Late For Dinner WIP (Patreon)

“Cinder! Where in the hell is your daughter, Ruby?! You said she’d be here for dinner!” Salem’s voice broke the silence of the dining room her and her adopted daughter were in, which was once her throne room. “You can’t keep raising her to allow something like this to be okay. You know that, don’t you?”

“Of course, I do, mother. She’s only seven, though. You treated me the same way I treat her and you treat her the same as you did me.” Cinder giggled to herself as she watched her little daughter run into the throne room, a piece of paper in hand as her long black hair with red tips swayed behind her with each step. “Oh? Looks like my sweetheart has something for me.~” She cooed, reaching her arms out and picking her daughter off the floor. A quick glance at Salem and she noticed the gray goddess’s expression soften at the sight of the young child.

“Mhm! I drew you and Grandma a picture!” Ruby smiled a warm, bright smile as she held the drawing of her loving mother and grandmother in front of the two. It was an amazing piece of art for a seven year old, showing the two reading to Ruby as the child slept in her mother’s lap. “You two read to me so often, that I wanted to do something special!” The girl sounded to happy to see her mother and grandmother smile and both ‘awe’ at the picture.

“Well, Mom. What do you think of Ruby’s drawing?~” Cinder asked coyly, sliding the picture over to Salem would get a better look at the artwork done by her seven year old. “Isn’t it amazing?”

Salem looked to the art that looked like it was painted by someone with years and years of experience. “Ruby, is this art why you were late to dinner? Today is a special day and I didn’t want you late. So, be honest with me.”

The young girl tried to hide behind her mother’s hair, whimpering lightly and nodded. “Yes, Grandma… I wanted to make you a gift for your birthday…”

A soft gasp left the older woman’s lips as the younger girl’ confession. “So, this is for me, young lady?”

“Mhm… Do you not like it…?” The young girl started to get scared that her grandmother didn’t enjoy the present. “I’m sorry, Grandma!” Tears started to form in her eyes as she started getting ahead of herself.

“Shh shh.” The younger maiden smiled, wiping the tears from her daughter’s eyes. “I’m sure Grandma loves the art, Rubes!”

The older woman nodded, throwing her hands up with a smile. “She’s right, Ruby! I just… You remind me so much of your mother that I was caught off guard. She used to do the same thing every year when she was your age. She’d always be late for dinner with some handmade gift that she had been working on for about a week or two.” She listened to the soft gasp leave the child’s lips. “Now, sit at your seat and let’s get started on dinner. Since Cinder has to go out on missions, it’s not every day we get to all eat together.~”

The young girl hummed a yes and made her way to her seat, just across from her mother and beside her grandma. Before either adult could say anything to her, she was already chowing down on her food. “This is so good!~” She cheered with her mouth full of her meal, forgetting her manners. “Happy Birthday Grand-”

“Ruby, swallow your food before you talk at the table. Don’t be rude.” Both Salem and Cinder commanded the young girl with a strict tone in their voices. They both looked at each other with a bit of surprise in their eyes.