Bucky had a rough night, but not nearly as bad as the two youngest Barnes. Jamie started crying about an hour after Bucky had fallen asleep. He let him cry for a few minutes because everything he had read said to let them cry it out a few times and they'll learn to self sooth. Jamie wanted no part of that and rather than letting his cries wake up Amy, Bucky went and got him out of the crib. He tried feeding him, changing him, and bouncing him lightly, which usually does the trick, but nothing was working. Jamie kept chewing on things and likely getting his second tooth. Finally, he settled a little, resting on Bucky's chest while he sat in the recliner, so he carried the baby upstairs and put him in the crib. Instant crying. He gave up and just took him into his room and let him eventually go to sleep on his chest. But he hated doing that. He worried he'd have one of his nightmares and hurt the baby, so he barely dozed.
He was a light sleeper anyway, so when Tessa started whining, then crying in her room, he listened for her to go back to sleep. She had slept in her own bed for the last three nights and had done okay until now. Eventually, he heard her bare feet padding down the hall as she sniffled. Shielding the baby's face from the light, Bucky turned on the bedside lamp. Tessa told him her arm hurt. Checking the time, he saw it had been a while since she got her last dose of Tylenol. Carrying the now sleeping Jamie with him to the bathroom, he got out the bottle and gave her a spoonful. She wasn't really crying, just whining, but he could tell she was pretty miserable. He tried once again to put Jamie into his crib and did so without him crying, so he took Tessa downstairs and got her a drink.
Tessa was pretty pitiful and there was nothing more he could do. He had bought three different pain meds but he couldn't use them together, so he needed to call the doctor and find out which was best for pain. If it didn't have a cast on, he could ice her arm or something. He noticed her fingers were a little puffy. She had been wanting Bucky to hold her all the time since their trip to the ER, so he picked her up and just swayed, thinking the movement might help. He could tell by the way she moved her arm that this was truly pain and not crying just for attention.
After a while, she got quiet and he could tell she was sleepy. But when he took her upstairs and walked past his room to take her to her bed, she started whining and crying again. She had developed a habit of winding his dog tags chain around her hand. He gave up the fight and went back to his room with her. As soon as he put her down, she insisted she needed one of her animals, so he got one. Then he laid her down so her arm rested on a pillow, hoping the elevation might help it. Then he lay beside her, stroking her hair until she finally went to sleep. He finally removed his dog tags from her grip and, since he was wide awake now, he grabbed his phone to see if there was something more he should do about her arm. Oddly enough, he'd only broken his arm after he took the serum, which Steve broke it on the helicarrier. The other one he just ripped off.
Eventually, he dozed a bit. It surprised him to wake up so late for the baby. He left Tessa asleep and went to the nursery, but he wasn't there. A noise in the kitchen made him run downstairs and almost into Amy carrying the baby. She yelped, making Jamie giggle.
"Oh, I thought you were an intruder or something," he explained, rubbing his face.
"I was awake to take Otis out and Jamie started moving around. I heard you guys up late last night so I changed him and now I'm going to feed him," she explained, putting him into the high chair.
"This is why you're my favorite kid," Bucky said with a smile and kissed her on top of her head.
"Is Tessa still hurting?" she asked. "She told me that it was hurting after she was in bed but I thought her medicine wasn't working yet."
"She's still hurting. I'm calling her doctor from Tennessee in about thirty minutes. I should have gotten a doctor for you kids right away. I dropped the ball on that," he said setting up the coffee machine. "I guess I better go get Tessa before she falls out of bed or something but I hate waking her up. Don't forget, you have your appointment today at eleven thirty. Sam and Sarah are picking up their cousin who will hopefully be your nanny and they should be here about when your appointment ends. Then you're going to need to come with me to visit Tessa's school, unless one of them volunteers to watch you. I hate to keep asking."
Amy turned to look at him with a smirk, so like Mary's, "I think you overbooked yourself today."
"Yeah. I did. You want to be my assistant and keep up my calendar?" He winked at her. "Actually, we might be going to Wakanda any day now so I moved up the school visit and the alarm guy is coming here this evening. I suppose when should take Breanna out for dinner since its her first night, unless Sarah and Sam already have something planned. I think if Tessa's old doctor can't help me, I might have to drag you all to the ER."
"When will I be old enough to stay and babysit them by myself?"
Bucky pondered her question awhile before saying, "You just moved to a city that has probably five times the crime rate where you used to live, and we are in a good neighborhood, so I don't think I'd be comfortable with you babysitting for a few years. Not because I don't trust you but because I know what is out there and I don't trust them."
"I can't believe we're going to Wakanda," she said in whispered awe. "Will I be able to see the battlefield?"
He was quiet for a moment before saying, "I know its very exciting for you because its historical but you'll be around people who lost loved ones during that fight and others who just fought in it and it was a bad fight. If their loved ones died before the snap, then they never came back. I know you're a very polite and thoughtful child normally, but I just wanted to remind you about that."
"I'm sorry…"
"No, its okay you asked me, Amy. I told you to never be afraid to ask me anything but just watch what you say to the Wakandans. And yes, you'll be able to see the battlefield. It's a wide-open space in between the barrier and Shuri's lab." Thinking he heard Tessa, he hesitated.
