"Louise my dear, you have done such a wonderful job, this place looks so splendid." said Ernest with a proud smile on his face as Lulu gave him a big hug.
"Oh thank you grandfather." said Lulu happily as she moved back to look at him, she had not seen him this happy in a while.
His mood had not been the best ever since the whole revelation of Lia's true nature and even though he tried to hide how truly sad he was, they all knew that it still hurt him deep down.
"You really deserve it my dear, this place looks so lovely." said Ernest as he smiled.
"Well I couldn't have done it on my own. Mom helped me every step of the way and Benjamin my trusty personal assistant helped me get back on track after the little setback we had." said Lulu as she smiled and hugged her mother.
"But it was all your idea and planning my love." said Margaret as she smiled and Lulu hugged her father.
"You look really nice Lulu." said Ernest Jr as he smiled at his daughter.
"Thanks dad, do you like my dress?" she asked as she twirled around showcasing the flashy bright colours of red, green, pink, yellow, purple and blue of her dress.
It was a mid sleeve tie-dyed long dress with a sweetheart neckline. Due to the muticoloured nature of her dress, Lulu looked like a bright disco ball as she walked around.
It drew attention from everyone and Lulu was in luck because she loved attention and she deserved it as the organizer of this event.
"I love it, it suits you." he said as he smiled and she gave him another hug.
"Is your brother here yet?" asked Ernest Jr as Lulu shook her head.
"No he's not and Nine isn't here either, but he sent me a text that he would be running a little bit late due to traffic." she replied.
"And what about Natasha?" he asked.
"She's not here either." said Lulu.
"Really? I thought that she would be here by now, she told me that she would be here with Joy." said grandfather.
"Oh she will, but she and Dom are coming together." said Lulu.
"Really?" asked Margaret, Ernest Jr and Grandfather in a surprised chorus.
"Yes really." she replied.
"Are you sure that's a good idea I mean... I do not mean to sound negative but arriving together in the eyes of the public means that they are together and I don't think that either of them would be comfortable with that." said Ernest Jr.
"I know but that's exactly why they are doing that... I think. Dom knows how hungry the media is and they are undoubtedly going to be here and Natasha knows that as well, so instead of airing out our family's dirty laundry in front of them it's best that we keep things low and between the family you know." said Lulu.
"I agree with you Louise but... I don't want this to affect Natasha and Dom negatively, they don't have to pretend to be together." said grandfather.
"I agree with father, I don't think that they should have to go through this all in the name of keeping up appearances." said Margaret as she frowned.
"I don't know about that though, they are both adults and they know that they need to do what needs to be done. I doubt that they would let a scandal break out at this event. Besides, Joy is going to be with them so they will have someone to focus on rather than each other." said Lulu.
"They will be fine, I am sure of it." said Lulu with so much confidence that they all could not help but worry.
After all they had learnt their lesson and they definitely did not want Natasha and Dom to have to suffer through something they definitely were not comfortable with.
"Anyway, I will see you guys later, have fun." said Lulu as she gave grandfather a quick kiss on the cheek and she made her escape when she saw some old family friends approaching them.
She definitely was not ready to have her cheeks pinched and to have them ask her how everything is, and say how much she had grown.
"I'm really worried about this Ernie, what if they can't handle it?" asked Margaret as she whispered to her husband.
"I am worried as well, but they are both mature adults, and I am sure that if they both agreed to come together their relationship is in a better place now." he whispered back as he plastered a not too friendly smile on his face as their family friends approached closer.
"I really hope so." said Margaret with a sigh.
"La, la, la, la." hummed Lulu happily as she walked to stand beside Benjamin.
"Why are you standing here like some sort of guard?" she asked him.
"That is my job after all, I'm a bodyguard remember." he said.
"Not tonight you're not. You are my guest and my friend, you're off duty today, we have more than enough security tonight, you just need to let loose and enjoy yourself Ben." she said with a smile as he did not reply to her at all.
Lulu was about to say something else when she suddenly caught sight of one of her beloved brothers and her favourite sister in law and favourite niece.
"Oh my goodness... no way!" she squealed in delight as she laughed and Benjamin looked at her in worry thinking that something was wrong.
"What's wrong?" asked Benjamin.
"Nothing, just that the most beautiful woman just walked into the room!" exclaimed Lulu as she rushed off not even telling Benjamin where she was going.
"Do you feel alright?" asked Dom as he whispered to Natasha as soon as they walked into the hall as Joy held both their hands.
"I'm fine... I just felt a little bit cold outside, but it's warm in here." she replied as she bent down and fixed a loose strand of Joy's hair.
"Okay." he replied.
"Oh my goodness!!! Finally you're here!!!" shouted Lulu happily as she ran towards them.
"Aunt Lulu!!!" replied Joy happily as she let go of her parent's hands and ran to hug Lulu.
"Oh my dear girl, my lovely, lovely girl you look so pretty, so very pretty like a real life angel, a real life orange angel!!" said Lulu as she hugged her tightly and Joy giggled.
"Thank you Aunt Lulu you look very pretty too." said Joy as she giggled.
"You look like a giant piñata." said Dom as he laughed at his sister bold choice of colours. It was like a rainbow exploded on her dress.
"Says the man that looks like a giant banana." replied Lulu as Natasha snickered and Dom scoffed and Joy giggled.
"Ha, ha, ha, very funny, at least there's only only colour to focus on, you look as if a rainbow threw up on you." he replied.
"I think she looks really pretty daddy, her dress is very pretty. I love it." said Joy.
"Why thank you my lovely, favourite niece." said Lulu as she smiled.
"Natasha, Natasha, Natasha, my lovely Natasha... you look like a bomb." said Lulu as she hugged Natasha.
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" laughed Natasha.
"It's an amazing thing you look stunning! I've never seen you wear so much red before, it really suits you, you look like some kind of deity while we are your loyal subjects, I love your dress, the design, the style it suits you so well." said Lulu as Natasha laughed at the flattery.
"Thanks Lulu, I think my head's going to swell if you keep on saying all these nice things." said Natasha as she smiled.
"Your head should swell, if good looks could kill, we would all be dead by now, no joke." said Lulu serious as Natasha laughed.
"I think that's a stretch Lulu." said Natasha as she laughed.
"No it's not. You look good any other day, but today, you look simply breathtaking." she said.
"Thank you Lulu, and I love your dress, it looks really good as well." she replied with a smile.
"Thank you Natasha, but it does not compare to yours. I am telling you, you're going to be the most viewed person in the room." said Lulu as she smiled and the hall filled with more people.
"Hey and what about me? Don't I look good?" asked Dom in a little bit of jealousy, Lulu was giving Natasha all the best compliments and yet here he was.
"No, you look terrible, I am sure everyone will keep on mistaking you for a giant banana." said Lulu as Dom frowned.
"How nice of you." said Dom in annoyance.
"Yellow is not your colour at all." she said.
"Hey, Lulu relax, I think yellow would look better on him if he got rid of the excesses." replied Natasha as she and Lulu laughed.
Thank you to Mich34 for the power stones haha!