That morning, Monkey Lyly sat in the corner of the living room, her little arms crossed, cheeks puffed, and eyes narrowed. Mom was busy brushing the family dog, Lala, giving her treats and praising her for being “such a good girl.” But Lyly wasn’t having it.
Every time Mom said, “Good job, Lala!” Lyly’s tail twitched in annoyance. What about me? she thought angrily. She had tried everything to get attention — from jumping on the couch to making silly faces — but Mom just laughed and went back to petting Lala.
When Mom finally turned around, Lyly was sitting dramatically with her back facing them, her little face full of pride and hurt. “Lyly, what’s wrong?” Mom asked gently. But Lyly refused to answer. Instead, she hugged her toy banana and let out a small “hmph!” sound, letting everyone know she was upset.
Lala, noticing Lyly’s pout, walked over and offered her favorite chew toy. But Lyly pushed it away. “Go play with Mom,” she seemed to say. Lala tilted her head in confusion, then trotted back to Mom, tail wagging. That only made Lyly sulk harder!
A little while later, Mom brought over a plate of fruit — Lyly’s favorite snack — and sat down beside her. “Sweetie,” Mom said softly, “I love you just as much as I love Lala. You’re both my babies.” Lyly peeked out from behind her toy, her eyes softening just a little.
Mom gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead and handed her a piece of banana. Lyly hesitated, then took it — slowly — pretending she was still mad, though her tail had already started to sway happily.
Before long, she climbed onto Mom’s lap, snuggled close, and let out a soft giggle. Lala joined them too, resting her head on Mom’s knee.
And just like that, the house was filled again with laughter — three hearts, one little family, all full of love.
