Chuu Lee sighs, and crosses her arms. “Can’t say my mom’s ever pressured me to get a kid, though it was probably more we couldn’t afford it. Oh, back when I won the tourney and brought the cash home to Mom, guess who caught wind of it and showed up?” She scowls. “Dear ol’ Dad.”
Cookie grimaces. “Ah, that scam artist? There was talk of a lynching if he ever came back. Pop-Pop wanted to use him as bait for fishing, said it’d be the best they’d ever get out of the worm.” She blinks, and apologizes to Chuu Lee, “Uh, no offense! ahaha...”
Chuu Lee shrugs. “I’d say that’s too flattering, even worms know better than to shit where they-” She notices her still somewhat impressionable student listening to her every word, and winces. “Nevermind, this talk’s way too intense to have in front of a ki- koff, koff, present company.”
Having long ago learned that saying “I’m not a kid” is something kids do, Peppa doesn't press the issue.
https://youtu.be/eYcGwTMhLpERather, this topic was much easier to keep up with, having struck a chord with her and all. She looks up at the two adult women. “So if a family member has done something unforgivable, you can distance yourself from them?"
...
Both women look down at her, considering their next words carefully.
Chuu Lee squints. “I… suppose?”
Cookie shrugs. "Eh, I wouldn't say I won't forgive my mama, we still gather up on holidays. In fact, first place I trekked to lookin' for my Muffin was under Grandma's skirts, lady dotes on her grandkids like nothing else."
Peppa hums. "So you can overlook something if it's been a while and you don't see each other that much?"
Chuu Lee taps her arm, then decides upon, "I would say that the person formerly known as my father had already put that distance between us, and after we had accepted it would always be that way, once it became valuable to be around us that's when he changed his tune." She mutters darkly, "You only get what you give."
Peppa nods. "So if someone places boundaries and their family member doesn't respect them, they blew it."
...
"Peppa," Chuu Lee asks, "What's going on? Your family alright?"
"Huh? Uh, no, just asking."
Cookie remarks, "My Muffin was 'just asking' about a lot of things, before she ran off."
"I'm not," Peppa says, putting her hands up.
Chuu Lee asks her, "Are you having trouble at home?"
"No? I mean, the kitchen is still being renovated, but so long as I can get to my room smoothly, it's all good."
"You head straight to your room?" Cookie asks, a hand to her mouth.
"Yeah, but it's boring to stay in there, so I either take the long way home or hit up any buffet that hasn't caught on to doing tail-searches"
Chuu Lee asks, "Does your brother tag along?"
Using some acting lessons she picked up from Cocoa, Peppa pleasantly replies, "No, around this time he's usually spending time in the company of one of his girlfriends."
"Girlfriendsss? Gohan? Wha-" Chuu Lee's eyes go wide. "Peppa, your aura's flared up!"
"Eh?"
