Chapter 3

"Ronny Ronny!" The little youngster cheered with their high-pitched voice, jumping as the figure of their sister came into their sight with the ring of a bell. As they ran, no, waddled to the door, Veronica yelled at them to walk but ignored the warning. Before they can reach their older sibling, they stumbled over themselves as they missed a step. The bunny headband on top of their head fell to the ground as they slipped. They expected to be met with a floor slamming to their face, and they were ready to cry. What they didn't expect were two hands that caught them by their arms.

"Oops, careful there. We don't want you to break this headband, you know?"

She then settled the child on the floor, placing the fallen headband on its rightful place as she smiled, her eyes turning into slits. Once they stood up, they looked up to see a blinding smile so contagious that her teary eyes brightened up when they saw it. The sight reminded them of their favorite bunny hero that always smiled whenever it saved people.

"Sammy! Are you okay?! Do you need to go to a hospital?" Veronica shouted as she rushed for her sibling, pulling them from Ashley's grasp, treating them as a precious gem.

"Bunny hero…" The little child breathed out as tiher eyes sparkled.

"I'm sorry?"

"Ah, it's their favorite character." Veronica said "calmly" as if she didn't run around shops to get her sibling the things they wanted.

…

"Ms. Johnson, get that carrot cake over there," Veronica ordered as she ran to the cashier, telling the person what to write on the cake. She told the person that carrots are important to add on. Ashley just nodded, pulling the sweets from the glass container. She looked over to her boss as she watched her talk to the cashier about the cake. As she was ordering, she accidentally knocked something over, making her fumble to put it back.

"Ms. Johnson, get those flowers. No!" Veronica shrieked, making Ashley jump, almost pricking herself by the thorns. The latter looked at her boss surprised, not knowing why she's so on edge. "Not the pink, Ms. Johnson! I want a yellow one." Veronica ordered as she pointed to the pots of roses. The other people in the store looked at them, wondering why they were being so loud. Ashley noticed the eyes on them and just relented to her boss's commands.

"Ms. Johnson, get me that yellow sweater. Yes, the striped one on the left." Veronica described as she ordered her assistant around. Ashley continued to obey, still not knowing why she's being so meticulous but not asking as she has no time to because of said boss's moving around.

"Ms. Johnson-"

"Ms. Reyes." Ashley interrupted Veronica, earning a look and a raised eyebrow from the woman. "What are we doing this for? Are these for your sister?"

"My sibling. They aren't female." Veronica corrected as she continued to look through the many books in an aisle. Ashley made an understanding look as she stood beside her boss, waiting for her next command. "Now, why ask me useless questions? We're running out of time."

"I was just asking. You seemed so on edge the whole day, so I was curious, you know?"

"I am not on edge, Ms. Johnson!" Veronica defended loudly as she turned her head towards her assistant. Ashley jumped at the volume of her voice, raising her hands in defense.

"Okay, I get it." Seeing her reaction, Veronica's gaze somehow softened. Before Ashley can acknowledge the sight, the former looked away to continue scanning the books with pursed lips and furrowed brows.

She gasped shortly, lips curling into a gentle and small smile as she looked at a certain book. The assistant gawked at the unusual expression on her boss's face, not used to the sparkling eyes and the soft look. She wasn't aware she was staring until Veronica called for her name, telling her they were leaving.

…

"It's a superhero that-"

"Hops from place to place to save people with a bright, bright, bright smile!" The little child cheered, cutting their older sibling off. They grinned as they yelled, her tooth gap showing. Ashley found it adorable.

"Yes, how nice. Now, do you need a band-aid, Sammy? Maybe some medicine? Do you need-"

"I'm okay Ronny Ronny! Bunny hero catched me!" Sammy exclaimed as they hugged Ashley, wrapping their arms around the woman's neck.

"Caught." Veronica corrected the child as she handed them a bag of everything they rushed out to buy earlier on.

"Caught me!" Sammy repeated as they got the bag from their older sister, peeking their head inside it, curious about what's inside. "Ooh, what's this, Ronny?"

"Remember your wish list, Sammy?" Veronica queried to which Sammy nodded with big curious eyes. "Well, this is everything you wanted. I even bought the new Bunny Hero book you wanted."

The child gasped as they rummaged inside the bag, finding for the item before pulling it out with surprised eyes, chubby cheeks popping out as they smiled widely.

"Wow! You're the best Ronny Ronny!" Veronica smiled at them, reaching her arms out to her younger sibling for a hug but missing when Sammy suddenly jumps to Ashley. "But Bunny Hero's still the best." The child exclaimed as they squeezed their arms around the assistant's bigger one.

"What? Why?!"

"Because she saved me! And you look scary. Bunny hero has a pretty smile, lookie." Sammy pointed out as she placed her small hands on Ashley's cheeks, pulling it slightly, making the woman form a grin. "See?"

"I-I can do that too!" Veronica defended as she pointed to herself.

"Really?! I want to see!" Sammy said after gasping, now focused on their older sibling. The child and the assistant watched as Veronica tried to lift her cheeks into a wide grin. The woman clenched her fists, cheeks slightly widening as she furrowed her brows, trying to focus. Instead of making a smile, she made a look that could kill, eyes looking like it could pop out of their sockets (which in her defense was her focusing), and her lips were wide, sure, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes making her look somehow demonic.

"O-oh, no. You look like the joker. That is not it, Ms. Reyes…"

"R-Ronny, you look scary," Sammy said as she hid behind Ashley, hiding her face, making only her eyes visible.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Veronica slumped her shoulders as she frowned, turning her head to look away.

