"Well," she said, tightening her grip on his hand slightly, "I won’t leave until you recite the alphabets for me."
Karl froze, his eyes widening in sheer panic. "Shoot..." he muttered under his breath. He had been so confident that she wouldn’t notice his little tricks.
Before he could make another excuse, Ruby gently but firmly pulled him toward the sofa. "Come on, Karl. Sit here and let’s hear it," she said, still smiling sweetly.
Karl sat down reluctantly, his heart pounding as he tried to come up with something to say. "W-wife, I’m really tired today. Maybe tomorrow—"
Ruby cut him off, leaning closer with a mock stern expression. "No excuses, Karl. Let’s hear it now."
Milo, enjoying the spectacle, grinned widely. "Brother Karl, just do it. You can’t escape this one."
Karl pouted dramatically, clearly knowing he was cornered. "Fine, wife! But only because you’re so stubborn. I swear I’ve already recited it all..." he muttered under his breath. He cleared his throat, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red from embarrassment.
Karl sat on the sofa, his arms crossed like a stubborn child, his baby blue eyes darting nervously to Ruby’s amused face. He cleared his throat, pretending to be confident, but his voice came out shaky as he started.
"A... uh... B... um... C?" He paused and glanced at Ruby for approval, his lips twitching nervously.
Ruby nodded, her expression calm but clearly suppressing a smile. "Go on, Karl."
"D... E... um... uh... F?" He scratched his head and mumbled, "What comes after F? Oh, G! G!" He exclaimed like he had just solved the world’s greatest mystery.
Milo, who was sitting nearby, covered his mouth to hide his laughter. Ruby raised her hand slightly, signaling Milo to stay quiet.
Karl continued, his voice picking up speed. "H... I... J... K... wait, wait, wait! Is it L or M next?" He looked up at Ruby, completely serious, like he was solving a puzzle.
"L," Ruby said gently, biting her lip to stop herself from laughing.
"Oh, yeah! L... M... uh, N... O... P?" He paused, and suddenly his face lit up. "I know this part! Q, R, S, T!" He started singing the letters like a nursery rhyme, his voice getting louder with confidence.
But then he froze. "U... uh... V W?" His confidence faltered, and he looked like a lost puppy. "Wife, help me! Is it X next or Z? Or is Z at the end?"
Ruby couldn’t hold back her laugh anymore. "It’s X, Y, Z," she said, her voice filed with amusement.
"Right, right!" Karl nodded, his baby blue eyes wide with realization. "X... Y... Z!" He finished triumphantly, throwing his arms up in the air like he had just won a championship.
Milo burst into laughter, clapping his hands. "Brother Karl, that was the most dramatic alphabet recitation I’ve ever heard!"
Karl huffed, pouting as he crossed his arms. "Well, at least I finished it! Stupid wife, always testing me," he muttered, though his cheeks were red with embarrassment.
Ruby chuckled, patting his shoulder. "Good job, Karl. You might be a fake tiger, but at least you’re a determined one."
Karl mumbled under his breath, "Not fair... but fine, I’ll take it."
Julian’s mossy green eyes sparkled with happiness as he watched Karl finish reciting the alphabet. Unable to contain his excitement, he jumped up and rushed behind Karl, wrapping his arms around his neck in a warm hug. He pressed his cheek against Karl’s, a big grin on his face.
"Oy! Julian! What are you doing?" Karl yelped, his baby blue eyes wide with shock as he tried to wiggle free. "I don’t like physical touches, let go!"
Julian just chuckled, ignoring Karl’s protests as he continued to rub his cheek against him like an overly affectionate puppy. "I’m just so proud of you, Brother Karl! You finally recited all the alphabets!"
Milo burst out laughing, clapping his hands.
Karl groaned, his cheeks turning pink as he muttered, "Stupid small Julian... this is harassment."
Ruby watched the chaos unfold with an amused smile, shaking her head as she adjusted her bag. "Alright, behave yourselves while I’m gone," she said, waving at them.
Julian released Karl just long enough to wave back at Ruby. "Take care, wife!" he said brightly, his mossy eyes glowing with warmth.
Ruby gave them one last glance before stepping outside. As the door closed behind her, Karl crossed his arms and glared at Julian. "Don’t ever do that again, or I’ll—"
"Shhh," Julian interrupted, patting Karl’s head gently. "You’ll miss me if I stop."
Karl groaned, "I’ll never miss you, you idiot!" But the faint blush on his cheeks said otherwise, and Milo laughed harder than ever.
Ruby hopped onto a uncle Otis wagon, her mind set on getting to her destination quickly. While the ride cost her some money, she knew time was more valuable. Money can always be earned back, but lost time is gone forever, a lesson she held close.
The wagon rolled into the bustling market, and Ruby stepped down, taking in the familiar sights. She sighed softly, her red eyes scanning the shops and stalls filled with things she would love to buy if only she wasn’t broke. She adjusted her bag and thought, One day, I’ll have enough to shop freely. For now, patience.
As she walked toward the area she’d discovered yesterday, her thoughts shifted to her goals. A laptop—she really wanted one. She loved the idea of modifying it to suit her needs, but reality pulled her back. She needed something even more urgent: an ecto bike.
Without reliable transportation, she was spending too much time and money just getting around. If she could save enough to buy an ecto bike, it would change everything. She could travel freely, save time, and even use it to expand her work opportunities.
Her steps quickened as determination filled her. First, the ecto bike, she reminded herself. Then, the laptop. Priorities were everything.
Thinking about her goals, Ruby finally reached the set. She paused for a moment, taking in the scene before her. Today, the area looked busier than yesterday. There were multiple tents set up in a semi-circle.
People hurried in and out, their arms full of equipment and props.
—To be continued...🪄