"Oh my girl, you make it seem like I did not take good care of you here" said Ernest as he smiled.
"No Grandpappy, you took very good care of me" said Joy as she giggled and Ernest laughed as everyone did as well.
"Hey, how come she gets to call you Grandpappy?" asked Dom as he smiled and he looked at Ernest.
"Well are you my great granddaughter?" asked Ernest as he looked at Dom.
"Well no but…" said Dom as he was cut off.
"No buts Dominic, that title is reserved for my Great granddaughter alone" said Ernest as Natasha laughed, and Dom shook his head.
Ernest loved it whenever he heard Joy call him Grandpappy, when Joy was still a toddler, she often confused Ernest and Ernest Jr together, she could not tell who was who, she could not tell who was her Grandfather and who was her Great Grandfather, so as soon as she began to speak, she started to call Ernest Granny, which everyone thought was hilarious, but Ernest hated it, or at least he acted like he did.
In the end, Joy calling him Granny evolved to Grandpappy, and she called Ernest Jr, Granddad, something short, Joy often got confused with just how big her family was, and with the older generation still being alive.
"Daddy is jealous" said Joy as she giggled.
"Who told you that my princess, I am not jealous" said Dom as he looked at his daughter and he laughed.
"No, don't mind your father my child, he is jealous, don't mind him" said Ernest as he filled Joy's head with nonsense and Natasha laughed, Ernest always acted so sweet and soft with Joy that it melted her heart every single time she saw them together.
Ernest was a good Grandfather, and an even better Great Grandfather, ever since he retired, he just loved spending time with his great granddaughter, In fact, Natasha believed that if Ernest lived any closer to them, Joy would end up staying in his house at all times, he would have preferred it that way.
"Grandfather don't tell her lies" said Dom as Joy's eyes moved between her Father and her Great grandfather's faces.
"Are you calling me a liar boy?" asked Ernest suspiciously.
"Ah… no, no, of course not Grandfather" said Dom as he laughed, he just got here, he did not want any trouble so soon.
"Awww, now that your mommy is here my Princess, you won't love me anymore" came the voice of a young black haired woman as she walked to where Ernest, Dom, Natasha and Joy were standing.
She had long black hair, big brown eyes, and a very lovely, delicate smile on her face as she had her hair tied up in a ponytail.
"No Aunt Lulu, that is not true, I still love you" said Joy as she looked at her Aunt.
"Awww my dear princess, don't make my heart explode" said Lulu as she laughed and she touched her heart.
"Don't make her feel responsible for your death Lulu" said Dom as he scoffed and he looked at his annoying little sister.
"Well hello to you too brother" said Lulu as she stuck out her tongue at Dom as he would have done the same if not for the fact that Ernest was here watching them.
"Louise, don't do that, your tongue is meant to be in your mouth" said Ernest as he smiled.
"Sorry Grandfather" said Lulu as she smiled, and Dom stopped himself from laughing, that served her right.
Louise "Lulu" White, Dom's younger sister, also known as the young Miss that everyone doted on, however, she could be as annoying as a rash to Dom.
"Oh Natasha, Hi" said Lulu as she looked at Natasha and she smiled.
"Hello Lulu" said Natasha as she smiled.
"I didn't think that you would come home at this time" said Natasha as she smiled.
"Well I have a two week break from school hehe" said Lulu as she laughed, she was twenty years old, ten years younger than Dom, and she was currently studying in the University in another city, which was a three hours drive from here.
"That's nice" said Natasha as she smiled.
"Why don't you ladies go catch up, Dominic, let's go, I need to speak with you" said Ernest as he looked at Dom and Dom nodded his head.
"Okay Grandfather" said Lulu as she smiled and Dom handed Joy over to Natasha as she carried her.
"I will see you later Princess" said Dom as he smiled and he poked Joy's nose which made her giggle.
"Okay Daddy" said Joy as she laughed and Dom smiled as he followed after Ernest.
"Oooh what do you say id we go get chocolate milk? Would you like that?" asked Lulu as she smiled at Joy.
"Yes yes, Yayy, I want chocolate milk" said Joy.
"Mommy, can I have some chocolate milk?" asked Joy as she looked up at her mother.
"Of course you can my baby" said Natasha as she smiled.
"Yayyyy" said Joy happily.
"Well let's go then" said Lulu as she laughed.
…
Dom closed the door to Ernest's office behind him as he sat down across Ernest.
"How is she?" asked Ernest.
"She is good" replied Dom as he knew who Ernest was referring to.
"What was she doing there?" asked Ernest.
"I don't know Grandfather, you know that she owns her own business, so she must have had some things to take care of over there as well, we just happened to meet" said Dom as he covered for Natasha, he did not want Ernest worrying over all of Natasha's escapades.
"Alright then" said Ernest as he knew that there was something amiss, but he decided to believe what Dom was saying.
"And you how do you feel?" asked Ernest.
"I am alright Grandfather" said Dom.
"I mean about Natasha, how do you feel about her?" asked Ernest.
"*Sigh*, I don't know Grandfather" said Dom as he sighed.
"What do you mean that you don't know?" asked Ernest as Dom did not reply.
