Wonderstruck

Chapter 2

When Wanda arrived home, she was too distracted to entertain her brother further. She tried to get rid of him but he refused to leave until she agreed to let him help her fix the side of her house. "Okay!" she said, exhausted. "You can do the work! Now go, please," she had begged. He then offered to take the boys for the night and she let him. With the reminder that they had to be back before four the next day to spend the week with their father.

Wanda hardly slept that night. She drank the beverage you had bought for her as she smoked a couple of cigarettes and worked on the plans for a new room in her house. As she worked she thought about what the space could be used for. The place itself had four bedrooms and her office space on the second floor. The first floor consisted of a living room, den, laundry/utility room that led to the garage, and kitchen/dining area. Then, there was the basement. Vision had claimed it as his man cave especially after she gave it quite the makeover. He has been out of the house for a while and has yet come to tear it down. Wanda doesn't have the heart to do it herself just yet, but she knows that the boys could use the space.

As she drew the space with large windows, because the house never felt like enough light was coming through, she realized the space could be the dining room she had wanted. Wanda woke up the next day in her office, to her brother nudging her awake with worry. All she does is show him the blueprints and walks away to clean up and take care of her hangover.

When Vision arrived to pick up the boys he noticed the tarp covered hole on the side of the house and matched in angrily. "I did not give you the house so you could-"

"No Vis, you did not give me the house. You lost it in the divorce," Wanda corrected. "This is my house, I can do as I damn well please."

The boys raced down the stairs before Vision could say anymore. He was many things, but he was not going to curse Wanda out in front of the children. It pained Wanda to come to the realization that the boys know this about their father and feel the need to protect her. That was her job. She was supposed to protect them and herself. "Get in the car boys," Vision says sharply.

"Give me a hug," Wanda says and the boys took turns in holding their mom in a goodbye. "You boys be good for your dad, okay?" They both agreed and reluctantly walked out the door to the car.

"What were you thinking when you destroyed this house? I was supposed to have people over for the game tonight! Now I have to cancel!" Vision says, frustrated as he stared at the broken wall.

Wanda shook her head and shrugged, "Should have thought of that before you tore this family apart."

"You've changed," he observed with a scowl. "I don't like it."

"Good, now go," she says, waving the direction to the door. "And don't think your entitled ass can host game night here again. I want you to get your shit from the basement when you bring the boys back home next weekend."

Vision laughs and rolls his eyes, pretending that he doesn't believe that she is being serious. "Or what?"

"I'll throw it out or give it away," she states calmly. Her calmness throws him off. Wanda took pride in watching him stumble on his words. "Bye, Vis," she says as she walks away from the conversation. He slammed the door to make his exit known and Wanda began to shake as she lost all the strength she had for the conversation. Tears rushed out aggressively and she sobbed in fear of what her ex-husband might do since she stood up to him.

The rest of the week flies by as she is drowning in work and her new side project. She completely forgets about her arrangement with you until she is cleaning her house on Saturday and finds the bottle you bought her along with the pack of cigarettes she hadn't touched since that night. She checked her watch and saw that she would be cutting it close but she could still make it on time. Wanda passes a mirror and sees the mess that she is. Her hair is tangled and unruly. She was in her stained cleaning overalls with an old t-shirt with holes. Part of her thought she should change. But the thought quickly left her as she figures she isn't trying to impress anyone. So she leaves as is. Playing out an argument with you in her head if you have anything to say about it.