"Good morning everyone." Natasha said walking into the dining room.
"Good morning mommy!" Joy beamed with her mouth full.
"Good morning Natty." Lulu smiled before glancing at Dom and frowning at him.
"Good morning Natasha." Dom said completely ignoring his sister.
"Oookay." Natasha said sitting down at her usual seat. She had just walked in and already she could tell that the White siblings were having one of their famous arguments again.
"How was your night my baby?" Natasha turned to Joy and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"It was good mommy." Joy giggled. It was then that Natasha noticed how oily Joy's hands were. She was using her hands to eat the pancakes which confused Natasha.
"Where are all the plates?" Natasha asked looking around the table, only Lulu had a plate in front of her, the rest of them did not.
"You see, exactly Natasha, my question exactly." Lulu exclaimed.
"What is going on here?" Natasha asked confused, she looked at Lulu and then at Dom.
"If you want an answer, you are going to have to ask the big headed man sitting right over there." Lulu pointed in annoyance. Dom on the other hands simply ignored her and continued to chew his pancake.
Joy simply giggled looking at the adults around her. She saw how confused and annoyed her mother looked.
"Mommy, Aunt Lulu and daddy are arguing because daddy didn't want to bring out more dishes because he doesn't want to have to wash some extra plates." Joy explained while giggling.
"I see." Natasha replied shaking her head.
"And what's the big deal about adding a few more plates to the dishes you have to wash?" Natasha asked her question directed at Dom.
"Hey, I don't expect you guys to understand, but adding a few more dishes will shave off the little time I have left to get to work early." Dom frowned.
"You should be on my side because Lulu is honestly just being annoying for no reason at all." He said.
"Hey, I'm on no one's side." Natasha clarified, Lulu was about to shout and tell her side of the story.
"You telling us not to use dishes because it will make you late is just selfish." Natasha scolded Dom.
"Hehe, thank you Natty, I knew you would see eye to eye with me." Lulu jubilated, rubbing it in Dom's face as he frowned.
"And you didn't have to be rude about it either Lulu." Natasha said. Lulu simply smiled and made an okay gesture with her hand. She did not feel scolded at all. She knew that Natasha just wanted to have a balanced argument with both of them.
"Anyway, if it's that much of a hassle for you, I'll wash the dishes so you can get to work early." Natasha said.
"Really?!" Lulu asked shocked.
"No, Natasha, you don't have to, it's my duty to wash the dishes when I finish making breakfast." Dom said, he appreciated her helpful gesture, yes, he really did, however, he did not feel fine with accepting it.
"Nonsense, if you're in a rush it's no bother. I'm not going anywhere, you don't have to pretend to be difficult, just say yes." Natasha said.
"You don't have to help me either Natasha." Dom replied annoying her.
"Seriously, I'll take back my offer if you don't accept it soon." She said.
"You can take it back." He said, at the moment they were both locked in a battle of who would cave in first.
Lulu didn't want Natasha to help Dom, she didn't like how quickly she offered to assist him, she wanted him to suffer for being a jerk by washing the dishes.
Joy on the other hand was elated that her mommy had volunteered to do her daddy a favour and a very generous one at that. She wished that her daddy would just say yes and accept it already.
"I insist, it's no bother." Dom said.
"Oh, but I insist as well, who's the one that has to leave for work soon?" Natasha responded.
"I'll wash the dishes for you daddy." Joy raised her hands and smiled. They all turned to look at her and laughed at her cuteness.
"That's really sweet of you princess, but you're still too little to be able to was the dishes." Dom smiled.
"But I could stand on a little stool." She said.
"That's very sweet, but no." Dom smiled at her, he loved how thoughtful she was.
"Okay, then if I can't do it for you, why not just let mommy do it?" Joy asked.
"She's right, just let me do it." Natasha said smiling at Joy.
"Pretty please daddy, you're going to be late for work soon." Joy said batting her big, brown, doe eyes at him.
Dom sighed, finding himself unable to resist as always.
"Fine, alright, I'll take you up on your offer Natasha." Dom finally accepted.
"Yayyyyyy." Joy smiled.
"I knew you would." Natasha replied standing up to go get herself a plate.
"I have to be on my way now, I'll see you later princess." Dom said standing up, he gave Joy a quick kiss on the cheek.
"See you later daddy, have a good day at work." Joy giggled causing him to smile.
"I'll see you later as well oh dear, annoying, little sister of mine." Dom said as Lulu scoffed at him and he scoffed back before taking his leave.
"I saw what you did there Joy, and I have to admit it was smooth, too smooth." Lulu narrowed her eyes at Joy as soon as they were the only ones left in the room.
"I don't know what you're talking about Aunt Lulu." Joy replied giggling.
"Yeah right, I think we all underestimate you in this house, I know you just offered to wash the dishes because you knew your daddy would be moved by your thoughtfulness. That's the oldest trick in the book, I've been in your place more than once." Lulu said.
"But it worked didn't it?" Joy giggled.
"Oh, okay, you're getting way too smart for your age, how am I sure you don't manipulate me all the time?" Lulu asked.
"I don't aunt, what is manipulate?" Joy asked looking sincerely confused.
"I'm not going to tell you the meaning so you don't know more than you're supposed to." Lulu said.
"Aunt Lulu, you're just being very, very silly." Joy giggled.
"Well why did you end their argument?" Lulu asked.
"I don't want to see my mommy and daddy argue or fight for any reason." Joy frowned.
"That's sweet of you my sweety, but adults are bound to fight, it's just a human thing, we all disagree in one way or the other." Lulu said eating a pancake.
"Well I don't want them to fight ever." Joy said definitely.
"Of course you don't." Lulu smiled. Ah, children were so innocent, if only they knew the truth. Life and relationships were not as easy as they seemed to be, even she could testify to that. Relationships were complicated, not to even talk about Natasha and Dom's relationship.
"I like it when they are both happy and smiling together, it makes me feel nice." Joy smiled.
"I know the feeling Joy, I really do. I remember when I was little and I used to see my parents get along so well, it made me so happy always." Lulu smiled.
"What always makes you so happy?" Natasha asked walking into the dining room with her cup of tea and two plates for she and Joy.
"The fact that my parents as still together." Lulu smiled.
"Hmm, that is true, anyway, where is your daddy?" Natasha asked.
"Oh, he left for work already." Joy said.
"So quick?" Natasha asked surprised.
"Mhmm, you shouldn't have offered to wash the dishes for him." Lulu said as Natasha laughed.
"With how mean you can be sometimes to your brother, I wonder if you'll look after him when he's old." Natasha chuckled.
"Of course I will, besides, I'm his sister, it's not my job to take care of him when he's old, that's going to be Joy's job." Lulu replied as Natasha shook her head and took a bite out of a pancake.
"Mhmm, these pancakes actually taste good. Unlike the eggs he made yesterday." Natasha said as Lulu burst into laughter and Joy laughed as well.
"I know right? That's the exact same thing I said when I tasted them." Lulu laughed.
"Cooking is definitely not his strong suite." Natasha laughed.
"Tell me about it, it's even worse when Charlie is present, it's just like his main mission is to sabotage him even more." Lulu chuckled.
She loved mornings like these where she could just talk to her sister in law peacefully and enjoy the start of her day with her lovely niece and family that she loved so much. Sometimes she thought of when she would have to move out and honestly, she feared the day that would happen, but for now, she wanted to enjoy every single moment of bliss.