Carousel of Time - An Alternative Bucky Barnes Story

Chapter 7. "I'll Be Seeing You"

December 1944

The cold that put Kate into bed rest for Thanksgiving became better after her dream of Bucky.  By the first weekend of December she felt well enough to spend the weekend with the Barnes.  On the Saturday she walked to the Brown's house with Mr. Barnes to look at the furniture they were offering to sell.  They were planning to take their own bedroom furniture, the formal dining set and some of the living room furniture.  Everything else was hers for $500, including the kitchen appliances.  Looking to her future father-in-law she noticed him giving a very slight nod of the head and she agreed to their cost.  On the walk back to his home Mr. Barnes asked Kate if she planned on christening John.

"Technically,  I'm an unwed mother," she replied. "Would the church even allow it?"

He had looked at her in total surprise. "My dear girl, I consider you and Bucky married already," he said. "It doesn't matter to me that your marriage hasn't happened yet here.  It did happen in your past. I do believe John can be baptized in our church.  What faith were you raised in?"

"My parents were Anglican, which is Episcopalian in the United States," she said quietly.  "I stopped believing after a terrible event and then my parent's death happened just days later."

"Terrible event? What could be so terrible to shake your faith?" he asked, stopping to touch her arm.

"I...I was...," her voice was reduced to a whisper as the tears filled her eyes, "raped by three men in my final year of college.  My parents were on their way to me when they were killed.  I had no one and the charges against them were dropped until just last year in my old timeline.  For five years I suffered from the trauma.  Meeting James and having my oldest son were the best thing that happened to me after that event.   Then I lost them too when I was trapped here."

His face was horrified and he threw his arms around this woman who he looked upon as a daughter.  As she wept into his chest he stroked her hair and murmured softly to her.

"I'm so sorry," he said softly. "Men can be such animals and you must have felt so alone and unloved.  Was my son, your husband aware of this?"

"Yes," she replied as she wiped her eyes with Mr. Barnes handkerchief.  "He was wonderful.  Through his love and understanding he taught me to enjoy being with a man again.  When we were finally able to press charges against the men responsible he was by my side throughout the trial.  I wasn't the only victim.  There were many others."

"What you went through would test anyone's faith," he said.  "Think of the baptism and christening as a formality then, nothing more.  It would be in the parish record that we consider John to be our legitimate grandson.  No one would consider him otherwise if anything happened to Bucky before you two could be married in this time."

By the time they had arrived at the Barnes residence she had agreed and Mr. Barnes said he would talk to the minister about a suitable date.  After church on Sunday he asked and was told John could be baptized on Tuesday, January 9, after Ephiphany.   In the apartment after she returned she wrote to Bucky.

December 3, 1944

My darling Bucky,
I finally shook off the cold that confined me to bed over Thanksgiving and spent the weekend with your parents.  Your father is such a kind, loving man.  He accompanied me to the Brown's to inspect the furniture that won't make the move to Florida with them.   They are taking their bedroom furniture, the formal dining room set and half the living room furniture.  Everything else was offered for $500 which your father agreed was a fair price.  I will be on the lookout for a bed for us as that is a priority.   On the walk back he inquired about baptizing John so that if anything happened to you his legitimacy would be recognized.  I have agreed and would like to ask Jarvis and his wife to be godparents.  They have been so kind to me and John.  The baptism will be on January 9.