First We Were Friends - A Bucky Barnes Novel

Chapter 3. Third Day Blues

The following morning Bucky got up earlier to see if he would have any luck fishing from the dock.  For about an hour he tried his luck as he sipped his coffee but nothing was biting so he picked up his tackle and went back inside.  He made himself an omelette for breakfast again, chopping up some onion, peppers and celery to go in it.  Sliding it onto the plate with some toast and bacon he picked it up and took it out on the deck to eat in the fresh air.  As he ate he saw Julia standing on her deck looking out over the lake.  She was still in her pyjamas, wearing a thick housecoat and her hair was still messy from bed.

"Good morning!" he called over, expecting a cheery reply in return but she just looked at him wordlessly and went back into the house. 

At first it was unsettling but he respected her privacy and resisted the urge to go over.  He finished his breakfast, washed the dishes and brought out the tools to begin prying up the damaged boards on the deck.  After a few moments of prying the first board off he heard the sound of Julia's screen door slamming and he looked up to see her glaring at him from her deck, still in her pyjamas and house coat.

"Could you not do that?" she asked angrily.  "Not now, please?"

Then she turned back into the house.  Concerned Bucky stood up and took his work gloves off.  He stepped down the stairs and went over to her house, looking in the window.  Lightly he knocked on the screen door.

"Julia?" he inquired.  "Can I come in?"

There was no answer and he opened the door hesitantly calling out to her again.  Then he heard the sound of crying and he stepped inside. 

"Julia?" he said softly.  "What's wrong, sweetheart?  Why are you crying?"

Her head appeared from the couch which faced away from him but she said nothing and laid back down.  Kneeling in front of her he remembered not to take her hand but he did smooth some hair away from her face.

"What's happened?" he said in as soft a voice as possible.

Without speaking she opened her emails on her phone then opened one that had been sent that morning.  It was from the SFPD, thanking her for her service but that they were terminating her contract without cause. 

"I did have contracts with several departments in the San Francisco area but after the divorce that went down to one.  I was hoping SFPD would keep me on but it looks like Mason poisoned that well also," she said in a depressed voice.  "Why does he hate me so much?  Why would he do this?  He's the one who cheated in our marriage.  Why am I the one paying the price?"

Bucky looked at the email, thinking all sorts of terrible things about Mason but knew that him speaking his mind right now wouldn't help Julia.  He put the phone on the coffee table and motioned for her to sit up.

"Will you take a hug?" he asked gently.  "I feel like you need a hug right now."

She nodded and sat up.  Bucky sat beside her and hugged her, keeping it as neutral as possible.  When he removed his arms she took one of his hands and held it.

"I don't why Mason is doing this to you," said Bucky calmly.  "Not having met the guy I don't what to say about him but sometimes people believe they are so right and they go at it with such fervour that they run over anyone that seems to be in their way.  Or he could just be a major asshole."

Julia chuckled slightly, seemingly preferring to believe that her ex-husband was an asshole.  They sat there on the couch in the living room, hearing the sounds of birds outside come through the screen door.  Bucky said nothing figuring she just needed his presence more than anything so he waited.  It wasn't like whatever he had planned to do needed to be done right away.  After about 15 minutes Julia suddenly leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder.