Ch 47: Skippy

Serena's POV

Waiting.

We were waiting.

And let me tell you, there is nothing more dangerous than a group of emotionally charged people sitting in absolute suspense.

Valerie was sprawled on the couch, dramatically entertaining Cristina by making ridiculous faces, shaking a small plush toy in front of her, and speaking in a tone that was at least five octaves higher than usual. Cristina, sweet baby that she was, giggled and kicked her little legs every time Valerie made a particularly silly noise.

Rodan, on the other hand, was vibrating with excitement.

"Our family is getting bigger!" he cheered, practically bouncing up and down. "I can't wait to meet them!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Brianna was gently rubbing Leon's back in what I could only assume was an attempt to comfort him.

Not that he looked like he needed comforting.

No, my dear nephew had his usual poker face on—shoulders straight, hands folded neatly in his lap, expression unreadable. But if you knew him well enough, you'd notice the slight tension in his frame, the way his fingers tapped against his knee in a steady, controlled rhythm.

Rodan was one bad decision away from catapulting himself at the front door, while Leon looked like he was waiting for his turn at a tax audit.

It was adorable.

Just as I was debating whether or not to tease Leon about it, the front door finally creaked open.

Cecilia stepped inside, and all eyes turned toward her in unison.

We waited, holding our collective breath.

And then she stepped aside—

Revealing a baby wrapped snugly in a soft white blanket.

The room fell into a stunned silence.

And then I saw her face.

I blinked.

Then blinked again.

Then blinked harder just in case my eyes were deceiving me.

Because the baby Cecilia was holding wasn't just any baby.

It was Laura Juno.

THE Laura Juno.

As in, one of the heroines of the novel.

I felt my soul momentarily exit my body.

I had changed the plot again.

Not just a little. A LOT.

I could already hear the original storyline burning to ash in the distance, the metaphorical pages curling up in flames while the universe itself whispered:

"Oh, you thought you were keeping things on track? That's cute."

'How did this happen? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?'

I resisted the urge to dramatically grab Cecilia by the shoulders and demand answers, mainly because I didn't want to scare the baby or make everyone else question my sanity.

Instead, I took a deep breath.

'So what if the plot had changed?'

It wasn't like I was trying to win an award for "Best Adaptation".

This was real life. My life. And if fate—or my own meddling—had placed Laura here, then maybe it wasn't a bad thing.

At least it was a good change.

Luckily, no one noticed my minor existential crisis because they were too busy fussing over the baby.

Brianna was the first to recover. She tilted her head, observing Laura carefully. Then her eyes widened slightly, and a small, knowing smile spread across her lips.

"Wait a minute," she murmured, glancing at Cecilia. "Isn't she the baby I saved?"

Cecilia nodded, her expression soft.

Brianna looked down at Laura again, her smile growing as she gently poked the baby's cheek. Laura blinked up at her with wide, curious eyes, her tiny hands twitching in the air as if trying to grab something.

Then Cecilia moved closer to Cristina.

Cristina, my sweet little sunshine, immediately brightened up when she saw Laura.

She let out a happy squeal, her tiny hands flailing wildly, her little legs kicking like she was trying to swim through the air.

The adults chuckled, watching the interaction with warm smiles.

And then Cecilia turned to Leon.

"Come closer," she said gently.

Leon hesitated for a second, but he obeyed.

"Hold her," Cecilia encouraged.

Leon's eyes widened just a fraction. For him, that was basically the equivalent of a full-on gasp.

Still, he did as he was told, carefully cradling Laura in his arms. His movements were precise but noticeably stiff, as if he was afraid he might break her.

And then—

Laura smiled at him.

It wasn't just a small, sleepy smile. No, it was a big, bright, joyful smile.

And Leon—visibly—softened.

It was subtle. A slight shift in his posture, a tiny breath of relief, an almost unnoticeable melting of his usual stone-faced expression.

I saw it.

And I nearly had a heart attack.

Cecilia smiled knowingly. "Treat her like your little sister, just like how Rodan treats Cristina."

Rodan, naturally, puffed out his chest like a proud older sibling. "Yeah! It's super fun being a big brother!"

Leon looked down at Laura, his gaze thoughtful. After a long pause, he nodded.

And then—miraculously—he offered a small smile.

I almost fell out of my chair.

Progress. Real progress.

After that, Brianna and I got to work cooking a celebratory feast, because what better way to welcome a new family member than by drowning everyone in delicious food?

Meanwhile, Valerie was holding Cristina, dramatically narrating the entire event like some kind of epic fantasy tale.

"And so," she declared, "our family has grown once again! A new member has joined our ranks! We shall feast in her honor and teach her the ways of our people!"

Cecilia, still cradling Laura, simply sighed.

Rodan, ever enthusiastic, took it upon himself to personally mentor Leon in the ways of being a good big brother.

"Okay, lesson one," he began, pacing back and forth like a tiny general. "You gotta be patient."

Leon nodded seriously.

"Lesson two—you gotta protect her from bad guys."

Another nod.

"And lesson three—you have to share your snacks with her!"

Leon hesitated.

There was a long pause.

Then, with great reluctance, he nodded again—though he looked mildly pained.

I stifled a laugh.

Yup. This was definitely a good change.