First We Were Friends - A Bucky Barnes Novel

Chapter 36. Keeping a Promise

Fall, 2076

Bucky sat on the deck with the photo album on his lap. Julia knew from early on that he liked the sensation of turning the pages of a book while he looked at the pictures they took from when they first met each other. He gently touched the first one of them; dancing to a Smokey Robinson song in the burger bar just after declaring his love for her. It was just days before they began living together, months before they married. His bright blue eyes teared up at the memory of Julia as a young woman. Her brown hair with the golden highlights and her hazel eyes were still imprinted deeply in his memory, even though for the last thirty years her hair had been grey he still saw her as the same young woman, walking on the Devin's dock as he walked on the neighbouring dock. A sob almost burst out of his throat, but he stifled it, knowing if he let it pass it would overwhelm him.

"Dad are you okay?" asked the dark-haired woman with hazel eyes, who kneeled down beside him, then noticed he was looking at the photo album.

Gently Rebecca put her hand on his. "Mom was so beautiful, wasn't she?" she asked. "I can see why you like these photo albums." She squeezed his hand gently. "The kids were wondering if they could fish from the dock later. I know they likely won't catch anything but it's something for them to do."

He looked up at his grandchildren, her three aged from eight to seventeen. Two dark haired like he had been, one light brown haired like their grandmother. Smiling, he nodded his head.

"The tackle is in the shed," he said. "Tell them to go for it. I caught many breakfasts from that dock. You remember that don't you, Rebecca?"

"I sure do," she said. "Listen, Uncle Sam is coming any time now. He was able to arrange a portal. His boys, plus AJ and Cass will be with him. Which house do you want them in?"

"I'd prefer ours but I'm guessing we don't have the room so it will have to be next door," he replied. "He and Sarah's boys were family before I made my own. I'm glad they're coming." He stifled another sob and Rebecca put her arms around her father, trying to take his pain into herself. Slowly he calmed himself. "When are Bill and Sam arriving?"

"Very soon," she replied, watching her children horsing around on the dock. "Bill said there were a few things left to clear up at the Avengers compound and Sam just came off mission yesterday once he got the news. He wanted to pick up Michelle and the kids then fly all of them here in the Ejet. There's room in the driveway for it, isn't there? Bill said they had clearance to land on the property."

The old man nodded then sighed. It would be nice having his family around, especially now, but once they returned back to their lives, he would be alone with his memories of Julia. Then he would join her like he promised so long ago. Her sister and brothers were also gone but several of her nieces and nephews were coming so they would go into the other house as well. It was theirs now, anyways. After her parents died and left it to Julia and her siblings, she wanted to make sure the Devins always had a place so she had put it in her will to leave it to that side of her family, under the condition that it never be sold. He looked back at their own house. Originally owned for many years by the Johnson family it became his and Julia's early in their marriage when Bob Johnson realized he didn't want to fly for several hours from the east to use it on an occasional basis. Bucky, who worked in construction during the downtimes in his Avengers years had used part of his army settlement towards buying the house, with the proceeds from Julia's condo sale making up the rest. He made an offer as-is, with no inspection because he already knew the house well. Bob accepted then Bucky and Julia began the process of fixing it up exactly how they wanted it.