Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Morning Rush
“Ai, are you girls done…Oh my lord!” May blinked in sheer shock as she saw bubbles and foam all over the bathroom.
“Mama, Mae and I are having a battle!” A soap-covered Lunar was holding a water gun in her hands.
“May, I swear I was trying my best to get her ready but…” Ai sheepishly hid her water gun behind her back, knowing she was supposed to get Lunar ready for school instead of engaging in a battle with the 5-year-old.
“You have 10 minutes to get her dressed and downstairs.” May gave Ai a short but sharp glare before giving Lunar a small smile.
“Okay, no more guns. Or your mama will hold me at gunpoint.” Ai hurriedly threw the water guns into the bathtub, wrapped Lunar in a bath towel and carried her single-handedly outside to get changed.
“Mama, mama!” Lunar skipped the last step as she ran down the stairs into May’s arms.
“How many times have I told you not to skip steps like that? What if you fall?” May squished her daughter’s cheeks gently as she reminded.
“But Mae does it all the time too…” Lunar made her point as the duo turned to see Ai skip not just one but three steps.
“Not every I do is correct, my dear. Listen to your mama.” Ai let out a nervous chuckle as she avoided her wife’s eyes.
“Good morning, Khun Lunar. I made your favourite porridge.” Auntie Nid set a bowl of warm porridge in front of Lunar.
“Good morning, Yai Nid. Thank you for the porridge!” Lunar put her hands together as she said her greetings.
“Mama, mama, what time are you coming home tonight?” Lunar tilted her head upwards as May was braiding her hair.
“Hmm, hopefully before dinner? Mama has to go to court today.” May gently adjusted Lunar’s head so the braid wouldn’t get messy.
“That’s enough time.” Lunar held her fingers up to count before nodding happily.
“Enough time for what, my dear?” May asked as she pressed a hairpin into Lunar’s hair.
“Mae and I are going to build a blanket fort in the living room after school…” Lunar was already bouncing excitedly in May’s lap.
“Lunar! It was supposed to be secret!” Ai had come out of the kitchen with Lunar’s lunch bag just in time to hear Lunar letting the cat out of the bag.
“Oops, sorry Mae…I got too excited.” Lunar puffed her cheeks as she exchanged looks with Ai.
“Uh, don’t you have to get going? The driver is waiting outside already. Here, I made you lunch as well. Don’t forget to eat before the hearing, okay?” Ai instinctively chose the distraction tactic and ‘chased’ May out of the house before May could react.
“Just make sure she doesn’t trip over the blankets and split open her forehead. Oh, and don’t let her get to the 1000 thread count sheets my mum got us from Italy.” Ai pouted as May walked her to the car.
“Yes ma’am. We’ll wait for you in the fort so you won’t miss out on the fun. Good luck in court, my amazing lawyer. I love you.” Ai pulled May into a tight hug and gave her a small peck on the forehead.
“I love you, too.” May unwillingly let go of Ai’s hand as the latter opened the back door of the black Mercedes for her.
“Shall we get going? Your aunties and P’Muv are waiting.” May checked the time on her phone and realised they had 10 minutes to arrive at her sister’s house to pick up her niece.
~ ~ ~
“Sweetie, it’s time to wake up.” Maewnam sat on her daughter’s bed, giving the 6-year-old a gentle wake-up kiss.
“Mami, can Muv have 5 more minutes?” Muv snuggled herself onto Maewnam’s lap, knowing that her mother would never say no to her boba eyes.
“I would love to, but your Aunt Ai and Lunar are coming to pick you up in 30 minutes. We don’t want to keep them waiting, do we?” Maewnam stroked Muv’s hair in a bid to wake her up.
“Oops, Muv almost forgot about that.” Muv’s eyes shot open upon the reminder. Maewam helped her daughter out of bed and let out a small chuckle as she watched Muv walk sleepily into the bathroom to get ready.
“Mi, are you making noodles for breakfast?” Muv headed straight for the kitchen after coming downstairs.
“With prawns and a hard-boiled egg. Just the way my sweetie pie likes it.” Wan turned off the stove and bent down to give Muv a little good morning hug.
“Muv, have you said your morning greetings to everyone?” Maewnam asked as the little girl climbed up her dining chair. Muv was taught from a young age by her mothers to greet her seniors, even the hired help, first thing every morning.
“Of course I have, Mami. Look, the gardening uncle even gave me a flower!” Muv nodded as Maewnam gave her a proud thumbs-up.
