Chapter 215: Another One...

April slowly opened the front door and stepped into the living room, expecting to hear the usual noises that filled her home whenever her wife and daughter were around.

However, she was greeted by complete silence. Not a single sound came from the kitchen or the bedrooms.

April paused, looking around with a curious smile before chuckling quietly.

Oh, so that was how they wanted to play today?

She closed the door, walked over to her desk, and dropped her handbag onto the chair. After adjusting her glasses, she glanced around the unusually quiet living room, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

It was a game on!

Her wife and daughter had apparently decided to play hide-and-seek again, and judging by the silence, they were taking their hiding places seriously. Unfortunately for them, April knew both of them far too well to be easily fooled.

"Okay, where are you, my little monsters?" she called, deliberately raising her voice as she began searching.

There was no answer.

April pressed her lips together to keep herself from laughing before heading towards the kitchen. She checked behind the door, peered around the corners, and bent down to look beneath the table. When she found nothing, she opened the cabinets one after another, inspecting the spaces inside as though either of her family members could have squeezed themselves between the pots and plates.

Still nothing.

"Hmm, you two must think you’re very clever," she muttered, shaking her head as she closed the last cabinet.

She continued through the house, checking behind the furniture before heading towards Lulu’s bedroom. Her daughter had a habit of hiding in ridiculous places, sometimes choosing spots so obvious that April wondered whether the little girl genuinely believed nobody would find her.

However, Lulu occasionally surprised her, and April was beginning to suspect this might be one of those days.

She inspected the bedroom, checking around the bed, behind the furniture, and through her daughter’s favourite hiding spots. There was no sign of the little girl.

April placed a hand on her hip, pretending to be frustrated.

"Where could my little monsters have gone? Don’t tell me they’ve disappeared into thin air!"

Silence answered her. She was about to leave and check her own bedroom when a faint noise caught her attention.

April stopped in her tracks and listened carefully, her eyes moving towards the wardrobe.

Another tiny sound came from inside. A slow smile appeared on her face.

"Bingo!"

She had found the first one.

April approached the wardrobe with exaggerated caution, pretending she had absolutely no idea where the noise had come from. She even glanced beneath the bed once more to keep up the act.

"Where are you?" she called softly, dragging out the words. "I wonder where my little monsters are hiding. Maybe they’re under the bed? Or perhaps they’ve climbed into a cupboard somewhere?"

A faint giggle came from the wardrobe.

April nearly burst out laughing but managed to keep a straight face long enough to reach the handle.

"Well, I suppose I’ll have to keep looking."

She slowly pulled the door open.

"Found you!"

Her three-year-old daughter, Lucy May, was tucked inside among her clothes, her little face lighting up the moment April discovered her. Lulu immediately burst into giggles, apparently finding the experience hilarious despite having been caught.

April laughed along with her before reaching inside and scooping her into her arms.

"There you are, my little monster! What were you doing in here, hmm?"

Lulu wrapped her arms around her Mama’s neck, still giggling as April carried her out of the wardrobe.

The little girl looked delighted to see her mother. She had probably been waiting for April to come home so they could play together, and now that her Mama had finally arrived, she seemed to have forgotten everything else.

"Mommy, Mommy," Lulu repeated, patting April’s cheek.

April smiled and kissed her daughter’s face.

Lulu repeated the word, pointing towards the door as though trying to explain something important. April followed her daughter’s gesture and immediately understood what she wanted.

Of course! They still had one more monster to find.

Her wife was the remaining target.

"Ah, so you want us to find the big monster now?" April whispered conspiratorially.

Lulu nodded enthusiastically.

April narrowed her eyes playfully before making a terrifying face that was anything but frightening.

"All right, let’s go find the big monster. Grrrr!"

Lulu squealed with laughter, burying her face against April’s shoulder as her mother growled again. April carried her into the other bedroom, already knowing that the search would not take long.

After all, she had a pretty good idea where Angel would hide.

Her wife might have been many things, but she was not nearly as clever as she believed herself to be when it came to hiding from the two people who knew her best.

April glanced around the bedroom, making a show of inspecting the room before turning towards the wardrobe.

There was no need to search beneath the bed or behind the curtains. Since Lulu had chosen her own wardrobe as a hiding place, Angel had probably assumed nobody would think to check another one.

Unfortunately, April knew her wife too well.

She approached the wardrobe with Lulu still in her arms, pausing just before opening the door.

"Where could Papi be?" she whispered to her daughter. "Do you think she’s hiding under the bed?"

Lulu shook her head.

"Behind the curtains?"

Another shake. April grinned.

"Then perhaps she’s in here!"

She pulled the wardrobe open.

"Found you, my Papi!"

Angel looked up from her hiding place, her expression falling the moment she realised she had lost.

"Oh, no way! Lulu!" she exclaimed, staring at their daughter in disbelief.

The little girl shook her head innocently, refusing to admit that she had helped Mama find her. This time, she was determined to keep Angel’s hiding place a secret, even if the evidence was currently sitting in April’s arms.

