UNKNOWN GUEST

#61 Bet On The Mighty Hammer

Standing behind Dr. Banner at the counter, I noticed Mom's demeanor shift as she fell silent the moment she saw me. Clearing my throat, I nodded politely at Dr. Banner. "Hello, Dr. Banner," I said, trying to sound as casual as possible.

He returned the smile, a bit taken aback by the interruption but polite as always. Then, I turned my attention to Mom. "Hi, Ms. Romanoff," I greeted, keeping my tone neutral. She barely acknowledged me with a curt nod, her usual cool demeanor firmly in place.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped closer to the counter. "Can we talk?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

She sighed, clearly not in the mood for a conversation. "What's there to talk about?" she replied, dismissive.

I shook my head slightly, knowing I had to press on despite her resistance. "Many things," I said, hoping she would give me a chance.

Another sigh escaped her as she shrugged, clearly unimpressed. "Okay. Go on."

I glanced at Dr. Banner, then back at her. "Alone?" I suggested, trying to make it clear that this was a conversation meant for just the two of us.

She looked like she was about to snap at me, but I quickly added, "Come on, Ms. Romanoff. You really want to embarrass me in front of him or something?"

Her frustration was evident, but she relented. I turned to Dr. Banner, offering a small, apologetic smile. "Sorry, Dr. Banner."

He shook his head, brushing it off. "It's fine," he said, though I could tell he was curious about what was going on. With one last glance at Mom, he nodded and said, "I'll see you later," before walking away, giving us some privacy.

I sighed in relief, feeling the tension ease just a bit. Mom looked away, clearly still annoyed. "What do you want to talk about?" she asked, her tone colder than I would have liked.

I took a seat beside her and leaned over the counter, trying to find the right words. "Ms. Romanoff, I'm sorry," I began, my voice softening. "You were right... I was just unnecessarily meddling in your business. When you asked who I was to worry, I had no answer. I still don't."

She didn't respond, her eyes fixed on something in the distance, but I knew she was listening. "I know you don't like nosy people," I continued, my voice barely above a whisper. "So, I'm really sorry."

I paused, looking down at my hands. "And... our lives—personal and professional—are connected in a way that I can't just disappear from your sight forever." I could feel her gaze on me, but I couldn't bring myself to meet her eyes. "So, I'll try my best to stay away from your matters. And... I just want to tell you that I never intended to be your representative or anything like that. I just want you to be careful. Don't get hurt. That's all I wanted."

Forcing a smile, I stood up, not waiting for her response. As I walked away, I could feel her eyes still on me, but I didn't glance back. Instead, I headed to the hall where everyone was gathering for some game or other distraction, hoping to lose myself in the crowd and escape the weight of that conversation.

I took a seat on the couch between Thor and Dr. Cho, trying to shake off the lingering tension from my conversation with Mom. Dr. Cho glanced at me, her expression concerned. "You okay?" she asked softly.

I nodded, letting out a long sigh. "Yeah," I replied, eager to change the subject. "So, what's going on here?"

She smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "They're betting on who can lift Thor's hammer."

I turned my attention to the room, just in time to see Uncle Clint shaking his head in disbelief. "There has to be a trick," he muttered, staring at the hammer resting on the table in front of Thor.