Chapter 66

Lisa swore something was off.

She stood in the middle of their living room, arms crossed, lips pursed, and eyes narrowed like a detective who had just discovered the greatest betrayal of her life.

On the couch sat her two daughters—Ruby, five years old, and Jane, three—both happily munching on snacks, both giggling at something on TV, and both…

Suspicious.

“Okay,” Lisa said slowly, dragging the word out. “This is getting ridiculous.”

Ruby blinked up at her, crumbs on her cheeks. “What’s wrong, Mama?”

Jane tilted her head, copying her sister perfectly. “Yeah, Mama?”

Lisa placed her hands on her hips. “You two… look like you robbed me.”

Silence.

Then Ruby gasped dramatically. “We didn’t take anything!”

Jane immediately followed, panicking, “I didn’t do it!”

Lisa groaned, running a hand through her hair. “Not that kind of robbed. I mean genetically robbed.”

The girls blinked in confusion.

From the kitchen, a soft chuckle echoed.

Jennie.

Of course.

Leaning against the counter, her arms crossed and a smirk playing on her lips, Jennie watched the entire scene unfold like it was her favorite show.

“What are you talking about, Lili?” she teased.

Lisa pointed accusingly at the couch. “That. That right there. Exhibit A and Exhibit B.”

Ruby and Jane froze mid-bite.

Jennie raised a brow. “They’re our kids.”

“Exactly!” Lisa exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. “Our kids. Not just yours!”

Jennie bit back a laugh. “And?”

Lisa marched over, crouching in front of Ruby first. She gently grabbed her cheeks—soft, round, squishy—and squeezed them lovingly.

“Mandu cheeks,” Lisa muttered.

Ruby giggled. “Mamaaa—”

Then Lisa turned to Jane and did the exact same thing.

“Mandu cheeks.”

Jane squealed, kicking her little legs.

Lisa straightened up dramatically, pointing again. “See?! Same cheeks! Same face! Same everything!”

Jennie walked closer, clearly enjoying this. “They just take after me more. That’s normal.”

Lisa gasped like she’d been personally attacked. “More? Jennie, they are literally your photocopies! If I lose them in a crowd, I’ll just look for tiny versions of you!”

Ruby puffed her cheeks proudly. “I’m Mommy!”

Jane copied her again. “I’m Mommy too!”

Lisa clutched her chest. “See?! Even their personalities—”

Jennie laughed, finally unable to hold it in. “You’re being dramatic.”

“I am not!” Lisa protested. “I carried emotional support through both pregnancies, and this is what I get? Not even a little bit of me? Not even my nose?!”

Jennie hummed, pretending to inspect Ruby’s face. “Hmm… nope.”

Lisa turned to Jane. “What about here?”

Jennie leaned in. “Still nope.”

Lisa looked like she was about to collapse.

Then suddenly—like always—her frustration melted into something softer.

She crouched again, gently cupping both Ruby and Jane’s cheeks at the same time, thumbs brushing over their soft skin.

Her expression shifted, fondness taking over completely.

“My lucky charms,” she murmured.

The girls leaned into her touch instinctively, giggling.

Jennie watched them, her smile softening.

Because despite all the complaining, Lisa never once stopped doing that—cupping their cheeks like it was the most precious thing in the world.

Like she was holding something sacred.

Lisa pressed a quick kiss to Ruby’s forehead, then Jane’s.

“…Still robbed though,” she mumbled.

Jennie snorted.

Lisa stood up again, walking straight toward her with narrowed eyes.

“And you—” she pointed at Jennie’s stomach, where their unborn child rested. “This one better look like me.”

Jennie raised a brow. “Oh?”

“Yes. I’m serious. I have suffered enough.”

Jennie stepped closer, amused. “What if the baby looks like me again?”

Lisa gasped, genuinely offended. “Don’t say that. Don’t even joke about that.”

Jennie laughed softly. “You don’t want another mini me?”

Lisa crossed her arms stubbornly. “I want at least one mini me. Just one. Is that too much to ask?”

Jennie tilted her head, teasing. “What would your mini me even be like?”

Lisa paused.

Then she smirked.

“Cool. Handsome. Charismatic. Obviously the favorite.”

Jennie burst out laughing. “The favorite?!”

Ruby raised her hand from the couch. “I’m the favorite!”

Jane raised both hands. “Me too!”

Lisa groaned loudly. “See?! Even the favoritism is stolen!”

Jennie walked up to her, gently poking her cheek. “You’re unbelievable.”

Lisa huffed, but didn’t move away.

Instead, she leaned slightly closer, resting her forehead against Jennie’s.

“…I just want one baby that looks like me,” she muttered softly.

Jennie’s expression softened completely.

She reached up, cupping Lisa’s face this time—mirroring what Lisa always did to their daughters.

“You already have them,” Jennie said gently.

Lisa blinked. “Huh?”

Jennie smiled. “The way they laugh? That’s you. The way they cling to me when they’re sleepy? That’s you. The way they love so loudly and so much?”

She tapped Lisa’s nose lightly.

“That’s all you.”

Lisa froze.

For a moment, she didn’t say anything.

Then her ears turned slightly red.

“…That doesn’t count,” she mumbled weakly.

Jennie laughed, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

“It counts.”

From the couch—

Ruby grinned. “Mama’s blushing!”

Jane copied instantly. “Mama’s blushing!”

Lisa turned dramatically. “I am not!”

But she was.

And despite all her dramatic complaints…

A few seconds later, she walked back to the couch, sat between her daughters, and pulled them both into her arms.

Her hands instinctively went to their cheeks again—soft, round, warm.

Her lucky charms.

“…Fine,” she sighed. “You can look like Mommy.”

Ruby beamed.

Jane clapped.

Lisa smiled softly, pressing a kiss to each of their heads.

“But the next one?” she added, glancing at Jennie with determination.

Jennie raised a brow.

Lisa pointed again, serious this time.

“Mine.”

Jennie just laughed.

And honestly?

She wouldn’t have minded either way. 💛