As Wyetta entered her humble home, a little cutie ran towards her, stopping just shy of her feet.
"Mom," the little girl looked up at her and crossed her little hands on her chest. "You snuck out again," the little one pointed out.
Wyetta smiled timorously until a thought appeared in her head, and the smile became confident, "Your aunt was with me. Plus, I made it in time for us to bake that favourite cake of yours together."
"You need to have a bath, mum. And there are so many leaves in your hair," the child, who had unfolded her hands, was now pointing at her mom's tussled hair.
"Ah, that. It's a sort of trophy. Where's your Dad?"
"He's right here," A masculine but melodious voice drew the mother and daughter duo's attention.
"Dad," the little girl ran over to the black-haired man who had olive skin and gorgeous blue eyes. The little girl could be said to be a mini-version of him, if not for her hair being golden. The only thing from her mother's side outwardly.
"My little princess," the man placed the little one on his left arm and both threw questioning gazes at Wyetta. "Where have you been?"
"In the woods,"
"For almost an hour?"
"I was having a little photoshoot. Besides, Thalia was with you before I left." Wyetta argued.
"As your punishment, I will be your substitute. Thalia and I will make that yummy cake together,"
"Hunter, that'd be a disaster." Wyetta blurted out.
"If the cake's ugly or tastes bad, you can eat it for us out of self-sacrifice, Mom. It won't snuff out your life. You just have to dwell in the restroom for a little longer than usual," said Thalia heartlessly.
"Look at you, Thalia. Taking your father's side." Wyetta wore a wronged look on her face, pointing at her daughter.
"I love daddy," Thalia said, sticking out her tongue at her mom and wounding her hands around her daddy's neck, planting a kiss on his left cheek.
"You can be a spectator, wifey. A silent one." Wyetta's spouse said as he headed towards the kitchen with their excited daughter.
"You know, what counts is the love, the willingness and the fun during the process, right?" she heard him say to their child.
"Yes, Dad." Thalia giggled.
"You two, be sure not to blow up my kitchen at least," Wyetta reminded them.
Her husband stopped and turned to look at her blankly before continuing his walk. The sound of a door being closed was soon heard and not long after that, the sound of a dish falling to the floor accompanied by giggles was heard.
Wyetta could only sigh with a shake of her head before making her way upstairs, holding the handrails playfully.
Entering her matrimonial room, she sniffed the fragrance of peony.
"Mmm! So nice," she surveyed the room with her eyes for a bit before making her way to the bathroom and grabbing a towel.
After a nice warm bath, she changed into a beautiful silver gown and headed downstairs to the kitchen.
Finding the door locked, she knocked.
"Hubby, Thalia, Mom's here."
The door soon got opened from the inside and Wyetta saw it was her little cutie who opened it. She was shrouded in some baking flour and that made Wyetta almost groan. She could also see lots of flour on the floor and in many parts of the kitchen. She could also see badly broken eggs in the bowl. If this wasn't her family, she'd have morphed into a peeved mom out for blood.
But seeing the little one smiling like this she couldn't bring herself to be angry.
"Hey, wifey. You smell amazing," her husband's voice drew her attention and she raised her head to see him almost shrouded in flour.
'"Did you come here to have a flour bath or bake a cake?"
Right, she couldn't lash out at the little girl, but there was this big guy whose body could weather the storms!
"It's the efforts that count, right?" her husband chuckled as he walked over with a freshly baked cake.
Yeah, it was fresh but as for the visuals...
At least it didn't make one puke upon seeing it. Also, she could see they tried to make a love-shaped cake even though it was a failure.
"We've finished baking. We didn't blow up the kitchen. That's an improvement, no?"
Wyetta faked a smile, "Of course. Very good. So why don't you taste the crap, I mean the genius-looking cake you made?" she offered, gesturing for her tall hubby to pick the small spoon and eat up.
