Chasing Ghosts | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 47: Forever Winter

Maya

"Do you know how to chop this?" 

Laura placed a cucumber on the chopping board, looking at the girl questionably.

As promised, Maya helped her with dinner. Being the small human she was, she stood on one of the wooden dinner table chairs next to the counter, so she could reach the countertop. Side to side, they prepared the ingredients, like they had known each other for years.

"They won't let me," Maya admitted, suppressing her eye roll. Katya's attitude started to rub off on her, to Natasha's frustration and amusement.

"Of course not, paranoid little Russians," Laura joked with a straight face, which made Maya laugh, agreeing with a nod. Sometimes, they were a bit overprotective. But Laura wasn't, she handed Maya a knife like it was no big deal. "Here. I'm sure you know how to. Watch your fingers. Can't send you back there with a limb missing." 

Extremely slowly and carefully, Maya cut the cucumber, moving her fingers inches away from the knife each time. With her face pulled into one of concentration, she did her best to make the slices the same width. 

The only sounds in that kitchen for a while, came from Laura peeling the potatoes, and Maya's knife hitting the cutting board.

"So, how do you like it so far in New York?"

Maya took a breath and straightened up, her back hurting from standing hunched over. "It's so much fun. I can do so much. I'm going to school, I have friends, and they even let me have a birthday party," she smiled brightly, thankful for everything they had already given her.

"I saw pictures of that! Thought I was looking at your Mom as a child," Laura laughed. "Are they strict? I bet they are."

"Not at all.'' Maya shook her head, stopped, and shrugged. ''Well, they won't let me stay up too late, I can't have a phone yet, and they refuse to teach me any fight tricks. I think they're scared I will turn out like them."

"I think you may be right with that," Laura agreed softly.

The last thing Natasha and Katya wanted for their daughter was to fall into a life of danger after teaching her how to fight and stuff. A normal life may sound boring, but the best thing Maya could grow up to be - in their eyes - was a vet, like she wanted to be, in a nice apartment in the city, with only bills to worry about.

"But we do lots of fun stuff,'' Maya quickly continued, going back to her cucumber. ''Movie nights, boardgames, and when there are fun things to do in the city, we'll be going. I do love it there."

Laura smiled happily. "Good. I know they were very nervous for your arrival."

"They were?" Maya raised a surprised eyebrow. They didn't look like the kind of people who were nervous for anything.

Laura nodded with a chuckle. "Yes, totally. Nat was freaking out. She hates insecurity, you know? It's not easy to suddenly become a parent, and she was afraid of doing it wrong. But they've had lots of practice with my kids." She paused, smirking mischievously. "You know, Cooper has had a crush on Katya for years."

Maya's eyes grew wide, snapping to Laura's face in wonder. "No way." She laughed when Laura nodded. Cooper a crush on her mom? Katya was beautiful and kind, but that poor kid was crushing on someone he could never get.

"Don't tell him I said that. He'll be so embarrassed,'' she laughed. ''But yes, if he could get rid of Nat and replace her, he would."

Maya shook her head. "Kat will never let him."