"Grandfather, please drink this" said Lia as she had just finished making Ernest his tea, just the way he liked it.
"Here, this should calm you down Grandfather" said Lia as she gave him the teacup and saucer as he took it from her and he drank it as he sat in his armchair.
"Thank you Cecilia" said Ernest as he sighed and he took a sip from his tea as he placed it on the little table by his right.
"Grandfather, please take it easy, alright" said Lia as she was really worried, it was not good for Ernest to be this worked up, yes she knew it was hard, but she didn't want anything bad to happen to Ernest as well.
"Don't tell me to take it easy" said Ernest as he snapped.
"Stop telling me to take things easy, this is not something to be taken easy at all" said Ernest as he sighed, how could he take things easy, his Natasha was gone… and he could not help but think that it was his fault, or course it was his fault… she should have done more to protect her… she did not deserve this at all, she was so young, and her daughter was very young as well.
"I am sorry if I am bothering you Grandfather" said Lia.
"But we all care about you, and we don't want anything bad to happen to you" said Lia as Michael, Charlie, Dom and Nine were all quiet as they sat down on the couch, they all had different things they were thinking of in their mind.
"I understand Cecilia" said Ernest as he sighed.
"But believe me when I say I will be alright" said Ernest as he replied.
"Dominic, what do you plan to do to tell Larry about… about… just what do you plan to do?" asked Ernest as he could not say that Natasha was gone, it was too much for him, he now knew why Lia had insisted that he took his medication, because well he was sure that his heart would have not been able to take the news, it already could not take it.
"Grandfather I…" said Dom as he sighed and Lia sat down beside Nine on the couch, they were all stuck, they could not just go like that and tell Larry what happened, they just could not… they had so many things on their minds right now.
"I cannot tell him" said Dom as he came out with it, it was the truth, he could not bring himself to face Larry and tell him that his only child and daughter was now gone… he could not take it, telling his Grandfather was one thing, but telling Larry was something else… he was not going to be able to take the grief and despair on his face.
"You have to" replied Ernest as his face was not cold, but rather regretful.
"I know Grandfather…" said Dom.
"But we think that he would take it better if the news comes from someone he respects like you" said Dom.
"You want me to tell him" said Ernest.
"That is the best way Grandfather" said Dom as he replied.
"I agree" said Ernest.
"But I am not going to do it alone" said Ernest.
"You all will come along with me… he needs us now more than ever" said Ernest as he could only think of how horrible Larry would feel after he heard the news, he would be devastated.
"You don't have to tell us Grandfather… I was going to go anyway" said Michael as he replied and Charlie, Nine and Lia nodded.
"Well then it is settled" said Ernest.
"We will tell him this afternoon" said Ernest as he sighed, this was just too much for him.
"And what about Natasha's body? She needs to be sent off in a proper way" said Ernest.
"She is still in police custody" said Dom as he replied.
"When will she be released to us?" asked Ernest.
"When the Police have finished carrying out their investigations on her body" replied Dom.
"And when will that be?" asked Ernest.
"I do not know Grandfather" said Dom as he sighed.
"But I am sure Pete will call me when it is time" said Dom.
"Alright then, Pete is a very good man, I am sure that he will get to the bottom of this" said Ernest.
"I really hope that he does" said Lia as she sighed.
"Have you told your Mother yet?" asked Ernest as he looked at Dom and Dom shook his head.
"I don't want her to know just yet" said Dom, he knew his mother could not hide her feelings, and she would end up breaking down into tears.
"Alright then… when we return, we will have a family meeting" said Ernest.
"Am I clear?" asked Ernest.
"Yes Grandfather" said Lia, Dom, Charlie, Michael and Nine all in a chorus.
"Good" said Ernest as he sighed, the only question he had on his mind was why??? Why her?? Why Natasha?? What did she do?? She did nothing at all to deserve what happened to her.
"Well then… let's go" said Ernest as he cleared his throat and he stood up, he did not have time to think right now, he would do that later, but for now, he needed to speak to Larry.
…
"Mr. Cole, some people are here to see you" said a nurse in purple as she smiled and she walked into Larry's room.
"Really now?" asked Larry as he smiled and he turned from the window in his wheelchair to face the nurse.
"Yes Mr. Cole" said the nurse as she smiled.
"Larry" said Ernest as he smiled and he walked into Larry's room.
"Ernest, what a surprise" said Larry as he smiled, this was a great surprise to him, he had not seen Ernest in a long time.
"I can say the same my friend" said Ernest as he smiled and he walked to Larry as they shook hands.
"How are you?" asked Ernest as he smiled as they stopped shaking hands.
"I am good Ernest… good" said Larry as he smiled and in the same moment Dom walked into the room.
"Good Afternoon Uncle Larry" said Dom as he forced a smile.
"Ahhh Dom," said Larry as he smiled.
"Uncle Larry" said Michael, Charlie and Nine as they walked into the room and Lia walked in after them.
"Hello Uncle Larry" said Lia as she smiled and she gave Larry a kiss on the check as she bent down.
"Ahh Lia" said Larry as he smiled and Lia went to stand beside Nine with a smile as the nurse smiled and she excused herself.
"This is such a great surprise for me today" said Larry as he was all smiles, he did not expect this at all.
"Well Larry, we wanted to visit you all today, it has been a while" said Ernest as he smiled.
"Well I really am happy that you all decided to" said Larry as he smiled, it had truly been a long time since he had seen them, it made him very happy to see all their faces once again.
"Where is Natasha?? Is she not with you?" asked Larry as he smiled and he looked around, he wanted to see his daughter, she had not come to visit him in years… and he knew that it was his fault for not supporting her decision.
"Larry… we actually came here to talk about Natasha" said Ernest as he cleared his throat.
"Is she alright?" asked Larry as the smile on his face dropped.
"Larry my friend… please promise me that you will take what I am about to tell you lightly, take heart my friend" said Ernest as he sighed, and he held Larry's hand In his, he could not think of a better way to tell Larry what happened.
"Ernest, you are making me worry with all this suspense, just tell me what you want to tell me" said Larry as he looked at Ernest and he looked at Dom, Lia, Charlie, Michael and Nine as they all avoided his gaze, they could not look him in the eye.
"Larry…" said Ernest as he paused and he sighed.
"Natasha was…" said Ernest as he paused here once again.
"She was what??" asked Larry as his brows furrowed.
"She was involved in a homicide" said Ernest as he told the truth as he sighed.
"What do you mean involved?" asked Larry.
"My friend… she is gone" said Ernest as he could not say it without his voice breaking.
"No…" said Larry as he retracted his hand from Ernest's and he turned to look at Dom as Dom could see the despair in his eyes.
"No, tell me it is not true" said Larry as he shook his head, he looked devastated as the words Ernest spoke to him weighed on him.
"I am sorry my friend" said Ernest as tears fell from his eyes and they began to fall from Larry's eyes as well.
In that moment, Larry began to gasp for air, as Dom rushed to him.
"Call a doctor now!" said Dom as he shouted and Michael ran to find help.
"Uncle, Uncle" called Dom as he called to Larry as he could not breath and he was slowly loosing consciousness, the only though on his mind was that they had taken his daughter away… they took her away, he would have gone in her stead, he would have.