6. The Diary of Natasha Rogers

Instructions

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hey, Mum!" I called out as the screen door closed behind me. "Where's Dad?" ⠀⠀⠀⠀"He's outside," she answered, looking up from the files she was reviewing. "How'd it go today?" ⠀⠀⠀⠀"I beat everyone," I said, setting my bag on my chair. "I'm gonna go tell Dad." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Alright, sweetie," she smiled and went back to work. "I'm so proud of you." ⠀⠀⠀⠀I shrugged, "It's nothing but passed on super-serum." ⠀⠀⠀⠀Mum laughed as I opened the door quietly and walked to the stairs where Dad sat, looking at the yard. ⠀⠀⠀⠀He didn't say anything when I sat next to him and grabbed his hand. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"So?" He asked, not looking at me as he wrapped his fingers around mine. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"I beat them. All of them," I answered. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"That's my girl," he smiled and hugged me. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"One boy was so surprised when I passed him and said, 'On your left.'" ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Did you actually say that?" ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yep. Why?" ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Nothing," he laughed. "I guess it's a Roger's thing." ⠀⠀⠀⠀I cut my meat at supper quietly, doing it neatly the way Mum taught me. I watched her eye Dad's cutting skills, but she didn't say anything. I guess she was used to his American eating after seventeen years. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"So," I began, "I've made a new friend today. Or, at least I think I did." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Really? That's marvelous, darling," Mum said. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"He is a boy," I added. Dad stopped cutting and looked at me. "What? Tony doesn't bother you." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, well, Tony is five years younger than you," he protested. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Fair enough," I sighed. "But, it's only been a day." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Okay, just tell me if things get..." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Fondue-y?" I finished. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Exactly," he said, going back to dinner. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Well, what's his name?" Mum asked. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Charlie," I answered. "Charlie Barnes." ⠀⠀⠀⠀There was a clink as Dad set his silverware down. He stared at me. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Barnes," he repeated. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes," I said. "And his dad was James Barnes." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Are-are you sure?" Bucky was always a touchy topic with Dad. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes, he told me himself," I said gently. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Really?" He picked up his fork, lost in thought. "Why, Connie!" He exclaimed quietly. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"What?" Mum looked at him. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Connie was the girl Bucky took when we went on a double date," Dad explained. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Excuse me, did I hear we and double date in the same sentence?" Mum asked, setting her knife down, which is something she never does, because she is British. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Don't look worried," Dad laughed. "She wasn't interested in the short guy." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's not her I'm worried about," Mum said. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hey, I didn't time travel sixty years back to see her, did I?" He asked, looking at her. Her serious expression softened. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"I guess not." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Besides, I was too interested in trying to join the army," he continued. "It was then that I met the doctor." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"I see," Mum picked up her fork again. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"He was nice," I said, waiting for them to be done. "At least, from the two minutes I talked with him." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"That's promising," Mum commented. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"I suppose," I sighed. "But then again, so was Tony." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"And what is that suppose to mean?" Dad looked up. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Tony no longer considers me his friend. Just goes to show I can't keep a friend." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Nat, we talked about this," Mum began, but I didn't let her finish. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"I know, but that was before I passed him on the way home, and he only waved to me. I guess that h^t blonde he was talking to was more interesting." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Nat, look at me," Dad said seriously. "Tony is a Stark. It's what they're like. But don't let it bother you. He tends to push away those who matter and bring those who don't closer. I don't know why, but trust me. Knowing him for fifteen years gives me enough evidence. Why, he didn't show interest in Pepper." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Who's Pepper?" I asked, pushing my hair behind my ears. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"His secretary," Dad answered. "And the future Mrs. Stark." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"What?" I stared at him in disbelief. "Tony actually gets m^rried?" ⠀⠀⠀⠀"You bet," Dad said. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"When do the results for track come in?" Mum asked. She didn't like Dad talking about the future. Personally, it was usually crazy, so I didn't blame her. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Next Tuesday," I answered, smiling at Dad. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"I guess we'll be living in suspense until then," he said, and we all laughed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀I always savored these moments, all of us together. Mum still took trips to Shield, although they were farther apart. Dad, as usual, was always there. But when the three of us were together, it felt like magic.