Something better

"Hello Aunt" said Natasha as she turned to look at Margaret with a smile, she could not be rude, she was her elder, and besides, even though she was her mother in law, she had obviously lost the right to call her that, but she was her Aunt first before she was her mother in law.

"How are you my dear?" asked Margret as she smiled sadly at Natasha.

"Please forgive me for not coming to your father's funeral… I… I just could not bring myself to attend, funerals are not for me" said Margaret as she laughed sadly, her brown hair was slowly turning white.

"It is alright Aunt… I understand" said Natasha as she smiled, what could she do? What had passed had passed, there was no need holding unnecessary grudges, she had learnt that ever since she came back.

"*Ahem*" said Ernest Jr as he cleared his throat.

"Please accept our condolences" said Ernest Jr as he turned to look at Natasha.

"Thank you Uncle" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Come now my dear, let me introduce you to some people" said Ernest as he smiled at Natasha.

"Okay Grandfather" said Natasha as she smiled and Ernest took her hand as they walked away.

"Hi Aunt" said Michael as he smiled and he walked to where Dom, Ernest Jr, and Margaret were standing as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello Michael, good to see you" said Margaret as he smiled and Michael smiled as he gave Dom a handshake as they smiled.

"Aunt, still looking as young as ever" said Charlie as he smiled and he gave Margaret a kiss on the cheek.

"And you are still as sweet as ever" said Margaret as he laughed.

"Aunt" said Nine as he gave Margaret a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh hello Xavi, how are you?" asked Margaret as she smiled.

"I am doing well Aunt" said Nine.

"Uncle" said Nine as he turned to look at Ernest Jr.

"Hmm" said Ernest Jr as he nodded.

"Where is Natasha?" asked Michael as he turned to look at Dom and he looked around as he could not see her anywhere.

"She is with Grandfather, he said that he wanted her to meet some people" said Dom as he smiled.

"Ahh I see" said Michael.

"So what present did you get for Grandfather?" asked Charlie as he looked at Dom.

"Well nothing really, I am here after all" said Dom as he laughed.

"Oh very funny, we all know you won't dare come here without a present" said Michael as he laughed.

"Hi Aunt" said Lia as she walked over to where they were and she gave Margaret a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi Uncle" said Lia as she smiled and she gave Ernest Jr a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh hello dear, you look great" said Margaret as she smiled.

"I should say the same to you Aunt" said Lia as she smiled.

"Oh thank you dear" said Margaret as she smiled.

"Where is Lulu?" asked Lia as she looked around.

"She has an important exam coming up, so she is studying" said Ernest Jr.

"I see" said Lia.

"It's a shame that she will not be able to enjoy the celebration" said Lia.

"She did consider it, but she knew she would want to spend more time here, so she decided to stay back" said Margret as she smiled and she explained.

"Oh well, I am sure she will be here for the next one" said Lia as she laughed.

"Oh please excuse me everyone" said Lia as someone caught her eye in the far corner of the hall.

The celebration was being held in the great hall, the one that the company owned, Ernest had decided to use this place because that way some company employees and his family members would be able to come and join in the celebration with ease, there was a buffet and the hall was nicely decorated.

"Go ahead dear" said Margaret as she smiled and Lia smiled as she walked away.

"Oh Natasha dear, is that you?" came the voice of a middle aged woman with brown hair and brown eyes as she walked to where Ernest and Natasha were talking.

"Oh Hello Aunt Alyssa" said Natasha as she turned to look at the woman who was walking towards her with a short man with white hair by her side.

"My, my Natasha, you look very beautiful" said the woman named Alyssa as she smiled.

"Thank you Aunt" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Alissa is right Natasha, you do look very beautiful" said the man by Alyssa's side as he smiled.

"Thank you Uncle Cecil" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Ernest, happy birthday, you don't know how much you mean to us, you are such a strong man" said Alissa as she smiled and she gave Ernest a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh thank you Alyssa, thank you" said Ernest as he smiled.

"Ernest, as my wife said, we really do appreciate you" said the man named Cecil as he smiled.

"Oh Cecil, what are friends for?" asked Ernest as he laughed.

"Oh my dear, please forgive us, we could not attend your father's funeral, we were not around at that time" said Alyssa as she smiled sadly.

"That is alright Aunt, I understand" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Thank you my dear" said Alyssa as she smiled.

"How are you doing? Because I am sure that this must not be easy for you" said Alyssa as she smiled in worry.

"Aunt I am fine, I am getting better daily" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Oh I am glad that you are my dear, I am" said Alyssa as she smiled.

