Love Without End

Chapter Sixteen

I stood with Steve and a little highschool boy, waiting for the kids to arrive. The kid was a senior, I guess, but whatever. He just kind of stared back and forth between Steve and me until Steve asked if he was okay.
"Yeah." He said. "Yes sir, I mean." He looked down.
Such a fangirl.
There were ten kids. One girl cried over Steve. It was absolutely adorable.
The previous years, I had kept Steve in third grade and under. I was more comfortable with little kids, and they liked me better than older ones did. I'd never even considered older, but it turned out that the older kids were actually quite fun. You could carry on real conversations, instead of talking about their favorite stuffed animal, and they could ask relevant questions during Bible Study and actually learn something.
When it was over and all our kids had left, Steve and I walked out. "How's Sharon?" I asked with a smile. I wasn't too sure how I felt about them, but she made Steve happy, so...
"She's good, I guess. Thank you."
"No offense, sweetheart, but do you actually have feelings for her, or do you think it might just be a way to get over Peggy?"
Luckily for him, Tony was standing in the parking lot against one of his cars, so we went over to him. He greeted Steve with a handshake, and me with a smile. "Imani's with Rhodey and Bruce in the compound if you wanna go. Amy and I are going out to dinner."
"We are?" I asked.
"Yep."
"Where? McDonalds?" I was in a VBS t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. Where else could we go?
He laughed. "If you want. Need a ride, Cap?"
"No, I'm good. Thank you."
"Welcome. See you around." Tony walked around the car and opened the door for me.
My dad always told me that if a guy didn't open the car door for me, that he was no good. "Thanks." I smiled as I got in.
"Of course."
We drove silently. He turned up Guns N Roses on the radio, singing along. "There was a time when I wasn't sure, but you set my mind at ease. There's no doubt, you're in my heart now..."
This was my favorite song. It was absolutely wonderful. My mother and I never got along, and she normally listened to crap music, but this had been her favorite song. Not that I liked it for it's sentimental value. Because it had none. At all.
At least that's what I told myself.
"I sit here on the stairs, 'cause I'd rather be alone. If I can't have you right now, I'll wait, dear.."
All I could thing of was Axl Rose and his little dance moves as he sang, and I tried to hide my little giggles, but burst into laughter.
"Why do you always laugh at Guns N Roses?" Tony asked.
"Axl Rose... His dances... Hilarious..." I choked out. "With this?"
He kept singing. "Sometimes I get so tense, but I can't speed up the time. But you know, love, there's one more thing to consider."
You know, Axl Rose kind of looks like the dude from The Polar Express. The one with long hair and beard that screams "Caribouuuuuuuu!" He doesn't have a beard, though. But the hair.
I tried my best to not laugh anymore.
"Sad woman, take it slow, and things will be just fine. You and I'll just use a little patience..."
The song got quiet, like it was ending, but then they started up again.
"I been walking the streets at night, just trying to get it right. Hard to see with so many around. You know I don't like being stuck in the crowd."
Up till now I had listened to Tony sing along, and it was perfect. But how could I resist joining in. This was the best part.
"And the streets don't change, but maybe the name, I ain't got time for the game, but I need you."
Tony shot me a grin before pulling into a parking spot outside McDonalds. I laughed. Classy.
We waited for the song to be over before getting out and going inside. "But does Axl Rose not just make you die laughing?" I asked, stifling laughter.
"Not really, no."
"It's hilarious." I said, my arm through his. "God, have you ever watched him?"
"God spends--"
"Tony."
"No, I've never watched him." He laughed, pleased at his unfinished joke.
"You have to. It's beautiful." I stopped laughing when we got to the counter.
Tony ordered for both of us, because he's a wonderful person.
We sat in a back booth with our salads and waters. "This is surprisingly good." Tony said, nodding approvingly at his food.
"Right? McDonalds has some decent salads."
"How was Imani?"
"Good. His English is getting really good. I taught him Jesus, just for you."
I smiled. "Good."
Tony and I walked around the block with hot fudge sundays. Why not ruin a healthy meal? We didn't talk, just walked and ate. He hummed a little Patience every once in a while.
"My mom used to like that song." I said, just to say it. It was kind of meant to tell him "Hey, I miss my parents too. It's okay," but it was mostly meant to tell him that all I wanted a lot of the time was a hug from my mother, even if she didn't care. I'd never get one, now, of course, but that didn't mean I didn't want the experience.
He glanced over at me with a little smile. He got my message. "Yeah?"
I nodded and dropped my empty cup into a trashcan.
"Ready to go back?"
"Sure."
"This isn't the way to the compound." I said as we drove past, Journey playing this time. I paused my singing just long enough to mention this.
"I know. We're not going to the compound."
"Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard, their shadows, searching in the night."
Tony joined me.
"Streetlights, people, living just to find emotion, hiding somewhere in the night."
We got to Stark Tower, just as the song was ending. "Why are we here?" I asked.
"Why would we not be here?"
"We've been at the compound for the past week."
"Yes, and everybody else still is."
"We can't just leave Imani with everybody--"
"Wanda's watching him."
"Why are we here?"
"Wanna watch a movie?"
We watched Peter Pan; my choice.
I paused it just as they were going to Neverland. "What's wrong?" Tony asked.
Turning off the tv, I leaned back against him, pulling his arm around me. "Nothing. I just wanna talk to you."
"Okay. About what?"
"Anything. Just talk."
"You want a monologue?"
"Please."
"I can manage that." He gave a little laugh. "About what?"
"Anything."