Felicitous Memories V

"Thank you for coming to play chess with my dad Nine, he's so happy" said Natasha as she smiled and she looked at Nine as she sipped her tea.

"You don't have to thank me Natasha, I enjoy playing chess with Uncle Larry" replied Nine as he drank his coffee.

"I know, but still thank you, you don't know how happy he is to have some company around him, and I am happy about that as well" said Natasha as she smiled.

"I feel like to my dad, I'm worrying him too much, and I just want him to be safe and careful, and not to strain himself, I feel like I'm bothering him" said Natasha as she sighed.

"Don't feel like that Natasha, you know your Dad loves you, and it's just difficult for him to adjust to his new situation, and he doesn't want you to worry too much about him" said Nine.

"I know, but I can't help but worry, sometimes, I know that I sound so nagging, telling him to be careful, what to do and what not to do" said Natasha as Nine smiled at her.

"That's because you care for your dad, and I don't see him complaining" said Nine as he smiled.

"Oh I know, but he should, I can hear that the sound of my voice is unbearable sometimes" said Natasha as she laughed and Nine laughed as well.

"You know, if Lia was here, she would tell me that I am stressing too much, and that I am acting like an old woman" said Natasha as she laughed and Nine smiled.

"Speaking of Lia, did you speak to her recently?" asked Nine.

"Well yes, just this morning, her call actually woke me up" said Natasha as she smiled.

"I see" said Nine.

"Yes, why do you ask Nine?" asked Natasha.

"Well no reason, I've been trying to call her, but she hasn't been picking" said Nine.

"Oh, she did say that she was working on a new code, she wants me to try it out, she must have been busy when you called." said Natasha as her phone rang and she looked at it.

"Mhmm" said Nine as he knew that he was probably worrying too much.

"What a coincidence, Lia just sent me her new code" said Natasha as she smiled.

"I see, I will try calling her later" said Nine as Natasha smiled at him.

"Anyway, we are going to the lake this evening, are you coming?" asked Nine.

"Ahh well no, I was actually going to use today to study, you know, I'm falling behind a bit and tests are coming soon and what not, maybe next time" said Natasha.

"Alright then, even though Lulu would be sad that you aren't coming" said Nine.

"Aww, I will apologize to her" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Which reminds me, weren't you supposed to take your driver's test next week?" asked Nine.

"Oh it was moved up to next month, and I don't really mind, gives me more time to practice" said Natasha.

"I see" said Nine.

"You know what's funny, Charlie offered to teach me how to drive" said Natasha.

"And please tell me that you said no" said Nine as Natasha laughed.

"Well yes I did say no" said Natasha as she laughed.

"Oh thank goodness, Charlie is the worst person to teach someone how to drive, he's a maniac on the wheel, I am sure that the driving instructor who gave him his license was blind" said Nine as he shook his head and Natasha laughed.

"Oh Nine, you exaggerate, Charlie driving is not… that bad…" said Natasha as what could she say? She had only ridden with him once, and the car kept on jerking, Natasha thought that Charlie was having a hard time driving since the car was a manual, and he had to continually shift gears.

"Oh it is that bad, Charlie is the worst driver of us all, the safest would be Dom" said Nine.

"Why don't you ask Dom to teach you how to drive?" asked Nine.

"Oh Nine, he's busy, very busy, with him taking up his new position as CEO, and running the company, he has so much on his plate already, I don't want to bother him" said Natasha.

"You don't have to worry Nine, I will pass my driver's test and get my license, driving isn't that hard" said Natasha as she laughed.

"Well what are you two talking about?" asked Larry as he rolled his wheelchair into the room.

"Nothing much dad, we are just talking about driving" said Natasha as she smiled and she was about to stand up and go help Larry, but he gestured that she should stay put, and that he could do it himself.

"Speaking of driving Tasha, your driver's license" said Larry.

"Oh dad, that will be sorted out soon, it's just a matter of time" said Natasha as she smiled and Larry smiled at her.

"So Zavi, do you have any plans for today?" asked Larry as he was wondering why Nine had decided to spend the entire morning with them, not that he minded, it was actually very nice to have someone else around for a change.

"Well not really uncle, but we are going to the lake this evening, do you want to come?" asked Nine.

"Sure, why not? Sounds like a good idea" said Larry as he smiled and Natasha was surprised that he actually agreed to go out for once.

"You do?" asked Natasha as she looked at him.

"Yes, it sounds fun, besides, a change of scenery should help" said Larry as he smiled.

"Oh well have fun Dad, I'm not going, too much work" said Natasha as she laughed.

"You should take a break" said Larry as he smiled.

