Project: Karma

91 | Golden Sparks and Memories

"Hm? Momma tried to pull an all-nighter? How long did she go to?" Naki asked leaning in because he does it quite often on school nights.

"She went to bed around 3am." Karma said.

"Momma, you're so weak..." Mari giggled lightly.

"H-hey. You kept pestering about how I should go to sleep and all. Of course I would listen to you." I crossed my arms with a grouchy attitude while speaking to Karma.

"Momma, don't worry. Not even Mari can pull an all-nighter at her age." Naki said.

"You're so rude today Naki. Quit it." She got up and shoved him over, losing his seat on the ground.

Karma laughed and raised his hand in the air and Mari high-fived him.

"Ugh. If only there was something embarrassing you did." I spoke with a more sassy tone.

"Hm? Papa didn't do anything weird when he was younger?" Mari questioned.

"Well. There's a difference between weird and embarrassing. But your young ears aren't ready for any of that." Naki said, catching us both by surprise.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Mari couldn't hold in her bottled up vexations. "Naki, you used to be way nicer to me when I was little."

"That was when you were little." Naki stuck out his tongue.

"Argh. Act your age." She finally confronted him from there. Even Karma was startled by her sudden extroverted side.

"Now now. Settle down." I tried to calm the smoking situation. "If you're too loud, the neighbors will hear us." I brought up.

"I can't take this. I need a breather." Mari got up with her cheeks lit red and headed towards the kitchen.

But before she was lost in our sights, Naki called out.
"Forgive me Namari, I went far didn't I?" He genuinely apologized with his compassionate personality leaking out.

Mari didn't turn around but she made a tight fist and released it. "I'm going to get ice cream. Want some?" She said with a sweet and mollified tone.

Both Karma and I tried to hold in our little laughter while Naki ignored us and smiled at her, despite Mari not looking his way.

"Yeah, I would like some. Thanks Mari." He replied.

Mari didn't say anything else and continued to talk to the freezer, disappearing for a moment.
The three of us stared at each other and waited for her to return. When she did, she carried two white bowls in her hand and handed one of them to Naki with a spoon.

Chocolate ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate syrup, his usual go-to.
Mari on the other hand had plain vanilla.

"Hey Momma, did you have any boyfriends before Papa?" Mari asked while spooning once cream into her mouth.

Naki glanced over.

"You know, I was momma's first and last." He gleamed with great pride, "her one and only."