When he turned back to her, Amy said, "I know Tessa can be spoiled and whiny when she wants something she doesn't get but when it comes to pain, my mom always said she was very tough since she rarely cried even when she's hurt herself before or when she's sick. She gets whiny when she's tired but never cries if she's hurting, unless she's really in pain. When she had her tonsils out, she didn't cry at all. She just was very quiet. I know last night she was upset about not being able to sign but if she says she's in pain, she's really in a lot of pain."
Bucky sighed. "I know. I could tell last night how miserable she was. But I'm not sure what I can do to help the pain. I'm calling her doctor as soon as they open. I think I need to reschedule the school visit though. I don't want to be taking her everywhere when she feels bad. Let me go call them and then the doctor. Can you listen for Tessa?"
x0x0
After making his phone calls, Bucky jumped in the shower. To kill two birds with one stone, he took Jamie into the shower with him. Not exactly a time saver in the end. But he was glad he did it because after he got dressed, he had to carry Tessa everywhere and wouldn't have been able to bathe Jamie at all. Her doctor had already contacted someone in Brooklyn that she recommended, but the new doctor said it would be best for him to go back to the ER. If he saw the doctor, they'd have to leave to go to get X-rays and then go to another place to get the cast. Tessa's old doctor bent over backwards to help him. Apparently, Tessa was a favorite there. When she heard Tessa was crying a lot, she admitted surprise. Said they'd probably need to remove the cast and see what was going on. It's possible it broke in more than one spot and they missed it the first time. He pushed off the school until later next week to give her some healing time before she went back. Poor Jamie wasn't happy about losing his favorite mode of transportation: Bucky. He took them outside for a while but Amy and Jamie played with the dog while Tessa sat in his lap with her face buried in his chest. It was so unbearably pitiful.
He got everyone fed early so they could leave when the appointment was finished, but Tessa refused to eat. Luckily he got her to drink a Pediasure shake. That was something, at least.
After they finished eating, he plopped Jamie in his walker, so by the time someone knocked on the door, he was almost asleep. Bucky opened the door and saw a blonde teenager dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and he assumed she had the wrong address.
"Mr. Barnes? I'm Elizabeth Floyd. We had an appointment at eleven thirty," she said, with a lot of confidence and poise, more than most teenagers had. He recalled when Dr. Raynor said she looked younger than she was. He wasn't expecting her to look sixteen.
"Oh! Come in," he said, stepping out of the doorway. He couldn't shake her hand because of Tessa, but she didn't seem to notice. "Its silly, but I was expecting someone like Dr. Raynor. She's the only therapist I know."
"Well, I've found that kids feel very intimidated by professional clothes, so I dress like one of them," she explained, glancing around. "Some parents don't appear to like it but I think the kids do."
"Personally, whatever works for you is fine by me. This is Jamie rolling up to you, by the way. He's probably the most adjusted one in the house, but if you're not paying attention, he'll run you down. And this is Tessa. She's not feeling too good right now. Before you meet Amy, I had a few questions and comments." She followed him into the kitchen and she took the bottle of water he offered. "First, the social worker told me she was a problem child but I have seen nothing but a sometimes shy, but very sweet and smart little girl. I do still think therapy is a good idea mostly because she seems to suffer the most from the grief."
"That makes sense. Tessa is too young to understand it."
"That's just it. She doesn't understand it all of it but seems to be trying to work it out in her head because she keeps asking. And she is picking up somethings. Honestly, I don't know if I'm telling her the right thing," Bucky admitted. Since Tessa couldn't hear him anyway, he explained what happened at the orphanage and about the few times both girls had asked questions.
"I think you've done a good job. It's easier to lie to kids when they ask difficult questions so that is how most adults handle it. But in the long run it hurts the child more and you're lost that sense of trust. By the time you want them to trust you most, like their teen years, they know you've lied to them about important things. You've done great under the circumstances," she said with a smile. "And if you want I can make an appointment to talk to Tessa because I do think she needs to talk to someone, especially about what she went through at the orphanage so soon after her parents death."
Bucky was quiet for a few minutes then asked, "Are there other therapists like you? I'm sure you're really good and I don't doubt you could handle both girls professionally. But Amy has had to be the grown up since their parents died. And I feel like she doesn't have enough that's all her own. Tessa's hearing problems require people to pay more attention to her and Jamie's a baby so he automatically gets more attention. And to me, therapy's very personal. I think she'd do better with a therapist that she didn't have to share with Tessa."
Once again, she nodded then tilting her head asked, "Are you sure you haven't raised kids before this? You seem to have a lot of insight into kids, especially girls, and what they're thinking."
"I had three sisters and I can't even remember how many younger female cousins I had. I guess it doesn't matter which decade you're in. At heart kids are the same as they used to be. I don't know that I'm any good at it. I worry that I'm spoiling Tessa. She's very determined to get her way and I honestly hate seeing her cry. I'm not letting her juggle knives but if she wants pizza, she gets pizza most of the time. I try to make sure to allow Amy her choice on things too because of Tessa getting her way so much, but Amy is just much more reserved about saying she wants something. And last night Tessa broke her arm." He noticed she was looking up at him and smiled. "I think she secretly knows when I'm talking about her." She signed that her arm still hurt so she wanted a popsicle. "How about I give you some Tylenol and after dinner, we can talk about the popsicle?" She pouted but nodded. Then she hid her face again.
"Let me introduce you to Amy and I'll put the little one in bed and give Tessa some medicine," Bucky suggested, pushing Jamie's walker along with his foot.