“Muv, did you pack the snacks you wanted to share with Lunar and Any into your bag?” Wan checked as she wiped a stray noodle strand from Muv’s cheek.
“Uh huh, I even packed 4 extra packets for Aunt Ai, Aunt May, Aunt Pam and Aunt Rak!” Muv opened her lunch bag, letting out a tiny “oops” as one of the snack packs fell out accidentally.
“Remember to…” Wan started to speak after picking up the snack pack from the ground.
“Ask my friends if they like the new snacks, right Mi?” Muv finished Wan’s sentence with a glint in her eyes.
“That’s my girl.” Wan gave Muv a high-five as Maewnam chuckled in disbelief.
“P’Wan, she’s only 6. Isn’t it too early?” Maewnam may have taken over the reins at Mouse Mart, but she’d never imagined her daughter doing market research at the age of six.
“I was the one who asked Mi if I could help! I saw you, Mi, Aunt Tonnam and Aunt Chompoo talking last Sunday, and it sounded fun!” Muv had been observing quietly as the quartet discussed Mouse Mart’s latest product line of children's snacks.
“I think we birthed a little Maewnam. She is literally your carbon copy.” Wan cooed over how much Muv resembled Maewnam, especially those boba eyes of hers.
“Mami’s your Sudteerak and Muv is both Mami and Mi’s little teerak.” Muv rested her head on Wan’s palm, just like how Maewnam used to with Wan.
“Thank goodness she inherited your long legs instead of mine.” Muv had always been tall for her age, thanks to Wan.
“Your Aunt Ai should be coming soon. Shall we wait outside for them?” Wan glanced at the clock as she grabbed Muv’s bag.
“One second, Muv needs to say goodbye to the grannies in the kitchen!” Muv rushed into the kitchen and gave each of the helpers a quick hug before running back out with two apples for her cousins.
“Aww isn’t this my tooth-rottingly sweet family?” Ai teased as she pulled up outside the main gate of the mansion.
“Good morning, Aunt Wan and Aunt Maewnam! Hi P’Muv!” Lunar greeted her aunts before waving excitedly to Muv.
“Good morning, Aunt Ai!” Muv smiled at her aunt as she entered the car.
“Good luck with the board meeting, Maewnam. You’re gonna do great.” Ai gave her sister-in-law a thumbs up.
“P’Ai? Your sister is right here?” Wan crossed her arms, wondering why Maewnam was the only one being cheered on when she was going to be in the same meeting.
“Oh, I didn’t notice. Good luck to you too, I guess.” Ai gave her younger sister a playful look as Maewnam laughed at the sisters’ antics.
“Aunt Ai, we have to get going. I don’t want to be late!” Muv tapped Ai gently on the shoulder as a reminder.
“You’re right, Pam is going to nag if I’m late. Say bye to your Mami and Mi, Muv.” Ai started the engine, driving off after Muv sent her mothers multiple flying kisses.
~ ~ ~
“Any dear, what’s with that pout? Who bullied you? Ni Ni will scold them for you.” Dokrak noticed the 4-year-old puffing her cheeks and pouting.
“Ni Ni, do you love me or Mi Mi more?” The little girl wrapped her tiny arms around Dokrak’s neck as the latter picked her up.
What did you do? Dokrak mouthed to Pam, who had followed Any downstairs.
I didn’t do anything, I swear! Pam mouthed back with her hands up.
“Of course Ni Ni loves you. Ni Ni loves you the most in this world.” Dokrak littered kisses over the girl’s chubby cheeks.
“Even more than Mi Mi?” Any looked at Pam before turning to face Dokrak, waiting expectantly for her answer.
“Uh…can Ni Ni say that I love both of you the same?” Dokrak let out a nervous chuckle, knowing that answering would mean dealing with either a sulky Pam or a sulky Any. Neither of whom Dokrak could handle on a busy school morning.
“You can only choose one, Ni Ni.” Any crossed her arms and shook her head at Dokrak’s answer, visibly sulky.
“Okay, okay. Ni Ni loves Any more.” Dokrak gave Pam a wink before answering their daughter. Satisfied with her victory, Any ran into the dining room, leaving Pam with Dokrak.
“Rak, are you serious?” Pam had her hands on her hips, ‘appalled’ by Dokrak’s answer.
