Captain's Hart and Soul

Chapter 16 Guilt

At a similar time that day, April 17, 2016

MIT, USA

'Try to remember the kind of September.' A beautiful blonde, elderly woman, dressed in an elegant blue silk suit and with dainty pearl jewelry, sang as she played a grand piano in a lavish sitting room. 'When grass was green...'

There was a rustle from behind as an elderly gentleman pulled on his suit jacket, and the woman said firmly: "Wake up, dear."

There was a rustle from the couch as the elderly gentleman lifted the blanket covering the prone figure on the sofa. He glanced down in disgust as the young man beneath the blanket shifted, groaning a little as he rubbed his bleary eyes, and the woman added as she continued to play her piano, unperturbed: "Say goodbye to your father."

"Who's the homeless person on the couch?" The man asked his wife dryly as he buttoned up his suit jacket, and Tony said sarcastically as he finally got up, a red Santa hat planted on his head: "This is why I love coming home for Christmas. Right before you leave town."

Howard Stark folded his lips angrily, and Maria cut in, not even looking back as she continued to play: "Be nice, dear. He's been studying abroad."

"Really, which broad?" Howard snapped as he faced his twenty-one year old son. "What's her name?"

"Candice." Tony shot back, staring back at his father defiantly even as the older man lifted off the Santa hat and tossed it onto the sofa in disgust.

"Do me a favour." Howard said a little sarcastically. "Try not to burn the house down before Monday."

"Okay, so it's Monday." Tony quipped. "That is good to know. I will plan my toker party accordingly."

He walked carelessly over to stand behind his mother, ignoring Howard as the old man's jaw tightened. Tony asked his mother, acting as though he didn't care: "Where're you going?"

"You father's flying us to the Bahamas for a little get away." Maria answered calmly as she continued to play her piano serenely.

"We might have to make a quick stop-" Howard added as he also walked over, and Tony cut in spitefully: "At the Pentagon. Right?"

He turned to look at his father with resentment, before he turned back to his mother and said in a falsely sweet tone: "Don't worry. You're going to love the holiday menu at the commissure."

Maria finally stopped playing, turning to look at her son angrily. Tony ignored the look as he waltzed away towards the door leading to the entrance hall, and Howard said to his wife flatly: "You know, they say sarcasm is a metric for potential."

Maria folded her lips angrily while Howard said pointedly to his son's back: "If that's true, you'll be a great man some day. I'll get the bags." He added to his wife as he walked out without a backward glance at his son.

Tony folded his arms angrily as he leaned against the doorway, his own jaw locked in anger and resentment boiling inside him. Sixteen years of dismissing him had broken any relationship with his father, and since that time Tony had simply acted in the same careless attitude towards his father, knowing it irritated the man beyond belief.

"He does miss you," Maria suddenly said from her place at the piano, "when you are not here."

Tony just tightened his arms across his chest, hugging the anger and hurt. Maria watched her son, and she said seriously as she stood up: "And frankly, you're going to miss us. Because this is the last time we're all going to be together."

She walked over towards her son, grabbing her handbag from the seat beside the doorway. She turned to Tony, saying softly: "You know what's about to happen. Say something."