Chapter 153

Ruby had always been fascinated by coffee.

Not because it smelled good—honestly, she thought it smelled “burnt like Mama’s toast”—but because her Mommy and Mama treated it like magical potion.

Every morning, Jennie Kim would walk around the kitchen with her oversized mug, eyes half-open, muttering, “Mommy needs coffee…”

Then Lalisa Manobal would dramatically sip her iced americano and suddenly become loud enough to start singing at 7 a.m.

To Ruby?

Coffee was clearly adult juice that gave superpowers.

So naturally…

She wanted some.

—

One rainy afternoon, Jennie was curled on the sofa answering emails while Lisa cooked in the kitchen.

Ruby waddled into the living room wearing her fuzzy duck slippers and stared at Jennie’s iced coffee on the table.

Dark brown.

Pretty ice cubes.

Cute straw.

Mommy looked happy drinking it.

Very suspiciously happy.

Ruby narrowed her eyes.

“Mommy.”

“Hm?” Jennie hummed without looking up.

“Is coffee yummy?”

Jennie froze slightly.

Dangerous question.

Lisa peeked from the kitchen immediately like she sensed disaster.

“No,” Jennie answered quickly.

“Yes,” Lisa answered at the same time.

Jennie turned slowly. “Lisa.”

“What? It is yummy.”

Ruby gasped dramatically.

“AHA.”

Tiny detective caught them.

“You both drink it everyday!” Ruby accused while pointing her tiny finger. “You hiding yummy juice from me!”

“It’s bitter, baby,” Jennie explained carefully.

“But Mommy drinks bitter medicine when sick too.”

“…That’s not helping your case.”

Ruby climbed beside Jennie and stared at the cup like it contained forbidden treasure.

“Just tiny sip.”

“No.”

“Microscopic sip.”

“No.”

“Baby ant sip?”

Lisa snorted loudly in the kitchen.

Jennie sighed. “You won’t like it.”

Ruby crossed her arms stubbornly. “I’m brave.”

Jennie and Lisa exchanged the classic this child got your attitude look.

Finally Lisa whispered, “Maybe one tiny taste so she stops being curious?”

Jennie looked unconvinced.

Ruby activated ultimate weapon immediately.

Big eyes.

Tiny pout.

Cheeks puffed.

“Mommmyyyyy…”

Jennie lost instantly.

“…One sip.”

Ruby cheered like she won the Olympics.

Jennie carefully handed her the straw. “Very tiny.”

Ruby nodded seriously.

Then took a HUGE sip.

Silence.

A horrifying silence.

Ruby’s entire face changed in slow motion.

Confidence.

Confusion.

Betrayal.

Pure suffering.

Her eyes widened.

Her tiny body SHIVERED.

Then—

“BLEEEEGHHHH!”

She nearly launched herself off the sofa.

Lisa burst into explosive laughter in the kitchen.

Jennie grabbed the cup before Ruby could accidentally fling it across the room.

“IT’S SPICY WATER!” Ruby cried dramatically.

Jennie laughed so hard she wheezed.

Ruby looked personally offended by life itself.

“WHY YOU DRINK THAT?!”

Lisa was leaning against the counter laughing tears already. “Baby, that’s espresso.”

“That’s depression!”

Jennie lost it completely.

Ruby stuck out her tongue repeatedly.

“EWWWWWW!”

She grabbed Jennie’s water bottle with shaking hands and chugged dramatically like she survived poison.

Lisa walked over still laughing. “You okay, tiny bean?”

Ruby glared at her Mama with betrayal.

“You trick me.”

“I warned you!”

“No! Mommy warned me! You said yummy!”

Lisa gasped theatrically. “It IS yummy!”

Ruby looked at Jennie desperately. “Mommy… Mama broken.”

Jennie nodded seriously. “I’ve been saying that for years.”

Lisa tackled both of them into the sofa with offended noises.

Ruby squealed as Lisa attacked her cheeks with kisses.

“Traitor Mama!” Ruby yelled between giggles.

“Coffee-hating baby!”

“It tastes like burnt sadness!”

Jennie nearly fell off the couch laughing.

Ruby dramatically buried herself into Jennie’s chest afterward, still traumatized.

“I never drinking adult juice again.”

Jennie kissed her forehead gently. “Good choice.”

Ruby looked up suspiciously.

“…Why you and Mama still drinking it then?”

Jennie glanced at Lisa.

Lisa glanced at Jennie.

Then both answered at the same time.

“Because of you.”

Ruby gasped in outrage.

“MAMA!”

Lisa sprinted away immediately while Ruby chased her around the living room screaming tiny angry noises.

Jennie simply sipped her coffee peacefully.

“…Still worth it.”