"Yeah, he really did feel guilty, that was just a bad week for him." Dom laughed.
"Truly it was, but you know what's funny?" Natasha asked.
"What?" Lulu asked.
"The fact that even though we spent the entire weekend eating beef stroganoff and using other things as toilet paper, that was one of the best weekends I've ever had with you guys." Natasha smiled.
"That is true, we kept on talking about that weekend over and over again till we got sick of it." Dom laughed.
"You two sound like you had lots of fun." Lulu said.
"We had more than that, we played games, watched tv together and just lounged about. I tell you that till this day if you go to Charlie and say the words beef stroganoff, he'll just start laughing." Dom chuckled.
Natasha just laughed, she was having such a good time in remembering her childhood. She had to admit that those were the best days of her life where she was carefree, she did not have to worry about anyone or anything, she simply focused on herself.
"You guys had so much fun while growing up. Too bad you guys grew up long before I did." Lulu said and Natasha laughed while Dom rubbed her head.
"You are fine just the way you are." He said and she smiled.
"Do you guys ever wish you could go back to those days in your childhood where everything was just perfect, you didn't have worries, you didn't have problems." Lulu said.
"I will admit that I do." Dom said.
"I think about it sometimes, but the thing is life is bound to change. If you stay in one situation for the longest time, you will get bored, on top of that, life keeps on moving forward and you have to go with the motions or you will be swept away in stress while living in the past." Natasha said.
"Natasha's right, those days were really wonderful and lovely. For one, I didn't have to go to work every single day, I didn't have to take care of my family the way I do now, but..."
"But what?" Lulu asked.
"But if those days hadn't passed, if I had not grown up, I wouldn't have those good memories to rely on, I wouldn't have a lovely daughter that is literally the light of my world and most importantly, I wouldn't have such a close relationship that I have with all my family members right now." Dom said.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't be scared of growing up and things changing, it's a natural part of life." Dom concluded and Natasha nodded, she agreed with him.
She too felt the same way, although things did not go the way she wanted them to in her earlier years of life, if things had not turned out the way they did, she wouldn't have become a better person, she would not be a mother with the best daughter in the world and most importantly, she wouldn't have had a family to fall back on now that she was all alone.
"Who said anything about me being scared of growing up?" Lulu asked pouting.
"You didn't have to say it, clearly, that was what was on your mind when you asked me that question." Dom smiled.
"Hey, stop being a wise guy, you can't read my mind." Lulu frowned and Natasha chuckled.
"Oh but I can, you undermine me, I am literally ten years older than you, which means I have ten years living experience above your years, I am an elder, so I can see while sitting down what you can't see even while standing up." Dom said smugly.
"Good for you old man, as for me, I am going to live up my youth in the best way I know how to." Lulu said.
"I agree with you Lulu, just enjoy your life." Natasha said. Dom yawned, he was exhausted.
"Well, that's my cue to leave. I'm going to bed, goodnight." Dom said standing up and yawning again.
"Goodnight Dom." Lulu smiled.
"Goodnight." Natasha said and with that he took his leave.
"I wonder why he always acts as if he's always right in every situation." Lulu scoffed and shook her head.
"Well to an extent, he is right, you know he loves you and I have a feeling he didn't have someone to talk to him about life the way he does to you, which is why he makes sure to be honest with you all the time." Natasha said.
"You know, above everything, I wish that I had a sibling to share my life with. There's just something about having a brother or sister that guarantees you'll never be alone in the world no matter what." Natasha said sadly.
"Awww, I know Natasha, I know, but if it makes you feel any better, I take you as my sister, the sister I never had." Lulu said walking to give her a hug.
"Thank you Lulu." Natasha smiled hugging her.
"Anytime Natty, anytime." Lulu replied.
...
The next morning.
"Good morning daddy!" Joy dashed into the dining room all giggles and smiles.
"Good morning princess." Dom smiled giving her a tight hug.
"You haven't left for work yet daddy." Joy said sounding happy and surprised at the same time.
"That is because you slept early last night which means you woke up early so I'm still at home." Dom smiled carrying her in his arms and walking into the kitchen.
"Oh, okay, you were right." Joy giggled.
"That I am princess, I'm always right." Dom laughed.
"What are you making for breakfast daddy?" Joy asked as he set her down.
"Pancakes, since I went to bed early, I was able to wake up early and make some pancakes." Dom smiled pouring some more batter into the pan on the stove.
"Mhmm, pancakes, pancakes." Joy jumped up and down, she could see the stack of pancakes on the countertop.
"Can I taste some daddy?" Joy asked.
"Have you brushed your teeth yet?" Dom replied.
"Yes, yes I have brushed my teeth daddy." Joy replied jumping up and down.
"Alright then, here have a taste, be careful, it's a bit hot." Dom said cutting a pancake in half and he handed her one while he ate the remaining one.
"Thank you daddy." Joy smiled eating the pancake.
"Mhmm, it's really sweet, soft and delicious daddy." Joy said.
"Why thank you my princess." Dom smiled feeling good about himself. He knew it was a good idea to make pancakes, you could never go wrong with pancakes.
"They are better than the eggs you made for breakfast yesterday." Joy said as Dom turned to her surprised.
"What do you mean? What happened to the eggs I made yesterday?" he asked shocked.
"Well they were too salty." Joy said.
"Right they were, way too salty." Lulu agreed walking into the kitchen.
"A good morning to you too Lulu." Dom shook his head.
"I knew that I added a bit too much salt." Dom whispered to himself and shook his head.
"Good morning Dom." Lulu replied.
"Good morning Aunt Lulu." Joy smiled.
"Good morning my darling." Lulu said hugging her and grabbing a pancake from the stack.
"Hey, you didn't ask for permission." Dom frowned.
"I don't need it, I'm just trying to taste test if it's a perfectly normal pancake and not a salty one." Lulu said.
"How nice." Dom shook his head.
"Mhmm, how delicious, for once you made something acceptable." Lulu said as Dom switched off the stove and put the dirty bowls he had used into the kitchen sink.
"Thank you, even though you said it in such an annoying way." He said removing his apron and hanging it.
"Anyway, time for breakfast." Dom said carrying the plate with the stack of pancakes in his hand.
"Shouldn't we grab some plates?" Lulu ask.
"And add more dishes for me to wash? No way, we'll just grab the pancakes from the plate and eat them that way." Dom said.
"You can't be serious." Lulu said looking at him disbelievingly.
"I'm very serious, come on." Dom said walking into the dining room, he set the pancakes on the table close to all their seats so it would be serious accessible.
"I made you some hot chocolate princess." Dom said sitting down.
"Thank you daddy." Joy smiled sitting down on her seat.
"You are really unbelievable right now, just because you don't want to wash more dishes you won't allow us use plates like normal people." Lulu said.
"Pancakes are not messy, just use your hands, and yes, I'm going to be late if a few more dishes were added." Dom said eating his pancakes.
"You're the boss, you can't be late." Lulu frowned and Dom ignored her.
"You're just being lazy that's all." She scoffed.
"I don't care, sure I'm being lazy, just sit down and eat some pancakes." Dom said as she rolled her eyes at him and grabbed seven pancakes from the plate before disappearing.
"Where are you going?" he called.
"To use a plate like a normal person." She replied walking in with a plate.
"You know you didn't have to grab all the pancakes, you could have gone and got the plate then come back." He said while she ignored him.