>You fucked up. Pretty bad actually.
>It's been a few days and even though she still talks to you, you know it's a cold, disappointing tone, even though it sounds like her normal voice.
>You feel like absolute shit. And rightly so.
>You forgot her birthday.
>Again. 
>Like, 3 years in a row now.
>You remember it right up until a few days before, and then something happens that it slips your mind.
>First it was the vacation you, Aunt Luna, and mom had taken together.
>To be fair, Luna copped it too for not remembering until you all came back. 5 days after it had passed.
>Then last year you and the guys went to a midnight game release and ended up staying up all night playing it, and slept all day, waking up in the evening.
>This time however, you had a part time job, you forgot to take time off on her birthday and ended up doing a double shift.
>You were dead tired and ending up sleeping most of the next day.
>So yeah, here you are having one of the most awkward dinners you’ve ever had.
>Mom only talking to you when it's necessary and with none of her usual pep that she always speaks with.
>No small talk like she usually does.
>Even Aunt Luna is laying low, she mouths words to you when mom is in the same room.
>Usually though, it's just 'good luck'. Before she scurries off somewhere.
>You try to break the awkwardness by telling her about your day, like you always do.
>Enthusiastically you retell something funny that happened, and even Luna chuckled at.
>But not mom. She just nodded her head and answers "Yes, quite interesting."
>Luna pitches in with something that happened in the staff room, and got a warmer response from mom.
>Luna shoots a look that says 'I'm trying, but it's not working.'
>You shoot her a look back that says, 'I know, thanks aunty. I'll keep trying.'
>After everyone is finished with dinner, you clear the plates and ask if anyone would like some dessert.
>"Yes, please." Luna answers, "Delicious cake is always the best thing after a stressful day at work."
>As cringy and as obvious as that sounded, bless aunty for always having your back. 
>Mom always had a cake in the fridge, it was her go-to comfort food.
>This is sure to be a winner. She'd never refuse cake!
>"No thank you. I think I shall just have a bath and head to bed." Mom says.
>"Good night Lulu. Goodnight son."
>Oh, you're worse off than you thought. She's always called you sunshine, even when introducing you to others.
>You and Luna watch mom leave the dining room and hear her bedroom door close before Luna snaps her head back at you.
>Her face plastered with a look that screams. 'Holy shit, you're in deep shit.'
>Luna whisper-shouts to you with a hand over her mouth.
>"Anon, the last time I saw her this angry was when I forgot to buy the cake that time."
>'That time' referred to when Luna was tasked with buying groceries because mom had an important weekend long meeting with the other principals in the state.
>She came home stressed out, tired and wanting cake and when she realised there was none, she almost lost it.
>It didn't help that it was past 9 PM and most stores had already closed.
>You helped Luna bake cookies and make a pancake stacked cake in an attempt to satiate her.
>Luckily it did, but mom still woke Luna up and made her go to the store and buy a cake right when they opened.
>That was one of the few times you had seen her eat cake for breakfast.
>And as soon as she had cake, she stopped being angry. The change was almost instant.
>Back to the present.
"I know Aunty. Maybe I should talk to her?"
>"NO!" She whisper shouts again. 
>"Your mother will NOT accept an apology without some kind of tribute."
>Which was true, under most circumstances all you usually did was apologise whole-heartedly, hug her and she'd forgive you. 
>On Luna's advice, you decide to leave her be for now. You'll just have to make it up to her.
>This will require an offering, something big. 
>Better than all the other gifts you've ever given her before.
>But what?
>You begin patting your chin thinking.
>Should you make a cake? Or a gift?
>As nice as they are, you can do those any time so it's not quite as special.
>Definitely something that showed her that you really care about her.
>Your lips start to curl as you think.
>Then it hits you.
"Ah!" An idea hits you. 
>Luna shuffles in her seat closer to you, eager to hear your idea.
"Didn't mom say there was that new restaurant she wanted to try?"
>Luna thinks for a second but struggles to recall.
"You know, the one with the stage?"
>"Anon, you know she doesn't like to sing. How will that appease her?"
"Don't worry Aunty. I think I have an idea."
>Luna looks at you worriedly again, but decides to trust you know what you're doing.
 
>You worked the last few days and it's finally the weekend.
>Time to enact Operation:make-mom-happy.