“P’Pam, you’re 30. Why are you fighting with a 4-year-old? You know I love you.” Dokrak planted a kiss on Pam’s lips as a form of apology.
“You owe me more than one kiss.” Pam bopped Dokrak’s nose before chasing behind their daughter to have breakfast.
“Great job, Rak. You pleased the young one, and now the older one is sulky.” Dokrak let out a sigh of resignation. How was she supposed to choose?
“Any dear, why aren’t you eating your broccoli?” Pam noticed that Any had pushed her vegetables to one side of her plate.
“Any doesn’t like broccoli. Can Any have cookies for breakfast instead?” Any pointed to the snack jar in her line of sight.
“I’m afraid not, my dear. Remember our promise? Half a cookie every night, only if you finish all your food. Including vegetables.” Pam firmly but gently refused Any’s request.
“Mi Mi is right. If you eat too much sweets, you might have to sit on Mi Mi’s dentist chair.” Dokrak helped coax the stubborn girl. She’d been in Pam’s dentist chair, and it hurt more than she would admit.
“How about we have just 3 bites? Mi Mi will help you eat the rest, deal?” Pam split the broccoli florets into 2 portions and struck a deal with Any.
“If I eat this, do I get my cookie tonight?” Any wanted to confirm her sweet treat for the day before agreeing to the deal.
“Half a cookie. Now open up.” Pam held a spoonful of broccoli in front of Any, who opened her mouth obediently.
“Ni Ni, does Any have a bank…bank account?” Any looked at her mother curiously.
“Why? Does Any have money to deposit into a bank account?” Dokrak was amused at the sudden question.
“I do! Any has…has…500 baht! Right, Mi Mi?” Any happily held out a ‘5’ with her fingers.
“500? Why does she have so much money that I don’t know about?” Dokrak blinked in confusion at Pam.
“I just found out this morning, Rak. She said it came from all the grandmas and grandpas she met.” Pam was equally surprised to see the stack of 20 baht bills her daughter had stashed aside.
“Grandma and grandpa gave it to me. They said I was cute.” Any replied nonchalantly. Money was too big a concept for the girl to grasp at this point.
“I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry. She earns money just by being cute.” Dokrak buried her head into her hands and laughed.
“From now on, if a grandma or grandpa gives you money, you have to tell Mi Mi and Ni Ni before you take it, okay? We cannot accept money from others, especially if it’s someone we don’t know.” Pam explained patiently to the child.
“Okay…sorry Mi Mi, sorry Ni Ni. Any didn’t know.” Any hung her head low, unsure if she had done something wrong.
“Any dear, we aren’t scolding you. We just wanted to remind you. If we aren’t there with you, remember to say thank you and let us know afterwards, okay?” Dokrak assured the child, who seemed to understand better.
“Here, you can have 20 baht to buy snacks with P’Muv and P’Lunar. We’ll keep the rest for you.” Pam handed Any a green note, which the child happily received.
“Keep it safely in your bag and let’s get your shoes on before we’re late. Your Aunt Ai and cousins will be here soon.” Dokrak helped Any to put on her white sneakers, which she insisted on matching with two different colours of socks. One orange and one pink.
“Any!” Muv and Lunar were ready to jump out of the car the second Ai pulled over at the condominium’s car park.
“Hi, my little cutie pie. Let’s get you strapped into your car seat.” Ai grabbed the car seat from the trunk and lifted Any, who was still a tad too short for the seat belt, into the seat.
“Aunt Ai, Any has 20 baht in her wallet!” Any showed off her assets as Ai fastened her seat belt.
“Wow! That’s a lot of money!” Ai looked at Pam and Dokrak, wondering what Any was going to do with the money.
“She said she got the money for being cute. She’s going to think money falls from the sky soon.” Pam filled Ai in.
“Ah, I think we might have contributed to that. Oops.” Ai scratched her nape awkwardly, having seen May’s parents hand her niece a red banknote when they visited. A little sister for Lunar would be cute, they even said.
“Anyways, thanks for taking over carpool duty. I’ll pick the kids up after my appointments.” Pam closed the back door of her eldest sister’s car after making sure the kids were settled in.
“Don’t sweat it. See you guys for family dinner this Sunday.” Ai and the kids waved goodbye as the car headed to its final destination, the kindergarten.
~ ~ ~
Managed to snap a picture of them after drop off. Ai grinned as she sent a picture of the three girls into the family group chat. The immediate replies were more than enough to show how much the girls were loved.