As he walked into the great room, Amy eyed the doctor warily. She had Otis sitting on her lap like a barrier from everyone. "Amy, this is Dr. Elizabeth Floyd. She's here to see you," Bucky said and added. "Don't worry. You're just going to talk to her."
"Actually, everyone, including my patients, calls me Lizzie. If you're comfortable with that," she asked Amy.
Amy nodded, eyeing Lizzie. Bucky waited a bit before saying, "I'm putting Jamie down for a nap and giving Tessa some Tylenol. But I'll be upstairs when I'm finished if anyone needs me."
"Actually, the first visit I invite the parents...or guardians to join us. That way we can work together to determine what you and Amy think she needs. But take whatever time you need upstairs. I'll just get to know Amy while you do," she said and walked further into the great room.
Bucky let her do her thing while dealing with these two handfuls. He had to put down Tessa to change Jamie and then Tessa wanted to be held again. Bucky wondered if she just might want him to do it because he was the only adult so she gravitated towards him in times of crisis.
She was crying again, and Bucky wasn't sure what to do. He tried to see if she would take a nap, but that ended up with her wailing. Every time he picked her up, she clutched his shirt like she was terrified and wrapped his dog tags around her hand again. He's just going to talk with Lizzie and Amy as needed, and if Tessa started fussing, he'd step out of the room. He let her pick one of her stuffed animals and he told her she needed to be quiet while they were talking. Then they went downstairs.
Lizzie was sitting facing Amy, with one leg bent, looking very comfortable and casual. She was playing with Otis absentmindedly while she and Amy talked about moving here from Tennessee. Bucky came in and sat down across from them. Tessa remained with him on his lap, with her face buried in his chest. Lizzie noticed the way she was sitting, but said nothing.
"We were talking about Otis, who is an adorable little dog and friend. And Amy was talking about Tennessee," Lizzie explained.
"Before we go further, Amy, if you feel you want to talk to Lizzie alone, tell me and I can leave. I won't be mad. I don't want you to feel forced into talking about things when you aren't ready,"
Amy nodded and Lizzie said, "Absolutely. These are tough subjects and if they are too tough, we can stop and either stay silent or talk about things like music or TV shows, whatever you want." She looked at Bucky and asked, "Can you tell Amy and I why you wanted her to have therapy? Maybe that's a good place to start."
Bucky was silent for a moment, just unconsciously rubbing circles on Tessa's back. Finally, he looked at Amy. "I had many reasons. Your life has been very traumatic since the Blip, despite the wonderful parents and family you had. Then you lost your parents, and all that awful stuff that followed. Plus, I took you away from everyone you know to live up here. I know that no matter what I say or do, I can't fix the bad stuff from the past couple of months, so you can get back to the way you felt before their death. I was hoping Lizzie could help you process your grief. Amy, you are one of the toughest kids I know. I don't want you to fake being happy. I want you to really be happy."
Amy looked a bit overwhelmed by what he said and he worried he was too honest. "That sounds like a reasonable expectation," Lizzie replied, then looked at Amy. "What do you hope happens from this therapy?"
Shrugging, Amy was silent for a long time, but no one rushed her. Finally, she answered softly. "I want to feel better about my parents. I'm still afraid all the time. And I can't stop wondering about the details of how they died. Everyone tells me I don't want to know, but I do. I remember how it felt to lie in the car for hours, not knowing if my dad was alive. I remember the pain in my leg and I thought I would lose it or would they would ever find us. I can't help thinking of my parents like that. And I never saw them... after, so I keep thinking maybe it's a mistake." She started sobbing. Not like Tessa's loud and strong outbursts of tears. No, it looked like repressed tears. She kept trying to stop them, but she broke over that sentence.
Bucky sat forward, preparing to go to hug Amy, but Lizzie held up her hand and shook her head. She watched Amy cry, but didn't comfort her. Bucky noticed how the dog sensed Amy's mood change and was trying to give her affection. She clutched at the dog's blanket in her lap. Like she had a sixth sense, Tessa sat up and looked right at Amy. Eventually she slid off of Bucky's lap to go to her sister. Bucky wasn't the crying type, but if he had been, he would have at Tessa trying to comfort Amy. He felt helpless. Lizzie probably knew what she was doing, but the instinct for him to make these kids happy when they were sad had happened within minutes of meeting them, it seemed. Not wanting Amy to feel like everyone was staring at her, he studied his hands.
Lizzie waited a few moments then said, "Its very unfortunately you weren't able to say goodbye to your parents at their funeral and I wish I could tell you otherwise, but there hasn't been a mistake. Sadly, that is the hardest thing to face for you. My father died when I was younger in an accident and I felt the same way. I wanted to see him to know there was no mistake. But as hard as it is for you to mourn them without seeing them one final time, you will always remember them looking healthy and beautiful. What did your mother look like the last time you saw her?"
Amy thought for a minute before answering, "She was wearing a bright pink shirt and pants. Like they were connected in the middle so they were one piece. And she had her hair in one braid down the back. She didn't wear a lot of makeup most of the time but she did that night, including those fake lash things. She wore the silver bracelet my dad gave her for her birthday that matched the necklace and earrings we gave her last Christmas. Plus, she had on these strappy sandals." She smiled as she remembered things.
