Royal Splendor was having one of the worst nights of his life.
 
It was way past midnight, and the twins had been crying for hours. He’d tried everything—lullabies, rocking, burping, diaper changing, everything he could possibly think of. And they still wouldn’t stop. It didn’t help that he had run out of formula hours ago. He could only thank Celestia that Jewel had come by to pick up the girls for the night.
 
As the babies wailed on in earnest, Roy fought the urge to cry with them. He knew what they were missing…what they were all missing. Their mother. Their mother who was gone and never coming back, who would never be able to hold and comfort them. He looked over at her portrait on the wall.
 
“Why did you have to go?”
 
Roy was interrupted by a ring of the doorbell. Praying it was somepony who could help, he made to answer it.
 
As if the universe itself heard his cries the pony he opened the door to was none other than Confetti Surprise, sporting her own foal bump and a saddlebag full of foal bottles.
 
“Roy? Is everything okay? You look exhausted…and like you could use a tissue!” The cheery pink pegasus let herself inside, swooping up Roy’s wailing filly into her arm before she sat down. She pumped into two of the bottles, passing one over to Roy as she began to feed Color Palette. She clearly wasn’t wasting any time.
 
“Thank Celestia,” Roy whispered as he dried his face with the tissue she gave him. He took a seat next to Confetti and started feeding Mozart.
 
“W…what are you doing up so late?”
 
“Mom sense, I guess,” Confetti shrugged. “We parents have to stick together, you know. I just thought you could use a little comforting. Plus, I brought milk AND cookies!” She reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a box of Roy’s favorite chocolate chip cookies.
 
“Cookies? No, you really didn’t have to,” Roy softly declined, despite his mouth watering. “The milk is more than enough.” He smiled down at Mozart, who was finally calm as he suckled away at the bottle.
 
“Royal Splendor. Take. The. Cookies. You need them! You look like you haven’t slept or relaxed in months. I know the babies are a handful with Paint gone, but you need to practice self-care once in awhile!” Confetti frowned as she noticed the look in his eyes. The poor stallion was a wreck ever since he lost his wife.
 
With the mention of Paint’s name, Roy froze, struggling to keep the tears down as he choked on his words and took a deep, shuddering breath.
 
“I-it’s just been so hard, Connie…e-ever s-since…”
 
Confetti bit her tongue as she realized what she had said, flaring out her wing to gently caress his arm and comfort him. “I know, Roy, but the girls need you. Mozart and Color need you. It’s hard doing all this on your own but you have me, and Jewel, and everyone else who cares about you. No matter what, we’ll be here to help you out! Just imagine…my little Chocolate Bomb and your Mozart and Color running around and playing and being so…happy!”
 
“Chocolate Bomb…that’s a nice name.” Roy turned his attention towards the two babies who had peacefully fallen asleep, overwhelmed with another wave of emotion.
 
“T-thank you,” He sniffled and wiped the fresh tears from his eyes. “Y-you don’t know h-how much you’ve helped.”
 
As Color Palette had fallen asleep in her arms as well, Confetti gently unfurled both wings and let her soft feathers cradle the baby as she began to pack up her saddlebag.
 
“I can see how much I’ve helped, I’m just glad I’ve been able to at all. Now…you enjoy those cookies and try to get some rest! I’ll see you tomorrow!”
 
Roy smiled genuinely for what seemed to be the first time in months, wiping the remaining moisture from his face and lovingly gazing down at the two little miracles in his arms. As he took a bite of a cookie, he felt that for once, everything was going to be all right.
 
“See you tomorrow, Connie. Thank you.”