Dom walked into his childhood bedroom. He felt so many memories rushing back. It made him smile, he was in a place filled with so much history, those equally good and bad.
He sat on the bed, it was exactly as he had left it. That was one thing he loved so much about his mother. She left all his things here and it made it seem like he had never moved out when he got married.
Right now he wished that he did like nearby, it was so nice to be here, in his safe space. His bedroom was always his safe space.
He chuckled to himself, the walls were still blue, the bedsheets and pillowcases were all still blue. He forgot that before his favourite colour was red, it was first blue. He could not remember now why he had changed his favourite colour from blue to red.
Dom yawned, he was so tired. Too tired to even unpack, but he knew that his mother would come help him unpack later. He was getting ready to be showered with love.
He laid on his bed, he loved his mother so much. It just felt so nice to be pampered and know that you are safe with the people who love you so much, and you can be happy with the mother who brought you into the world.
He could not imagine how Natasha felt sometimes without a mother. She grew up without one. Knowing how much he loved his mother, he was sure he would be unable to feel the same if his mother was to die.
Coming back home reminded him just how lucky he was to have his family members still alive. Natasha had no one, but he just wanted her to know that she could count on him and his family, because his family was her family as well, it had always been like that, and it always would.
Family was everything, he understood that now more than ever. No matter how old you got, it was the people that raised you, the people that were with you through every stage of your life that you would always run back to.
Dom yawned again, he forced himself to get changed. He could not wipe off the dumb smile on his face. Tomorrow almost everyone would be here and it would be like old times again, he just could not wait.
...
"Here you are, father, sleep tight, and have a good night," Margaret smiled as she tucked Ernest in.
"Thank you, my dear... do you think that things will continue to be like this?" he asked as she was about to leave.
Margaret turned around and smiled, "Like what father?".
"You know, like this, peaceful...".
"Father, I don't think you should be worried about the family splitting up. You know how you made it very important for all the children to know that family is everything, and we should always be united," she said.
"Even though it seemed like they were not listening, look at them now. They came back home on their own, because they want to spend time with us, you should never be worried about Natasha and Dom's relationship, because look how far they have come.".
"They tried their best to move past the hurt and focus on the future, and they are trying their absolute best, it's working. Even if they end up getting a divorce, I don't think it would change anything, because she is going to remain family, and she is family," she smiled.
"Thank you, Maggie, you always know just what to say," Ernest smiled.
"Rest well, father," she smiled before leaving.
Ernest sighed, he closed his eyes and drifted off into slumber.
...
Michael could see Dom's car parked right beside where he had parked. He turned to Charlie and shook him violently, he knew that was the only way to wake him up. Charlie was surely a deep sleeper, which made him very annoying.
"Charlie, wake up, we're here," he said.
Charlie groaned, but he did not seem to be waking up any time soon. Michael scoffed, this was terrible, he should have never let Charlie sleep.
Lulu groaned from all the noise and opened her eyes.
"What's the matter?" she yawned.
"Lulu, good, you're awake. We're here, and Charlie is refusing to wake up," Michael turned to her.
"You should have known he wouldn't wake up if he fell asleep," she said rubbing her eyes. She looked outside the window, she could see the lights of her parents' house, and there was a certain feeling of calm that she could not explain.
"I know, if he doesn't wake up, we might as just leave him here, he'll come inside himself," Michael said. He was not about to allow Charlie stress him like this, all he wanted to do was sleep.
Margaret closed the door behind her, she walked across the street back to her house. She was surprised to see another car parked in the driveway.
She laughed and walked to the window, she knocked on the window startling Lulu and Michael.
She laughed and waved apologetically for startling them.
"Mom," Lulu got out of the car and hugged her instantly.
"Lulu," Margaret smiled as she hugged her.
"I am so tired, I just want to go to sleep," Lulu groaned. "I am so sleepy, so very sleepy," she whined.
Margaret laughed, having her twenty-two year old daughter talk like a little girl again was such a nice feeling.
"I can just imagine, you can go to sleep now, but Natasha's sleeping in your room, and she doesn't feel well," Margaret said.
"It's not a problem, I won't disturb her, I am going to bed. Charlie is refusing to wake up," Lulu whined before walking into the house.
Margaret laughed and Michael got out of the car and gave her a kiss on the cheek and a hug.
"Hello aunt.".
"Hello, Michael," she smiled. "Lulu told me that Charlie is out cold," she laughed.
"That idiot is going to find himself in the car tomorrow morning, I am not going to have to carry him all the way up," Michael frowned.
"Don't worry, you won't have to, come on, let's go inside, I know what will make him wake up," Margaret laughed.
Michael did not even think twice, he rushed inside. He wanted to get warm and go to bed already, but this was his car, so he probably won't leave Charlie there before he stunk up the whole place.
Besides, he still had to go and get all the bags from the car. He groaned, he guessed he would not be getting any rest any time soon.
...
Lulu was so sleepy, her eyes were closed as she walked upstairs. She almost hit her head in the corner of a wall if not her father blocked her forehead.
She opened her eyes when she felt his hand.
"Why are you walking around with your eyes closed?" Ernest Jr frowned.
"Dad!" she said as she hugged him like a little girl.
He held her and frowned. There was definitely something wrong.
"What is the matter?" he asked.
"Nothing, I am just very tired, and I want to go to sleep," she said hugging him.
"Are you sure, Louise?" he asked.
She nodded, "Yes, I am just very tired, but I am happy to see you. Goodnight dad.".
She let go of him before walking towards her room.
Ernest Jr was sure that there was something wrong, but he would wait for her to admit it instead of insisting.
Lulu sighed and walked into her bedroom, it felt like home. She smiled when she saw Natasha asleep peacefully.
Lulu removed her shoes. "Natasha," she whispered to test if she was awake.
Natasha did not reply, she was out cold. Lulu chuckled softly. She bent down and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.
"I hope that you feel much better when you wake up," she whispered.
Lulu got into the other side of the bed and before she knew it, she was fast asleep.
...
"Aunt, are you sure that this is going to work?" Michael asked as he and Margaret were in the kitchen.
"I am sure it will work, it always works," she said as she poured some cinnamon into a spoon.
"Alright, if you say so," Michael said.
"And I do say so," she chuckled. "Come on, let's go now.".
"Okay, aunt," Michael followed behind her while yawning.
Ernest Jr frowned, he was walking downstairs when he saw his wife and Michael walking out and she had a spoon with some strange powder in her hand.
They had not even been here for more than two hours and they were all already making her so busy that she did not even car for him anymore. It made him frown, he was happy that they would only be here for a week, so they could all return to where they came from.