Holly was still stunned by the conversation that had happened earlier. She knew her wife better than anypony and knew she was an emotional mare, but she’d never seen her…lash out quite like that before. Candy was hurting over something that Holly didn’t completely understand, of course, but the way she shot down every bit of advice was something Holly didn’t see coming. And hours later, she still hadn’t come home.
 
Candy would be back eventually, Holly assumed. She just needed time to herself. But the conversation still kept playing in Holly’s mind, and she had to clear her head somehow. Which is why she found herself in the kitchen pouring herself a mug of cider at almost midnight.
 
“What are you doing up so late?”
 
“Momma?” Holly turned around to find her mother, Turquoise Edge, at the table with her own mug of cider. “What are you doin’ here?”
 
“Sometimes a mare likes a cold mug of cider and a quiet house to end the day. Helps me think. Been doing it since you were a filly, actually,” Turq smiled. “But you didn’t answer my question. What brings you here?”
 
“Oh,” Holly looked around the room. “Nothing, really, I just like to think too.”
 
“You sure? I’ve never seen you down here this late. Is this about what the kids found?”
 
“Well…yeah.” Holly sighed. “Candy’s awfully torn up about it. Her Ma apparently said some things that hurt her feelings, but now she’s mad at me too.”
 
“Do you know why? Sit down and tell your old mare what happened,” Turq patted the space next to her.
 
Holly sat down and sipped her mug of cider. “Well, all I said was that maybe keepin’ that picture wasn’t makin’ things better for her or the lil’ ones. And then she just…blew up. Said I wasn’t thinkin’ about her feelings. She’s been gone ever since.”
 
“Well, you know Candy,” Turq pointed out. “She’s an emotional one. Takes her relationships very seriously, even when they aren’t always good for her.”
 
“I’ll say,” Holly snorted. “I don’t see why she can’t just…move on. Thinkin’ about Galaxy is doin’ nothing but hurtin’ her, and it pains me to see that. If she let go she’d have all that weight off of her.”
 
“Maybe so. But that’s not how Candy is.” Turq pondered for a moment. “When I didn’t let you be around Candy and you decided to run away, did you hate me? Did you stop thinking about me?”
 
“‘Course not,” Holly insisted. “I wasn’t real happy with you, but I still missed ya tons. I wanted nothin’ more than for us to go back to how we used to be, ‘cept with Candy in our family. But she-“
 
“Feels the same way about Galaxy,” Turq interjected. “Do I agree? Of course not. But we don’t know what their relationship was like. They probably had plenty of good times that Candy still misses. We can’t change how she looks back on those times and how she feels about Galaxy.”
 
“But I saw how Galaxy treated her when she kicked us out. I saw how it affected Candy. And her holding on, only seems to make her feel worse.” Holly frowned. “I’m not trying to tell Candy how to feel, I just hate to see her hurting like this.”
 
“Then tell her that.”
 
“I tried-“
 
“After she takes some time to herself. She’s got too much on her mind right now.” Turq explained. “But you gotta see things from her point of view first. And you gotta tell her how this is making you feel, not what you think she should do about it. If you explain your feelings, she’ll listen. That’s what Candy’s all about, you know.”
 
“You’re right…” Holly agreed. “But I hope she does listen.”
 
“She will. I’ll even talk to her first. Trust me, your old Momma’s got you covered.” Turq held out her mug. “Deal?”
 
Holly smiled and softly tapped her own mug against Turq’s. “Sounds like a plan.”