Dom yawned from tiredness, it was only then that he noticed the strange quietness that was present. He turned back only to see Joy fast asleep in her car seat, he chuckled and glanced at Natasha.
He removed his left hand from the steering wheel and pointed backwards. Natasha followed his finger and her eyes fell on the peacefully sleeping Joy. She could not help but laugh.
Dom was worried that her laughter would wake Joy up. He put his finger to his mouth and whispered shh.
"I don't think that she will wake up again. She seems to be out cold," Natasha said out loud.
"Are you sure about that?" Dom whispered. He did not want to wake her up, she looked so peaceful. The sun was starting to set and the traffic was beginning to roll in. He stopped in front of another car, it seemed that they would be here for a long while.
"Yes, I am very sure," Natasha replied. "Joy, Joy," she called softly. She received no reply. Joy was truly out cold. Why wouldn't she be when she was so excited, she jumped up and down, she was so impatient, she tired herself out with all of her activities.
On top of that, she was also talking non-stop, which used a lot of energy.
"See, she's out cold," she turned to Dom.
"It would seem so," he sighed and let go of the steering wheel. They were not going to be moving until the traffic cleared up. This was the perfect time for him to rest. He cracked his neck and rested in his seat.
"I hate traffic," he said.
"Don't we all," he heard Natasha say.
"I thought we would be able to beat the traffic, but it appears that everyone had the same idea I did.".
"Right," Natasha said. She drank some water from a water bottle she had packed for herself.
"How do you feel now?" Dom asked.
"I told you already, I feel fine. There is nothing wrong with me, it is just a combination of several things that would be easy to handle on their own.".
"Alright, I am just asking. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable," Dom replied. The sun had set and the sky was dark. At this rate they probably had an hour or two before they arrived at his parents' house.
"I don't feel uncomfortable, you don't need to worry, you don't have to worry.".
"No, I do, because Joy worries, I worry, she cares, I care. Like it or not, we are a family, no matter our past or how our relationship is right now, we are a family, Joy needs her mother and she needs her father, we have to be together for her, and I don't mean together in a sense of—".
"I know what you mean," she said.
"Good, so, I just want to make it clear. I will be honest with you Natasha, I don't think that I can raise Joy on my own, and I hope that that's the same way you think," he said.
"You have nothing to worry about, I out of all people knows how important it is to have two parents present. I know that a single parents tries their absolute best to make sure their child feels loved and cared for, but there is always just a feeling of being incomplete. I know it..." she looked out the window.
"I love her with all my heart, and because I love her, I care for you, and I know that you love her too. That is why I am glad that we agreed to be better to each other," Dom said.
Natasha simply nodded and took another sip of her water. She groaned internally, she hated the traffic; how long were they going to be here? This just gave Dom some time to relax and talk about things she would rather not speak about.
"Natasha, there is something really important that I need to talk to you about, and I don't want you to get defensive or point the finger at me, I just want you to listen, which is why I am going to tell you tomorrow.".
Natasha turned to him and frowned, "Why? What is it? Tell me now.".
"You see, that's why I don't want to tell you, you are already getting so worked up over something I haven't told you about," Dom said.
"Be quiet and tell me what you need to say," she demanded.
"I am not going to tell you the full thing because this is something we need to sit down and discuss calmly, it is about Joy, more specifically about something Joy told me today that made he realize something," Dom continued.
"What?" Natasha frowned, she looked like she was prepared to hit him if he did not tell her soon.
"Joy was talking about having a sibling," he said.
"Why did you make it sound like it was something deathly?" she scoffed.
"Because it is! The way I said it may not make it seem as serious as it is, but it is!" Dom said.
"There you go again, what did you do? Your probably alluded to it," Natasha scoffed.
"No, there you go again! Making it seem like everything is my fault. I did not allude to anything, we were just folding your clothes together and out of no where she mentions siblings and expresses to me that she wants one," Dom said lowering his voice. For a moment there he had forgotten that Joy was still sleeping in the car.
Natasha frowned and shook her head, this was the last thing she wanted to hear. Joy had never expressed to her that she wanted a siblings, why would she tell Dom first and not her? It made her annoyed, besides, it must have been something she heard that sparked up that sort of thought in her cute, little head.
"I don't want us to fight, I don't want us to argue, especially not here and not now. Look, we need to discuss this like adults and come up with the best way possible to address this without breaking her poor, little heart.
"I agree, but I am still sure that she must have heard something that made her say that," Natasha said.
"That may be true, but what she heard or didn't hear is not what is important, what is important is that we talk about this first and then speak to her together.".
"You are right," she said.
"Yes," Dom replied.
"Look, I am tired, I am going to try to get some rest," Natasha rested in her seat and closed her eyes.
"Alright," Dom sighed. At least that went better than he had expected. He looked ahead and the traffic did not seem to be moving, he groaned. It was going to be quite a long time.
....
"Margaret, dear. Slow down, you are going to fall with how fast you are moving," grandfather said.
"No, no, I cannot slow down, father. I need to finish preparing Dom's room, and Joy's room. Everything has to be perfect," Margaret replied, she rushed up the stairs.
"Junior, go and calm her down." grandfather turned to his son and ordered.
Ernest Jr simply nodded, he walked up the stairs.
"What makes you so sure that they are even coming tonight? It's already late, the sun has set. They might just decide to come tomorrow," he said.
"No, no, I am sure they are arriving tonight because Dom sent me a text saying that they were on their way," Maragret replied fluffing one of the pillows.
"Alright, even if they do arrive tonight, it's late, Joy will probably be fast asleep, she won't even see the room that you have been hurrying to make perfect all day," he said.
"It does not matter, at least she will wake up in it tomorrow. Oh, I can't wait to see her little face light up," she smiled.
"How far, have you managed to convince her?" grandfather asked as he walked up the stairs. He scoffed, there was just something about the stairs in his son's house, they made him feel older than the stairs in his own house, it was always a hassle for him to climb up and down them.
"No, father, she is still as stubborn as ever," Ernest Jr replied.
"Hey, I am not being stubborn, I am simply excited," Margaret frowned at her husband. "Father, I am done now, you should not have walked up all those steps," she said with a frown. As fit as he was for his age, there was no need for him to overexert himself.
"Well you two made me do it, besides, there is something wrong with your stairs, is there a soul draining spirit on them or what?" grandfather panted.
Margaret laughed, "Oh father, you are just so funny, come, let me make you some tea," she took his hand and they walked down the stairs together.