Letters

While You're Away

Willow rushed across the street, holding down her hat down and clutching her bags tightly. A car honked in protest and she gave the driver a meek smile as she jumped onto the sidewalk. Willow watched him shake his head and drive away. Sighing, She pulled down on the bottom of her white dress and pushed the strands of her dark hair back. Licking her lips, she continued down the sidewalk.

Steve had been gone nearly a week now and she hadn't gotten a letter back from him. It made her anxious, worried but she knew he couldn't be in the field yet he had just started basic training. But despite knowing this, all she could think about was Steve on the battlefield. Steve holding a real gun. Steve being shot point blank. Willow shuddered and stopped walking.

"Excuse me Miss." Someone said, bumping into her arm.

"Oh no it's my fault." Willow replied softly but the person kept moving. Taking a deep breath, Willow set her shoulders and walked back to her apartment. Well, what was now her apartment.

She climbed the stairs dutifully, her gloved hand skimming the railing. Pulling the key out from around her neck, Willow unlocked the door, stepped inside and shut the door. There was a pile of mail on the floor and with a sigh, she picked it up and brought it to the kitchen table with her.

She set her bags down, what meager groceries she could get at the store, and began putting them away in the fridge and cupboards of her new apartment. She still couldn't get used to living there. It still smelled like Bucky and Steve though you wouldn't be able to tell that they had lived there.

Willow had moved in basically her entire apartment. The only furniture that Bucky and Steve had was a ratty old sofa, which Willow got rid off and replaced with her nearly new one that was made out of very solid, ornate wood with a green velvet covering. It had been troublesome getting it up the stairs but she had the help of a neighbor.

Then they had a worn coffee table with a lamp on it that didn't even work because there was no lightbulb in it and then the TV stand which held the small square box and a bunch of wires and cables. Willow had only had the chance to turn it on twice now and nothing much interested her on it.

Willow brought in several rugs, a hanging mirror which was now in the hallway, several framed photos (those that were hanging were the photos of the three of them) and the ones of her family were sitting in the living room on a different coffee table Willow had brought in. There was also now a standing lamp in the corner of the small living room and the table in the kitchen, plus the two chairs were both hers.

It was a wonder to her how the boys had done anything like eat or place things down if they didn't have furniture like this. She was also beginning to wonder if they ate at all since she had to bring most of her kitchen appliances. They didn't have a toaster  and the coffee pot they did have was old, probably one of their parents. Willow kept it on the counter.

When Willow had gotten to the apartment she went straight to the rooms, knowing that Steve probably would have moved all of his stuff out of his room and into Bucky's so she could have somewhere to sleep. Willow was right. There was a mess of hastily packed boxes, moved dressers and bed frames in Bucky's room while Steve's old room was spotless. There was even a note taped to his wall that read,

Sorry for the mess and sorry I'm not here to help you move in. I won't forget to write you your letters Willow. They'll arrive at this address.
-Love Steve

Willow shook her head at the note. She barely had to tidy up. Just vacuum a bit here, mop a bit there and then she was moving in. Her room looked much like the one in her old apartment. All of the right things were up and in their right places, just the color of the walls and the placement for the window was off. All in all, it was home.

Willow washed her hands slowly in the sink. Turning off the water, she grabbed the towel and wiped her hands before heading back to the table. She picked the mail back up but it was all junk, Willow knew this before sifting through it but she looked anyways.

Then, wedged between an add for new hair dryers and a notice about joining the army, Willow found it. A letter from Steve, addressed to her. Gasping, Willow ran her fingertips over Steve's shaky handwriting. Shaky, unlike him. He must have been tired or exhausted. Pursing her lips, she opened it careful and pulled out.

It was about a page and a half long and Willow enjoyed every word of it. Her cheeks hurt from smiling when she had finished it and she could feel a warmth spreading throughout her. Standing quickly, she found a pen and some paper and began to write her reply.

January 25th 1943

Dear Steve,

I don't care if your words are scattered and your letters don't look well thought out, I just want to hear from you. Without having you sound so formal Steven.

You're asking me not to worry but how can I do that? You and Bucky are all I think about. I haven't heard from our fellow musketeer yet and when I do, I'll write him a strongly worded letter from the both of us. He's been away longer than you have and I've received a letter from you first. But that may be because he is overseas.

Of course I remember our races. Though, we had them less often after you asthma attack. I think I was up 87 to 3. Remember how you accidentally tripped me and didn't notice? You ran all the way home and won. You thought I hated you but I didn't.

My hand motions aren't that dramatic. I think you're exaggerating Rogers.

I would love to run away with you, and Bucky. I wish we had done it sooner. We could have escaped to California. I heard the water is beautiful down there and the women and men that live there are supposed to be beautiful beyond reason.

Has this Agent Carter been whipping you and all the new recruits into shape? She sounds a lot like me but maybe she's a bit braver if she's an agent. I don't think I'd fair well in warfare.

Yes I've moved Steve, just like you wanted me too. Did you really need to leave the note? Sorry about the mess? There wasn't much of a mess to begin with. And how did you and Bucky eat? Why don't you two own a proper dining table?

As for my day, or perhaps days, not much has been happening. I get up, I go to work. I come back here eat dinner and go to sleep. I need some sort of constant now that both you and Bucky are gone. I still can't believe that you're not here. I miss you everyday.

Other than that, I went grocery shopping today. You boys with your war are taking all of the good food and leaving nothing for us folks back home. How can your food not be tasty when there's posters and radio stations proclaiming what we need to ration back here so we can get it to you men? Perhaps they're sending it to the battlefield but by then it should be spoiled..

You won't like to hear this but I crossed the street in the way you hate today.

Your poems are beautiful Steve whether you use thou or thee, I'll love them just as much as I love you.

Please write again soon and don't run or work yourself to death Steven. You still have your asthma to think about and I don't want you collapsing. Come home to me. I need you.

Love,
Willow Peterson