"Well no dad, I woke up late, so my schedule is thrown under the bus, I need to catch up, besides, I know that you will be fine if you go alone" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Alright Darling if you say so" said Larry as he smiled and Natasha smiled at him as she turned to look at Matt and she gave him a thumbs up for being able to convince her father to go out for a change, and Nine just smiled at her.

…

Natasha opened the gate to her house as she closed it behind her and she walked to the steps of her front door as soon as she was about to open the door, it opened on it's own, or at least she thought that it did.

"Grandfather??" asked Natasha in confusion as she saw Ernest as he walked out of the door.

"Oh my dear, how are you?" asked Ernest as he smiled at Natasha.

"I'm fine Grandfather… what are you doing here?" asked Natasha in nothing but confusion.

"That's good my dear, your father told me that you went out, I came here to see him, I remembered that it had been a while since we spoke" said Ernest as he smiled.

"Ahh okay Grandfather, that was very nice of you" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Yes my dear, so how is school?" asked Ernest as he smiled.

"It's good Grandfather, are you going to stay for lunch?" asked Natasha as she smiled.

"That's good my dear, and no, unfortunately I can't today, I have a meeting with a client that requires our services, and Dominic is busy in the office, so I have to go and meet him" said Ernest.

"Alright Grandfather, be safe, I will see you later" said Natasha as she smiled and she gave Ernest a kiss on the cheek as he smiled.

"I will be dear, take care" said Ernest as he smiled and he walked away as Natasha opened the front door, and she closed it behind her.

"Dad, I'm home" said Natasha as she put her keys on the table.

"I'm in here Tasha" said Larry as he was in his office and Natasha entered his office.

"Hi Dad, I just saw Grandfather, he came to see you?" asked Natasha as she smiled and Larry looked at her.

"Ahh well yes, Ernest came to see me" said Larry as he smiled.

"So what did you two talk about?" asked Natasha as she smiled.

"Aren't you being nosy today" said Larry as he smiled and Natasha laughed.

"I am not nosy Dad, besides, Is it a crime for me to ask what my daddy talks about with his friends?" asked Natasha as she smiled and she gave Larry a kiss on the cheek.

"Mhmm Tasha, you know that when you call me daddy it's either one of two things, you are in trouble, or you want to be pampered" said Larry as he laughed.

"Oh Dad no fair, am I not your little girl anymore?" asked Natasha as she laughed.

"You will always be my little girl" said Larry as he smiled and Natasha smiled at him, the truth was that she was just curious about what Ernest and her dad spoke about, she knew Ernest, and he always spoke about business, so she was wondering.

"Well Ernest and I were just talking, and well I decided that I am selling the company to him" said Larry.

"What?" asked Natasha as the smile on her face dropped.

"Listen Tasha, I have thought it through, and this Is the best option" said Larry.

"But Dad, no, don't sell the company, it's your legacy, your work, your life, dad" said Natasha.

"But honey, this is the best option" said Larry.

"No it isn't Dad, things are not that bad for you to decide to sell off your company, think it through dad, I can still help out, we can make changes" said Natasha.

"Oh my Tasha, my sweet Tasha, I know you want to help, but you cannot help at this point in time, you have school, you are very busy with your own life, you don't have to come and dedicate your life to what is not your burden to carry" said Larry.

"But it's not a burden dad, I can do it, you just need to trust me, I can figure something out, maybe change my classes to the afternoons, and spend my mornings at the office, there are so many options dad" said Natasha as she really wanted him to reconsider.

"My dear, I don't want you to spend all your youth taking care of what I am supposed to take care of, you are young, you are full of many bright ideas" said Larry as Natasha sighed.

"Dad" said Natasha.

"Natasha" said Larry as he smiled.

"This is the best option, believe me" said Larry.

"Dad, who suggested this idea of you selling the company to Grandfather?" asked Natasha as she sighed.

"I did, Ernest is a very trustworthy man, I trust him" said Larry as Natasha sighed and she sat down.

"But Dad it's… it's unfair, you know how much I wanted to work for you, help you out" said Natasha as she sighed.

"Oh my dear, I know, and that's one of the reasons why I am doing this, you need to think about yourself, make your own choices, you are a woman now, you are independent, you don't have to spend you entire life looking after me" said Larry as he smiled and he held Natasha's hand as she looked at him.

"Oh Dad, I love taking care of you, I don't find it a bother at all, you are my daddy, and I love you, don't see me taking care of you as me wasting my life, because it's not like that at all" said Natasha as she hugged Larry, she did not want him to think like that at all.

"My Tasha, my sweet daughter, I know, but I want you to make your own choices, I did, and your mother did as well, and you need to make your own choices, because of you, and no one else, make choices because of what you like, and not because of other people and their influence on you, and that includes me, you always listen to me, and I love that you do, but sweetie, sometimes, I can't always give you the answers that you need" said Larry as he hugged her.

