"Cut it out you two, my cooking isn't that bad." Dom sulked.
"Oh you're right, that you are right, Charlie's the worst chef in the history of the entire world." Lulu laughed.
"I don't want to sound mean but... can he even manage to boil water?" Lulu asked as Natasha could not help but laugh.
"Lulu." Natasha called, she wanted to be stern, but she could not, it was true, Charlie was the worst chef ever.
"Okay, I have to admit, that's a good one, a very good one, Charlie's going to be upset if he hears you." Dom laughed, it was not like he intended to be mean as well, but Charlie definitely was a disaster waiting to happen anytime he was in the kitchen.
In fact, he was a better consumer than a creator. His only one good thing was eating food made from the kitchen.
"Well he won't hear as long as none of us say anything." Lulu laughed.
"Anyway, it's settled, Dom's on breakfast duty, I'm on lunch duty which leaves Natasha to focus on making us delicious dinners that will allow us to sleep peacefully." Lulu said.
"Alright, since we're making everything clear, I think it's better we discuss the cleaning arrangements." Dom said, Lulu nodded.
"Sure, we've agreed to clean our own rooms, one of us would probably clean Joy's room along with ours as well, but in which order are we going to take turns to clean downstairs?" Dom asked.
"Alright, I'll clean downstairs first since I have more time now, then after me it will be you, then Natasha." Lulu said.
"Is that alright with you Natasha?" Dom asked looking at her.
"Yes, it's alright with me." Natasha said, noticing that he had finished his food in a matter of minutes. She did not know why, but there was just something about someone enjoying a meal you prepared so much, it made her feel a tad happy, alright, a lot happy.
"Okay, that's settled, now to the most important thing, how are we going to watch Joy?" Dom asked.
Normally, this would not be a problem if Joy was going to school, she would be out of the house for almost six hours a day. But it was summer break which was unfortunate at this point in time.
"Well obviously you can't watch her all day, you go to work." Lulu said.
"That's true, but I can work from home on the days it's my turn to watch her." Dom said.
"And Natasha, you have that new store to oversee, so you won't be home as often as you would like." Lulu said.
"Unfortunately yes, and I don't want to get a babysitter because Joy doesn't do well with strangers." Natasha said frowning.
"It's no worry at all, I can watch her for the rest of this week, and next week we can make a daily chart of who is going to watch her." Lulu said.
"Are you sure about that Lulu? Joy can be a handful, and don't you have things to do?" Dom asked while washing out the dish and glass he had just used.
"Oh nonsense, she's my beloved niece, she's never a handful, besides, I kind of have the rest of the week off." Lulu smiled.
"Kind of?" Natasha asked confused as Lulu shot her a 'Don't ask about the details.' kind of look.
"Yes, kind of." she replied smiling.
"It's no bother to me at all, I love watching after her, so you guys don't have to worry for this week." Lulu said.
Dom and Natasha looked at each other, as if conferring with one another.
"Oh alright then." they both agreed.
"Wonderful, you know I'll take care of her perfectly fine." Lulu said as Dom and Natasha laughed.
"We know you will." they replied.
"Ahh, well after that really nice meal, I'm finally calm. I'm going to change and play with my princess." Dom beamed walking out of the kitchen.
"What's the matter with him?" Natasha asked while Lulu giggled.
"That's the face of a man who has just had the best meal of his life." Lulu replied.
"It wasn't even that good." Natasha scoffed.
"Oh it was, it's not everyday we get to eat your delicious meals." Lulu laughed patting Natasha on her back.
"You two are just flattering me." Natasha smiled.
"Well then, enjoy the flattering." Lulu said causing Natasha to laugh.
...
"How's my little princess?" Dom asked walking into the living room.
Joy who had been watching tv hastily got up and ran towards her father.
"Daddy!" she shouted running into his arms as he carried her. She had not seen him all day. She missed him so much.
"Hello princess." Dom said hugging her tightly. He have her a kiss on the forehead. He had not seen her all day, and he missed her so much, she was literally the light of his day.
"Daddy, I missed you, I didn't see you in the morning, you and mommy just left." Joy said frowning.
"Well you didn't want to wake up, so we had to leave." he replied.
"But how was your day princess?" he asked.
"It was nice, but then Alfred got hurt, which made it not nice anymore." she frowned.
"Oh I know, but Alfred is going to be better soon. I've already dropped him off at your grandpappy's place, which reminds me, he and your grandparents say hi and send you lots of kisses." he said peppering kisses on her face causing her to giggle.
"I miss them, when can we go and visit them daddy?" Joy asked giggling.
"Oh I don't know princess, maybe when I'm free for a few days we can go over there." he replied.
"Oh alright." Joy said as Dom sat down on his armchair.
"So, what did you have for dinner my princess?" he asked.
"Well, I had some leftovers, ooh mommy made some delicious fried rice in the afternoon." Joy said.
"Yes, I know that. It was really so delicious, your mom is a wonderful cook." Dom said.
"When you get older, make sure to learn all her recipes so you can cook for me when I'm older." he said seriously as Joy laughed.
"Oh okay daddy." she laughed tapping his cheeks.
"Why does she need to learn how to cook just for you? Why can't you cook yourself?" Lulu asked walking into the living room with a bowl of popcorn.
"Firstly, maybe she'll be an even better cook than her mother which means I can enjoy delicious meals in the final years of my life, and secondly, didn't you just eat? Why the heck are you eating popcorn again?" Dom asked annoyed.
"Hey, unlike some people, I have a big stomach, which is a good thing." Lulu said popping popcorn into her mouth.
"No, it's bad, because you're here eating me out of house and home." Dom frowned. Joy giggled, her aunt Lulu and father always had the weirdest fights about things.
"Well I want some popcorn as well." Joy said climbing off her father's lap and going to sit with Lulu.
"Why of course you can my lovely." Lulu smiled happy to share.
"Hey, don't eat too much popcorn, you have to go to bed soon." Natasha reminded as soon as she walked into the room.
"Okay mommy." Joy replied still stuffing her mouth with popcorn.
"You already had ice cream, now popcorn, that's too much junk food for an evening." she said as Joy simply giggled. It was her lucky day, she won the silent game and got to eat ice cream for dinner.
"Mommy, daddy said that we can go and visit my grandpappy and Alfred and my grandma and grandpa soon." Joy said.
"Oh, really now?" Natasha asked as she sat down.
"Yes." Joy nodded.
Natasha tilted her head to Dom who smiled.
"We can go when I take a few days off." he replied.
"I see." she said.
"Grandfather has been bugging me about us coming over to visit, which reminds me, I promised to call him." Dom sighed bringing his phone out of his pocket.
"Well good luck with that." Natasha laughed, there was no way he would be able to get out the call in less than an hour.
"Thanks, I really need it." Dom sighed standing to his feet.
"Oooh, tell grandfather I say hi, and I love him." Lulu said.
"Why don't you do that yourself?" Dom asked.
"And risk not sleeping tonight, no way, you take the fall for us all." Lulu laughed.
"Oh, ha ha." Dom said dialing grandfather's number, he walked out of the living room into the garden as his call was answered.
"He's not going to get out of that call in an hour." Natasha laughed shaking her head.
"Care to bet on it?" Lulu laughed.
"Sure." Natasha replied.
"I bet, he's going to be on that call in the next three hours." Lulu said.
"I bet two hours." Natasha said.
"I bet one hour." Joy smiled reminding them that she was still here.
"Okay then, may the closest guess win." Lulu laughed.