Chapter 165

The Great Bathtub Scare

The apartment was unusually peaceful for a Friday evening.

Jennie had just finished preparing a warm bubble bath for her four-year-old daughter. The bathroom smelled faintly of lavender, and mountains of fluffy bubbles covered almost the entire surface of the water.

Ruby was living her absolute best life.

The tiny dumpling sat in the middle of the tub with a yellow rubber duck balanced proudly on her head.

And she was singing.

Very loudly.

“TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAAAAR-“

Her voice echoed through the entire apartment.

Jennie, who was folding laundry nearby, couldn’t help laughing.

“Ruby, sweetheart, the neighbors don’t need a private concert.”

“But Mommy!” Ruby shouted dramatically. “I’m practicing!”

“For what?”

“My world tour!”

Jennie nearly dropped a towel from laughing.

“Of course you are.”

Inside the bathroom, Ruby continued her performance.

“HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU AAAAAARE!”

Mochi the corgi sat outside the bathroom door, looking mildly concerned.

Even he seemed overwhelmed by the volume.

Meanwhile…

Lisa had just arrived home after a long day at work.

The second she stepped through the front door, she dropped her bag.

“Oh no.”

Jennie looked up.

“What?”

Lisa froze.

“I really need to use the bathroom.”

Jennie immediately burst out laughing.

“Again?”

“I’ve been holding it since the office!”

“Why?”

“I was busy!”

“Lisa…”

“I know! I know!”

Without another word, Lisa hurried down the hallway.

Unfortunately…

She was moving at the speed of light.

And unfortunately…

Ruby’s singing had reached such a volume that absolutely nobody could hear anything else.

“LIKE A DIAMOND IN THE SKYYYYYYY-“

Lisa reached the bathroom.

Opened the door.

Walked inside.

And finally looked up.

There was a tiny child sitting in a mountain of bubbles.

Ruby looked up at the exact same moment.

Mother and daughter locked eyes.

For one full second.

Silence.

Then-

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Both screamed at the exact same time.

Ruby launched her rubber duck.

Lisa jumped backward.

The duck hit the wall.

Mochi started barking.

Jennie nearly fell over running into the hallway.

“What happened?!”

She arrived just in time to see Lisa flattened against the bathroom wall.

And Ruby clutching a washcloth dramatically.

Both looked equally traumatized.

“Mommy!” Ruby cried.

“Mama scared me!”

Lisa pointed accusingly.

“YOU scared ME!”

“I was taking a bath!”

“I didn’t know you were in here!”

“I was singing!”

“Exactly! I couldn’t hear anything else!”

Ruby gasped.

“You don’t like my singing?”

“No!”

The little dumpling’s eyes immediately watered.

Lisa realized her mistake.

“Oh no.”

Jennie crossed her arms.

“Oh, you did it now.”

“I mean yes!” Lisa corrected instantly.

“I love your singing!”

Ruby sniffled.

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Even when it’s loud?”

“Especially when it’s loud.”

Jennie snorted.

“That is the biggest lie you’ve told this week.”

Lisa ignored her.

Ruby slowly relaxed.

Then she pointed dramatically.

“But Mama screamed first.”

“I absolutely did not.”

“You did!”

“You screamed first!”

“You screamed louder!”

“No way!”

Jennie watched the argument unfold and simply started laughing.

Neither of them noticed.

Ruby and Lisa were now recreating the entire event.

“I was like-AAAAAHHH!”

“No! It was more like-AAAAAAAAAHHH!”

“That’s exactly what you sounded like!”

“That’s what YOU sounded like!”

Soon both were shouting fake screams at each other.

Mochi barked after every single one.

“AAAAAH!”

“BARK!”

“AAAAAHHH!”

“BARK!”

“AAAAAHHHHHHH!”

“BARK!”

Jennie finally had tears streaming down her face.

“I can’t believe you two.”

The pair immediately looked at her.

“What?”

“You both got scared by each other.”

“No, I didn’t,” Lisa said.

“You literally jumped.”

“I did not.”

Ruby nodded seriously.

“Mama jumped.”

Jennie pointed.

“See?”

Lisa looked betrayed.

“You took her side?”

“I’m taking reality’s side.”

Ruby giggled.

Lisa sighed dramatically.

“I work hard all day and come home only to be bullied.”

“By a four-year-old,” Jennie added.

“Exactly.”

Ruby giggled harder.

A few minutes later, the crisis was officially over.

Ruby finished her bath while Jennie helped wash her hair.

Lisa waited outside the bathroom this time.

Very carefully.

With several warning knocks.

“Can I come in now?”

Ruby laughed.

“Yes!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

“No surprise screaming?”

“No surprise screaming.”

Lisa slowly opened the door.

Ruby immediately shouted-

“BOO!”

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!”

The scream echoed through the apartment.

Jennie doubled over laughing.

Ruby laughed so hard she nearly slid under the bubbles.

And Lisa?

Lisa stood there in complete defeat while her daughter pointed at her triumphantly.

“Got you!”

The little dumpling’s laughter filled the apartment.

And despite being the victim of the world’s tiniest prankster, Lisa couldn’t help laughing too.

Because honestly?

Getting scared by a bubble-covered four-year-old was a pretty small price to pay for hearing that happy little laugh.