Consequences

Lulu sighed, she had a feeling that Benjamin would want her to tell Natasha the truth. And yes, that seemed to be the most logical thing to do. But she was scared, and when you were scared, most times, the most logical thing was not the easiest thing to do.

"I know it's hard for you to think of even doing, but it's the right thing." Benjamin said. "If you ask me, I think you should tell her what happened as soon as she gets back home." He added.

"Well, I didn't ask you." Lulu replied glaring at him.

"Louise." He called, he did not want to look disappointed, he knew that she just needed a little push in the right direction and her common sense would kick in and tell her to do the right thing.

"Think about it, if you agree with Joy not to tell her mother, that's you being a bad influence, because you are basically telling her that it's okay not to tell the truth when you feel scared of the consequences." Lulu groaned, she hated it when he was right.

"If you ask me, I think Natasha would feel much more angry at the fact that you agreed with Joy not to tell her instead of her sympathizing with your fear." He said again.

"*Ugh*, Can you just be quiet and let me think for a moment?" Lulu groaned, he was saying a lot, and she was hearing everything he was saying. He was right, she did not wish to be a bad influence on Joy. That was the last thing she wanted.

And she also did not want to be the one to enable her to start lying because she covered up for herself.

"Alright, fine, I will let you think, but I know that you are very intelligent and ultimately, you will make the right choice." Benjamin said and with that he gestured zipping up his lips and throwing away the key.

Lulu wanted to laugh at his tiny gesture, she felt like she was finally starting to rub off on him. He usually used to be serious all the time, but now he was getting a little more and more goofy, and she liked that about him.

"Thanks for the compliment." She said, she gestured unzipping his mouth and she shoved a piece of fruit into it.

Benjamin who had not expected such a sudden invasion of his mouth almost choked and coughed out.

"Hey, relax, it's just a grape." Lulu laughed.

"You didn't wash your hands." Benjamin groaned, he spit out the grape into the trash and rushed to the sink to wash his mouth.

"Hey, relax, my hand is not dirty, I literally just washed out a dish." Lulu frowned.

"That doesn't mean you washed your hands directly." Benjamin choked on the water. "Don't think that I didn't see you pick your nose a while ago." He said as he continued scrubbing his tongue.

"Oh please, I didn't know you have OCD." Lulu rolled her eyes. She shook her head, what sort of overreacting was this.

"I don't, but personal space exists and you should not have done that without telling me first." Benjamin said, he closed the tap and dried his face.

"Yeah right, I didn't even fully put my hand in your mouth, I just pushed the grape in, you are just overreacting." She scoffed.

"No, I am not! You don't see me shoving grapes into your mouth without your knowledge." Benjamin frowned.

"It was one grape, and besides, you are just overreacting, no wonder you don't have a girlfriend, I'm even sure you're never kissed anyone with this annoying super clean, neat-freak." Lulu was so annoyed she did not notice Benjamin turning red at her words.

"That—th—that— not— true—" He spluttered.

"Whatever, that's your problem. I'm out, watch the pasta and make sure it doesn't burn." Lulu tsked and with that she took her leave. Benjamin could be so sweet one second, and the next he was totally annoying.

"Aunt Lulu." Joy called as she happily pranced into the dining room.

"Hello Joy, have you fed Maggie?" Lulu asked as Joy nodded.

"Yes Aunt Lulu, I did." Joy smiled.

"Good, come here, I need to tell you something." Lulu gestured Joy come sit next to her.

 Joy nodded and walked towards her and Lulu carried her on her lap.

"Alright, now, Joy, I have to tell you something really important okay?" Lulu asked and Joy nodded.

"I know that I said earlier that I won't tell your mommy... but I've given it further thought and—The best thing to do would be to tell your mommy the truth." As soon as Lulu said those words, she could see Joy's eyes were riddled with fear.

"Aunt Lulu... I... I am going to get in big...big trouble." Joy said, tears threatened to drop from her eyes.

"No, no, no you're not going to get in trouble Joy, no, it's my fault for leaving you alone." Lulu sighed. "It's not your fault, it's mine and I know that you are scared to tell the truth, but telling the truth is the best thing you can ever do in any situation." Lulu said.

"Why?" Joy sniffed.

"Well because, when you tell the truth, you will be free from any guilt, when you feel guilty, even when someone wants to ask you something, you will be scared that they will ask you about what they are hiding because of the guilt."

"You won't feel peaceful and you'll be scared all the time that someone is going to tell on what you did." Lulu said.

"Listen my darling, it's not your fault, it's mine, even if you get scolded a little bit, you know it's because your mommy is so worried about you and she loves you so much okay?" Lulu asked and Joy nodded.

"Sometimes, we should not be afraid of scolding, because scolding means that someone cares about us and they just don't want us to repeat the same mistake again, and they know no other way to make sure it sticks with us other than raising their voice a little bit and frowning." Lulu said.

"Really?" Joy asked sniffing.

"Really, it's easiest to show someone how upset you are by their actions when you scold them and frown and raise your voice a little bit. But it does not mean they don't love you, if anything, it means that they love you so much that they want you to be perfect." Lulu said.

"So don't be afraid, because I'm going to tell your mommy what happened." Lulu wiped away her tears. "It is better that she hears it from us other than from someone else okay?" she asked.

"Okay." Joy nodded.

"Thank you." Lulu sighed.

"Aunt Lulu, are you worried that mommy will scold you too?" Joy asked and Lulu laughed, either Joy was either very attentive to other people's feelings or she was very bad at hiding her feelings.

"Well yes, a little bit, your mommy has never shouted at me before, so I'm even scared of her doing that." Lulu chuckled sheepishly.

"Don't be scared Aunt Lulu, I will stay with you when you tell mommy, so she won't be very angry at you." Joy said rubbing Lulu's hand.

"That's really sweet of you my dear, but I'm the adult here, I have to be responsible for my own actions." Lulu said.

"Maybe, but even adults needs help from children sometimes, and I want to help you Aunt Lulu, if mommy shouts at both of us, we won't feel that bad." Lulu laughed at Joy's reasoning.

It was just cute and very sweet at the same time, maybe she was right, maybe not. But Lulu definitely did not wish that things would go to such a bad state.

"Thanks for the offer my lovely niece, I'll take it." Lulu laughed.

"Yayyy." Joy hugged her. "Now, we have to get ready to tell mommy once she comes home." Joy said.

"Yes, yes, but until then, let's go and enjoy the time we have before that time comes." Lulu said carrying Joy as she stood up. "Let's enjoy lunch and watch tv to relax ourselves before then." She said as she walked into the kitchen where Benjamin was sieving the water from the pasta.

He gave Lulu a dirty glare when she walked past him while she simply ignored him.

"Are we having pasta for lunch Aunt Lulu?" Joy asked and Lulu nodded.

"And is Uncle Benjamin staying for lunch Aunt Lulu?" Joy asked.

"Yes my dear, he will be." Lulu said as she set her down and proceeded to dish their lunch.

"Yayyyy, I missed you a lot Uncle Benjamin." Joy said as she hugged his legs. She looked up at him with her big doe eyes. She had always liked him, just like she liked her own uncles.

"Thanks Joy, I missed you a lot too." He smiled at her being sincere.