Chapter 132

The living room of the Kim-Manobal household was peaceful.

Too peaceful.

Which, in Lisa’s experience, usually meant danger.

Lisa sat on the carpet with her legs crossed, currently losing a dramatic battle against building blocks. Across from her, three-year-old Ruby stared with narrowed eyes identical to her mama’s.

“You made it crooked,” Ruby accused seriously.

Lisa gasped. “Crooked? Baby, this is modern architecture.”

“It looks like potato.”

“That hurts my feelings.”

From the kitchen, Jennie Kim laughed softly while cutting strawberries. “Ruby is right.”

“Wow,” Lisa muttered. “Betrayed by my own family.”

Ruby giggled, immediately climbing into Lisa’s lap. Lisa melted on the spot because that was her weakness-tiny chubby cheeks and little arms wrapping around her neck.

Then Ruby suddenly became quiet.

Too quiet.

Jennie peeked over the counter suspiciously. “Why do I feel nervous?”

Ruby looked between her parents with enormous sparkling eyes.

That was the face.

The dangerous face.

The “I’m about to ask for something impossible and you both will say yes anyway” face.

“Mommy…” Ruby started sweetly.

Lisa already folded. “Yes, my dumpling?”

“Mama…”

Jennie sighed dramatically. “Why does this sound expensive already?”

Ruby climbed down from Lisa’s lap and stood in the middle of the room like a tiny presenter preparing for a business proposal.

“I want dog.”

Silence.

Lisa blinked once.

Jennie blinked twice.

“A dog?” Jennie repeated carefully.

Ruby nodded enthusiastically. “The cutie potato with big booty who float in water!”

Lisa froze.

Jennie froze.

Then both of them turned slowly toward each other.

“…A corgi?” Lisa whispered.

Ruby gasped loudly like Lisa had solved world hunger.

“Yes!!”

She started bouncing immediately.

“The fluffy butt dog! The wiggly potato! The doggie that swim like bread!”

Jennie covered her mouth trying not to laugh.

Lisa was already weak.

“Baby,” Jennie said carefully, kneeling down in front of Ruby, “dogs are a lot of work.”

Ruby nodded.

“They need food.”

Another nod.

“Baths.”

Nod.

“Training.”

Tiny serious nod.

“They can bark loudly.”

Ruby placed her hands on her hips. “I bark louder.”

Lisa snorted so hard she nearly fell backward.

Jennie pinched the bridge of her nose. “That’s… unfortunately true.”

Ruby quickly grabbed both their hands dramatically.

“Pleaseeeeee?”

Lisa looked away immediately because eye contact would destroy her resistance.

Jennie tried to stay strong. “Ruby-“

“I share snackies.”

Lisa cracked first.

“BABE SHE SAID SHE’LL SHARE SNACKIES.”

Jennie stared at her wife in betrayal. “You folded in ten seconds!”

“She said snackies with the little voice! What do you want from me?!”

Ruby sensed victory immediately.

Like a tiny shark smelling blood.

She waddled toward Jennie next, climbing onto her lap and pressing their foreheads together.

“Mama…”

Jennie already looked emotional.

“I be good girl.”

Lisa whispered dramatically, “Oh my god she’s using emotional warfare.”

Ruby puffed her cheeks.

“I cuddle doggie.”

Jennie’s resolve visibly weakened.

“I love doggie.”

Crack.

Gone.

Finished.

Jennie sighed deeply. “Lisa.”

Lisa straightened instantly. “Yes, wife?”

“We’re getting the dog, aren’t we?”

Lisa stood up so fast she nearly tripped over the blocks.

“ROAD TRIP!”

Ruby screamed happily.

The next day, the family found themselves at a nearby breeder.

Jennie still tried pretending they were “just looking.”

Lisa and Ruby, however, were absolutely not just looking.

The moment they entered the play area-

Tiny corgis everywhere.

Little fluffy potatoes with tiny legs zooming around like chaotic bread loaves.

Ruby gasped so loudly another family turned to look.

“MOMMY LOOK!”

A corgi puppy dramatically splooted on the floor.

Lisa clutched her chest. “Oh my god.”

Jennie looked ready to cry already.

Then one puppy waddled directly toward Ruby.

Round.

Tiny.

Golden brown.

Its fluffy butt swayed left and right while walking.

Ruby crouched down carefully.

The puppy immediately flopped onto her shoe.

“…I think we’ve been chosen,” Lisa whispered emotionally.

The breeder smiled. “That one usually doesn’t approach strangers.”

Ruby gently petted the puppy’s head.

The corgi rolled over instantly.

Traitorously cute.

Jennie sat beside Ruby. “What should we name the puppy?”

Ruby thought hard.

The puppy sneezed directly into Lisa’s face.

Lisa gasped in fake offense. “Excuse me.”

Ruby burst into giggles.

“Potato.”

Jennie laughed.

Lisa laughed harder.

And somehow, the puppy barked right after like it agreed.

So that was it.

Potato officially joined the family.

–

Three days later, the Kim-Manobal household became complete chaos.

Absolute chaos.

Potato zoomed across the living room at terrifying speeds while Ruby chased behind him screaming happily.

“COME BACK POTATOOOO!”

“BABY WATCH THE TABLE-“

Too late.

Potato slid under the couch.

Ruby slid after him.

Lisa sighed. “Your daughter.”

Jennie looked offended. “MY daughter? Ruby got your chaos genes.”

Under the couch came tiny giggles and puppy barks.

Then silence.

Jennie narrowed her eyes. “Why is it quiet?”

Lisa immediately stood up. “Oh no.”

Quiet children were terrifying.

Both parents rushed toward the couch-

Only to freeze.

Ruby was laying on her tummy under the couch.

Potato was laying beside her.

Both were peacefully eating crackers together.

Lisa nearly cried from cuteness.

Jennie absolutely did cry.

Tiny tears.

“Look at them,” Jennie whispered emotionally.

Lisa wrapped an arm around her wife’s waist. “We really got manipulated by a three-year-old.”

“Worth it.”

Ruby suddenly looked up.

“Mama!”

“Yes, baby?”

“Potato farted.”

Right on cue-

A tiny horrifying smell hit the air.

Lisa recoiled dramatically. “OH MY GOD.”

Jennie started laughing uncontrollably.

Ruby looked delighted.

Potato barked proudly like he accomplished something important.

Lisa pointed accusingly at the dog. “That tiny body should NOT produce biological warfare!”

Ruby hugged Potato tightly anyway.

“My potato.”

Potato licked her cheek immediately.

Jennie smiled softly at the scene while leaning against Lisa.

The house was louder now.

Messier too.

There were toys everywhere, tiny paw prints on the floor, and suspiciously chewed slippers hidden around the house.

But somehow…

It felt warmer.

Happier.

Lisa kissed Jennie’s temple gently.

“You know,” Lisa murmured, “I think Ruby got the perfect dog.”

Jennie smiled while watching their daughter cuddle the sleepy corgi.

“No,” she whispered softly.

“The dog got the perfect little human.”