"She sounds like she looked very pretty. Did she wear perfume too? What did your dad look like?" Lizzie prompted her.
"She wore two different perfumes. One was for everyday and one for special things. She wore the special one that night. My dad was wearing a blue suit, but not with a tie. He never wore jewelry. And his hair always looked the same," she said with a shrug. "But he was in a good mood. While he was waiting for my mom, he kept picking us up and dancing with us and singing really loudly and badly. It was fun."
"Those are the memories you should try to remember when you regret not seeing them after. If you can draw maybe you could draw a picture of them," Lizzie said, then added, "Whatever you do to remember them, it needs to be something that helps move you forward."
Tessa came back sucking her thumb. She didn't climb into his lap because she didn't have a free hand so he picked her up. He noticed she was holding her arm strangely and her fingers were even more swollen, looking a bit bluish. Lizzie and Amy talked about different ways to work through the grief. Ne stood up and said he'd be back, then took Tessa to the kitchen.
He put her on the counter so she was at his level. Carefully, he moved her fingers a bit and after two fingers, she was crying. "Oh, baby, we're going to work it out," he signed, kissing her on the head. He grabbed an ice pack and wrapped a towel around it and gave it to her. He needed to take her to the ER now.
Calling Sam, he let it ring about three times before he almost hung up.
"Hey we're almost there," Sam said.
"I hate to ask but when you get here, can I leave Amy and Jamie with you guys. Tessa has been crying and miserable and now her fingers are blue," Bucky said, picking Tessa up. "I'm sorry fore taking advantage…"
"Nah man. My sister is to blame for the broken arm," Sam said, and Bucky heard a loud slap and Sarah yelling at him. Then he heard a rustling noise before Sarah came on.
"Yes, we would love to look after the two beautiful children I didn't break," she said, then added, "Is Tessa that bad?"
"Yes. Her old doctor said I had to watch for something serious called compartmental syndrome. She has two of the symptoms already."
"Oh, poor baby. Okay, assuming we don't hit traffic, we're about ten minutes away. See you in a few."
Before he hung up, he saw Shuri was calling. "Hey, will tomorrow work for you? The jet can be there by one your time."
"That's perfect," he said with a sigh. He just needed one thing to go right for Tessa right now.
"Good. I arranged a van because they prefer to land at Essex County Airport, which is about an hour away. Peter Parker is coming with you. T'Challa invited him and Peter said he knew the way to your house," she replied. "You didn't tell me you were friends with Spiderman. He doesn't seem like the type of person you'd hang out with. I mean, he's young and you're...well, old."
Bucky shook his head. "Go ahead, abuse me now. Kick me when I'm down. Peter is a recent friend."
"What's wrong?" her tone of voice flipped quickly.
"Just Tessa's broken arm might need to be reset. And she's miserable. I've discovered my weakness: crying little girls."
"I'd pick on you if that weren't so predictable. I always knew there was a teddy bear buried beneath that grizzly bear." Despite her words, he could tell that she meant it as a compliment. Hearing a knock on the door, he walked outside onto the porch with Sam and the gang.
"Hold on Shuri. Sam, Amy's appointment is almost over, so I'm going to stay until the end in case the doctor needs to talk to me. I'm arranging with Shuri meeting the jet tomorrow," he explained.
"You're going to Wakanda?" Sam asked with surprise. "Why wasn't I invited? I want to go with you. I mean, its only right as we're a team and all."
"We're not a team. Shuri has a reason for sending the jet and its not you. Besides, I'm like family," Bucky said, rolling his eyes. He heard Shuri laughing and said Sam can come. "But Sam's family is here, so that would be two additional adults and two children."
"Believe it or not, Bucky, we have the room. You can stay in the palace and put Sam in a hut on the border," Shuri said, laughing.
"His sister can stay with me," Bucky said to annoy Sam. "I need to go. Amy's doctor should be finished soon. Do you want to talk to Sam about how to get to the airport? I'm not sharing my van with him." After saying goodbye, Bucky left the others outside until he finished with Lizzie.
They were talking about Amy going back to school and trying to fit in. She reluctantly admitted she was nervous people would pick on her because Bucky was an Avenger and that her parents were dead.
"Kids will always pick on other kids for anything different about them. Sadly, that won't change soon. But you don't have to tell anyone what you don't want them to know. You're coming in a new person with no history with them. So, that can be cool for some people. Don't tell them Bucky is an Avenger, if you don't want to. Or just act like you're too cool to talk about it."
"Don't worry. I'm pretty sure I'm not an Avenger. Just friends with them." Bucky winked at Amy.
Lizzie looked at her watch and said, "Sadly, our time is up. After I leave, you talk it over with Bucky if you want to keep seeing me. You don't have to say now and feel pressured. He can call and make an appointment if you do."
Bucky asked about the bill and gave her cash. He needed to look into insurance or something; he supposed. Lizzie glanced at Tessa's hand and said, "Oh, that's not good." She lightly lifted her fingers, seeing their color. "You said you're going to the ER today, right?"
"Yes. Her old doctor told me to watch for this, so I knew I needed to go. I'm sorry I'm rushing you," he said, walking to the door. "Ignore these people. They came with the house." AJ and Cass ran past him to talk to Amy and play with Otis.
Lizzie laughed and waved at Amy. "Call me if you need anything. It was nice to meet you, Bucky. And I hope her arm feels better soon."
