Just A Nurse

Nine

Hey there,

I decided not to leave it very long before adding the next chapter because there had been a long enough hiatus already.

I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

E xx

Published 18/09/17 at 10:41 p.m.

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The next morning Olivia woke up at six, she'd been startled by the noise and life erupting from the streets below. The sound of Steve and Bucky's snores still filled the apartment as she left; she scribbled a little note for Bucky saying she'd be back in an hour or two; she was just excited to be part of the flurry of life below. She found a market that ran the entire length of the street just a road of two over from Steve and Bucky's Apartment; she walked slowly, hugging her dark blue coat close to her body. She was grateful that she'd chosen to put her boots on as the snow covering Brooklyn was now a good five inches thick. The stalls held all kinds of treasures, but the busiest ones were the food stalls, selling their rations to people. The toy stalls had a lot of interest from the excitable children, but didn't seem to be making many purchases, she assumed people just couldn't afford it at the moment. The stand owner seemed to be content with just letting the children play with the toys he had on show.

"Listen kid, I can't sell you the scarf if you can't pay for it." Olivia's attention was drawn to some commotion at a clothes stand. A skinny, little boy, no older than twelve, was trying to buy a bright pink scarf, Olivia frowned, spotting an equally skinny and even smaller girl, not too far from the scene; she wore a patched coat that was clearly handed down to her and not in very good nick.

"Please sir, my sister is freezing." The boy begged, holding out a dirty hand filled with change.

"You've got two bucks son, the scarf is four." He sighed, he clearly wanted to give the boy the scarf, but he had a business to run as well.

"Excuse me," Olivia made her presence known to the pair, "I would like to buy that scarf, please?" she dug her hand deep into her pocket and pulled out her purse. She stopped, looking at the state of the two children who were staring up at her in wonder. "And this coat and some shoes." She looked back at the sales man confidently. No one spoke, no one moved, they just stared; this kind of compassion was clearly not something they'd come across before.

Olivia sighed, picking up a warm red coat and holding it to the little girl, it was big on her, but Olivia hoped that would just mean it would last for her. She chose some smart leather day shoes for the little girl, also a little big. Then she looked to the boy, his clothes seemed to fit him and weren't too old, maybe he was dressed this way to make him seem employable. She looked to his shoes and decided to buy him some too.

"How much?" she asked, smiling kindly to the store owner.

"That is nineteen dollars and forty three cents, Ma'am." He replied, breaking out from his shocked daze and accepting her twenty dollars.

"Keep the change," she chuckled, as her fumbled with change. Olivia wondered for a moment if she should be acting more coy with her money, she was fairly well off; especially compared to these children, in fact she was well off compared to most of the people who were on the street. What was to be expected though, she had worked since she was fifteen and never had anyone but herself to spend it on, of course now she had Bucky (and to a certain extent Steve) but that wasn't going to stop her spending it on these children. Instead, she brushed her self-consciousness to the side and took the clothing from the man and handed it to the children; they just looked up at her in confusion. "Well take it then," she encouraged softly. Eventually the children accepted the gesture, the little girl immediately putting on the new clothes.