Natasha sighed, she took a break from her laptop screen and rubbed her forehead. Her headache did not seem like it would be leaving anytime soon.
She groaned, why did this have to happen to her today? Had she known yesterday that today she would wake up a bleeding mess with severe body pain and a terrible headache, she would have enjoyed her yesterday a little bit more.
She could not even concentrate anymore. She closed her laptop, placed it on the coffee table and lied down on the couch. She closed her eyes for a bit, maybe a little nap would make her feel better.
"Mommy?" Joy called with a smile as she walked into the living room.
"Mhmm, yes my darling?" Natasha replied her eyes still closed.
"Mommy, are you okay?" Joy rushed to her mother's side when she saw her sleeping on the couch. Apart from that her voice was so dull, it was not usual at all.
"My darling... I am fine, I just have a little headache and I want to rest for a bit," Natasha replied, she struggled to open her eyes. She knew that Joy would continue to be worried except she answered her.
"Are you sure mommy?" Joy asked.
"I am very sure my love, look, I just want to take a little nap, I'm tired," Natasha forced a smile.
"Are you sure mommy? Because if you don't feel well we can cancel the trip and take you to the hospital," Joy said worry present all over her face.
"I am sure my darling, it's just a thing that happens to women a certain day of the month and it makes us feel really tired and easily irritated and we get some pain here and there, but it leaves after a few days and we feel as good as new," Natasha assured.
"Really mommy?".
"Really my darling, so all I need now is a little nap," Natasha smiled.
"Okay, then have a good nap mommy so you can feel better," Joy said caressing her mother's hair.
"My darling thank you, I will certainly feel better. What did you want to ask me about?" Natasha chuckled.
"I wanted to know if you were done packing your things so I can help you," Joy said.
"That's really sweet of you my darling. I packed half of my things into my suitcase, the rest are on my bed. If you want to, you can help me finish up," Natasha said.
"Okay mommy, I will help you finish up, You stay here and rest, and feel better soon," Joy placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Thank you my darling," Natasha could not help but chuckle.
Joy gave her a soft pat on her forehead before rushing out the living room. Natasha smiled and closed her eyes, she was sure a few hours of sleep would do her some good.
...
"And I am done hehe!" Dom chuckled to himself, he closed his laptop and got up from his seat.
"No more work for the entire week!" He exclaimed. He was so excited to be free for the first time in over five years.
Dom was so happy that he needed someone to share his happiness with. Thus, he set out to find his favourite girl in the whole word. He thought that she was in the living room watching television which was why he was surprised to see Natasha sleeping there instead.
"Natasha," Dom called confused. It was not like her to sleep in the living room on the couch.
"Natasha," He called out again when he received no reply. He then decided not to trouble her. She looked so peaceful in her sleep.
He had a feeling that she was unwell, after all, she woke up this morning more irritable than usual and he did not mean that in an insulting way, he just meant that she was not herself and that was clear to see.
Dom moved closer to the couch slowly, he did not want to risk accidentally waking her up and having to face her wrath when he did.
He was worried, maybe she was coming down with something... If that was the case they were going to have to cancel their trip because her health was the most important always.
Dom carefully stretched out his hand to check her temperature. His hand was shaking. He knew that if Natasha caught him touching her she would probably cur off his hand; however, he had to make sure that she was alright.
He used the back of his hand and touched her neck gently. To his relief, her temperature seemed fine.
He backed away slowly and left the living room. It was better her left her to rest because if she woke up and found him here, it would not be a pretty sight at all.
"Joy," Dom called in a whisper as he walked up the stairs.
"Joy," He called again, he was worried to raise his voice.
"There you are, what are you doing here princess?" Dom asked, he found Natasha's bedroom door wide open and Joy was on her bed next to an open suitcase and a pile of folded clothes.
"Oh daddy, are you done working?" Joy smiled.
"Yes I am, what are you doing here princess?"
"I am helping mommy pack, she said that I could help her if I wanted," Joy smiled.
"I see, that's really nice of you princess," Dom smiled and Joy nodded with a smile.
"Your mommy doesn't feel well," Dom said.
"Yes, but she said that she will be fine when she takes a little nap, she said that it's what happens to women on a certain day of the month and she will be fine soon," Joy explained.
"Ahhh... I see now..." Dom said. Now it made sense why she had been more irritable than usual, although you would not catch him alive attributing Natasha's meanness to her period, that was a complete death sentence.
"Well my princess, since I am done, I am here to help you.".
"You want to help me daddy?" Joy asked.
"Yes, just a little help. I don't think your mommy will mind," Dom said.
"Okay daddy, sure, you can help. I just have to put those clothes into the suitcase, but I accidentally dropped some of them, so I am trying to fold them again, but mommy's clothes are so big," Joy laughed.
"Yes, they are big for sure," Dom laughed. "One day you will be able to fit in them my princess, can you believe that?".
"No, I can't believe it," Joy giggled.
"You better believe it because you're going to grow up big and strong," Dom tickled her and she laughed. "But still, don't grow up too fast," He added.
"I won't," Joy laughed.
"So you know what princess, you put the folded clothes into the suitcase while I fold these clothes, does that sound good?".
"It sounds perfect daddy," Joy smiled as she moved.
Instantly she started to arrange the folded clothes neatly into the suitcase alongside the ones that were already there.
"So tell me princess, what excites you most about going over to your grandpappy's and grandparents' house?" Dom asked.
"Well, I get to see Alfred and I miss him a lot," Joy said.
"That is true my princess, I do miss him a lot," Dom smiled. He could not lie, Alfred did quite a lot around the house and most importantly he did it happily, which made a huge difference.
"And then I am happy to get to see grandpappy and hug him and then taste some of grandma's delicious snacks and then grandpa can teach me how to use the glue gun he has," Joy giggled.
"Why do you want to know how to use a glue gun princess?" Dom asked surprised.
"Is there anything wrong with knowing how to use a glue gun daddy?" Joy asked.
"Not at all, but why?".
"Because it's cool and grandpa uses it to make really cool shelves, he and Uncle Charlie are really good at making things out of wood," Joy smiled.
"That is true, that's because your grandpa is the one that taught your Uncle Charlie woodwork," Dom said.
"Wow, really?".
"Really my princess, Uncle Charlie used to skip doing his homework and instead he would hide in your grandpa's workshop under the guise of learning, turns out he was actually learning something," Dom laughed.
"Why didn't you learn from grandpa?" Joy asked.
"Well the rest of your uncles and I hated using wood. You could get splinters and there was sawdust everywhere. It just wasn't our thing, but your Uncle Charlie now he, he always loved doing things with his hands. Your grandpa and Uncle Charlie ended up bonding over the summer with woodwork," Dom said.
"That's so cool, I want to learn woodwork as well," Joy said.
"Why?" Dom asked surprised.
"So I can make super cool structures and sculptors like grandpa and Uncle Charlie.".
Dom chuckled, his daughter was really quite... creative. "You can do anything you set your mind to princess," He smiled.