"So where did you go Uncle Benjamin?" Joy asked as she, Lulu and Benjamin had lunch together in the living room because she had asked Lulu if she could watch tv while they were eating and Lulu had said yes.
"That's right, where did you go?" Lulu turned to him and narrowed her eyes, she had been asking herself the same question for a long time and she had grown weary of continuously asking him over and over.
Benjamin looked at Lulu and cleared his throat, she was lucky it was Joy that had asked him, so he would answer her. He felt like he should not tell Lulu because she would overreact or ask him questions he was not ready to answer at the moment.
"Well, I had to go to my hometown." Benjamin began.
"Really? Why did you go there?" Joy asked, she was intrigued, she was no longer paying attention to her show.
Lulu rested back and smiled happily. Joy was the perfect niece, she was asking Benjamin all the questions she had asked him, the only difference was, he would not wish to be rude and not answer her.
"I had to take care of a few things." Benjamin said.
"A few things like what?" Joy asked.
"Ben, she's a child, you can't be vague with her, or else she will keep on asking you more questions." Lulu grinned from ear to ear, she was loving every moment of seeing Benjamin forced to say what he did not want to.
Benjamin glanced at Lulu and glared at her, she was truly being as annoying as ever. If not that Joy asked him to stay for lunch, he would have escaped from here as fast as he had arrived.
"I had to go to my uncle's old dojo." Benjamin said. "You do know what a dojo is, right Joy?" he asked and she nodded.
"Yes, yes, you told me the last time, a dojo is a place where people learn how to fight." Joy said as she giggled and Benjamin chuckled.
"Well, in literal terms yes, that is the most basic use of a dojo." He laughed. "Moving on, I had to go to my hometown because my uncle's dojo was being sold." He said a bit sad.
"Awww, oh no." Lulu said, now it all made sense, the secrecy, the reluctance to speak, he was hurting from having to see his childhood home get sold.
"Why was it sold? I thought you inherited it from your uncle?" Lulu asked.
"I did... but... no one lives there, it's just an empty building that's been collecting duct, rust and debris. So the neighbours informed the city council and they reached out to me and gave me an ultimatum. Either I find someone to take care of it or I sell it." Benjamin said.
"And you sold it?" Lulu asked shocked.
"I had no choice... I'm not ready to move back there, my entire life is here." Lulu could hear the pain in his voice even though he kept it as monotonous as ever.
"As much a I did not want to sell it, I had to. I weight my options and it's best the building is put to good use instead of just remaining there abandoned."
"That sounds really sad." Joy frowned.
"It is." Benjamin smiled.
"Are you sad Uncle Benjamin?" Joy asked.
"I was, but I'm not anymore, that's just life." He replied.
"But didn't you say that you grew up in your uncle's dojo Uncle Benjamin?" Joy asked.
"I did." He nodded.
"Then you should still feel sad, I cannot imagine my mommy and daddy having to sell our house, I would be so sad all the time." Benjamin chuckled, hearing Joy trying to relate to his situation was warming and funny at the same time.
"Yes, yes, don't mind him my dear, he is sad." Lulu turned to Joy. She knew how much that dojo meant to him. It was basically the only thing he had left, and now that he sold it, she felt like he had to sell a part of himself along with it as well.
"Here. Sorry." Joy said as she walked to him and hugged him.
"Awww." Lulu said. Benjamin had to admit that it did feel comforting for Joy to hug him.
"Thanks Joy." Benjamin had to say.
"You're welcome Uncle Benjamin, as long as you feel better." She smiled at him and returned to her seat.
Benjamin looked up to see Lulu, he knew that she was saying with her eyes they would talk later. At least she was not insisting right now.
...
Benjamin had made his hasty escape as soon as lunch was over. Lulu went to the kitchen with the dishes and he told Joy he had something really important to do.
This was what Lulu heard when she returned and it made her very upset, she could not believe Benjamin was back to avoiding her again.
Not to worry, she would go find him later, he could not hide from her, no, not at all. As soon as Natasha returned, she would go and look for him.
"I'm home." Natasha said as she walked in through the front door.
"Mommy!!" Joy rushed to give her a big hug.
"Hello my darling." Natasha smiled.
Lulu was happy to see Natasha, however, her happiness was short-lived when she remembered that there was something she had to tell her.
"How are you?" Natasha asked as Joy replied.
"Lulu, what's the matter? Why aren't you smiling?" Natasha was quick to notice Lulu's strange behaviour. This was not like her, usually she was bubbly and always happy to see her, today it was somewhat the opposite.
"Nothing..." Lulu walked forward like a dog that had just been scolded.
"That's not nothing, you don't look happy, did something happen?" Natasha asked. Joy remembered that there was something they needed to tell her mother, that was probably why Lulu was like this now.
"Mommy, there is something we need to tell you." Joy said causing Natasha to turn to her. "But please promise first that you won't be angry at me and Aunt Lulu and you won't raise your voice." She said in a cute little tone.
Natasha started to get worried as soon as she heard Joy's words. What could they possibly have to tell her that was so serious?
"No, I can't promise you that my darling, not when I am not sure what it is you have to tell me." Natasha frowned. "How about you tell me first then I will see if I should not get angry." She said.
"Okay mommy, but please don't raise your voice at us too loudly." Joy pleaded. Now Natasha was seriously worried, what could have happened? She turned to Lulu who felt like such a coward for having Joy speak for her like she was the aunt instead of the niece.
"The thing is Natasha I..." Lulu began. "I... stepped out for a bit to go and get a package from an annoying delivery man that wouldn't deliver it here..."
"And I left Joy at home alone because I didn't think that I would be out for long, but I was and by the time I came back Joy had..." Lulu paused.
"Had what?" Natasha asked narrowing her eyes at them both. Her voice was still calm, but for now, which was what Lulu thought.
"Mommy, I didn't listen to Aunt Lulu when she told me to stay put, so I went outside to get Maggie because I was bored and alone, then I took her to my room and put her down, but I didn't see that she had muddy feet and she tracked the mud all over my room, then I was scared that I would get in trouble so I used my hair conditioner as soap in the mopping bucket and I accidentally wet everywhere." Joy said in one breath.
"Then Maggie was being naughty and flying around so I locked her in the shower then she pooped in the shower which was bad so I went to your bathroom and got some bleach and put it in the shower to wash the poop away." Joy said.
"I'm really sorry mommy, so very sorry. I know that I should not have done all that, please don't be angry mommy." Joy said in one final breath.
She looked at her mother in a scared manner, she did not want to get in trouble and she did not want Lulu to get in trouble either, which was why she explained everything.
Natasha was surprised for one. It took her a moment to register all Joy's words since she had been talking really quickly.
"I'm not upset darling, I'm not angry, you shouldn't have done what you did. But at least you had the courage to tell me the truth and that is all that matters." Natasha said, Joy was so relieved hearing her mother. She did not sound angry at all.