Chapter 158

Ruby was peacefully coloring on the living room floor, her tiny tongue peeking out in concentration as she colored a duck purple.

Because apparently ducks could be purple.

“Mama! Look! Ducky is fashionable!” the four-year-old proudly announced.

From the kitchen, Lisa laughed. “Very fashionable, baby!”

Meanwhile, Jennie was checking the fridge.

“We seriously need to start eating healthier again,” Jennie sighed while holding a box of donuts.

Lisa dramatically gasped. “Nooo. Not the donuts.”

“Yes the donuts,” Jennie said firmly. “Starting tomorrow.”

Lisa clutched her chest. “Cruel.”

Ruby giggled quietly at her parents before going back to coloring.

Then-

THUD.

“OW-!”

Lisa suddenly yelped loudly from the kitchen.

Ruby jumped.

“Mama?!” she called.

“I’M FINE-” Lisa shouted back, immediately followed by, “Ow… ow… ow…”

Ruby peeked toward the kitchen just in time to see Lisa dramatically hopping on one foot while holding her pinky toe.

“My toe is broken,” Lisa whined.

“It’s not broken,” Jennie snorted.

“It’s hanging by a thread.”

“You bumped it on the chair.”

“I saw my ancestors.”

Ruby blinked.

Mama was crying.

Well… not really crying.

But Lisa was dramatically tearing up while sitting on a chair holding her injured toe like it was the greatest tragedy in human history.

Jennie sighed and crouched to check Lisa’s foot.

“You’re okay, drama queen.”

“I’m not okay,” Lisa mumbled pitifully.

Then Jennie suddenly said something that made Ruby freeze.

“We can have a cheat day today instead.”

Ruby’s crayon stopped mid-air.

…Cheat?

Her eyes widened slowly.

Cheat?

Mommy… cheat?

Ruby stared at her Mommy in absolute horror.

Jennie nodded casually while grabbing ice for Lisa’s toe. “Yeah. One cheat day won’t hurt.”

Lisa sniffled dramatically. “Really?”

“Yes.”

Ruby’s tiny heart DROPPED.

Mommy cheated…

That’s why Mama was crying…

And now Mama looked sad and hurt…

Ruby’s breathing got shaky.

Her little brain immediately started making the worst conclusions possible.

Cheating is bad.

She heard that word before in cartoons.

People cried.

Then they left.

Then families became sad.

Ruby slowly looked between her parents with watery eyes.

Is Mama gonna leave Mommy…?

The tiny dumpling stood up silently, clutching her purple duck drawing.

“M-Mama…?” she whispered.

Neither parent heard her because Lisa was still busy whining over her toe injury.

“I can’t walk anymore.”

“You’re literally walking.”

“I’m surviving.”

Ruby’s lip trembled.

Oh no.

Things were serious.

Very serious.

Then suddenly-

Ruby burst into tears.

LOUD tears.

“MOMMYYYYYY DON’T CHEAT ON MAMAAAAAA!!”

The kitchen instantly went silent.

Jennie blinked.

Lisa blinked.

Ruby came running toward them sobbing dramatically.

“DON’T LEAVE EACH OTHERRRRR!!” she cried, throwing herself between them. “I DON’T WANT TWO HOUSES!!”

Jennie nearly choked.

Lisa looked utterly confused.

Ruby clung to Jennie’s leg with tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I’LL BE GOOD!” Ruby wailed. “I’LL CLEAN MY TOYS! I’LL EAT BROCCOLI!! PLEASE DON’T BREAK UPPP!”

Jennie’s jaw DROPPED.

Lisa stared for two seconds before realization slowly hit her.

Then-

Lisa wheezed.

Jennie slapped her arm immediately. “Don’t laugh!”

“But-” Lisa wheezed harder. “Baby thinks you cheated on me because of a donut-“

“LALISA!”

Ruby cried harder hearing Lisa laugh.

“Mama is laughing because she’s heartbroken!!” Ruby sobbed.

“Oh my god,” Jennie muttered, trying not to laugh herself.

Jennie quickly picked Ruby up and kissed her wet cheeks repeatedly.

“Baby, baby, no,” Jennie soothed gently. “Mommy didn’t cheat on Mama.”

Ruby sniffled miserably. “Y-you said cheat day…”

Jennie blinked before finally understanding.

Then she burst into laughter too.

Ruby looked offended.

“This is NOT funny,” she cried dramatically.

Lisa immediately opened her arms. “Come here, my dumpling.”

Ruby launched into Lisa’s chest.

Lisa kissed her fluffy hair while trying not to smile.

“A cheat day means eating yummy food for one day,” Lisa explained softly. “Like donuts, pizza, ice cream…”

Ruby blinked.

“…That’s it?”

Jennie nodded while wiping her tears away. “That’s it.”

Ruby looked between them suspiciously.

“So Mommy no have another family?”

Jennie gasped dramatically. “Excuse me? I only want this family.”

Lisa nodded seriously. “And Mama only wants you and Mommy forever.”

Ruby stared at them for a few seconds longer before her tiny shoulders relaxed.

“…Promise?”

“Promise,” they both answered instantly.

Ruby sniffled one last time before glaring at Jennie.

“Mommy…”

“Hm?”

“…Don’t say scary words.”

Jennie kissed her forehead apologetically. “Okay, baby.”

Then Ruby turned to Lisa.

“And Mama…”

“Hm?”

“…You cry too loud for tiny toe.”

Jennie BURST into laughter.

Lisa looked betrayed.

“It was painful!”

Ruby crossed her tiny arms. “You scared me.”

Lisa immediately hugged her tighter. “Sorry, dumpling.”

Ruby sighed dramatically like she carried the entire family’s emotional stability on her tiny shoulders.

“Okay,” she mumbled. “Family saved.”

Jennie smiled softly before kissing both of them.

Then Ruby suddenly gasped.

“WAIT.”

Both parents blinked.

Ruby’s eyes sparkled.

“…So cheat day means donuts?”

Jennie narrowed her eyes.

Lisa immediately pointed at Ruby. “See? She got my genes.”

Ruby raised both hands excitedly.

“FAMILY DONUTS NOW!!!”