It was a quiet afternoon, and everything in the house seemed calm—too calm. Mom was in the kitchen preparing snacks when she suddenly noticed that Monkey Lyly, who had been playing just moments ago, had gone unusually silent. That’s always a sign. “Lyly?” she called out. No answer.
Suspicious, Mom tiptoed through the house, following the faint sound of rustling paper. When she opened the bedroom door, she froze. There was Lyly, sitting in the middle of the floor, surrounded by torn-up tissue, crumpled wrappers, and her mother’s favorite notebook—covered in marker drawings. Lyly’s eyes widened as she was caught red-handed.
“Lyly! What’s going on?” Mom asked, half shocked and half trying not to laugh at the little monkey’s guilty expression.
Lyly immediately looked down, ears drooping. She clutched the marker tightly and whispered, “I just wanted to draw you a surprise picture…” Her voice was soft and shaky. “But I know I wasn’t supposed to touch your things. I’m sorry, Mama.”
She slowly walked over to her mom, holding out a piece of paper with a colorful scribble of hearts, bananas, and what looked like a stick-figure monkey with a crown. “This was for you,” she said, tears welling up in her eyes.
Mom knelt down, hugging her gently. “Lyly, thank you for the beautiful drawing. I know you meant well. But next time, let’s ask before using Mommy’s things, okay?”
Lyly nodded, burying her face in her mom’s shoulder. “Okay… I’ll ask next time. I promise.”
They spent the next hour cleaning up the mess together, and Mom even gave Lyly her own notebook to draw in from now on. It was a moment of mischief turned into a sweet lesson—a reminder that honesty, love, and a heartfelt apology go a long way. And Lyly, though still learning, showed that even little monkeys can grow in big ways.