"Because very since your mother…" said Alysa as she was cut off.

"Hi Mom" said Lia as she walked over and she gave Alyssa a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello Lia" said Alyssa as she smiled at Lia.

"Hi daddy" said Lia as she smiled and she gave her father a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello my princess" said Cecil as he smiled and Lia smiled.

"Natasha, sweetie… you wore sneakers??" asked Lia as she looked down and Natasha's yellow sneakers caught her eye.

"What?? I do feel comfortable in them" said Natasha as she laughed at Lia's surprised expression.

"I thought that for once you would wear high heels" said Lia as she shook her head.

"Oh leave her be Lia, you know that unlike you, Natasha does not like high heels" said Alyssa as she laughed.

"Thank you Aunt, you are right" said Natasha as she laughed, and Lia shook her head.

"*Ahem*" came the voice of an elder woman as she cleared her throat.

"Ahhh Cornelia, nice to see you" said Ernest as he smiled and he turned to look at the woman with white hair and brown eyes.

"I should say the same to you Benjiro, Happy Birthday" said the woman named Cornelia, she looked very serious, she was dressed finely in a grey skirt suit, and there was an emerald green brooch pinned on her right chest.

"Ahh my dear, this is my cousin Cornelia" said Ernest as he turned to look at Natasha with a smile.

"Hello Ma'am Cornelia, nice to meet you" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Hmm" said Cornelia.

"Are you Natasha?" asked Cornelia rather rudely, but Natasha did not mind.

"Yes I am" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Well I see" said Cornelia.

"Ahh Aunt, nice to see you again, you look gorgeous as always" said Lia as she smiled and she hugged Cornelia, as she could sense that if things went on any longer, some feelings wound be hurt.

"Cecilia dear, I did not see you there" said Cornelia as she smiled.

"Aww Aunt" said Lia as she pouted and she broke their hug as Cornelia smiled at her.

"*Ahem*It is time to cut the cake" said Cornelia as she looked at Ernest.

"Alright, alright, let us go" said Ernest as he smiled and he followed after Cornelia.

"Thank you" said Natasha as she looked at Lia.

"Anytime Natasha, Anytime" said Lia as she smiled and she walked away to join the others as they all gathered to cut the cake and Natasha did so as well.

…

"I know it is tradition to open the presents after the guests have gone, but I would like to see what you got me my dear" said Ernest as he turned to look at Natasha as the guests were eating cake.

"Grandfather are you sure?" asked Natasha as she looked at Ernest.

"Of course my dear" said Ernest as he smiled.

"Alright Grandfather, give me a moment" said Natasha as she smiled and she walked to the table where the gifts were being placed and she found her own wrapped gift as she brought it to Grandfather.

"Here it is Grandfather" said Natasha as she gave it to him.

"Thank you my dear" said Ernest as he smiled and he opened the present, and as he looked at what Natasha got him a tear slipped out from his eye.

"They were her favourite songs" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Oh my dear, thank you… I could not have asked for something better" said Ernest as he looked at Natasha and he smiled, she had gotten him two records of his dear Mary's favourite songs, the ones that they used to slow dance to.

"You are welcome Grandfather, Happy birthday" said Natasha as she smiled, she was glad that he loved it.

"You know, out of these two songs, her favourite was just the two of us… she used to dance to it all the time, she said that she and I would always be together" said Ernest as he smiled.

"Oh please excuse me dear, give me a moment" said Ernest as he looked at Natasha.

"Go ahead Grandfather" said Natasha as she smiled and Ernest walked away, he needed to get himself back together.

"Aren't you going to eat some cake?" asked Dom as his voice came from behind Natasha.

"No, I am not hungry" said Natasha as she turned to look at him and she shook her head, she did not feel in the mood for cake.

"It's vanilla" said Dom.

"I know" said Natasha.

"Excuse me" said Natasha as she walked away and she found somewhere to sit, she sighed, she had been here for so long, and she was only here because of Grandfather, or else, she would have just stayed home..

Natasha looked around at the happy faces of everyone, until suddenly and ear piercing scream that made everyone turn to find out what happened, everyone paused even the music stopped as well as everyone wondered who screamed.

It was Cornelia… she looked panicked as she was screamed and she looked like she was about to faint, while Lia was trying to calm her down by fanning her.

"What is wrong Aunt??" asked Lia as she looked very worried and so did everyone else as they were confused.

"Someone…. Someone stole my brooch!!" said Cornelia as she screamed once again.