"W-well, we can just help you find your smile until today!" Sammy said as she ran to a table, jumping on a seat. The two women followed her, Veronica sitting beside her as Ashley sat across the siblings.

"Sammy, the doctor said, you're not allowed to move too much."

"I can just tell you stories, Ronny!"

"Hmm, that might work. How many stories are you planning to tell me?

"Um, a lot!"

"Let's eat the carrot cake while you talk then."

"Alright! So, listen- " The two adults paid attention as Sammy started telling their stories of the past month. As they continued to eat their cake and chat, the conversation somehow turned from Bunny Hero to curtains.

"How can a curtain affect a cat?" Ashley asked Sammy as she ate a piece of her carrot cake. She watched as the child stuffed a piece of the cake in their mouth before they stood upon the seat to reply.

"The curtain was red!"

"So? What if it's red?"

"Maybe they're like bulls!"

"Oh, Sammy, you're right!"

"I'm always right!" The child exclaimed as they raised their fork high in the air, their chin lifted high and proud.

"Careful, Sammy," Veronica said as she warned her little sibling. The child sent a quick apology before sitting down, continuing to talk to Ashley.

"Wait, Bunny Hero."

"Yes, Sammy?"

"Ronny Ronny hasn't smiled all day!" Sammy said as they pouted. They sulked, putting their head on the table as they played with the nose of their stuffed toy they got from their older sibling. Veronica beside them frowned at what they said.

"Hmm…" Ashley said as she rubbed her chin in thought. Sammy followed, rubbing their chin and they squinted their eyes, lips forming into a pout. The former suddenly gasped as she looked at the child. "Oh! You go to school, right? You can tell her about your stories from that, you know?"

"I can't," Sammy said as they shook their head. Ashley furrowed her brows in confusion before asking why. "I'm homeschooled so I have little friends."

"Really? Why are you homeschooled?"

"Well, I went to school before, but I didn't want to after a while."

"Oh. Why not?"

"The other kids were mean." Sammy began as her hands steadied, no longer toying with the stuffed bunny. "They teased me a lot because of my tooth, a-and they kept telling me I was a girl, b-but I'm not!" Sammy exclaimed, arms now squeezing the stuffed toy they were previously playing with. Their eyes got teary as they continued to ramble. "I'm a bunny. I'm not a bunny hero, but I'm still a bunny! But they keep telling me I'm a girl. I didn't like that, so I wanted to go away."

"The other kids really were mean! Are you angry at them?" Ashley asked as she propped her arms on the table. Sammy shook their head with a pout, hiding their face with the toy in their hand.

"No. Not really. I don't mind anymore because th-they-they're…" Sammy trailed off before continuing. "They're stupid!"

"They are!" Ashley replied with a pout, making the child giggle. The woman wiped away the tears that threatened to fall from the child's eyes before continuing. "They can't tell you what you are. Only you know that. Right?"

"Right!" Sammy agreed as she stood up, nodding her head.

Veronica who was watching the whole interaction started wanting to cry, feeling tears block her field of vision. Before they can escape her eyes, she blinked them away before looking at the smiles on the pair's faces, slowly forming her own. It was small and gentle, and it looked like the one from the bookstore. She was happy that her sibling has someone to talk to besides her, knowing she doesn't give the best reactions, to which she tries to make up for with gifts. She felt guilty for this reason, but she didn't know what else to do. She didn't know how to compensate in any other way. However, she was happy that at least someone else was there to fill the void she's created for her sibling. Her thoughts were cut off by a gasp coming from Ashley and her smile faded.

"You were smiling just now! Just like in the bookstore."

"What? I didn't see it!"

"Well, she did! It wasn't big, but it was still a smile, you know?"

"No, I don't know! I didn't see it." Ashley and Sammy carried more conversations about Veronica's smile as the said woman just watched them converse, content with just observing the sight. As she continued to look at the two interacts, a ring from her phone interrupted the cheerful scene. She fished her phone out of her purse before answering and bringing it to her ear.

"Hello? Yes, I'm quite busy right now… I am not sure… What?... Why? The meeting wasn't scheduled until next week!... Vacation my a-" Veronica paused as she side-glanced Sammy before continuing. "Fine. I'll be right there. Tell the bastard to wait." The boss rolled her eyes as she sighed.

"What's wrong?" Ashley asked as Veronica replied.

"The meeting with Clarra's fashion has moved to today. We have to attend the meeting because there's no other time where we can." Veronica said as she sighed once more, pinching the bridge of her nose in irritation. She looked at her sibling before typing a message into her phone saying she'll be late. "Hey, Sammy. We have to leave now-"

"What? No! Why?" Sammy asked, shouting as she frowned.

"It's for work, Sammy. I'm sorry, let's talk again next time, okay?"

"But that will take so long again! No one in the house plays with me. All the nannies and teachers are boring!" Sammy said as they clenched their fist, almost crying again as their lips wobbled. At the sight, Ashley rushes to their aid, cupping the child's cheeks in her hands gently.

"Hey, bun. I get that you're upset, but you have to be a strong bunny, okay, Sammy? We will be back, okay? Maybe you'll even have a new friend to talk about next time we meet, you know? You even had a new friend today, me! It will be fine, we'll come back to you. I'm bunny hero, you know?" Sammy nodded after a while, pouting as they sniffled.

"C'mon, Sammy. We'll drive you home." Veronica said as she rubbed the child's back in comfort. She carried Sammy to the car, her sibling being too sad to walk as Ashley followed beside them.