Resilience | S. Rogers [3]

20 | GETTING BY VS MOVING ON

August 2018
New York, USA

Rose looked up, her eyes widening for the fraction of a second. She smiled, her grin not as big as it could have since even at her age; she felt nervous. "Hi."

Her shoulders straightened, she wasn't sure whether to stand up or not, but she got her answer when Tony sat down in front of her. She remained in her seat, not letting her disappointment show.

"Hi," he took off his glasses.

She read that as a good sign.

"How are you doing?" asked Rose. He seemed okay, definitely getting back to his old self. Physically. There was still that hidden pain he covered up with a confident glance.

"You know me," he mentioned. "I have a final check-up in a couple days, should be done by then."

"That's good."

"You?"

"Good," she mentioned nodded. "It's been...better than I thought." Despite the constant nightmares and hollow feeling in her body and soul, of course.

He squinted his eyes analysing her as the waiter came up to them asking for their order.

"Just a coffee." He held himself back from saying something, "Cappuccino, double."

Rose looked at him casually, thinking to herself that he hadn't ordered his usual, completely unhealthy, triple expresso. She didn't voice her curiosity. "Double latte, please."

When the young man left, glancing briefly at them with panicked eyes—which she caught making him turn back around quickly, Tony didn't spare a glance—he went back to looking at her.

"So you're good?"

She hated this deadpan game of short sentences. "Yeah."

"Heard you moved out of the compound," he commented. There was something on his mind, his hands kept shifting from the packet of sugar to the tableware that had been laid there since Rose got there fifteen minutes before the designated time.

"Yes, a while ago. I needed the change...It's close to the public library," Rose told him not knowing what to add. "Got my stuff back from Poland...that's where I, uh, stayed for the past years."

"Oh yeah, Pepper told me about that," he mentioned, though talking about her made him halt before naturally continuing.

"And, uhm, Steve and I—" gówno (shit) I shouldn't be mentioning Steve. Why wouldn't I though? They still have unresolved problems but he's part of my life. Still—

"You and Capsicle what?"

It hasn't even been official yet, what was I thinking. But I don't really mind about that. Either way...

"Oh, nothing we're just..."

She acted strange, not meeting his eyes. Tony stared at his aunt trying to suppress the emotions, but even he couldn't stop the corner of his lips tugging up. When he noticed though he closed them.