then, I shake the the trash off of myself, time to go see the family. I make my way back to the house, keeping my head down as to not draw any attention to myself. Alas, it doesn't work and a big ball of goddawful pink energy is soon bouncing into my field of vision.

"HEY BERRY!" Pinkie says in her loud singsong voice right now.

Oh Celestia, I don't need this right now. My head throbs with every jump she makes as she gets closer to me.

"Berry you smell like garbage!" She says happily.

I start to glare at her.

"Happens." I say curtly.

"And your mane is all matted!" she says while bouncing next me.

"Pinkie."

"And your eyes are all baggy!"

"Pinkie please"

"And"

"PINKIE!" I yell interrupting her. My head screams in response. Ohhhhhhh why would I do that. At least she has stopped talking.

She walks away dejected at my outburst.

The rest of the walk home is uneventful. I unlock the door to find the most amazing smell wafting through the air. I make my way to the kitchen to find my loving husband making something.

He turns to me and hes wearing my pink apron with my cutie mark on it.

"I figured you'd be hungry when you got home so I made you some apple fritters." He said happily but with just a hint of sadness. I pretended not to see it.

"It smells wonderful Awesome!" I say smiling.

He rolls his eyes, "You know I hate being called by my first name!"

"Fine! Kennith!"

We both laugh.

"So where is my little Pinch today?"

"School" Kennith says as he starts serving up the fritters.

"I thought that was tomorrow! I can't believe I missed her first day of school!"

"Don't worry about it, just be here when she gets back. I'm making all of her favorite foods in celebration."

I smile weakly. I know it's not ok but the reassuring makes me feel better.

We both sit down and eat the wonderful food he made. Joking and laughing. It feels good to part of this family!

WHERE THE BUCK IS SHE!!!!!

Berry Pinch got home an hour ago looking forward to spending with her mother and I. I'm sitting alone in the kitchen wearing a ridiculous party hat. The table is stacked with a un-Celestia-like amount of Pinch's favorite food and not a single amount of it had even been nibbled. Berry Pinch had been excited when she had gotten home but that had quickly changed when she learned that Berry Punch wasn't here she started tearing up and ran into her room.

I slowly take off the hat and throw it across the room... WHY

She has to know that's shes hurting us!

I pick up a dish of hay fries and throw it at the wall. The plate shatters into a million pieces.

"WHY!" I yell as i flip over the table.

A loud knocking comes from the door.

I wake up from the couch startled. My eyes start to squint in anger as my thoughts start to collect. I get up and throw the door open to find Rainbow Dash in front of me. I calm down a bit.

"You need to come with me. It's Berry Punch, there's been an accident."

My eyes widen in horror as the realization hits me.

"Let me go get Berry Pinch"

I wake her up and try to explain, but sometimes the words won't come.

I end up with, "We need to go now, your mother is in trouble."

She nods as I pick her up and run to the hospital.

There she is. Lying there, completely oblivious to the world around her. She has a rabbit stuff animal next to her that's missing an ear. There was cart and the harness was loose and they couldn't catch it and she didn't see it.
CELESTIA WHY?!?

She had gone out to get Pinch a present for her first day of school...

It had been pretty hard on me seeing her broken like this but it had been even worse on Pinch. I don't think she can cry anymore though, I think she ran out of tears and fell asleep next to Berry Punch.

I'm sitting here in her room waiting for an improvement in health just listening to her heart monitor beep. This is going to be worse than all those nights without her. I hope she clings to life. We need her here.

It was morning now. Not much has changed. I haven't been able to sleep with thoughts of having to raise Berry Pinch alone. I don't know if I can do it, she needs someone there to talk to her about boys and me saying YOU BETTER NOT BEFORE YOU'RE AN ADULT probably won't help.

The beeping of the heart monitor has been getting slower as the night drew on. I'm waiting for the inevitable, but then i hear it. A small cough.

I sit there amazed as i see Berry Punch's head lift a bit look around. I'm too amazed to move. My legs won't budge.

She nuzzles Pinch, waking her up and whispers something into her ear. She then turns to me and motions me to come over.

"I don't think I have much time left, and I need to tell you something." She says in a rasping voice.

I get up.
Open the door.
Get on the floor.
Everybody walk the dinosaur.