Thursday, April 7, 2016 / After School
Today's Horoscope (Virgo): Your family bonds may not be as strong as they should be. You might want to observe another's family bonds as measuring stick for your own.

Music Club...

Vinyl and Octavia are in good spirits today. Lyra is playing some new album that came out on Tuesday; everyone's discussing it. I can tell Vinyl's already thinking about remixing it...

Thursday, April 7, 2016 / Evening

I'm helping Apple Bloom with her homework when Applejack walks in, looking miserable. She sits down heavily next to her sister and puts her head in her hands.

"Sis? Whut's wrong?" Apple Bloom asks.

Applejack sighs. "Ah jes' got off th' phone with Big Mac," she says. She swallows. "Ah...didn't tell you this, 'cuz Ah didn't want you worryin' none, but...Papa's been in th' hospital since Monday with pneumonia."

Apple Bloom gasps. "Applejack! You should've told me!"

"Ah know," Applejack says. "But...you jes' been in such a good mood lately, Ah didn't wanna ruin it for you." She shakes her head. "Anyway, they licked it, jes' barely. He's...he's goin' back t' th' nursin' home in a couple days. But th' doctor said..." She sighs again. "This ain't done him no good, fightin' off th' pneumonia. He's weaker now than ever."

"Oh no..."

"Yeah." Applejack pulls her sister into a hug. "They're sayin' this...probably et up a good chunka whatever time Papa's got left." She sniffles; Apple Bloom starts to cry.

I quietly leave the lounge to give them their space.

Upstairs, I decide to read a little while before bed. I've been reading for about half an hour when Applejack knocks on the door and walks in. "Hey. Didn't mean t' run you off like that."

I shrug. "You two needed your space." I look up. "I'm sorry about your dad."

Applejack sighs. "Thanks." She shakes her head. "T' be honest? Ah kinda wish..." She bows her head and clenches her fists. "Ah...kinda wish he hadn't made it through this. If...if he'd gone suddenly all at once, it'd be...it'd be less painful than watchin' him waste away..." She sniffles and wipes at her eyes. "God, Ah'm a terrible daughter, thinkin' somethin' like that..."

I shake my head. "You don't want him to suffer."

"Ah jes'... Ah jes' don't want mah last memories of Papa t' be him...all frail an' weak an' havin' tubes all over th' place an'..." She swallows.

"Ah...don't want that either," Apple Bloom says quietly from the hall. Applejack turns to see her standing there, hugging an old stuffed bear. "But...Ah ain't ready t' say goodbye yet..." She looks up at Applejack. "We...we ain't got much time left with Papa, do we? So...we need t'..." She looks down at her feet. "Whatever time we got..."

Applejack sniffles and smiles. "You're right, Apple Bloom," she says. "Ah'm...Ah'm jes' bein' selfish..." She hugs Apple Bloom tightly. "C'mon now, let's...let's give Flash some peace. Ah got some cider downstairs, we can have a sip before bed, talk about...talk about Papa."

They leave. I put away my book and turn in for the night. I can't help but wonder...

If it was one of my parents wasting away from cancer...would I even care?

I honestly don't know, and that depresses me.

Author's Notes:

Social Link Status:

0. FOOL (Zodiac Investigation Team): rank 8
I. MAGICIAN (Twilight Sparkle): MAX!
II. PRIESTESS (Fluttershy): rank 2
III. EMPRESS (Rarity): rank 4
IV. EMPEROR (Coach Shining Armor): MAX!
V. HIEROPHANT (Vice-Principal Luna): rank 8
VI. LOVERS (Nurse Cadance): MAX!
VII. CHARIOT (Rainbow Dash): MAX!
VIII. JUSTICE (Principal Celestia): rank 9
IX. HERMIT (Coco Pommel): MAX!
X. FORTUNE (Apple Bloom): rank 6 (Rank UP!)
XI. STRENGTH (Applejack): rank 6 (Rank UP!)
XII. HANGED MAN (Octavia Melody): rank 8
XIII. DEATH (Sonata Dusk): rank 6
XIV. TEMPERANCE (Sweetie Belle): rank 4
XV. DEVIL (Juan the Janitor): rank 8
XVI. TOWER (Chrysalis): rank 6
XVII. STAR (Pinkie Pie): MAX!
XVIII. MOON (Trixie Lulamoon): MAX!
XIX. SUN (Vinyl Scratch): MAX!