042 | her visit (2)

Natasha knew that her grandparents were stubborn ones, so she couldn't refuse since her grandparents would reason that both of them would just see her once in a blue moon. She didn't want to feel indebted to anyone, but she thought of the feelings of her grandparents.

She smiled. "I'll think about what I want for today, so I request that you'll wait for it, Grandma, Grandpa."

Maurice chuckled. "Sure, I'm anticipating what you have on mind, Natasha, but if you didn't have one, Emily and I will think of something."

She nodded. "I'm certain I'll like whatever you give me, Grandma, Grandpa."

"Let's resume this chat inside while we're having lunch, shall we?" Emily asked.

"We shall, Mom," Diana answered.

It didn't take them long to arrive at the dining hall. Natasha knew she shouldn't be surprised at how her grandparents prepared a lot of food on the table since it was expected to visit her grandparents on a special occasion, but she couldn't help it.

"What a splendid feast!" Bryan said.

Diana looked at her parents. "You never fail to make a splendid feast on this special day, Mom, Dad."

"Of course," Maurice had a triumphant smile. "We refuse to make such a half-baked feast for this special day."

"Eat at your heart's content," Emily said.

All of them sat down on the chair, told their prayers led by Bryan, and then started to get their choice of food to eat.

Maurice set aside the spoon and fork, so he could ask Natasha. "So how's school, Natasha?"

She paused eating her food. "Difficult, but I can manage somehow," she answered.

"Studies are?" Maurice asked. "I hope that's the difficult part."

She understood that Maurice might mean something else like classmates or other factors of difficulties since she didn't specify her answer. "Yes, but I can manage because I study it."

"I see," Maurice said. "Do you have something you'd like to take as your career in the future?" he asked.

She knew that Maurice or Emily would ask about it sooner or later. She found herself a little bit uneasy whenever someone would ask that question, but if she refused to answer that would make them, including her parents, ask further, so it was much better if she told the truth.

She shook her head. "Unfortunately, I don't, Grandpa. I haven't decided what to take yet, but I promise to tell them if I have one."

"I think you'll soon know what you like to do, Natasha," Maurice said.

She smiled at those simple words of Maurice. "I think I will if you tell so, Grandpa."

"Really?" he asked and then chuckled. "Consider me as your old lucky charm then, Natasha."

She giggled. "I will, Grandpa."

"How are things between you and your friend Cassie?" Emily asked.

"Cassie and I are talking about these and that, so we're still on good terms, Grandma," she answered.

"I'm glad to hear that, Natasha," Emily said.

"I should tell that to Cassie later, Grandma. I'm sure she'll be delighted to hear that from you," she said.

"You can go ahead," Emily said.

She would compose a message to Cassie soon after the lunch was done. She surmised that Cassie would love to meet her grandparents again the moment Cassie would read her composed message.

"If you and Cassie are good, did you make friends in your new school? Smith High School, isn't it?" Emily asked.

"I made, but not friends, a friend it is," she answered.

"Oh, a friend?" Emily was surprised, but then again she shouldn't be since she knew Natasha had only Cassie in the previous school. "Who's the lucky friend?"

"He's Liam Speaker," she answered.

"A male friend!?" Maurice stood up from his seat and slammed the table.

"You shouldn't raise your voice like that, Darling!" Emily scolded.

"Sorry, Darling..." Maurice realized that all of them were in the middle of eating lunch, so he went back to his seat.

"Did Diana or Bryan met this male friend of yours?" Emily asked.

"Mum did, but Pops didn't," she answered.

"How's Natasha's male friend, Diana?" Maurice asked.

"He's a good kid, Dad," Diana answered.

"I haven't met that male friend, so I don't know about that, Father," Bryan said.

"Bryan Lee!" Diana raised her voice. "How many times I told you that Liam isn't trash!?"

"B-But Honey—" Bryan didn't have a chance to reason out.

"Just tell you don't trust me, you idiot!" Diana crossed her arms.

"Now, now, settle down, we're in the middle of eating our lunch," Emily said, and then looked at Diana and Bryan. "Both of you should save that silly sweet dispute for later."

"If Diana told so, then it must be true," Maurice believed in Diana. "But I still want to meet this male friend of yours someday, Natasha."

Natasha smiled. "I think that will happen soon, Grandpa."