Bucky looked around for Alice to eventually find her sitting alone in a diner she liked going to.
"Hey," he greeted. "I've been looking for you." She didn't look up, and he noticed her expression. "Are you okay?"
She slowly shook her head.
He sat across from her. "What happened?"
"Mom's sick. Consumption. It's gotten real bad."
"I'm sorry, Alice. Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah. For now. Bucky, if she does, what do I do? Dad's not around and I'll be all alone."
Bucky took her hands. "No you won't. You've got me and Steve and you always will."
"Do you promise?"
He gave her hands a light squeeze. "I promise."
A small smile crossed her face and she nodded. "Okay."
"You hungry?"
"A little, yeah."
"Get what you want and I'll pay."
"I can't ask you to do that."
"I'm offering."
Before she could order anything, she noticed Steve running up.
In a breathless voice, he said, "I'm sorry, Alice. Your mom... My mom tried to help, but it was too late. She's gone."
Tears began stinging Alice's eyes and she said in a shaky voice, "I never got to say goodbye, to say I love you one last time. She didn't know." Her head dropped and sobs wracked her small frame.
Bucky ducked under the table to sit on one side of Alice while Steve sat on the other as Bucky said, "She knew, Alice."
Alice sniffled, looking between them. "Can we go home? I'm suddenly not hungry."
Steve nodded. "Sure, we'll take you home. I'm sorry I had to tell you, Alice."
"It's okay, Steve. Thank you for telling me."
"If you need a place to stay, I'm sure my mom would let you stay for as long as you need."
She nodded slowly.
Bucky took Alice's hand to try to comfort her and the three walked back to their neighborhood in a tense, but relatively comfortable silence.
Alice was dreading going home, but knew she had to. And when it came time for the funeral, as hard as she knew it'd be, she had her two best friends to help her get through it.
YOU ARE READING
Till the End of Time
AzioneAlice and Bucky were childhood sweethearts, so it was no surprise when the two exchanged vows. When the war came to the States, one was drafted, one would do whatever it took to serve, and one hoped to serve from the home front. But, as it goes, "...
