Chapter 3- The Worst Day

                                    

                                          
Bdubs bounced one of his plastic ponies over a fence. "Oh, he's a good jumper." He pretended the horse was still running, and whinnied. "Nei-eigh!" Hey, that was a pretty good horse sound! He sounded just like the real thing. "This is an eight stick horse." Nobody responded. Scar was building a spaceship, and Cleo was on the phone.
"Just one hour. Two diamonds for an hour of babysitting-"
"What a nice looking steed!" said Bdubs, galloping the next horse along the floor. "Oh, but it's so slow. Listen to those clomps! Terrible."
"How am I supposed to afford that? I said two diamonds, and I'm-"
"Two snow block jump," Bdubs muttered.
Cleo thumped onto the couch and pressed a hand to their forehead. "Obviously Etho can't watch them; that's why I'm calling you. ...No, I don't know where he is."
"Have a carrot," Bdubs said to the best performing horse. "Om nom nom." Scar carefully fitted a door to his rocket.
"No, we are not 'having a falling out.' ...Frankly, that's none of your business, Pearl, and if you're not going to help-" Cleo hung up, and dropped the phone angrily into her lap. Bdubs looked at her, worried. "Nosy neighbors," she muttered.
"Mom-"
"Blast off! Whee! Mom, look, look, I maked a spaceship!"
Cleo stared out the window. Bdubs climbed onto the couch so he could see better, and sat with her.
"Woosh! We're almost to the moon! Zoom, zoom, zoom!"
Cleo stared silently for a few more moments, then seemed to make a decision. They turned to their son. "Can you watch Scar while I'm gone?"
"Of course, Mom!" He'd be a great big brother, and he'd be so helpful, and Mom would be proud. He got started right away, fixing his eyes on the tiny boy running in circles making spaceship noises.
She stood up. "I'm going mining. While I'm out, are there any blocks we need?"
"I could use some diorite, and moss," Bdubs said after a bit of thought.
"Terracotta and concrete- all the colors!" said Scar. "Ooh, and all the types of wood so we can have stairs and slab and trapdoors- and some grass and leaves and- ooh, can we get cookies!? Please please please pl-"
"Not today," said Cleo, followed up with a sharp: "GoodTimes!" as Scar continued to whine.
"Can you get some quartz?"
Cleo shook her head, but she was half smiling as she watched Scar. Bdubs stopped looking at her face, because he had a job to do, he had to watch Scar too. "I don't have time to go to the nether. It's just a quick mining trip-"
"I could come with you! You'd get stuff done a lot faster-"
It was only natural to smile while watching Scar, Bdubs thought. Just look at him. He was so cute. And it was only natural Mom didn't smile quite like that when looking at him, because Bdubs was a big boy, and he wasn't quite as cute anymore.
"So good at mining, and I go into super fast grind mode and get so many resources! So then we could get quartz! Okay?"
"Not this time." Cleo hugged them both goodbye. "I'll be back soon." Bdubs looked out the window to see her go, and maybe, just maybe, see Dad coming.
Not this time. Scar was pouting in the corner, so Bdubs picked up the spaceship and one of his precious horses, lifted his brother's head, and held them out. "Wanna play?"

Bdubs was lying stomach down with his legs kicking in the air, stacking blocks under the intense gaze of Scar kneeling behind him. He bit his lip as he moved some moss, then sat up. "Perfect!"