Karl finally pulled back, wiping his nose on his sleeve and flashing Milo a grin. "Okay, now I’m ready. I can do anything. I feel like a hero from a movie."
"You are one," Milo said cheerfully. "Just don’t forget us when you become famous!"
"Never!" Karl gasped, placing his hand on his chest like he was swearing an oath. "I’ll bring you on stage with me! I’ll scream your name in front of a thousand witches!"
Milo laughed again, and the room filled with warm, contagious happiness.
Later that evening, when Ruby and Adrian stepped through the front door, they were instantly greeted by the warm, sugary scent of something freshly baked wafting through the house and the sound of clinking plates and bubbling chatter came from the kitchen.
Ruby tilted her head, surprised. "What’s that smell...?"
Adrian followed her in, setting his bag by the shoe rack. "Smells like... cookies?" he guessed, a rare softness in his voice.
Before either of them could take another step, Karl came bounding out of the kitchen, apron tied lopsidedly over his robe, flour on his cheeks, and a grin so wide it looked like his face might split in half.
"Guess what, guess what!!" he shouted, bouncing on his toes.
Ruby raised a brow. "Let me guess—you used the entire sugar jar again?"
Karl gasped. "Wife! How dare you! That was only one time and the cookies were edible!"
Adrian let out a quiet chuckle.
Karl huffed, then walked off to get the letter. He came back moments later, waving it in front of them like it was made of pure treasure.
"No! Guess what I got! Guess what this is!" he said, eyes shining with excitement.
Ruby blinked. "Is that from Soulstream?"
Karl nodded so fast his curls bounced. "YESSS!! I got a letter! And I got selected!! I got the role!!" he practically sang the last part, spinning once in the hallway with pure joy.
Ruby’s eyes widened. "Wait, really?"
"Yes really! Julian read it! Milo witnessed it! And I panicked only a little!" Karl sniffled dramatically again, then added, "But only because I was so happy, not because I panicked thinking it might say ’rejected’ first."
Adrian stepped forward and ruffled Karl’s hair, something he rarely did. "Congratulations," he said in his usual calm tone, but there was a glint of pride in his dark eyes.
Ruby looked at Karl, her lips curving slowly into a genuine smile. "I’m proud of you."
Karl’s eyes shone brighter at that. He clasped his hands together near his chest and sighed dreamily. "Wife said she’s proud of me... this day is perfect."
Then, he remembered something and gasped, spinning on his heel. "Wait!! Cookies!! I made celebratory cookies!!" He ran off to the kitchen again, shouting over his shoulder, "No one eat until wife has the first one!"
Ruby watched him vanish, then looked at Adrian. "He’s glowing."
They both shared a look and quietly smiled.
After Ruby freshened up, she stepped out of her room and paused for a moment in the hallway.
She could hear Milo’s soft giggles echoing from the living room, followed by Julian’s gentle voice trying to explain something about the Soulstream remote. Karl was louder, as always, making dramatic declarations, and Adrian’s rare chuckle followed not long after.
The house felt different.
Not in a way that could be touched or explained, but she felt it. The warmth, the joy. The kind of simple, pure happiness that sat quietly in the walls. She couldn’t help but smile.
She walked into the living room, where the lights made everything look soft and warm.
They were all gathered around the television, sitting in a half-circle on the floor with cushions and light blankets. The show had already started, something funny and full of exaggerated sound effects, and Karl was the loudest among them.
"There! See that?" he said, pointing dramatically at the screen. "That’s going to be me! Exactly like that but cooler. I’ll have a sword!"
"Why would you need a sword on Soulstream?" Adrian asked, barely glancing away from the screen.
"Because dramatic effect, obviously," Karl said proudly, puffing out his chest. "Every star has an accessory. I’ll be the first star with a weapon."
Ruby laughed as she walked in, and Karl spotted her immediately.
"Wife! You missed the best part! Come sit, sit, sit!" he patted the empty cushion beside him like a child calling a parent to join his games.
She sat down between him and Milo, who leaned his little head on her shoulder with a happy sigh.
"You smell like flowers," he whispered.
"Thank you," Ruby whispered back.
Julian handed her a warm mug of tea and smiled at her in that soft, comforting way of his, like nothing in the world was ever too much when she was around. She sipped slowly, watching the others talk and laugh and argue about nothing at all.
Adrian was being sarcastic again, but even he couldn’t hide the tiny smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Milo kept trying to mimic the characters on screen, while Julian gently corrected his lines. Karl was planning his future stardom as if he was already famous.
And after that conversation, something shifted gently between them all—especially between her and Adrian. He had always been the quiet one, reserved and serious, watching everything and everyone from a distance. But now, there was a new ease in the way he spoke to her, in how he looked her in the eyes without hesitation, in the way his shoulders weren’t so stiff when she was around.
He didn’t flinch when she brushed past him in the hallway. He didn’t pause awkwardly before sitting beside her during dinner.
Adrian was opening up. Slowly, in his own way. Not with jokes like Karl. Not with food like Julian. Not with hugs like Milo. But with steady presence, quiet gestures, and careful attention. That was just how he loved. And Ruby, without needing to say it out loud, was starting to see it.
Bit by bit, they were becoming closer.
And for someone like Ruby, who was always surrounded by noise and movement—this silent growth, this blooming understanding between them—felt just as precious.
To be continued... 🪄