As her hands worked, her mind wandered.
What if I hire someone to do this instead?
The thought struck her suddenly, making her fingers pause. There must be people around who know how to sew, probably even better than I can.
But the moment the idea sparked, reality quickly doused it.
She didn’t have much money of her own – just enough to cover daily expenses. Hiring help wasn’t an option for now.
If she had more funds, she wouldn’t be doing this herself.
Ruby’s eyes narrowed slightly, the needle slipping between her fingers as she continued stitching.
For now, I’ll manage on my own.
Across from her, Julian watched quietly as she worked, occasionally glancing down at his alphabet sheet. Karl, on the other hand, was already laying on his back, staring at the ceiling, while Milo mouthed the letters softly under his breath, his lips barely moving.
Ruby caught sight of Karl slacking off and gave him a sharp nudge with her elbow.
"Ugh, fine," Karl groaned dramatically, pulling himself upright.
Ruby became completely absorbed in her work, the soft scratch of the needle and thread against the fabric filling the quiet room. Her focus narrowed until the world around her faded—she didn’t notice Karl slouching lazily again or Milo quietly humming the alphabet to himself. Even Julian’s constant glances in her direction went unnoticed.
Her hands worked steadily, and after what felt like hours, she finally tied off the last stitch with a satisfied sigh.
The robe lay neatly across her lap, the main body complete. She examined it carefully, tilting her head as she imagined the final touches.
I’ll add the lace later... maybe a delicate pattern along the hem, she thought, tracing the edges lightly with her fingertips. The waistband will need to be snug, and I’ll stitch some beads around the neckline to make it stand out.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, already picturing how the finished product would look.
But as she leaned back, rubbing the stiffness from her neck, a dull ache settled behind her eyes. She blinked slowly, realizing how much time had passed.
I must have been focusing too hard...
Stretching her arms overhead, Ruby exhaled softly. The robe may not have been perfect, but it was progress.
At least one thing was moving forward, even if her wealth weren’t.
Ruby decided to check on their progress, setting the robe aside as she stretched. Her gaze shifted to the three men around her.
Karl was sprawled across the floor, fast asleep, one arm draped over his face as if the mere thought of reading had exhausted him.
Milo sat quietly, mouthing the letters as he followed along with his paper. His brow furrowed slightly in concentration, and though his reading was slow, at least he was sincere in his efforts.
Julian, seated across from her, remained focused, his eyes scanning the page with calm determination.
Ruby sighed softly, shaking her head as her eyes drifted back to Karl.
Oh... so he’s the only lazy one.
Ruby stared at Karl, who was lightly snoring on the floor, his paper crumpled beneath his hand.
She arched a brow, tilting her head as she watched him, sprawled out like he had no care in the world – As if he hadn’t been the one demanding to be taught in the first place.
She let out a long sigh, resting her hands on her cheeks.
Across from her, Julian glanced up, meeting her gaze with an awkward smile. "We... tried to wake him, but..." he trailed off, clearly at a loss. "He wouldn’t budge."
Julian’s apologetic tone almost made her laugh.
"I know how he is," Ruby said, shaking her head, already resigned to Karl’s antics.
Julian shifted slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Wife, I’m going to make lunch. Is that fine?"
Ruby nodded without much thought, her eyes still lingering on Karl.
Julian hesitated for a moment, his expression turning a little awkward. "Wife..." he began again carefully.
Ruby raised her brows at him, noticing his reluctance. "What is it?"
"You haven’t given me any money for groceries..." Julian said, his voice trailing off as if he felt guilty even asking.
Ruby blinked, realization hitting her. "Oh. Right. Of course."
She wasn’t exactly rolling in wealth, but keeping the house fed was necessary.
Julian glanced away briefly, still looking uncomfortable. "Wife..." he spoke again, shuffling his feet. "Can we go buy groceries now? I need to pick up a few things too."
Ruby studied him for a moment, noticing how he avoided direct eye contact.
"Okay," she agreed, waving it off.
Julian’s shoulders eased a little, and he gave a small smile. "We’ll recite the alphabets after lunch then."
Ruby nodded again, standing up and heading to her room.
As soon as she disappeared, Milo crept closer to Karl, kneeling beside him with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Brother Karl..." Milo whispered, shaking him lightly by the shoulder.
Karl groaned, one eye cracking open lazily. "What...?" he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep, making no effort to lift his head from the floor.
Milo crouched beside him, a cute grin creeping across his face. "Wife saw you slacking off," he muttered casually, watching Karl’s reaction with amusement.
Karl’s eyes snapped open fully, and he bolted upright, the sleep vanishing from his face in an instant. "She what?!"
His gaze darted around the room, searching for any sign of Ruby.
Julian, who had been quietly watching from him, shook his head with a chuckle. "Relax. She didn’t say anything... yet."
Julian, who had been quietly watching from his seat, shook his head with a chuckle. "Relax. She didn’t say anything... yet."
He stood, stretching his arms over his head as he made his way toward the kitchen. "But who knows how long her patience will last."
—To be continued...🪄