Angel looked between them before letting out a defeated sigh.

"Unbelievable. Betrayed by my own daughter."

Lulu responded with another giggle, apparently delighted by her mother’s reaction.

April laughed as Angel climbed out of the wardrobe and approached them. Her wife might have lost the game, but she certainly did not seem upset about it for long.

The moment Angel stood in front of April, her expression softened, and she reached for her wife.

"Welcome home, my dear wifey."

She wrapped her arms around April’s waist and pulled her closer, pressing a loving kiss to her lips. April returned the affection, smiling as Angel held her as though she had been waiting all day for this moment.

Perhaps she had.

After three years married, Angel still looked at her wife as though she were the most beautiful woman in the world. There was something comforting about the way she held April, making their familiar embrace feel just as special as it had when their relationship was still new.

April slipped her arms around Angel’s neck, kissing her again before they finally pulled apart.

Angel’s gaze drifted downwards, settling on the little baby bump beneath April’s clothes.

Her expression immediately brightened.

"And welcome home to you too, Ocean."

She gently rested her hand against April’s tummy, rubbing the small bump with an affection that made her wife smile.

There was no telling how many times Angel had done that already, but she never seemed to tire of acknowledging the little life growing inside April.

April leaned forward and kissed her again.

They had built a home filled with laughter, affection, and a little girl who seemed determined to keep them both on their toes.

Now, they were preparing to welcome their second baby.

Angel was already attached to the little one, despite not knowing whether they were expecting a boy or a girl. She had even chosen a name, settling on Ocean without waiting to find out the baby’s gender.

April had laughed when she first heard the name, but she had grown fond of it. Knowing Angel, she suspected the baby would probably have a collection of gifts waiting before they were even born.

Unfortunately, their romantic moment did not last long enough for either woman to enjoy it properly.

"Dinner time, dinner time!" Lulu suddenly sang, interrupting their kissing.

Angel turned towards her daughter, who had begun wriggling in April’s arms with excitement.

"Well, I suppose somebody is hungry," she remarked.

"Dinner!" Lulu repeated, as though her parents needed another reminder.

April laughed and kissed Angel’s cheek before the three of them headed towards the dining area.

As always, Angel had prepared dinner for the family, though she now had a little assistant who enjoyed following her around the house and getting involved whenever something interesting was happening.

Lulu was not always helpful, but Angel rarely complained about having her company. Whether the little girl was watching her cook or attempting to help with something she barely understood, Angel seemed perfectly happy to have her nearby.

When they reached the table, April’s eyes immediately brightened at the sight of the meal.

Her wife had put real effort into the presentation, arranging everything so beautifully that it looked almost too pretty to eat. April took a moment to admire the food before turning towards Angel with a grateful smile.

"Hmmm, this looks delicious. Thank you, Papi."

Angel beamed at the compliment, clearly pleased that her wife appreciated the effort she had put into dinner.

"And me!" Lulu quickly added, unwilling to be left out of the appreciation.

April turned towards her daughter and gently stroked her cheek.

"Yes, and you too, my darling little Angel."

Satisfied with the recognition, Lulu smiled brightly and settled down to enjoy dinner with her parents.

The family shared a happy meal, filling the evening with laughter, affectionate teasing, and little conversations that made their home feel complete. Angel made sure April had everything she needed, occasionally checking on her wife’s comfort while keeping an eye on Lulu, who seemed determined to tell them everything that came into her head.

By the time dinner was over, the house had returned to its usual peaceful atmosphere.

Later that night, the three of them settled into the same bed, with Lulu comfortably tucked between her parents. April reached for a bedtime story and positioned herself where she could read while keeping her daughter close.

"All right, my baby, which story should we read tonight?" she asked, opening the book.

Lulu pointed at the pages, leaving April to choose where they would begin.

April started reading aloud, giving each character a different voice as she followed the story. She tried her best to make it interesting, occasionally pausing to ask Lulu questions about what was happening.

However, it soon became apparent that someone else was enjoying the bedtime story far more than the intended audience.

Angel lay beside them, listening with a happy smile. Every time April paused, she encouraged her to continue, apparently eager to hear what happened next.

April glanced at her wife over the top of the book, suppressing a laugh.

"Are you sure you’re not enjoying this more than Lulu?"

Angel looked at her innocently.

"Keep reading, Bebe. I want to know what happens next."

April shook her head, amused by her wife’s enthusiasm, and continued with the story.

Meanwhile, Lulu grew increasingly comfortable beneath the covers, her attention wandering as her mother read. The little girl had been excited when the story began, but the warmth of the bed and the comfort of being between her parents were slowly winning her over.

April continued until she finally reached the end of the tale. Closing the book, she looked down at her daughter before turning towards her wife.

"Good night, everyone."

"Good night," Lulu and Angel replied together.

Angel reached for the switch and turned off the light, leaving the bedroom in darkness. April settled comfortably beside her family, and the three of them drifted off to sleep together.