Chapter 114

The house was unusually quiet that morning.

Too quiet.

Lisa noticed it first.

She stood at the kitchen doorway, one hand still holding her phone, brows slowly knitting together. “Babe…?” she called out, voice soft but uncertain. Normally by now, there would be at least some chaos—tiny paws skittering across the floor, a happy bark, or Mochi’s signature dramatic sigh when he didn’t get immediate attention.

But today?

Nothing.

Jennie hummed from the living room, half-distracted as she flipped through a magazine. “What is it?” she asked lazily.

Lisa didn’t answer right away. She stepped further into the kitchen, eyes scanning the floor… then freezing.

“…Jennie.”

Something in her tone made Jennie sit up instantly. “What? Why do you sound like that?” she asked, already getting to her feet.

Lisa still hadn’t moved.

Her phone slipped slightly in her grip.

“Jennie…” she repeated, quieter now. “Come here.”

Jennie’s heart began to pound for no clear reason. She walked quickly toward the kitchen, bare feet tapping against the floor. “Lisa, you’re scaring me—”

And then she saw it.

Mochi.

Their beloved corgi.

Lying on his back.

Completely still.

His fluffy belly exposed, paws slightly curled…

And around his mouth—on his fur, smeared across the floor—

Red.

A lot of red.

Jennie gasped sharply, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh my God—oh my God, Lisa—”

Lisa felt her chest tighten painfully. “No… no, no, no…” she whispered, stepping closer but not quite daring to touch him yet. “Mochi…?”

No response.

Jennie grabbed Lisa’s arm tightly. “He’s not moving,” she said, her voice already trembling. “Why isn’t he moving?!”

Lisa crouched slowly, her movements hesitant, like she was afraid that getting closer would make it real.

“Mochi…” she called again, softer this time, reaching out a shaky hand.

Her fingers hovered just above his fur.

Then—

She poked him gently.

Nothing.

Jennie let out a broken sound. “Lisa, do something!” she cried, tears already streaming down her face. “We have to take him to the vet—maybe he’s still—maybe—”

Lisa’s own eyes were glassy now. “I—I don’t know what happened,” she said, voice cracking. “He was fine last night. He was literally chasing his tail before bed—”

Jennie knelt beside her, panic taking over. “Check his breathing! Check his pulse! Do dogs even have pulse? I don’t know, just—just do something!”

Lisa leaned closer, placing her trembling hand near Mochi’s chest.

There was a pause.

A long, terrifying pause.

“I… I can’t tell…” she whispered.

Jennie shook her head violently. “No, no, no—this can’t be happening. He’s just a baby! He didn’t even get to destroy all the shoes he wanted yet!”

Lisa sniffed, tears slipping down her cheeks. “He was supposed to live a long, spoiled life,” she said, voice breaking. “We didn’t even buy him that ridiculous gold-plated dog bowl you wanted yet…”

Jennie sobbed harder. “Don’t bring that up right now!”

They both looked down at Mochi again.

Still unmoving.

Still covered in red.

Jennie squeezed her eyes shut. “What if he was in pain?” she whispered. “What if we weren’t there for him—”

Lisa shook her head quickly. “No. No, don’t think like that. We’re here now. We—we’ll fix this somehow.”

Even as she said it, her voice lacked conviction.

Her hand finally settled on Mochi’s side.

“…Mochi?” she tried one more time, her voice barely audible.

Silence.

Jennie leaned into Lisa, clutching her arm like a lifeline. “I can’t—Lisa, I can’t do this,” she said, crying openly now. “He’s our baby…”

Lisa bit her lip hard, trying to hold herself together. “Okay. Okay, we—we need to bring him to the vet. Right now. Maybe—maybe it’s not too late.”

She reached under Mochi carefully, preparing to lift him.

And then—

A tiny sound.

“…rrf.”

Both of them froze.

Jennie blinked. “Did… did you hear that?”

Lisa’s eyes widened. “I—yeah. I think—”

“…rrf.”

Mochi’s paw twitched.

Jennie gasped so loudly it echoed. “HE MOVED!”

Lisa jerked her hands back in shock. “WHAT—”

And just like that—

Mochi stretched.

A full, lazy, dramatic stretch.

His little legs extended, his back arched…

And then he let out the most satisfied yawn.

“Arf.”

Jennie stared.

Lisa stared.

Mochi blinked at them sleepily, tongue peeking out slightly as if he had just woken up from the best nap of his life.

“…Mochi?” Lisa said slowly.

His tail wagged.

Jennie’s brain short-circuited. “HE’S ALIVE?!”

Mochi barked happily, rolling onto his side like nothing had ever happened.

Lisa grabbed him instantly, pulling him into her arms. “YOU LITTLE—WHAT—WE THOUGHT YOU WERE—”

Jennie collapsed onto the floor, half-laughing, half-crying. “I JUST WENT THROUGH FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF IN TWO MINUTES!”

Mochi, completely unbothered, licked Lisa’s cheek.

And that’s when Lisa noticed it.

The smell.

“…wait.”

She pulled back slightly, sniffing.

“…is that… strawberry?”

Jennie blinked. “What?”

Lisa looked down at Mochi’s fur again.

The “blood.”

It wasn’t blood.

It was… sticky.

Glossy.

“…jam?” Lisa whispered.

Jennie crawled closer, squinting. “No way.”

Lisa looked up slowly.

“…the strawberry jam.”

Jennie’s eyes widened in realization. “The one we used last night?”

“…the one we forgot to put back in the fridge.”

They both slowly turned their heads toward the counter.

The jar.

Lying on its side.

Completely empty.

A small trail of red leading from the counter… all the way to where Mochi had been “lying dramatically.”

Silence.

Mochi wagged his tail proudly.

Jennie stared at him.

Then at Lisa.

Then back at Mochi.

“…he ate the entire jar?”

Lisa blinked. “Apparently.”

Another pause.

And then—

Jennie grabbed a nearby pillow and lightly bonked Mochi with it. “YOU DRAMATIC LITTLE POTATO!”

Mochi barked happily, thinking it was a game.

Lisa let out a shaky laugh, still holding him close. “We thought you were dead!” she said, her voice half-scolding, half-relieved. “Do you know how scary that was?!”

Mochi responded by licking her chin.

Jennie flopped onto her back, staring at the ceiling. “I’m exhausted,” she declared. “Emotionally. Spiritually. Physically.”

Lisa laughed, the tension finally leaving her body. “Same.”

They both looked at Mochi again.

Who was now trying to lick the remaining jam off his own paw.

“…we should probably give him a bath,” Jennie muttered.

Lisa nodded. “Yeah. And maybe… never leave jam unattended again.”

Jennie snorted. “Lesson learned.”

Mochi barked, as if agreeing.

Lisa hugged him tighter, pressing her cheek against his fluffy head. “You scared us,” she whispered softly.

Jennie rolled onto her side, reaching out to gently pat Mochi. “Yeah. Don’t ever do that again.”

Mochi wagged his tail.

Unbothered.

Unapologetic.

And very, very sticky.

Lisa sighed, smiling despite everything. “I guess… at least he had a good nap.”

Jennie smirked. “A dramatic one.”

They both laughed.

And just like that, the quiet house was filled with warmth again—

Plus one very jam-covered corgi who had absolutely no idea he had just caused the biggest emotional crisis of the week.