As look as Lizzie was in the car, Sam said, "So... that's not a doctor. Is that some girl you hooked up with last night?"
"Okay, technically, she's not a doctor. She's a therapist that works with kids. That's why she's dressed casually. And some girl I hooked up with? Do you think I dragged kids around to the bars to meet girls? Really?"
"Let me see my baby." Sam reached for Tessa. She studied him for a minute before burying her head into Bucky's chest again. "Okay, she's really suffering. You should go."
"Breanna, I'm so sorry that we didn't have time to talk, but you can meet two of the kids. Jamie is asleep upstairs," Bucky said, holding his hand out to shake Breanna's. "I'm sorry your cousins are too heathen to introduce you to me too."
"You know who she is or I would have," Sarah explained. She came up and was brushing Tessa's hair back. "Poor thing. You can tell when Ms. Bundle of Personality doesn't feel good."
"Why don't I come with you, Mr. Barnes? In case you need someone to watch Tessa while you're in the ER or if you have to go to the drugstore." Breanna asked, very soft-spoken, unlike her cousins.
"You're wonderful. I love you already. But please call me Bucky. Mr. Barnes makes me feel old." He saw Sarah open her mouth and glared at her. "You hush. I know I'm not too old for you to want to jump my bones."
"Hey. Hey! Hey! None of that," Sam said.
"We really need to go. Please don't break the other two kids, Sarah," Bucky said and told Tessa where they were going. She needed to go to the bathroom and wanted another stuffed animal. "Hold on. Bathroom break. Be right back."
Bucky and Breanna spent two hours in the waiting room before Tessa started crying nonstop. Bucky skipped the superhero card and went straight to angry dad attitude. They ended up having to replace the cast. Bucky told them to use a fiberglass one instead. They also gave him prescription pain meds, just in case. Since she was in so much pain today, they gave her some prescription pain meds. She was much better without the old cast. It had been too tight because of the swelling. They also gave her a sling to use. He realized Shuri could probably fix it tomorrow, anyway. He thought he remembered them healing things like that easily over there.
Breanna turned out to be really great. She didn't feel the need to talk during silences, but she was entertaining and intelligent when she spoke. It surprised him when he paid the bill and Tessa let Breanna carry her. By the time they got in the car, the pain meds had already knocked Tessa out. Before leaving, he called and asked if they minded doing a cookout instead of going out to dinner. He called and invited Leah, apologizing for the last notice. Then he invited Peter and his Aunt May, too. Breanna stayed in the car with Tessa while Bucky went in the grocery store and got food and beer. He went overboard and bought enough hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, and ribs to feed an army. He got the kids some outdoor toys, like water guns and bubbles. They hadn't really had time to make the backyard fun.
When they got home, poor Tessa was still lost to the world. He carried her inside and took her to her room, grabbing the baby monitor. Sam helped him unload all the groceries. Then Bucky grabbed Jamie and took Breanna to show her the basement.
"If you'd like the job, it's yours. This would be your room. I was going to get furniture, but I figured it would be easier for you to pick out what you want. It's a basement so no windows but its not damp or anything. At night, the first-floor bathroom would be all yours. And no one takes a shower in there now. Do you want to get to know Amy and Jamie before you decide? Or if you want to think about it or just talk it over with Sarah and Sam, that's okay too." He handed her a piece of paper. "And here is what I thought I'd pay you based on what I found online, but it is negotiable. I want to be fair. Plus, you wouldn't be working all the time, except if I have a mission. So, if you wanted to go to college here or just go out and meet people sometimes, that's okay, too. I'll pay for your room and board so you'd only need to pay for your food if you go out with friends or whatever." Bucky suddenly stopped and looked at her and laughed. "I don't normally talk so much, I promise."
She smiled. "I already told Sarah I'd take it if you offered. Tessa is precious and you have a warm, family house. I saw Amy playing with the boys and Sarah had already described her, anyway. Jamie is adorable. But mainly, you're the reason. I can see how much you want to help these kids, which makes me want to help you, and you've taken on a lot, but you seem to be such a good guy, like Sam. Plus I know Sam. He would never let me work for an awful guy. And the salary is more than enough. It's too much."
"Maybe it's too much in Louisiana, but I hope it's okay up here. Its too expensive here. Apparently, we're all going to Wakanda tomorrow, we'll get you furniture when we get back. I still have to find Tessa at school, but Amy will start soon after we get back. Oh, can you drive?" When she nodded, he thought for a moment then said, I need to find out how to get you on my car insurance or if I need to get you separate insurance. You don't text when you're driving, I hope. Because that is a Wilson family trait."
Breanna laughed and followed him back upstairs. Amy had just come in for a drink so Bucky had them introduce each other. The house seemed so busy. Then he realized that there were five additional people here and more on the way. He grabbed his baby backpack so his hands were free. Sam broke into loud laughter and took some pics. Tomorrow would be fun. Shuri was going to tease him mercilessly.
Sam and he got the grill ready to cook while Sarah and Breanna made the fixings. Bucky had bought some store-bought things, but Sarah took one look and said 'no' then started making them from scratch. He learned not to argue with her about some things.
Tessa was awake and still wanted to be held, so Bucky had to hand off Jamie to Sam. They were all outside when something zipped through the air. The kids all started screaming excitedly, so Bucky walked off the porch so that Tessa could see what was going on. Spiderman was on the garage, of course. He swung around for a bit and did some flips before he jumped down.
