She sat by the window, white hair framing her weathered face. She would be ninety-six years old in less than a week and the nurses had decorated her room with bright and sweet smelling flowers in honor of the occasion. Two small hands played absentmindedly with the pleating on her rose colored skirt as she quietly hummed a slow melody. She was a favorite of the staff at Caton Park, a relatively small nursing home in Brooklyn. She was a sweet woman, but strong and independent. A grand storyteller, she loved to share the tales of her great adventures with anyone who would listen. The staff was attentive, but they believed that she got all of her stories from an old comic book and were not impressed with the heroics of the dashing captain and the young agent who fell in love with him.
"Margaret", a nurse peeked her head in the door and smiled; "there is someone here to see you". The woman turned in surprise. She hadn't been visited in many years. Her husband had died just before their fiftieth anniversary and her son was deployed with the Marines in Afghanistan. "Would you like for me to buzz him in?" Margaret nodded softly as she pulled her beaded cardigan closer around her shoulders. The nurse smiled once more. "Just call for me if you need anything, okay? I'll be right out in the hallway." She pulled the door shut behind her and Margaret listened to the clip clop of her heels as she receded into the distance. A few minutes later, the door began to swing open slowly, as if the person behind it was afraid of what they would find inside. As the tall figure came into her view, Margaret jumped to her feet faster than any ninety-six year old before her. The man stepped into the room timidly, before coming to rest just a few feet in front of her. There were tears on his handsome face and she raised a shaky hand to brush them away.
"You're late, Captain. Sixty-Seven years is a record, even for you." His eyes widened in shock and she chuckled lightly. "You didn't think I'd forget about our date, did you Steve?" His face lit up as he gently pulled her into a hug. They stood like that for what seemed like ages. When they finally broke apart, he kissed her gently on the cheek and helped her back into her chair. "We looked for you for years, you know." He took her hand and settled on the floor in front of her. After several hours of catching up, the nurse knocked on the door to tell them that visiting hours were almost over. Steve Roger's youthful blue eyes never left the chocolate browns of the aged agent as he got on his feet again. The sun had begun to set and its orangey glow illuminated the room. He turned on the stereo on her dresser and inserted a disk. She looked at him curiously as the sweet sound of Doris Day drifted through the speakers. "Would you do me the honor Agent Carter?" She placed her tiny hand in his and he pulled her close to him as they began to sway back and forth.
Gonna take a Sentimental Journey,
Gonna set my heart at ease.
Gonna make a Sentimental Journey,
to renew old memories.
The song came to a close, but they continued to dance to a silent rhythm. "I'm sorry I was late Peggy." The nurse knocked again to announce the end of visiting hours and they reluctantly parted. He helped her into her chair again as the last rays of light disappeared. He gave her one last kiss, on her forehead this time, and smoothed her hair as she smiled up at him. "It's alright Steve; this dance was worth the wait."