"Oh dad, alright fine, if you want to sell the company, then fine, you can" said Natasha as she broke their hug, she knew that her father was stubborn, there was nothing she could say to convince him to change his mind once he set his mind to something.

"Thank you for understanding my girl" said Larry as he smiled and Natasha smiled at him.

"So what is he offering you?" asked Natasha.

"It's actually a very good offer Tasha, Ernest is being generous, maybe because of our many years of friendship, he suggested a company merge, and not a total sell off, he's offering us both shares, and I have to say that it's quite a tempting offer" said Larry.

"So you are taking it?" asked Natasha.

"I trust Ernest, he won't try to be cunning with us" said Larry as Natasha knew that he was right, she trusted Ernest as well.

"I still wanted to work for you dad" said Natasha as she smiled.

"You can still work my dear, Ernest assured me that the company would still be my company, our company, you would have as much of a right as Dom does" said Larry.

"Well okay dad, okay" said Natasha as she smiled.

"I'm going to do some of my assignments" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Do you want help?" asked Larry as he smiled.

"Sure dad, why not?" asked Natasha as she smiled and Larry smiled at her.

…

Natasha sighed as she sat down on the swings in the park and she just looked up into the sky.

"Well someone looks sad" said Dom as he smiled and he walked to Natasha as she looked at him.

"That's because I am" said Natasha as Dom sat on the other side of the swing.

"What makes you sad Miss. White?" asked Dom as Natasha looked at him and she smiled.

"Well changes do" said Natasha.

"You know don't you?" asked Natasha.

"Well Grandfather just told me, I guessed that you would be here" said Dom as he smiled.

"Oh so you are stalking me now?" asked Natasha as she laughed.

"Of course not silly, if anything you are stalking me, this is my favourite spot I was here first" said Dom as Natasha laughed.

"You know, I was so excited to work for my dad, it has been like one of my dreams, to work for him, make him proud" said Natasha as Dom smiled.

"You already make him proud" said Dom as he smiled at her.

"I guess that I am not sad because he's selling the company, I am sad because he is selling off something he loves really much, and I wanted to grow that love out for myself" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Well life is weird…" said Dom.

"Tell me about it" said Natasha.

"Hey cheer up, look at the bright side" said Dom.

"And please tell me what that is? My brain has decided to shut off for a bit" said Natasha as Dom laughed.

"Well your company isn't going to complete strangers, you know that you will always be welcome at the office, it's as much yours as it Is mine" said Dom as he smiled.

"Thank you Dom, I couldn't have asked for a better company for my dad to sell to" said Natasha as she smiled.

"You know it's funny" said Dom.

"What is?" asked Natasha.

"We were first neighbours, then long time friends, and now business partners, how cool is that" said Dom as he laughed.

"Cool? Just how old are you Mr. White, ten??" asked Natasha as she laughed.

"Ha ha very funny Natasha" said Dom.

"Cheer up, how about I go get you your favourite ice cream? Hmm ginger?" asked Dom as he smiled.

"Oh you know I can't resist that offer, I've actually been craving ice cream, so yes" said Natasha as she laughed.

"Come on then, I'm driving" said Dom as he smiled.

"Wait, aren't you busy?" asked Natasha.

"Well one, I always have time to cheer you up, and two, I may or may not have asked my dad for help against Grandfather's wishes and snuck out of the house, so we have to hurry now before Grandfather notices that I am gone" said Dom as Natasha laughed, she could not believe this.

"No, don't tell me that you are a fugitive now?" asked Natasha as she laughed.

"I am, and I need an accomplice" said Dom.

"Oh my goodness Dom, don't get me in trouble with Grandfather" said Natasha as she got off the swings and she walked to the park's gate as Dom followed after her.

"Oh you can never get in trouble with him, he loves you way too much" said Dom as Natasha walked to a black car as she opened the door to the passenger's seat as Dom got in the driver's seat.

"DOMINIC!!" came Ernest's voice as he opened the door to his house and he saw Dom as he was in his car.

"Good Lord, he didn't even waste a second" said Dom as he quickly started the car and Natasha quickly put on her seatbelt.

"DOMINIC WHITE, GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT, IF YOU DARE MOVE THAT CAR I WILL DEAL WITH YOU" said Ernest as he walked to the car.

"Sorry Grandfather, I will be back soon, I will get you some ice cream Bye" shouted Dom back as Natasha laughed and he drove away quickly as Ernest sighed and he shook his head, that boy was evading his work.

"I can't believe that you just ran away from Grandfather??" said Natasha as she covered her mouth with her hands in shock.

"I know… I can't believe I did so too, I will get him an ice cream as a peace offering" said Dom.

"Better make that two ice creams, he looked livid" said Natasha as she laughed.

"Good idea" said Dom as he and Natasha looked at each other as they laughed at each other.