First Love || Bucky Barnes

Chapter Fifteen: Elizabeth's 21st Birthday

~April 22, 1939~

Bucky sprints down the stairs, jumping off the second to last step, his feet landing on the hardwood floor. He then runs into the kitchen and sees his mother, cooking breakfast. She turns her head and sees that he had a piece of paper in his hand.

"What do you have there James?" she asks, taking the eggs out of the pan and placing them on two plates. Winnifred looks over and sees that Bucky was looking down at the paper with the biggest smile she has ever seen on his face. 

"It's birthday plans for Elizabeth," he said, looking up at his mother. "Today's her birthday." Winnifred places the plates onto the table and turns to Bucky, placing a hand on her hip. "Yes, that's right! I can't believe she is twenty-one today. I remember when you two first met in preschool and became instant friends. Now look at you two...boyfriend and girlfriend." 

Bucky's cheeks redden a bit. "Mom..." Winnifred raises her hands up. "I know, I know, don't start teasing me mom," she says mocking her son's tone. 

Bucky rolls his eyes but still had a smile on his face while doing so. "What are your plans for her today?" Winnifred asks, sitting down at the table as she begins to eat her eggs. Bucky sits down across from her, pushing the plate off to the side and lays the paper down. 

"I have Grandpa Jack in on the first part of the plan which is to keep Elizabeth busy all day until five o'clock which is when he will then bring her to Tom's Restaurant where we," he points to himself and at his mother. "-will be waiting along with the rest Elizabeth's friends. We will have the celebration there and then afterwards; I will take Elizabeth out for her first legal drink." 

"She's going to love the surprise party you have planned for her. I know you loved the one she planned for you last year." Memories of his twenty-first birthday flashes through his mind. Elizabeth's plan for him was incredible as she had not only Steve but his friend and former teammate Richard Davidson in on distracting him while she and his mother got the party set up at his house.

"What does she think you are doing today?" Winnifred asks her son. "She thinks I am meeting up with Richard Davidson since we haven't seen each other in a while but little does she know that he is actually helping me set up along with Steve." 

Winnifred smiles at her son. If you were to see Elizabeth and James together in passing, you would be able to see just how much the two were in love with each other. But what Winnifred noticed about her son was just how truly in love he was with Elizabeth Johnson from how and the way he talks about her. His eyes would light up and his smile would grow bigger as he gushed about how incredible his girl was or the littlest things she would do for him. 

Winnifred reaches for Bucky's hand and grabs a hold of it. "It's like I said honey, she is going to love the surprise party." "I hope so," he whispers.

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The night was beautiful and Tom's Restaurant was decorated with balloons and a sign that read 'Happy 21st Birthday Elizabeth!' in blue lettering. 

Bucky, Steve and Richard were hard at work at Tom's Restaurant all day that even Tom, the owner had pitched in and helped to make this party incredible for Elizabeth since she was one of his favorite customers. 

Without his friends, Bucky probably couldn't have gotten all this done by himself which was why he was so grateful for the people he was surrounded by. 

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The time had almost arrived as Elizabeth had been busy running errands with Grandpa Jack the whole day. Elizabeth didn't mind spending her birthday, helping out her grandfather but on the inside, she wanted to spend the day with her best friend Steve who ended up being sick and with her boyfriend Bucky who was with his friend Richard.