"I didn't know we were supposed to be performing," Sam said in annoyance.
"Oh, you know kids are much more impressed by him than you and me. Well, at least me. Besides, we're adults. We don't need fans." Tessa started squirming to get down and walked over to where the other kids were. Peter knew about her arm, so he seemed to give her special attention. But when he tried to pick her up, she hid behind Amy, then ran back to Bucky.
"Speak for yourself," Sam grumbled.
"Bucky! There's someone at the door for you," Sarah yelled to him.
"Why don't you put the baby in the playpen? I don't like you grilling while holding him," Bucky said, picking up Tessa and walking inside.
"I am not going to hurt your baby!" Sam yelled after him.
He saw May, Happy, and a teenage girl on his way in. He greeted them, kissing May on the cheek. Tessa continued to curl herself into his chest, so he didn't let May greet her yet. As he reached to the door, Sarah turned and said to him, "A pissed off woman, so I assume it's for you."
Bucky looked confused as he opened the door further, thinking it was Leah. It was not Leah. It was a shockingly beautiful, dark-haired, dark-eyed woman waiting for him. Dressed casually, she still pulled off sexy with no makeup and a messy, loose ponytail draped over one shoulder. She crossed her arms over her chest in a way that stressed that something irritated her, likely Bucky.
Before he could say anything, she said, "My kitchen floor is literally vibrating from the music over here. And some guy just flew by my bedroom window in a red onesie. He seemed to dropping in here. This is a quiet neighborhood and I don't care if you're some kind of superhero. I have had a rough day and I don't appreciate this."
Bucky waited until she finished her rant. He smiled at her, but seeing it had no effect, he said, "I'm sorry. I will turn down the music. And Spiderman has to swing into places. He can't really just come straight down, it just doesn't work that way. I doubt he looked in your window if that's what you're worried about because he's a... okay, well, he might have peeked depending on you were wearing. Or not wearing. I mean, he is a teenage boy." He realized too late he was making things worse. So, he spit out, "Why don't you come in for a beer and some steak or ribs? I promise I will have everyone tone it down and your day just might improve."
She looked at him for a long moment before she smirked and asked, "Do you think that your company is that good to fix my bad day, so easily?"
"Probably not, I'm not going to lie. But I have friends and cute kids in here, plus there is a little designer dog somewhere. Did I mention beer and food?" Bucky was stumbling over his words. He saw Sarah out of the corner of his eye, mocking him. He stepped over, grabbed her arm, and pulled her into the door. "See. I have a friend. She can vouch for me."
Sarah looked him up and down before shrugging. "He is kind of adorable even though he's a hot mess. He's not bad for a senior citizen."
Bucky glared at her and muttered, "Guess who isn't coming to Wakanda tomorrow."
Sarah burst into laughter and hugged him. "Come on in. You'll have fun. By the way, I'm Sarah."
"Carina." She glanced down at her clothes, brushing them off. "Are you sure I wouldn't be crashing? I am not exactly looking my best." Bucky managed not to say out loud that he couldn't wait to see the best.
"We love crashers. I'm Bucky and this adorable child who is pretending we aren't here is Tessa. She's not feeling good. Come on in," Bucky said backing into the house. "If you just follow the noise to the backyard, I will adjust the volume."
As soon as Carina was out of earshot, Sarah said, "Damn. Your neighbor is hot. And she seems spicy. You might want to make sure Sam doesn't pounce on her."
Hearing another knock on the door, Bucky opened it to find Leah. He had forgotten for a moment that she was coming. Oh Lord. He had a really bad feeling about this.
x0x0x
Bucky sat down beside MJ, who was Peter's very quiet girlfriend. Carina was on the other side of him, talking to Happy and May. Luckily, Sam had kept Leah occupied whenever Bucky wandered near Carina. Sarah teased him all night for his total loss of cool. They had passed Jamie around until he passed out and Tessa's meds were kicking in, so Bucky took them upstairs. Amy was hanging out with Sarah's boys, Peter, and MJ and seems to have forgotten Bucky existed.
"Do you need some help with him?" Carina offered and took Jamie from May.
Before he stepped inside, Leah got up and came over to him. "I didn't get to kiss my date. Goodnight cutie," she said, kissing Jamie on the forehead. She waved goodnight to Tessa, who just watched her while sucking her thumb.
Carina followed him into the house and Bucky saw what a mess Jamie was. "He's a little sticky. I don't know who gave him a red popsicle. Probably Sam." He laughed. "That child wears more food than clothes. I should at least put him in the rinse cycle. Um...if you can just hold him until I get her into bed, I'll just be a minute. She's too clingy right now to pass off." Tessa waved goodbye.
Bucky put her in her PJs and, after saying her prayers, he put her in bed and arranged the pillows so her arm was elevated. Otis must have gotten annoyed by all the people and ran and jumped on her bed. It took a few minutes for her to pick out which animal, then Bucky tucked her into the bed. Her eyes were so heavy but she had complained little of pain except when the first dose wore off. She signed to him she loved him. He kissed her on the forehead and signed back that he loved her, too. "Goodnight sweet girl."
Bucky was so relieved she wasn't in as much pain. Her fingers weren't as swollen too. Her saying she loved him made his day. Leaving the lamp on and the door open, he made sure the monitor was on. The light in Jamie's room was on, so he came in to find Carina holding a half-naked baby and opening the drawers. "Well, here you go, kiddo. This might work," she held up a onesie and Bucky smiled.
