The Man My Father Always Talked About • A CAPTAIN AMERICA STORY

62

~62~

Clara and Tony shared a glance at each other as their father closed the elevator door. "So, flowers and sauerkraut," Tony started. "You got a big date tonight?"

"My wife's expecting." He said, making Clara's eyes widen. "And, uh...Too much time in the office." He chuckled.

"Congratulations," Clara said quickly, making Howard bow his head and smile.

"Thanks," Howard said. "Hold this, will you?" He asked, referring to the flowers and the sauerkraut. Tony nodded and took the things out of Howard's hands.

"Yeah, sure."

"So um...How far along is she? Your wife I mean." Clara asked, the thought of her mother bringing a smile to her face.

"I don't know...uh..." Howard straightened out his tie before gesturing to how far along his wife was. "She's at the point where she can't stand the sound of my chewing. I guess I'll be eating dinner in the pantry again," He chuckled.

"I have a little girl," Tony said and Clara could hear the pride in his voice. He was able to tell his father that he had a kid of his own... something he would have never been able to do before. Clara knew how much Morgan meant to her father, and she couldn't wait to feel the same for her own child.

"A girl would be nice. Less of a chance she'd turn out exactly like me," Howard said. Clara looked down, not being able to meet his state.

"What'd be so awful about that?" Clara asked.

"Let's just say that the greater good has rarely outweighed my own self-interests," Howard answered. "What about you Rogers? Got any kids of your own?"

"Not yet, but my husband and I are discussing it." She answered, gaining a small smile from Tony. He always wanted to be a cool uncle.
The three of them left the elevator, the suitcase suddenly becoming heavier in Clara's hand as they walked down the dirt pathways. She looked around, trying to find Steve.

"So, where are you at with names?" Tony asked.

"Well, if it's a boy, my wife likes Almanzo." Howard said. Tony chuckled and Clara held in her laugh.

"Might wanna let that stew on. You got time." Tony said, relieved they never named him that.

"What if it's a girl?" She asked.

"You know, my wife always says the name Clarissa. Its the name of one of her friends. It always had a nice ring to it." Howard answered. Clara smiled softly at the thought of her mother again. Before leaving the two, Howard turned to Tony. "Let me ask you a question. When your kid was born...were you nervous?"

"Wildly. Yeah." Tony answered.

"Did you feel qualified? Like you had any idea how to successfully operate that thing?"

"I literally pieced it together as I went along," Tony said, making Clara chuckle as she thought of the late night phone calls, asking her how to change a diaper like she of all people would know. "I thought about what my Dad did."

"My old man, he never met a problem he couldn't solve with a belt," Howard said.

"I always thought our dad was rough on us." Tony said. "And looking back, I just remember the good stuff, you know. He did drop the odd pearl."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"'No amount of money ever bought a second of time.'" Clara and Tony said in unison, remembering the phrase like she had just heard it for the first time.