Lulu sighed, she parked her car in the driveway and locked it. She could see Charlie's car parked in the driveway as well, and Dom's car was nowhere to be found. Lulu was sure that he, Natasha and Joy had probably left.
Lulu walked into the house, she shouted hello, waiting for a reply, but as she had expected. The entire house was empty. The lights were switched off and the entire house was super quiet, which was rare.
Lulu sighed, she was tired, hungry and most of all exhausted. She switched on the lights and walked into the living room. She fell on the couch and just laid there tired.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was about to doze off when she suddenly heard the sound of her phone ringing. She frowned, opened her eyes and searched for her phone in her handbag.
She frowned when she saw it was Charlie that was calling her. "What's up?" she asked.
"Sup Lulu, nothing much, where are you?" Charlie asked.
"I just got home, I was about to go take a shower and go to sleep," Lulu yawned.
"What??! No way, there is no way that you are taking a shower and going to sleep!" Charlie refuted.
"And why not?".
"Did you forget that we are supposed to go to grandfather's today?" Charlie asked.
"Yeah, I completely forgot, I am just so tired right now. I don't know what's wrong with me, I don't feel like going," she admitted.
"Oh no, not you too, Lulu," Charlie frowned.
"What do you mean not me too?".
"First it was Nine refusing to go, he is still doing that till this very moment, now you are saying that you don't want to go," Charlie whined.
"I'm not saying that I don't want to go, I'm just too tired to go. Honestly, all I want is to take a shower and go to sleep. It's the start of the weekend and I need some rest.".
"Exactly why you should come with us, Lulu. Don't miss this opportunity, don't be like, Nine. Please, just come with us, come with us," Charlie pleaded.
"Why are you making it sound like you are going to go alone? Michael will be with you, I will probably just drive over sometime over the weekend," she replied.
"Stop lying to me! I am not stupid, we all know how much you hate long drives, you will never make the drive to come over. You are simply playing with me!".
Lulu shook her head, "So, what if I am playing with you a little? Anything to get you off my back, because you definitely won't let me rest and I don't want a headache, Charlie.".
"Stop being mean Lulu, you have to come along, you have to, You cannot miss this chance to be with the entire family," Charlie continued.
"Why are you making it sound as if there is some special mission you have for me there? I can always go home to visit my parents and grandfather," she frowned.
"This is not just about going home, when last has the entire family been in one place together without anyone having to go to work, or being sick? And when else will something like this ever happen?" Charlie asked.
Lulu sighed, she knew he was right.
"Besides, it seems that the only time the entire family gets together is when there is an event or a wedding, and we haven't had an event in a long while and who knows when next there will be a wedding? There hasn't been one in six years!".
"You are right, Charlie. What do you want me to say? I am tired and that is that," she sighed.
"Well, you should not be tired because Michael and I are going to drive, and you've already packed your stuff right?".
"Mhmm," Lulu nodded.
"So, all you have to do is carry your stuff, enter the car, sleep if you want to and we'll be there in no time," Charlie smiled.
"You really will not let me miss this huh?".
"No, not at all, I will make sure you go with us. Please, I know you are tired, you can go take a shower, but don't fall asleep, just change into something more comfortable and then you can sleep in the car just like old times," Charlie said.
Lulu laughed and shook her head, "Alright, fine, but I'm hungry and I doubt that there is anything to eat.".
"Not to worry, I ordered takeout, there is enough for everyone, even that blasted Nine," Charlie scoffed.
"I heard that." Lulu heard Nine's voice in the background.
"I wasn't hiding it," Charlie snapped back.
Lulu snickered, those two were always fighting about one thing or another.
"You know what, I will just come over, so go take a shower, by the time you are done, I will bring the food, so you can eat and then we can go, alright?" he asked.
"You really will not take no for an answer will you?" she asked.
"Not a chance, come on, Nine has managed to slip out of my grasp. I will not allow the same thing to happen to you," he said.
"Alright, fine. Let me go take a shower," Lulu said.
"Yayyyy, lovely, don't take too long, Michael is coming over as well, he's saying something about giving the keys to the maid...".
Lulu could hear Michael muttering something in the background.
"Alright, whatever, I will be done soon," she said.
"Good, good, see you soon," Charlie smiled.
Lulu ended the call and threw her phone in her handbag. Lazily, she stood up, stretched and yawned before dragging her feet up the stairs to her bedroom.
"What were you saying about a maid?" Charlie turned to Michael and put his phone in his pocket.
"I was saying Dom texted me that there's supposed to be a maid we give the house keys to, but she has not arrived yet, anyway Lulu is supposed to give the house keys to the maid before we go," Michael explained.
"Ahhh, I see, well, she shouldn't be long," Charlie said walking to the kitchen and carrying the bags of takeout that were on the kitchen counter.
"Anyway, Lulu's hungry, and I am a genius that expected that, hehe. So, let's go over and eat so she does not feel lonely," Charlie grinned.
"Sure, let me just tell, Nine," Michael turned.
"Don't tell that traitor, he does not want to go with us, so he should not partake in my takeout," Charlie frowned.
"I heard that as well," Nine said from his room.
"I wasn't hiding it you idiot!" Charlie shouted back.
"Stop being mean Charlie, it's not nice. Or are you back to being a toddler that has to be corrected?" Michael asked.
"You cannot blame me for this, Michael. Not at all, Nine started it, he caused it. He does not care about his family, he does not care about any of us," Charlie scoffed.
"That's not true Charlie, and you know that.".
"No, I don't know that. Family is supposed to drop everything just to be together, but here he is, playing hard to get and being unbearable because he just will not admit that he has never considered any of us family," Charlie scoffed.
"Charlie, that's enough, you better go before you say something you will regret," Michael frowned. He was lucky that Charlie and Nine were in different rooms, or else this would turn into something very nasty.
"I already have," Charlie sneered. He walked away, but not before Michael grabbed a bag of takeout from him.
Charlie slammed the door behind him and Michael sighed. These two would be the end of him. It was even a surprise he had even managed to life so long staying between them.
"Here," Michael walked to Nine's room and threw him the bag of takeout.
"Thanks," Nine said.
"You know he didn't mean what he said, right?" Michael asked.
"I know, he's just hurt and that's how Charlie behaves when he's hurt," Nine shrugged.
"You know he cares about you, and you care about him. He just wanted this to be a family thing.".
"I know...".
"Why don't you go? It's simple, you go and he won't be angry anymore," Michael said.
"You know I can't just go, because if I go and leave early, he's going to be much more angry than he is now, and I would rather take him being upset now than furious later, things are just better this way," Nine said.
"You are right, you know what, you two should just find a way to settle your problems yourself, I am tired from having to interfere, you are adults, I trust you will find a way to move past this," Michael said.
Nine looked at him without saying a word.
"I'm going now, see you later," Michael waved.
"See you.".