Chapter 159

Ruby was laying on top of her Mommy’s tummy like a sleepy little dumpling, kicking her tiny sock-covered feet in the air while the Christmas tree lights blinked softly around the living room.

The whole house smelled like cinnamon cookies and hot chocolate.

“Mamaaaa,” Ruby mumbled dramatically, holding her stuffed ducky. “Tell me a Christmas story.”

Lisa grinned from the couch. “Your Mommy tells stories better. Mine always end with me being bullied.”

Jennie snorted. “Because you deserve it.”

“I’m the victim in this family.”

“You started a war over snow ducks.”

Ruby immediately sat up.

“A WHAT?!”

Jennie laughed softly and brushed Ruby’s fluffy hair back. “Okay, okay. I’ll tell you about our first Christmas after Mama and I got married.”

Ruby gasped loudly like she was hearing ancient royal history.

“The very first one?!”

“The very first one,” Jennie confirmed.

Lisa already covered her face with a pillow. “Baby, don’t listen to Mommy. She twists the story.”

“I do not.”

“You absolutely do.”

Ruby bounced excitedly between them. “Tell meeeeee!”

Jennie smiled before starting.

“It was freezing that day. Your Mama got super excited because it snowed really hard outside our cabin.”

Lisa pointed proudly at herself. “Because snow is magical.”

Jennie continued, “I woke up and your Mama was gone.”

Ruby gasped. “SHE LEFT YOU?!”

Lisa wheezed. “No?! I was outside!”

Jennie nodded seriously. “Outside… building an entire army.”

Ruby blinked.

“Army?”

“Snow ducks.”

Ruby’s jaw dropped open.

“Your Mama made hundreds of tiny snow ducks using this little mold thing. They were everywhere. On the stairs. On the railings. On the table outside. Even on top of the mailbox.”

Ruby slowly turned to Lisa with sparkling eyes.

“Mama…”

Lisa puffed her chest proudly. “They were beautiful.”

“She spent THREE HOURS making them,” Jennie added.

“And Mommy ruined them in three seconds,” Lisa grumbled.

Jennie burst into laughter. “IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!”

Ruby looked horrified already.

“What happened?!”

Jennie dramatically placed a hand over her heart.

“I walked outside holding hot chocolate… slipped…”

Lisa pointed accusingly. “AND CRUSHED MY SNOW DUCKS.”

Ruby gasped so loudly Mochi the corgi lifted his head from the rug.

“All of them?!”

“Not all-“

“TWELVE,” Lisa interrupted. “TWELVE SNOW DUCKS DIED.”

Ruby looked devastated.

“Mama cried?!”

Lisa crossed her arms stubbornly. “They were adorable…”

Jennie started laughing harder remembering it.

“Your Mama got so emotional she literally sat in the snow holding a broken snow duck.”

Ruby looked at Lisa with complete sympathy now.

“Mama…”

“I was grieving.”

Jennie wiped tears from laughing. “And then she looked at me with betrayal in her eyes and said-“

Lisa pointed dramatically.

‘This means war.’

Ruby’s mouth fell open.

“SNOWBALL FIGHT?!”

Jennie nodded. “The biggest one ever.”

Lisa grinned mischievously now. “Your Mommy underestimated me.”

Jennie scoffed. “You threw snow inside my hood!”

“You threw yourself into a snowbank!”

“You tackled me first!”

Ruby was screaming in laughter now.

“And then what happened?!”

Jennie smiled softly at the memory.

“We ended up laying in the snow together because we were too tired to keep fighting.”

Lisa’s expression softened too.

“And Mommy apologized to every single snow duck.”

“I did not.”

“You literally said, ‘I’m sorry duck number seven.'”

Ruby laughed so hard she rolled off Jennie’s tummy onto the couch.

Jennie pulled her back into her arms.

“And then we went inside, made hot chocolate, watched Christmas movies, and Mama kept pretending to sniffle whenever she remembered her snow ducks.”

Lisa nodded solemnly. “A tragic Christmas.”

Ruby giggled before suddenly looking serious.

“…Mama?”

“Hm?”

“If Mommy crush your snow ducks again…”

Lisa narrowed her eyes toward Jennie.

“Yes?”

Ruby hugged Lisa tightly.

“I help you attack her.”

Jennie gasped dramatically. “Traitor!”

Ruby burst into giggles while Lisa high-fived her carefully.

“My daughter.”

“Our daughter!” Jennie complained.

But then Ruby crawled back into Jennie’s lap anyway, wrapping both arms around her Mommy’s neck.

“…But I still love Mommy even if she’s a snow duck crusher.”

Jennie kissed her cheek immediately.

“And I love my dramatic little dumpling.”

Lisa leaned over and kissed both of them.

“Best Christmas ever.”

“Even with the duck casualties?” Jennie teased.

Lisa sighed deeply.

“…Especially the duck casualties.”