Chapter 191

The morning sun had barely risen when a sleepy little voice echoed through the house.

“Moooommy…”

Jennie immediately sat up.

Beside her, Lisa groaned.

“She’s awake.”

The two mothers looked at each other for exactly one second before launching themselves out of bed.

Because their precious baby dumpling was awake.

Never mind that Ruby was already four years old.

Never mind that she could walk perfectly fine.

Never mind that she could climb furniture like a tiny monkey when nobody was looking.

To Jennie and Lisa?

Ruby was still their newborn Mandu.

Always.

—

Jennie entered Ruby’s room and found her daughter sitting on the bed with messy hair.

Ruby lifted her tiny arms.

“Carry.”

That was all it took.

Jennie immediately scooped her up.

“Oh my baby.”

Ruby giggled.

“My baby?”

“Yes.”

“I’m four.”

“Still my baby.”

Ruby nodded thoughtfully.

“Okay.”

Jennie carried her downstairs despite the fact that Ruby’s feet worked perfectly.

Lisa was already waiting in the kitchen.

The moment she saw Ruby, her face softened.

“Good morning, baby duckling.”

Ruby stretched her arms toward Lisa.

Lisa immediately took her.

Neither parent questioned why they were passing around a four-year-old like a precious loaf of bread.

—

Breakfast was another example of their ridiculous parenting.

Ruby sat in her chair.

A spoon sat in front of her.

She knew how to use it.

She had known for years.

Yet Lisa was still holding another spoon.

“Open.”

Ruby opened her mouth.

Lisa fed her.

“Good girl.”

Ruby chewed happily.

Jennie watched from across the table.

“You’re so cute.”

“Mhm.”

“So adorable.”

“Mhm.”

“The cutest baby.”

Ruby nodded.

“Mhm.”

Lisa laughed.

“Our child is agreeing with everything.”

“Because I’m cute.”

“True.”

—

After breakfast came Jennie’s favorite part.

Baby powder time.

Ruby was sitting on the couch while Jennie carefully dusted a tiny amount of baby powder onto her neck.

Lisa walked in and immediately smiled.

“There she is.”

Ruby spread her arms dramatically.

“Smell me.”

Lisa buried her face into Ruby’s hair.

Sniff.

Another sniff.

One more for good measure.

Then she gasped dramatically.

“Freshly baked baby.”

Ruby giggled so hard she nearly fell over.

Jennie looked proud.

“My daughter will always smell like a baby.”

“Mommy.”

“Yes?”

“When I’m twenty?”

“Still baby powder.”

“When I’m fifty?”

“Extra baby powder.”

Ruby laughed so hard she got hiccups.

—

The rest of the day was exactly the same.

And everyone in the house knew it.

Lisa kissed Ruby’s cheeks at least every ten minutes.

Sometimes for no reason.

Sometimes because Ruby blinked.

Sometimes because she simply existed.

“Mwah.”

Ruby looked up.

“Mama.”

“Mwah.”

“Mama.”

“Mwah.”

“Mama!”

Lisa kissed both cheeks repeatedly.

“Mwah mwah mwah mwah.”

Ruby dissolved into giggles.

—

Jennie was somehow even worse.

She constantly cuddled Ruby.

Every chance she got.

Walking past her?

Kiss.

Watching cartoons?

Kiss.

Playing with toys?

Kiss.

Breathing?

Kiss.

Ruby eventually pointed this out.

“Mommy.”

“Yes, baby?”

“You kiss me too much.”

Jennie’s eyes widened dramatically.

“Impossible.”

Lisa nodded.

“Actually, I agree.”

Jennie looked offended.

“How dare both of you attack me.”

Ruby giggled.

Then climbed directly into Jennie’s lap.

Five seconds later Jennie was kissing her forehead again.

—

That afternoon, Ruby was lying on the sofa when Lisa walked over.

Without warning, Lisa lifted Ruby’s shirt slightly and pressed a kiss to her tummy.

“Mwah.”

Ruby squealed.

“Mama!”

“Mwah.”

Another kiss.

“Mamaaa!”

“Mwah.”

Ruby laughed so hard she nearly rolled off the couch.

Jennie simply watched.

“You started it.”

Lisa grinned.

“Her tummy is too cute.”

“It is.”

Ruby sighed dramatically.

“My life is difficult.”

The two mothers immediately hugged her.

“Aww.”

“Our poor baby.”

Ruby couldn’t stop laughing.

—

That evening they sat together in the living room.

Ruby was curled up between her parents.

Jennie played with her hair.

Lisa rubbed tiny circles on her back.

The little girl was half asleep.

Comfortable.

Safe.

Loved.

Very loved.

Maybe too loved.

But neither mother cared.

—

Jennie looked down at Ruby’s sleepy face.

The same face she had stared at countless nights since Ruby was born.

Back when she was tiny enough to fit in one arm.

Back when she made little squeaking noises in her sleep.

Back when Jennie was terrified of doing everything wrong.

Now Ruby was four.

Bigger.

Taller.

Talkative.

Sassier.

Yet somehow still the same baby.

Jennie kissed her forehead.

“My precious girl.”

Lisa smiled softly.

“Our baby.”

Ruby sleepily opened one eye.

“Always?”

“Always,” Jennie answered instantly.

“Forever,” Lisa added.

Ruby smiled.

Then buried her face against Jennie’s chest.

—

The room grew quiet.

Lisa wrapped an arm around both her girls.

Jennie held Ruby closer.

Neither mother could imagine life without her.

Not the awards.

Not the money.

Not the houses.

Not anything.

Because none of those things mattered compared to the little dumpling sleeping between them.

Ruby was their first baby.

Their only baby.

Their greatest treasure.

The one thing they would never trade for anything in the world.

Lisa pressed a gentle kiss to Ruby’s cheek.

Jennie kissed her forehead.

And even asleep, Ruby smiled.

Because being loved this much felt like the safest place in the world.

And for Jennie and Lisa?

No matter how old Ruby became-

She would always be their tiny baby Mandu.