"That delivery guy must have really been mean for Lulu to get so upset." Natasha said.
"Mhm, he was very, very, very mean. Aunt Lulu said that he said some bad words to her, and she said some back, and he refused to apologize, so she said she is going to report him to his company so he can be punished for what he did." Joy said.
"I hope he does, he just decided to annoy our sweet Lulu who would never hurt a fly." Natasha said.
"Me too mommy, me too. I love Aunt Lulu very much." Joy giggled and hugged her mother.
"Yes my darling, I love her very much too." Natasha smiled.
"Mommy..." Joy called.
"Yes my darling?"
"Are you going to tell daddy what happened as well?" she asked.
"Yes." Natasha replied.
"Because it's the right thing to do and it's best that he hears it from us instead of from someone else?" Joy asked.
"Exactly my darling, it's best he hears it from us." Natasha caressed Joy's hair and smiled. Those were definitely Lulu's words that Joy was quoting and it made her happy to know that she was leaving her daughter in the hands of someone who was capable, and trustworthy.
"Okay, but can we tell him after dinner? I do not want him to be worried when he's tired and just got back from work." Joy said.
"Alright my darling." Natasha nodded.
...
Lulu knocked on Benjamin's front door. She heard some crashing sounds from inside before the door was opened.
Benjamin opened the door and frowned when he saw her standing out there. He did not know why he was surprised, she was bound to come here sooner or later.
"Hey, hey, chill, I come with a peace offering." Lulu said showing him a bowl of ice cream, still he did not look too pleased to see her.
"That's not all I brought. I also have some crackers, the spring onion, grandpa type that you like." Lulu said, his frown deepened hearing her words. "But hey, I don't judge your grandpa tastebuds, can I come in?" she asked.
Benjamin sighed and stepped aside, he knew that it was close to impossible for him to keep her outside. Once she got tired, she would just barge in and he would prefer his front door intact.
"Thank you." Lulu smiled as she walked into his house. Benjamin grumbled and closed the door behind her.
"What were you doing with all these pots and pans?" she asked, his kitchen floor was a mess with pots and pans everywhere. Now that explained the crashing sound she had heard earlier.
"I decided to do some spring cleaning." He replied.
"But it's summer." She turned to him confused.
"Then some summer cleaning, are you here to annoy me or to apologize?" he asked picking up the pots and arranging them along with the pans.
"Hey, neither, I don't annoy you, and secondly, I am not apologizing for anything. I did not do anything wrong." Lulu said, she brought out some bowls and divided the ice cream.
She noticed that one bowl had more ice cream than the other, so she removed ice cream from the bowl that had more, then she placed it into another bowl, then she handed Benjamin the bowl of ice cream she had taken from and she left the bigger bowl for herself.
"Is this all the ice cream?" he asked sitting down on the couch.
"Mhmm." Lulu replied sitting down beside him.
Benjamin frowned, he peeked over into Lulu's bowl.
"Your ice cream looks bigger than mine." He said.
"Is it now?" she asked.
"Yes, it's definitely more than mine." Benjamin did not look pleased at all.
"Hey, hey, sugar isn't too good for you, you know that, just enjoy your ice cream." Lulu said paying him no attention, he continued to enjoy hers.
Benjamin grumbled, he knew Lulu well, she must have divided it equally in the beginning, then her greedy little self decided that she did not want to share it equally after all.
"Sugar isn't good for you either." Benjamin retorted.
"Hey, girls are made of sugar, spice and everything nice while boys are made of snips, snails and puppy dog tails." Lulu said.
"Nope, you are not like most girls, you are probably made out of annoyance, turbulence and grumpiness." Benjamin said.
"Hey, just shut up and eat the ice cream before we have a problem." Lulu frowned.
Benjamin scoffed, it was typical of her to want to change the subject when she was not getting her way.
"Anyway, how are you?" she asked him.
"How do you mean?" he asked.
"Don't play dumb with me, how are you after having to sell your family home and beloved dojo?" Lulu asked, she had been worried about him all afternoon, yet, she felt like it would be best for her to let him have some time to himself, which was why she waited till after dinner before she came over.
"Oh that..."
"It's not that, it's alright, you know you can tell me how you really feel." Lulu said. Benjamin sighed, he did not want to bother anyone with his problems.
"It's not bothering me, no, we are friends and friends tell each other how they feel and you better do it before I get annoyed and leave." Lulu said, she knew she sounded harsh, but she also knew that with Benjamin she had to be overly insistent or else, he would not budge.
So, the sooner he realized she was not going to drop the topic, the sooner he would just say what was on his mind.
"I feel sad." Benjamin said, Lulu was surprised it had not taken him longer to admit. "I feel angry, tired, a whole lot of emotions, but nothing compares to the emptiness I feel on the inside."
"Oh." Lulu said, she reached out to hold his hand.
"It's only normal for you to feel that way, after all, that was the last thing you owned, it was filled with so many memories." She said.
"It's not just that, it feels like I just gave up the last bit of my memories. I don't think I'm ever going to go back there, there is nothing for me there, it only brings pain and suffering." He said sounding like he was in so much pain and Lulu could see it in his eyes.
"Hey, hey, that's not true, you will always have the memories, and those stay with you a lifetime." She said, he turned to look at her.
"What did you do with all your uncle's things that were still there, and some of yours as well?"
"I put them in a storage unit. They are going to be in there for a long while." He said.
"I know you're sad, you're angry, you are a lot of things, but this should not put you down." Lulu said.
"As tough as it is to hear, you have to move forward." she said.
"I know, I just feel like I failed my uncle, he spent his entire life savings on that building and all his time and effort into making sure that dojo succeeded, and now, because I couldn't stay there to continue his dream, it had to be closed." Benjamin sighed, he felt guilty.
"I am sure your uncle would not like for you to feel guilty, after all, there was nothing for you to do back home, the dojo business was already going down and you needed to move." Lulu said.
"It's unfortunate that this had to happen, but consider it a stepping stone for something better." She said.
"Something like what?" he frowned.
"Well, you did get a lot of money from that sale, don't lie to me, I know you did. And well, instead of wasting it or saving it, why don't you invest it into your own dojo?"
"I mean, you have always wanted to have a dojo of your own just like your uncle. A place where you can teach children and adults how to defend themselves and live healthy lives, and I am sure you can easily find a place here." Lulu smiled.
"We are in the city, you would have lots of people who would want your services and best of all, you would have Louise White as a business partner, which would bring in lots of customers." Lulu said proudly.
Her words made Benjamin chuckled, just how proud could she be?
"I doubt that Louise White as a business partner has much effect." He scoffed.
"Just try me." She frowned at him.
"Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't want to do that, or at least not right now." He replied.
"Why not?" Lulu asked, she wished to understand him more. Benjamin rarely spoke, she did not know what was going on in his mind half of the time and now she was starting to realize that he knew more about her than she did him, and she wanted to change that.