"There are some PJs on the other side," he said, quietly opening the drawer.
"Sorry. I made myself at home. He was sticky and falling asleep, so I just used a washcloth. And changed his diaper. I was trying not to wake him completely," she explained, and stepped back. "Here I'll get out of your way."
"No, you're fine. Thank you. Kids are a lot easier dealing with one on one, but sometimes they gang up on me. Plus, Tessa isn't normally so clingy," he explained as he dressed Jamie.
"Single dad to three kids. That's a lot. And they all seem so sweet and well behaved." she shook a rattle at Jamie.
"Well... I'm not their dad. Their actual parents died a couple of months ago and I was the only living relative. I didn't know them or their parents before that sadly."
Carina looked at him, surprised. "You've only had these kids a couple of months? I thought they were your kids."
"They are my kids, at least they are now. Just not since birth. Do you have children?" he asked, picking up Jamie.
"No, just nieces and nephews. I love them to death though." When Jamie reached for her, she took him.
Awed and humbled by how lucky he was after Tessa told him she loved him, he said quietly, "People talk about love at first sight and I always thought they meant romantic love, until I saw these kids and I just got it." He watched her subtly. Although she was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, she looked elegant and exotic. She had a beautiful olive complexion, but he wasn't sure what nationality she was. She was so beautiful he kept staring at her tonight. Now that she was looking at him, the two of them were both quiet.
"That's really sweet. I almost feel bad for yelling at you earlier," she said with a wink. "I think my date just fell asleep."
Looking down, he saw Jamie was already completely out. "He was two-timing you, anyway. I think he's everyone's date."
Rather than risk waking him up, she put him in the crib then walked into the hall and Bucky covered him up. He turned on the night light and followed her into the hall.
"I hate to say it but I should get home. I still have to get ready for tomorrow and it's an early day for me," she said as she walked down the stairs beside him. "I really had a lot of fun. Thanks for inviting me."
"I'll walk you home." After she said goodnight to everyone, Bucky insisted she take some food home since he was leaving town tomorrow. Then he followed her onto the sidewalk and heard how loud it was. "I didn't realize how much louder it seemed up here than back there. Now I feel bad for thinking you were overreacting." They both laughed. "What did you mean about not caring if I was a superhero? Who told you that nonsense?"
"It's a small neighborhood and everyone knows everything. Most people have lived her for multiple generations. And the guy who rented you this house still talks to the neighbors. He bragged about you moving in. Said it would bring the property value up."
"That seems doubtful." He couldn't resist a chuckle. "I just wanted a safe place for those kids. The street where I grew up is just businesses."
"Oh, I didn't realize you're from here."
"Brooklyn Heights, born and raised. Course, that was a long time ago. Are you from here too?"
"My parents moved to the Bensonhurst area right before I was born. I moved over here when we inherited my father-in-law's house and I just stayed when my husband died." She looked uncomfortable, so Bucky changed the subject.
"If you're from Bensonhurst, I guess you're Italian. Do you make a mean lasagna?"
"I make mean pasta. period. You aren't allowed to leave your parents' home until you master the basics." She turned up the walkway to a smaller house, but probably as old as Bucky's. It was immaculate though, perfectly trimmed hedges and nice cheerful flowers. He walked onto the porch, waiting until she unlocked the door.
Carina hesitated and Bucky went to ask her to coffee when he got back, but he said it at the same time as she asked if he wanted to come over and she'd impress him with her pasta. He smiled and nodded. "I'd like that. I'm going out of town for a few days, maybe a week tops, but I'd love to arrange something when I get back."
Seeming shy all of the sudden, she said, "I'm really glad you were too loud."
When it got to be really quiet, Bucky almost told her goodnight. But he said, "I'm glad you came to yell at me." He stepped closer and bent down to give her kiss on the cheek. He went with the cheek in case she wasn't interested. It was flirty but not pushy. Her hand lowering to his, keeping him close, she smiled and then gave him a kiss in return, her lips lingering on his lips.
Finally, she stepped away, unlocking her door. Quickly, Bucky asked for her number. Once he had it, he told her goodnight and started backing away.
"Have a safe trip," she said before closing the door.
Bucky couldn't help but smile as he jogged back to the house. As he was walking up, May and Happy were coming out.
"We will see you… well, I will see you tomorrow. Happy isn't coming with us," May explained. 'Thanks for tonight. It was a lot of fun."
"Hey, it's the least I could do after all you guys did for me." He hugged her tightly. "You were so nice to a complete stranger."
"Those kids of yours are fabulous. I know Tessa wasn't at her best, but she was still just precious. Amy and Jamie are just wonderful. And the way Tessa already clings to you." She covered her heart. "It's adorable."
"I think your neighbor might have noticed," Happy said with a grin.
"Please tell me you got her number," May said sternly.
Eager to change the subject, Bucky said, "Not that I am rushing you, but aren't you missing a couple of teenagers?"
"Sam and Peter got into an argument about whether or not Sam could do some type of flip better than Peter. Last I saw they were climbing on to the roof. But don't worry. Peter won't fall. And he won't let Sam fall either so you're covered," May said with a wave of her hand. "They should be out soon. I think MJ was ready to leave Peter behind."
