Positive Regard

Chapter Forty Four

Bucky was leaving again for something for SHIELD. I didn't know where he was going or what he was doing. He hugged me and Henry and said bye as Stephanie held onto his leg, crying and telling him not to go.
"I gotta go, baby." He picked her up and hugged her. "I'm sorry."
"I don't want you to go." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't go!"
He kissed her cheek. "I really have to go, Steph. You have to let me go."
"No!"
"Rose." He let her go and reached behind his neck to pull her arms off of him. She still held on. I helped him pry her off and held her. He kissed her head, but she jerked away and said no. He kissed me, hugged Henry, and walked out the door.
Henry waited until Bucky drove out of the driveway before asking Stephanie if she wanted to go outside and play.
She shook her head and wrapped her arms around my neck.
"Go outside." I said, putting her down.
"I miss Daddy!"
"I know." I kissed her head. "He'll be back soon. Go out and play."
Henry grabbed her hand and she followed him outside. I watched them through the kitchen window as they played on the play set Tony had gotten her.
I was about to go outside and join them when Steve showed up.
"Hey." He called as he walked in the front door.
"Kitchen."
He came into the kitchen and kissed my cheek. "Hey, Rosie. What's up?"
I shrugged. "Not cleaning, even though it's a mess. You?"
"Just figured I'd come over. Bucky said Steph was pretty upset."
"Yeah. She's fine now." I gestured to where she and Henry were playing. She was laughing already.
"Good. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." I shrugged and smiled. "You?"
"Me? Yeah."
I nudged him with my shoulder. "How's Sharon?"
"Good."
"Still not gonna tell us anything about your relationship with her?" I smiled.
"No. You judge."
"I won't judge. I swear. Cross my heart." I made an X over my heart.
"If I tell anyone, it's not gonna be you."
"Bucky?"
"Yes. At least he'd understand."
"Understand what?" I raised my eyebrows.
"Um. Nothing. You're just, you know..."
"Less of a sinner?"
"Yes. That." He laughed. "See, if I told you we had sex, you'd give me that look and say 'mhm,' but if I told him, he'd--he would say something else."
"Oh, no. Please tell me what he'd say." I raised my eyebrows, smiling.
"Nuh-uh. Not today, Rose. Not falling for that."
"For what? I actually wanna know. It's not leverage." I laughed.
"Nope. Not falling for it."
"Next time I see him, he'll be coming back from being a hero and I can't really be mad with a clear conscience."
"That's true. But it's nothing." He laughed.
"But I'm curious. I already know men are pigs, Steve."
"Thanks." He said sarcastically. "Appreciate that. I really feel the love."
I laughed. "Hey, those are my dad's words, not mine. Except he thought Bucky and Matt were the exceptions. I know that's wrong."
He nodded. "I thought your dad was right about everything."
"Everything but that." I agreed. "And you I guess."
"Well, thanks."
"Sure."
"I'm gonna go outside and see the kids. You wanna go out or something while I'm here? I can watch them for a bit."
I shrugged. "I'm good."
"Really? You look like you could use a break." He smiled. "Go on."
"I'm not going anywhere. But I'm gonna vacuum. Steph doesn't like the noise."
"Right." He nodded and headed for the door. He turned back to me instead of opening it. "Hey, Rosie. You want me to do that?"
"Do what?" I asked.
"Vacuum. You can go outside."
"Well, damn. I should've married you." I laughed.
He shrugged. "I tried telling you."
"Just so you won't be surprised, I'm telling Bucky you offered to vacuum. That I'll definitely use as leverage."
"That's fine. I'll even tell him myself." He grinned and walked out.
I vacuumed the whole house, and they were still outside playing. I brought them out lemonade and asked what they wanted for dinner.
"Sandwich, please." Henry said.
"Chicken." Stephanie said from Steve's shoulders.
I raised my eyebrows at Steve. "And you?"
"Well... I kind of want a grilled cheese but I don't wanna be difficult."
"I think we'll just go out to eat. Come in when you guys get hungry and we'll go."
"Come play with us, Mommy." Stephanie said, pulling on Steve's hair. "We're about to play tag."
"Then you gotta get down."
"Why?"
"'Cause you're it." I reached up to tag her and ran away.
We went for dinner around six. Steve came, and we ran into Peter and his friend Ned there. Stephanie pulled Henry over to them and sat down. Steve and I got the food after saying hello. We tried to get Stephanie and Henry to sit at a different table, but they wouldn't. Peter told them to stay, and pulled a table over so Steve and I could sit too.
"Can I go home with Uncle Steve?" Stephanie asked around a mouthful of fried chicken.
"Don't talk with your mouth full." I answered.
"Okay but can I?"
"I think Uncle Steve probably has plans."
Steve shrugged. "Nothing that can't be changed."
Henry grinned. "Do you have a date?"
"Not really."
Stephanie smiled. "We can go on your date with you."
"Um. No. No, you can't do that. You can't ever do that. But you can come over tonight."
"Will Ms. Sharon be there?"
"No."
"Can Ms. Sharon be there?"
"Well, yeah, I guess she can be."
I elbowed him. "Look, and now you have a chaperone."
"Shut up, Rosie."
Stephanie's eyes widened. "That's a bad word! I can't go to your house."
"Then I'll go on a date." He smiled.
"But I wanna go to your house."
"Then come."
"Okay." She smiled sweetly.
"You coming too, Henry?"
Henry shook his head. "No sir. Thanks, though."
"Why not?" I asked. "It'll be fun."
"I know. But you don't like to stay home alone at night."
"I think I can manage for one night. Thank you for thinking of me, though." I smiled. He really was the sweetest.
"I'm good at home. Unless you want me to leave." He smiled.
"Well, no, but I'm sure you guys'd have fun."
"I know. But I'm tired."
After dinner, we went back home so Stephanie could get clothes to bring to Steve's. They tried to get Henry to go, but he didn't. I was pretty sure he was just tired of being sociable or wanted a break from Stephanie's energy.
"Remember to make her go to bed on time, Steve." I reminded him.
"Yes ma'am. I'm aware."
"If you don't and she's cranky tomorrow, you can come over here and deal with it."
"I know the drill." He smiled.
They left. I told Henry that unless he was ready to go to sleep, we could watch a movie.
"Can we have coffee too?"
"Do you like coffee?" I raised my eyebrows.
He shrugged. "I dunno. But I can find out."
I laughed. "Okay. Yeah, we can have coffee. But don't get used to it. It stunts your growth."
"Yeah, yeah. That's what you always say."
"Well, it's true. Go pick a movie and I'll make some."