Pepper's phone rang as they descended the stairs. "It's Rhodes again."
"That doesn't surprise me." Mira touched the wall panel and shut off the music and opened the glass door to the garage to find Tony hard at work on an engine for one of his classic cars.
He didn't look up to see them. "Please don't turn down my music."
"Well, maybe if you weren't listening to your music so loud, you wouldn't have forgotten that you have a plane to catch." Mira sauntered over to her uncle and leaned against on of his tool boxes.
"Don't lean on those. They're expensive." When he was finally able to turn his eyes away from his work, Tony caught the mug that Mira was holding and held back any other words for her and just went back to his work.
Mira only lifted the mug slightly to him and raised her left eyebrow.
Pepper hung up her phone and started on the billionaire. "You are supposed to be halfway around the world right now."
He ignored her. "How'd she take it?" he asked referencing the woman he spent the night with.
"Like a champ."
"Why are you trying to hustle me out of here?"
"Your flight was scheduled to leave an hour and a half ago."
"That's funny, I thought with it being my plane and all, that it would just wait for me to get there." He held a wrench up to Mira. "Hold this."
She shook her head. "No."
"Tony, I need to speak to you about a couple things before I get you out of the door," Pepper continued. She was used to Tony ignoring her. After all these years, she learned to deal with his sarcasm and childish behavior.
His eyes never left his niece. "Doesn't it kind of defeat the whole purpose of having your own plane if it departs before you arrive?"
"Doesn't it defeat the whole purpose of having a plane if you're not going to use it for what you bought it for?" Mira mocked.
"Good point." Tony swiveled around in his chair and faced Pepper for the first time.
"Larry called. He's got another buyer for the Jackson Pollock in the wings. Do you want it? Yes or no."
"Is it a good representation of his spring period?"
Both Mira and Pepper dropped their heads. "No. The Springs was actually the neighborhood in East Hampton where he lived and worked, not 'spring' like the season. I think it's a fair example. I think it's incredibly overpriced."
"Mira, you like Jackson Pollock, right?" Tony spoke over his shoulder.
"Yeah. He's one of my favorites." Her answer was slow and unsure. She already had a painting from the artist hanging in her room. It was one that Tony purchased for Mira for her 19th birthday. She knew other kids would have wanted a trip to anywhere on the beach, but not Mira. She enjoyed looking at the colors and expressions that were painted on canvas. According to her uncle, it was a love that Mira and her mother shared.
"I need it. Buy it. Send it over."
"Uncle Tony, no. Don't buy it because I like Jackson Pollock. It's not gonna make up for last night."
"Fine. You won't get it." He turned his attention back to Pepper. "Buy it. Store it."
"Okay..." Pepper replied. "The MIT commencement speech-"
Tony cut her off and started to walk away, but Pepper and Mira both followed him. "Is in June. Please, don't harangue me about stuff that's way, way, down..."
"They're haranguing me, so I'm gonna say yes."
"Deflect it and absorb it. Don't transmit it back to me." He again ignored Pepper and stared intently at Mira. "Are you sure that painting won't make up for it?"
"Positive." Mira lifted the mug slowly to her lips and began to sip. Her eyes never wandered away from her uncle's. She knew that he had been staring at the mug since she walked down there.
"How about this? I talked your assistant. What's his name, again?"
"Mark."
"Yeah, him. The two of us worked all morning, but I can still cancel if you don't want it. At noon, you have an interview about your rain forest charity. Then at two, you have a photoshoot for that interview. The article that will be written about you and your foundation will be in the next GQ. And finally, you'll take the other plane to New York and have your fundraiser event in the Plaza Hotel at eight. You have to take the small plane though because I need the big one today."
Mira stood there with her mouth wide open. She was speechless. This was one of the biggest things he had ever done for her and she had nothing to say.
"What are you standing there for? You have a long day ahead. Go pack."
She finally unfroze herself and gently placed the mug on one of Tony's workbenches. She preceded to then jump into her uncle's arms and tried to hold back her internal screams. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I don't think you understand how much this means to me."
Tony hugged her tightly. "You deserve it, kiddo. Now, go. Get out of here before I change my mind."
Mira released him and sprinted toward the door. She threw it open, but stopped. "Pepper, I have your birthday gift upstairs. Don't leave before I give it to you," she shouted across. She didn't wait for her response. She shot up the stairs and ran as fast as her feet could take her to her bedroom.
Tony turned to Pepper. "It's your birthday?"
*Later*
Mira's bags were packed and neatly stacked by the front door. Her eyes never left the classic watch that rested on her wrist. With each passing second she grew more impatient. Each tick was bringing her closer to what could be one of the best days of her life, but she was still standing at the door. She could just leave, but that would be unfair to her uncle and to herself. She never left without telling him goodbye and he always did the same. It was just a polite gesture they extended to each other.
The bickering between Pepper and Tony could be heard down the hallway. Within a few steps, they both appeared and carried bags full of clothes and whatnot. Tony put on his yellow shaded glasses. "Well aren't you a sight."
Mira's arms straightened out and she looked down at herself. "What do you mean?"
Tony looked at her, proud. "You're wearing a dress, make up, and your hair done. All the things you hate," he repeated from last night.
"Well, this is a special occasion." Her sundress extended down to her knees and showed off her long legs. Her hair was put up in a professional bun and her make up was modest.
"I can tell. I'll call you when I land."
"I might not have my phone on me. Just leave a message and I'll call you when I can. It might be a little later, though." Mira pulled out her phone and put it on silent. She hated having it on when she was meeting with other people. It was rude to her and she believed her entire attention should be on who she is spending time with.
"Yeah, I figured. But do me a favor and don't wake me up. If you do, I'll be the one drinking out of that mug."
"Don't touch my mug, old man."
"I'm not old. Plot twist, I'm younger than you."
"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say, Uncle Tony."
"Come here." Tony pulled her in for a tight and quick hug. "Have fun and be safe."
"Thank you. This means so much to me."
"Well, I did ruin it for you the first time. I needed to make it up somehow."
"You did. I'm retiring the mug for now." A wide smile spread across her face. "You be careful, too, by the way. Things can get pretty rough over there."
"I'll be fine. I'll have Rhodes."
"He might be one of the problems over there. He might end up killing you."
"I can handle him. Go get 'em, kiddo. Oh and if you need anything, Pepper said she'e just a phone call away."
Pepper shrugged. "Like always."
"Thanks, Pepper."
"You're welcome."
Mira looked back down at her watch. "Okay I have to go. I'll talk to you later, Uncle Tony." She opened the door and her driver was waiting for her. He grabbed her bags and she exited the home.
Tony watched her drive away through the window. He knew she was an adult, but she was still young. Her mother had a wild side. It ran in Stark DNA. Whenever she left him, Tony feared what trouble she could get herself into. He never worried about himself as he did her.