Twilight knocked on the door to her parents' house in Canterlot, Trixie in hiding by crouching under the window against the wall.
"Yes? Oh, hello, Twilie!" He gave his daughter a hug. "What brings you to Canterlot?"
"Dad...can we talk...in private?" Twilight asked.
"Um...sure," Mr. Sparkle suddenly started to lose enthusiasm as he slowly backed away into his home to make room for Twilight to enter. "Right this way."
"Hey, Twilie!" Mrs. Sparkle greeted her beloved daughter.
"Hey, Mom," she greeted back, with less enthusiasm.
Mr. Sparkle and his daughter entered the master bedroom, Mr. Sparkle closing the door behind him as to make sure no words left the room and reached the large ears of Twilight's mother.
"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked.
"I know about Trixie," was all Twilight had to say.
Mr. Sparkle's pupils shrunk in his giant eyes.
"She's right outside," Twilight continued. "I didn't want Mom to see her: I wanted you to see her first."
"I...you know?"
"I know everything, Dad."
"How do you?"
"You raised a smart daughter...or, should I say, two smart daughters. And an honest son."
Mr. Sparkle grunted. "I knew I should've blanked Shining Armor when I had the chance!"
"Shh!" Twilight put her hoof to her mouth. "That would've been the wrong thing to do. You did the right thing by trusting him. Trixie and I connected the dots, and all Shining Armor and Princess Cadence did was tell us the truth instead of pussyfooting with us. I would've felt greatly disrespected by my elders if they had not told me and Trixie what we wanted to hear."
Mr. Sparkle sighed. "Your mom can never know about Trixie."
"I think she has too, Dad...if she hears about all the sacrifices you made, and all you went through to make sure Trixie was safe and healthy and happy and that you felt guilty about her birth despite how much you love her...I think she will be accepting of it. Trixie and I were accepting because we were confronted and told the truth when we asked for it. Mom will never ask for it. You'll have to bring the truth to her. But I know Mom. She raised me - you raised me. I think it's in her best interest to know."
Mr. Sparkle considered it, but he was still quite hesitant. He shook his head. "How would I break it to her, Twilight?"
"Just don't say anything: let Trixie do the talking. She's a wonderful pony - beyond all the insanity she obtained from her foster family - and I'm sure she will minimize the pain you'll feel by letting Mom know that you fornicated."
"Well...it's just that I-"
"Sh-sh-sh-sh...don't think about anything. Just let Trixie spill it to her, and have her do the talking. Jump in when you know the time is right."
Mr. Sparkle still had doubts about this. But he knew that his daughter would persist if he did not give in. "Alright," he said. "May I go see Trixie first?"
"She's right outside."
Mr. Sparkle and Twilight left the bedroom, Twilight going to visit her mother for a moment as Mr. Sparkle exited the house to greet Trixie.
"Oh~" he began. "Look how much you've grown!"
"Hey...Dad," Trixie mumbled, not used to addressing this particular man as 'Dad.'
Mr. Sparkle gave Trixie a warm hug. "I've missed you so much, Trixie."
"I missed you too, Dad."
"Now, there's someone else you have to meet...Are you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
Mr. Sparkle took a deep breath, and then he and his firstborn daughter reentered the house. There was Mrs. Sparkle and Twilight seated together on the couch at the far end of the living room.
"Twilight," Mrs. Sparkle began. "Who's your friend?"
"This is Trixie," Mr. Sparkle answered for his daughter. "And she's...more than just Twilight's friend."
"Oh? How's that now?"
Mr. Sparkle sighed. "Do you remember your trip from way back when?"
"You mean my business trip?"
Mr. Sparkle nodded.
"Well...while you were gone...this little filly came into my life."
Mrs. Sparkle did not reply.
"My name is Trixie Lulamoon," Trixie began. "I was conceived with another mare while you were away. My father feels extremely guilty for what he did while you were gone. He made sure I was a happy, healthy foal, but then gave me up to a foster family. I spent most of my life with them. I don't even remember being this stallion's child. But I am fortunate to be his daughter. I know I would not have received such a pleasant fate from a pony who tells me that I was nothing but a mistake."
"I feel terribly about it," continued Mr. Sparkle. "I spent all this time living in fear that you would one day stumble upon the truth...my daughters have convinced me that it is better that I just say it right to your face: I cheated on you - once and only once - while you were off in Manehattan...I know I won't ever receive your forgiveness, but-"
Mrs. Sparkle raised a hoof, and rose from the couch. She approached her husband, but spoke not a word.
"Are you mad at me?"
Mrs. Sparkle shook her head. "I'm not mad."
"Are you disappointed? 'Cause I've learned that-"
Mrs. Sparkle shook her head again. "I'm not disappointed, either." She sighed under her breath. "I was gone for...how long?"
"Months and months..." Mr. Sparkle paused. "Three years."
"I was gone for far too long. You know, I quit that job at the risk of throwing this family into debt because I was so frustrated of how demanding my job was to you and Shining Armor. You were lonely, you missed me, and you got so used to being alone that you did the unthinkable. But...I have to forgive you...because I know that if I don't...you won't forgive me...for what I have put you through."
Tears trickled down the cheeks of both ponies, as they united in a hug.
"I'm sorry, Dearie."
"Me too, Sweetie, me too."
It was a long moment before they retracted their hug and kissed. Mr. Sparkle's spirit suddenly returned to him, now that his secret was out and his wife was fine knowing that she was cheated on. And Mrs. Sparkle was fine having finally apologized to her husband, and repaying the debt she desperately seeked to repay since she took her extended business trip to Manehattan.
"Now," she said, turning to Trixie. "You're my husband's daughter?"
Trixie nodded. "I am, Mrs. Sparkle."
"Oh, please, call me Mom."
"I am...Mom." Trixie blushed.
"You are one beautiful little foal," she said warmly.
Trixie smiled. "Thank you."
"And I am honored to call you my daughter, even though I am not the mare who birthed you. You may have been a mistake biologically, but your inaguration into the Sparkle family is no mistake to me."
Trixie's smile grew.
Mrs. Sparkle returned to her husband. "I just have one question, though."
"What is it, Sweetheart?"
"How did Trixie get the surname Lulamoon?"
"Lulamoon was her mother's mareden name: Luna Lulamoon. Probably explains why her cutie mark looks like a crescent moon."
"Well, not anymore. Now, Trixie, you are Trixie Sparkle."
Twilight lunged to Trixie in a hug. "Welcome to the family, Trixie!"
Trixie Sparkle Trixie thought to herself. Yeah, I like the sound of that. Indeed I do.