"Happy, take some of this food. We have so much and I'm going out of town. If I give all that steak to Otis, he'll have a heart attack." He could hear Sam's voice raised. "I guess I should separate them before someone breaks their neck. Wait, I don't have any ability to fly, nor do I need to prove anything to the other," Bucky said with a laugh. He looked up to see Peter and MJ rushing out of the house and could hear Sam complaining about if he had his wings or whatever.
"Watch your language, man. The one kid that could repeat you is still awake," Bucky replied. "Come on Happy. You need to take some food."
After Team Spiderman left, Bucky came in to check on the kids upstairs. Both were sleeping, thankfully. He checked Tessa's fingers, and the swelling had reduced even more. Hearing someone in the hall, he came out of Tessa's room to find Leah. He led her away from the bedrooms to the top of the stairs.
"Hey," he said, quietly. "You having fun?"
"Yeah, I am. But..." she hesitated for a moment, then tilted her head before saying. "I think I got the wrong impression about tonight."
Bucky looked down for a moment, trying to decide what to say. When he looked up, she stood on her tiptoes and put her hands on either side of his face, then kissed him, catching him off guard. She kissed him for a few moments, then pulled away, looking thoughtful. Then she chuckled. "Yeah, the spark isn't really there, is it?"
"Well..." Bucky hesitated, then chuckled nervously. "I invited you over as an apology and because hopefully, we can be friends. I'm sorry if I gave the wrong..."
"No... no... I don't think you did. My sister insisted you must be interested in more than friendship if you went to this effort. I should have listened to my gut instincts." She shook her head, then said, "Okay, how inappropriate would it be to ask about your friend. He wanted to go out, but I didn't know if you'd feel weird about that."
"I think you two would get along great. He's a great guy, also more fun and less serious than I am, anyway. But if you tell him I said anything good about him, I'll deny it. Now, I need to find the other little lady in my life."
"Last I saw her she was sitting with Breanna, who was braiding her hair."
"Oh good. Tessa thinks my braiding skills are below her standards." Leah laughed at them. He noticed Sam watching the two of them walking outside together. But when she returned to sitting beside him, he forgot about Bucky. While it did not bother him at all, it was kind of funny that she thought he wanted to date her and yet she had been flirting with Sam all night.
After checking on Amy, he started cleaning things. He waved away Sarah when she tried to help. He gave Otis some scraps and finished cleaning up. In the kitchen, Sarah came up behind him and rested her chin on his shoulder. "So...how did it go with Carina? She seemed pretty interested."
"How would I know? I haven't dated since the forties except Leah, who I ran out on in the middle of the date. Not because of her, just my usual bullshit," Bucky replied with a laugh. "We're supposed to have dinner when I get back, but I know nothing more than that."
"Bucky, that's great. You deserve some TLC. And probably some S-E-X too," she teased him. "Unless you've been doing the S-E-X without the dating. I don't know. I'm not going to touch that wide open territory."
Bucky was silent a minute, letting the silence get tense. Then he turned around and glowered at her. Surprised, she glanced away, preparing to say something. Before she got a chance, Bucky grabbed her and started tickling her. Sarah squealed and tried to get away, somehow ending up on the floor. "Stop it! I'm going to pee in my pants!"
"Sounds like a personal problem to me," Bucky laughed, still tickling her. Sarah tried to kick him and he grabbed her leg. Otis came out of nowhere and started licking her face. "Get her Otis! Get her."
The boys came running in to help so he let go of Sarah and went after the boys. As soon as Amy came in the house, he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder. Sam was shaking his head as his sister and his nephews brought Bucky down and he tried to use Amy as a shield. Leah and Breanna were both laughing at them. When they heard Jamie cry, everyone froze in place, waiting to see if he went back to sleep. He did but Bucky said they should keep it down and he went to hang out with the grownups and Amy went to play with the boys.
Everyone left soon after since they were leaving to go to Wakanda in the morning. Bucky fed Jamie again while Amy took a bath. He no longer stood in the doorway. He decided she was able to do it just fine on her own.
Jamie was repeating 'ba ba ba ba' repeatedly as he climbed all over Bucky. He was wide awake at this time of night. He got a text and saw it was from Sam, asking if it was okay to ask Leah out, which was funny because Bucky knew he had already done it. He honestly didn't care. Even without him meeting Carina, he and Leah would not be a thing.
Amy came into the room and she seemed a little quiet, so he asked her if she had fun tonight.
"Yes. It was really fun. I like all your friends," she said, leaning against the rocking chair and playing with Jamie. "Our neighbor is pretty, isn't she?"
"Yes." Bucky tried not to smile at her lack of subtlety. "She's pretty...and nice and funny too, before you ask. Kid, why are you always trying to set me up?"
"I just think you should get married. If you haven't done it by now, you should probably hurry before it's too late. Maybe you should ask Sarah. Sam can be your brother then," she said with a giggle. "Besides, you're not getting any younger."
"You're no longer my favorite kid." Bucky tried to get Jamie to at least sit in his lap but he'd rather bounce. "This guy is going to be bouncing off the walls for hours." He sighed.
"Want to play a game of chess before I go to bed?"
"Yes. I'll put him in the walker and let him wear himself out. And that way you won't cheat while he's distracting me like last time."
"Every time you lose, you claim I cheated. Outstanding example to lead, old man," she teased him.