Chapter 45

Lisa stared at the sticky note taped dramatically to her forehead-level on the fridge.

“DO NOT BUY SWEETS.”

She blinked once. Then twice.

Behind her, a tiny voice echoed, “Mama… what’s sweets?”

Lisa slowly turned around to face her three-year-old daughter, Ruby—wide-eyed, curious, and already suspiciously holding her stuffed bunny like a partner in crime.

Lisa crouched down, lowering her voice like she was about to reveal a top-secret mission.

“…Forbidden treasures.”

Ruby gasped. “Like pirates?!”

Lisa nodded seriously. “Exactly like pirates.”

—

The grocery trip started out innocently enough.

Ruby sat in the cart, legs swinging happily, occasionally kicking the metal like it was a drum. Lisa pushed the cart with one hand while holding Jennie’s note in the other, rereading it like it might suddenly change.

It didn’t.

“Okay,” Lisa muttered. “We just follow the list. Vegetables, eggs, milk—easy.”

Ruby leaned forward. “Mama…”

“Yes, baby?”

“Where do pirates keep treasure?”

Lisa froze.

Her eyes slowly drifted… to aisle 7.

Candy.

Chocolate.

Colorful, sugar-coated chaos.

She cleared her throat. “We are NOT going there.”

Ruby tilted her head. “Why?”

Lisa held up the note like evidence in court. “Because Mama said so.”

Ruby leaned closer, squinting at it. “…I can’t read.”

“…That’s not the point.”

—

Five minutes later, they were somehow standing in front of the candy aisle.

Lisa didn’t know how it happened.

One second she was grabbing tomatoes… the next, Ruby had mysteriously navigated them like a tiny GPS straight to temptation.

“Mama…” Ruby whispered, eyes sparkling like she’d just discovered heaven. “Treasure…”

Lisa swallowed.

She could almost hear Jennie’s voice in her head:

“Lalisa Manoban, don’t you dare.”

Lisa sighed dramatically.

“Okay. We can look. Just look.”

Ruby nodded very seriously. “Just look.”

—

Five seconds later.

Ruby: “Mama, this one looks happy.”

Lisa: “That’s a gummy bear.”

Ruby: “He needs a home.”

Lisa: “…we are not adopting candy.”

Ruby picked up another. “This one too.”

Lisa glanced around like a criminal.

“…Okay, maybe one small pack.”

—

Ten minutes later, the cart had… escalated.

A little.

Okay, a lot.

There were chocolates, cookies, marshmallows, something shaped like dinosaurs, and Ruby proudly holding a lollipop bigger than her face.

Lisa pushed the cart nervously. “We went a little off-plan.”

Ruby beamed. “We’re rich pirates now!”

Lisa snorted. “Yeah… until Mama finds out.”

Ruby froze.

“…Mama will find out?”

Lisa stopped walking.

“…we don’t have to tell her everything.”

Ruby leaned in, whispering, “Secret mission?”

Lisa grinned. “Secret mission.”

They fist-bumped.

—

Back home, Jennie was still cleaning—focused, determined, and completely unaware of the incoming chaos.

Lisa tiptoed in like a spy, pushing the cart quietly.

“Ruby, operation hide-the-treasure begins now.”

Ruby saluted. “Yes, Mama!”

They started unloading groceries.

Vegetables? Normal.

Milk? Normal.

Chocolate bars hidden behind the lettuce? Questionable.

Cookies tucked under rice bags? Suspicious.

Lollipops shoved into a random drawer?

Bold.

Too bold.

—

“Lalisa…”

Lisa froze.

Ruby froze.

Slowly—very slowly—they turned around.

Jennie stood there, arms crossed, eyebrow raised, holding the note.

“…do you have something to explain?”

Lisa laughed nervously. “Haha… funny story—”

Ruby raised her hand proudly.

“We became pirates.”

Lisa covered her face.

Jennie blinked. “…what?”

Ruby ran up to her, hugging her leg. “We found treasure, Mama! But it’s secret.”

Jennie looked at Lisa.

Lisa gave her the most charming smile she could muster.

“…Define ‘secret.’”

Jennie walked over… opened a random cabinet…

And pulled out a pack of cookies.

Then another drawer—

Lollipops.

Then the fridge—

Chocolate.

She turned back slowly.

“…Lalisa.”

Lisa pointed at Ruby.

“She’s very persuasive.”

Ruby nodded. “Mama, the gummies needed us.”

Jennie tried—really tried—to stay serious.

But then Ruby held up the giant lollipop like an offering.

“…for you.”

Silence.

Jennie sighed… then took the lollipop.

“…just this once.”

Lisa’s eyes lit up. “So we’re not in trouble?”

Jennie narrowed her eyes. “Oh, you are.”

Lisa gulped.

Jennie smirked slightly. “But I’ll deal with you later.”

Ruby gasped. “Mama in trouble!”

Lisa groaned. “I raised a traitor.”

Ruby giggled, hugging both of them.

And just like that, the “no sweets” rule?

Completely defeated… by pirates and a three-year-old mastermind.