"Did you forget so soon?" her husband asked, a befuddled look on his face.
It was her turn to look confused, "About what?" she asked, a brow arched in query.
"Mom, you agreed to help us taste it, right?" Thalia suddenly chipped in, hands behind her back. Of course, she only said this after hiding behind her daddy.
"Why should I taste it?" she was trying not to explode here.
"There are many reasons but I will list just one and Daddy will list another," Thalia stepped in front of her dad, "We made this cake with love and with you in mind. It would make us satisfied, proud and touched if you could be the first one to savour this cake's hidden 'deliciousness'."
"You..." Wyetta was speechless.
"Also," her husband continued from where their baby girl stopped, "Also, you always say, it's good to be self-sacrificing and lead by example, right?"
Wyetta crossed her arms and scoffed, "Gimme one valid reason why I should taste that taste first?"
"It's not poisoned," Thalia said.
"Yeah, coz it's poison itself," Wyetta rolled her eyes. Not only did the cake not look good, she wasn't happy with the fragrance. Was there anything to write home about this crap, no cake in her hubby's hands?
"You get to eat the cherry on top, my love," her hubby said with eyes twinkling like crescent moons.
"Shouldn't daughters be ganging up on dads with their moms? Why is it the opposite in my case?" Wyetta complained but she still inched forward to take the little spoon.
She scooped a little from the cake along with the cherry on top and then after a few seconds of hesitation, put it in her mouth.
"So, how's it?"
"Delicious!" she exclaimed. Scooping some more into her mouth. Finally, she collected the plate from her husband.
"It's that good?" he asked in incredulity. He suspected his wife was tricking him.
"If it's bad, why would I eat more?"
"Gimme some then,"
She glared at him and he involuntarily gulped.
"Please wifey," he beseeched.
She harrumped, "That's better." She scooped some and spoon-fed him. His eyes soon dilated.
"It's really not too bad. I'm a genius," Hunter was close to doing a jump in excitement.
"If you fall, I can't carry you, honey," his wife reminded him, her words were like a bucket of cold water poured on his head.
"Mom, can I have some?" her daughter already brought her own spoon.
"Of course, you can, my little angel. Though you messed up my kitchen, ruined quite some ingredients, and worst of all, wasted food, you guys made something that's although not pleasing to the eye, or nose and capable of making the hands antsy for a scoop, it's surprisingly okay in taste." Wyetta said, lowering the plate so that Thalia could have some.
"Hmm. Not bad. We did it, Dad," she looked at her dad and raised her right hand for a high five but the latter was busy stuffing his face with the cake.
"Once we're done, you two will clean up this mess you made in the kitchen. I don't wanna see one speck of flour on the ground or the kitchen walls. Got it?" Wyetta assumed a baleful look.
"Yes, Mum!" "Yes, Wifey!"
Father and daughter said at the same time.
"So, how was your little adventure in the woods? What did you do today, dear?"
"I climbed a tree. Like the highest one I found. Then your cranky little sis took some nice pics of me. I bet the last one she took will blow your mind,"
"Yeah, it will. But don't sneak out next time to have that kind of fun. You're lucky my sister was with you though. There's some news going around that the new king of the demon clan is quite... somehow. But it's nothing to worry about. There's a peace pact that has existed for centuries and so far, the previous demon kings, though naughty by nature, have never gone overboard. So, no need to worry for now. And where's my sister?"
"She went to visit that pervert again," Wyetta responded.
"Oh, Kilvester?"
"Yeah. I don't know what she sees in him. I mean someone who's a hundred levels below your handsomeness is not worthy of her at all," Wyetta pouted.
"Wifey, he might be plain looking but he's not a bad guy and certainly not a pervert. That day was really an accident."
"Yeah, an accident that he was inexplicably in your sister's bathroom?"
Hunter sighed. It was no use arguing. That Kilvester had a lot of work cut out for him before Wyetta could change her mind about him.