Candy couldn’t believe what her Ma had just done. The anger in her eyes, the torn pieces of the photograph, the sound of her old name rolling off her tongue, all flashed through her mind as if they were still happening at that moment. And it was all so reminiscent of…the last time she saw her Mother.

She still loved her Ma, but she was hurt. So hurt that she could hardly think straight or do anything but cry softly to herself. Thus was why she immediately retreated to her and Holly’s room, looking for a space to clear her head and a lover to lean on.

“Candy?” Holly asked when she entered. “What was with all the yellin’ down there? Are you okay?”

“No…” the unicorn buried her head in her hooves. “She…she called me by my old name.”

“What in tarnation? Doesn’t she know what that means to you?”

“She was just mad. Really mad.” Candy teared up again. “She even ripped the picture. The last thing I had of Mother…”

Holly’s defensive attitude subsided. “Oh…well, you know, I never did get why you kept that thing. It seems like it’s just causin’ you more pain to think about her.“

“Are you gonna do this too?”

“What?” Holly cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t know what went on with your Ma. I’m just sayin’, if you didn’t keep that picture it might’ve been easier for you to move on, and the kids wouldn’t have found out about her-“

“That! Exactly that!” Candy snapped. “Telling me how to deal with my feelings!”

“I ain’t sayin’ nothin’ about your feelings! I’m talkin’ about what would’ve been best for our family!”

“You’re telling me how to move on which has EVERYTHING to do with my feelings! Just like Ma!” Candy began crying again. “You have no idea, do you?”

“Then tell me! I’ll listen!”

“Until I bring up Mother, then you’ll tell me what I’m feeling is wrong! And even if it is, that’s not what I need right now!” Candy swiveled around towards the door.

“Candy, where are you going?“

“I’m going to go listen to my own heart for once. Without anyone doing it for me.”