𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙨

Chapter 14

Your POV

     I was wiping down the counter, making sure everything was spotless for Grant's party later today. His birthday is tomorrow, but we decided to have his party today so that we could do anything he wanted tomorrow, and since not a lot of people would show up for a party on a Sunday. My neck and back ached, along with my eyes watering from being so dry because of all of the crying I've done the past few weeks.

     It's been twenty-two days exactly since the incident, and neither me nor Grant were feeling up to anything since Bucky wasn't around. I didn't have the heart to tell him what really happened, so I simply told him that Bucky had to leave for a mission, and that I had no idea when he'd be back.  What I said was partially the truth, and I truly didn't know when he'd be back home. I wanted him every waking second of every day since I pulled out of that parking garage, and I've tried to get in touch with him, but when I call his phone, he never answers.

     I've called Steve numerous times to ask him how Bucky was doing, and it seemed like with every phone call, Bucky just got worse. Steve said that he would break down when he heard my name, or even Grant's. He told me that Bucky's health had severely declined, and that he had also acquired bad allergies that rendered him practically immobile when grief struck him. I've called Bucky everyday since, hoping that he'd pick up one day, but he never did. I even went as far as sending him an invitation for Grant's party. I also sent out an invite to the rest of the team members, upon Grant's request.

     I was broken out of my brooding when Grant and Manny came barreling down the steps and into the kitchen. I didn't have to fake a smile with Grant, since he always managed to make me smile.

"Are you ready for today, my little nine year old?" I pinched his cheek and mocked an old lady's voice and we shared a giggle.

"I won't be nine till' tomorrow!" Grant exclaimed as he stood on his tippy toes to scrape his finger along the side of the icing bowl that was in the sink.

"Huh. Funny, I don't remember that." I spoke as I bent down to scratch Manny on the head.

     Grant groaned at me with an aggravated expression, but it quickly disappeared when there was a knock on the door. Grant yelled that he would get it, but I stood in the kitchen doorway to watch him.

     When he swung the door open, there stood most of the Avengers with presents in hand. Grant greeted them excitedly and drug them inside.  Grant was going to invite his best friend from school, but he had come down with something and I compromised with Grant, saying that they could have a sleepover together anytime they wanted.

     I searched within all of the Avengers for the one man I wanted to see, but got let down when he was nowhere in sight. Grant ushered most all of the men outside to play ball with him, while the Wanda and Natasha hung back inside to help me get everything together. I had ordered several different kinds of pizza, and I had even went as far as making Grant a birthday cake, which I did every year.

     His cake was one tier, while the cake was red velvet and the icing was a light grey buttercream. To top it all off, there was a star made out of red sprinkles on top. I was proud of my work, and having made all of Grant's cakes from scratch, I had become very experienced.

     I had just put the last bowl in the dishwasher when Steve came in the back door.

"Hey." He spoke and went over to a barstool.

"Hey. You want something to drink?" I questioned as I opened the door to the fridge.

"Water's fine, thanks." He spoke as he leaned his elbows up on the counter.