>You didn't tell mom that you weren't working, she just thinks you're at work still.
>Luna took mom out to the restaurant using the excuse she heard the ribs were amazing or something.
>Mom wasn't convinced but when Luna told her it was her treat, she was on board.
>"Sister, do try to enjoy tonight." Luna says picking up her martini.
>"I know Lulu." Celestia sighs. "It's just... oh nevermind. Maybe I'm just over-reacting."
>She slumps onto the table.
>"Tell me, what's wrong." Luna asks rubbing her back.
>After a little while Celestia sips her red wine and begins to let loose.
>"He probably hates me Lulu." She begins to tear up.
>"Who? Anon?" Lulu asks rubbing her back more.
>Celestia nods before collapsing onto the table. "I know he forgot my birthday. At first I was angry but now, it's not even about that anymore." She sniffles. 
>"I mean, I realised that it's not about my birthday that I'm upset about." 
>"Then what is it about sister?" 
>"Anon is growing up Lulu." Celestia starts to tear up.
>"He's growing up and soon he won't need me. Or Us."
>Luna is also taken aback by the implications, yet still does her best to comfort mom.
>"Sister, Anon is a good boy. A fine man. We...You have raised him well. I doubt very much he would just abandon us."
>"I know Lulu, it's just..." Celestia wipes her tears and blows her nose. "I have been dreading this day since he was born. And I even tried to stop it from happening." 
>She takes another drink.
>"But I can't stop him growing up, and I tried to convince myself that I'd be alright if -WHEN he leaves."
>She wipes her tears again, before crying.
>"But I can't handle it!" She starts to cry.
>The music from the karaoke is just loud enough that no-one can hear mom making a blubbering mess of herself.
>One song ends and another starts as Luna does all she can to comfort Celestia.
>After a few minutes of crying, she gets it out of her system and apologises to Luna.
>The song ends and the restaurant goes dark.
>Luna and Celestia pay it no mind as they sip their drinks, not paying attention to the manager on the microphone.
>"Next up we have someone who's never done this before so please give them a big round of applause."
>Luna and Celestia automatically applause.
"Thank you.There's a very special woman here tonight." 
>The crowd roars with applause and encouragement.
"And I honestly don't deserve her, but am thankful everyday of my life to have her."
>A few 'woo's' echo.
"I missed her birthday..."
>Boo's and uh-oh's float through the crowd.
"But I wanted to tell her I love her and she's everything to me."
>The crowd swoons with awww's
"She's always told me she loves my singing, so I apologise if I'm bad." You get a few laughs from the audience, but you don't care.
"I love her always. She is, of course, my mother!" 
>The light above the table turns on, revealing them to the applause and cheering of the whole restaurant.
>Confused, mom turns towards the stage and sees you.
>There you are, wearing the best suit Rarity could make on such short notice, looking your absolute best.
>Mom looks you in the eyes with her confused and teary eyes.
>The music starts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utm4T6lT7pE [Embed]
>The crowd gives you a standing ovation.
>Your heart is racing like crazy.
>Other restaurant goers are patting your arms, chest, back as you pass them on the way to the table.
>You get a few looks from some girls and their mothers like they want you to sing more.
"Happy Birthday mama. I love you." You say just loud enough for only her to hear when you reach the table.
>"Of course I love you Sunshine." She says through choked-back tears.
>She throws her arms around you and pulls you into the most comfortable hug you've ever had.
>For good measure Luna jumps in too. 
>The whole restaurant erupts into applause that lasts a few minutes.
>"Please forgi-" She tries to apologise but you stop her.
"You don't ever need to apologise for being my mom." You embrace her tightly.
>She kisses your forehead and you bury your head deeper into her chest, like a child who had just been found and didn’t want to ever let go.
>You all sit down and share a late birthday dinner.
>You paid for everything of course, and it was like everything was back to normal.
>Mom laughed and joked, and was back to her usual self.
>She even guiltily asked if she could try the cake, to which you ordered one of every cake just so she could enjoy them all.
>You all enjoyed the night chatting and joking that you hadn't even noticed you were the last table there when they started closing up.
>The manager and staff let it slide this time considering the touching performance you gave.
>Your family was small, but it was certainly just as big as it needed to be.
 
>~Fin