Love over Blood - Bucky Barnes

Chapter Thirty

Bucky's POV

I don't feel great about forcing Opal into meeting with her mother but I know she needs it. Every time we've stumbled onto the subject of her mother, she shuts down. I'm hoping this will at least give her some closure and even though she doesn't say it, I know she's worried about how she's going to be with the baby. Yes, she has Hunter but he's a boy. Opal knows what it's like to be the daughter of a shit/absent mother. I'm not worried at all, Opal is an amazing mother and she'll continue to be one.

It's 2pm and I'm sitting in the booth next to Opal, awaiting her mother. She squeezes my hand under the table. "You good?" I ask softly, she sucks in a shaky breath and nods her head. Since we walked into the cafe 15 minutes ago, she's been frantically looking around. I now feel awful knowing that it's partly my fault she's full of this anxiety. I smooth my hand over her exposed thigh and rub it up and down- going dangerously high. Her eyes flutter closed as she tips her head back and rests it on the booth. "I'm right here, okay?" I whisper in her ear. She doesn't respond with words but instead she takes a hold of my hand and slips it up her skirt. "What're you doing?", she opens her eyes "Help me relax?". A smirk threatens to tug at my lips. I check my watch, we have 15 minutes before her mother gets here- I can do this in 5.

Opal's POV

I'm so fucking nervous right now. James helped calm my nerves for like 10 minutes but the closer we get to the appointed time, the more anxious I'm growing. I haven't seen my mother since I was very young.

Just as I'm about to take a sip of my coffee, I hear the jungle of the bell, signalling that someone's entered. James spins around immediately but I'm too nervous. It must be her. "Opal?" The familiar voice that lay dormant in the back of my mind all those years causes bile to rise in my throat. I swallow harshly and force my eyes on the women who now sits opposite us. She's just how I remember her- chocolate brown hair that rests on her shoulder, deep blue eyes and a warm smile. James holds out his hand "I'm James Barnes, Pleasure to meet you ma'am", "Louisa". I turn to face James "Could you give us a minute, please?", he squeezes my hand and plants a kiss on the side of my head just before he exits the booth and takes a seat at another booth, across the room- keeping me in sight but far enough to give us privacy. "He really loves you", I snap back into reality "Yeah, he does". Louisa let's out a deep breath " Opal, I am so sorry I left. I have no excuse. I got overwhelmed and that's it. I thought I was leaving you in capable hands but judging by your reaction on the phone, I was wrong". I sit back and cross my arms and take a minute to assess her. Her hands are slightly shaking while she picks the skin around her fingernails. It's nice to know she's just as nervous as me. "Have you ever heard of the red room?" I don't know why I start off with that, I guess I just need her to know how fucked up it was her leaving me with him. Her posture stiffens, I think I have my answer "You know when you left, dad started drinking again. We had no money to pay for the bills, or food. His plan was to send me there and in return he would get £100,000" she opens her mouth to say something but I continue "He trained me for years. I was a child. I managed to get out, move away without him being able to find me- until last year. He took my son". Tears threaten to fall at the mention of that day but I manage to hold them back, unlike my mother. "I had no idea".

We sit in silence for a good few minutes. I can't help but feel bad, she obviously regrets her past decisions and she did think I was being brought up by the best person ever. I always remember my mother had my dad up on such a high pedestal, he could do no wrong. Even when he lashed out at her- physically. I decide to break the tension and awkwardness by pulling out my phone and handing it to her "This is Hunter, your grandson" she smiles as more tears fall "He looks a lot like his dad" she laughs. I glance at James who is now smiling to himself; damn his superhuman hearing. I giggle "Yeah we get that a lot. I just hope this one looks a little like me" I gesture to my now larger bump. My mother leans over and smiles a genuine smile "I can tell you're doing amazingly. I wanted to call sooner but I was always embarrassed. I didn't think you'd want to see me again", "I didn't. James made me" I laugh "I'm glad he did though".

We sit and talk for another 15/20 minutes, she tells me about her travelling and I tell her about my little family. "Not to be that person but, your boyfriend is extremely attractive", I give her a sly smirk knowing he can hear everything "Extremely attractive but a huge pain in my ass" he shoots me a glare which makes me giggle, my mother looks behind her and blushes "I forgot about that super-person thing". I call James back over, he takes a seat besides me and pulls me into his side. He and my mother spend at least an hour talking and getting to know each other. "I uhm- I actually have some news I wanted to talk to you about" she bites her lip nervously- like I do- "I was thinking of moving to New York to be closer to you but if you don't want to have me in your life that's fine. Thank-you so much for meeting with me today. I know I don't deserve it". I grab her hand from the middle of the table while I use my other arm to wipe away stray tears "I'd love to have my mother in my life. Hunter and the baby would love to have you as their grandma too".

We wrap each other in a hug before leaving and exchange details. James is going to help her move into her new apartment next week. On the walk back to our car I lean against him and smile "Thank-you for making me do this".

As soon as we get back into the hotel room I'm exhausted. My feet are all swollen from walking and being fucking pregnant. I kick off my shoes and groan as I sling myself back on the bed. James lays next to me "I'm so proud of you". He begins to rub circles on my stomach, I lift up my top to reveal my bump when all of a sudden I feel a kick. I sit up and gasp, James does the same "Was that?- did she just?-", I smile and nod my head excitedly. James places his hand back on my stomach and keeps it there for the whole night. I love that he gets to experience this with me.