"Oh my life, here I am solving problems in my old age" said Ernest to himself as he sighed.
"Well she is different" said Dom.
"How so?" asked Ernest.
"Grandfather, you won't understand if I tell you" said Dom as he sighed.
"Alright keep it to yourself then boy, but just know that I warned you from the beginning of this all, if Natasha changed her behaviour towards you, I do not blame her, you deserve it" said Ernest as he laughed.
"You are always on her side" said Dom.
"Because her side is the right side" said Ernest as Dom shook his head.
"Look Dominic, of all the things you could do, you settled on hurting an innocent woman, whose only offense was to love you" said Ernest.
"And now that she has finally found a way forward, you start to feel somehow, I tell you that the family rule of no divorce is the only thing that is saving you now, you are lucky that she is still married to you" said Ernest.
"I knew that I made the right choice for you when I choose Natasha to be your wife, but your stupidity did you allow you to see that at all" said Ernest as Dom kept quiet.
"You need to reconcile with her" said Ernest.
"But she does not want to reconcile with me, let alone listen to me for just a moment" said Dom.
"Five years Dominic, for five years, she has listened to you, now it's your turn to not be listened to, you deserve it" said Ernest.
"All I ever wanted, was for my family to be whole again, and if Natasha decides to forgive you, then I will be happy, and if she doesn't I won't blame her, because she deserves to be angry" said Ernest,
"You were not there for her when she needed you most Dominic" said Ernest.
"Take this advice from me my son, try everything in your power, to beg her to forgive you, because you truly have put Natasha through a lot of heartbreak" said Ernest as Dom sighed, him, it was always his fault, no matter what he did.
…
"Alfred makes the best chocolate milk" said Lulu as she laughed.
"Yes he does Aunt Lulu" said Joy as she giggled and she had a milk moustache while made Natasha laugh.
"Oh excuse me" said Lulu as her phone rang and she checked it and she frowned.
"I will be right back" she said as she smiled and she stood up.
"Okay" said Joy as she giggled and Natasha poked her nose.
"What is it Dom?" asked Lulu as she saw Dom standing in the corner.
"Lulu, I need you to do me a favour" said Dom.
"Since when do you need me to do you favours? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around, I mean it usually is" said Lulu as she laughed.
"Well now it's time for you to replay me for all the favours I have done for you" said Dom.
"Hey, your my big brother, isn't it your duty to be me favours?" asked Lulu as she punched him weakly on his chest.
"Lulu I am serious" said Dom as Lulu saw the seriousness in his eyes.
"Gosh you are serious" said Lulu.
"What did you do?? Did you kill someone?? *Gasp*, do you need help to get rid of the body??" asked Lulu as she gasped.
"No silly" said Dom as he flicked her nose which she hated.
"Your imagination Is wild, and besides, even if I did kill someone, you would be the last person I would call" said Dom.
"Anyway, that is besides the point, I need you to talk to Natasha for me" said Dom.
"What?? Why??" asked Lulu.
"Don't you hate her or something?" said Lulu innocently.
"Look, I just need you to talk to her, she won't talk to me, and I am running out of ideas" said Dom.
"*Sigh*, okay fine, I will do it, but hat do you want me to talk to her about?" asked Dom.
"I don't know, just think of something, anything, I need to know what's going on in her head" said Dom.
"Fine, but you owe me" said Lulu.
"Alright, cash or credit?" asked Dom as he knew his little mischievous sister was referring to money.
"You know me Dom, cash always" said Lulu as she smiled and she winked at him as she walked away and Dom wondered why he had come to her for help? Lia would have been a more reliable helper.
…
"Sorry, this annoying guy was calling me" said Lulu as she walked back into the kitchen.
"That's alright" said Natasha as she smiled.
"Hey, little niece of mine, how about you watch Alfred, he's picking fresh roses in the garden" said Lulu as she smiled.
"Yes, yes, Mommy can I go?" asked Joy as she looked at her mother.
"Of course you can my baby, just be careful" said Natasha as she smiled.
"Yayy, thank you Mommy" said Joy as she smiled.
"You are welcome my Baby" said Natasha as she smiled and Joy ran away happily.
"Are you sure you don't want some chocolate milk?" asked Lulu as she smiled.
"No, I am fine with tea" said Natasha as she smiled.
"So how are you sister in law?" asked Lulu as she smiled.
"I am well, and how are you Lulu?" asked Natasha as she smiled.
"I am good as well, I wanted us to catch up" said Lulu as she smiled and Natasha smiled.
"Umm Natasha…" called Lulu.
"Yes Lulu?" asked Natasha as she smiled.
"You know… I never did know what actually happened between you and Dom" said Lulu as she went straight to the point.
"I mean… I was so young when everything happened, and I never knew the details, all I knew was that the family was never the same after that" said Lulu as Natasha sighed.
"Oh Lulu, you don't know the half of it" said Natasha as she sighed.
"It's alright if you don't want to talk about it, I was just curious, no one told me anything at all" said Lulu.
"No it's fine Lulu, you deserve to know, and I prefer if you hear the story from me" said Natasha as she forced a smile and Lulu smiled.
"I am all ears" said Lulu as she smiled.