The Hurt And The Healing: Bucky X OC

Chapter Eighty-Eight: Red Lips, White Lies, And Blue Skies

"Come on!" AJ pleaded as he and Cass pulled Bucky through the backyard and towards the shoreline. Bucky laughed and let himself be dragged along, heavy combat boots making him stumble after their nimble feet.

"Hang on, hang on!" he tried to order them, but the boys knew there was no bite to his bark and so they continued to yank him forward until skidding to a halt that had him crashing into their backs. Not even bothering to look at what they had been so eager to show him, Bucky scooped them up and jokingly roared as they shouted with delight. He spun around several times, letting their arms and legs wave for anything to grab hold of before carefully dropping them into the grass.

"Don't break my boys!" Sarah called from the dock as she walked towards them.

"Ah, they're still bouncy at this age," Bucky assured her, pulling the children to their feet and patting their shoulders to assure their mother he hadn't broken any of their bones.

"That was awesome!" Cass shouted, making to grab Bucky's arm again for another round. Rather than tell him no, Bucky made a show of being worn out and leaned against a nearby tree to buy himself a few minutes rest. He looked over the dock and his heart swelled with pride as he took in Mara and Sarah's hard work. The two women had risen with sun and transformed the backyard into a patriotic display that rivaled V-E Day. Red, white, and blue bunting hung from the dock railings, banners stretched from tree to tree, and the dozen picnic tables were are dressed in plastic tablecloths, napkins, and plates all in the patriotic color pallet.

"Well?" Mara asked, joining Sarah and grinning like a woman who hadn't been working outside for the past ten hours in a blistering Louisiana July. "What'dya think?"

"Hang- on-" Bucky panted dramatically as AJ and Cass tried to climb all over him.

"Boys!" Sarah scolded, snapping her finger like a whip and shooting out a disapproving finger point to complete the motion. Mara's eyes lit up at the gesture and Bucky knew she was going to use it on him the first chance she got. "Leave the poor man be!"

"Sorry, Mom," they apologized in unison, dropping back onto the ground.

"I'm not the one you tried to turn into a jungle jim," Sarah reminded them. They turned their large eyes up to Bucky and he held back a smile he knew the women would not like seeing while trying to teach the children a lesson.

"Sorry, Uncle Bucky," AJ said first before elbowing his younger brother.

"Yeah, sorry, Uncle Bucky," Cass added.

"It's alright, boys," he assured them, losing the battle to hide his grin. Every adult in Delacroix was an auntie or an uncle, but the term of endearment still made his old heart pang.

"Go find Sam and tell him I said he needs to shower before the guests arrive," Sarah ordered them. The boys took off running back to the house where Sam was lovingly tending to the meats. "And tell him it's not up for debate!" she shouted after them.

Mara laughed and looked at Sarah admiringly.

"You really are the only person in the world who can get him to do anything," she said in amazement. Sarah laughed and feigned brushing her hair back from her shoulders.

"What can I say? I knew him back when he had braces and a bad mustache," she explained with a shrug. But Bucky could see that the compliment made her happy. He could also see Mara mentally taking notes on how to boss him around better.

"It looks incredible, ladies," he said with a grin and hopes of changing the subject away from how to corral stubborn men. "You two outdid yourselves."

"Thanks, caro," Mara said before giving him a quick peck on the cheek. They were both too hot and sweaty for a hug, so they made do with holding hands and looking out over the bay together. "Did you and Sam get the grills figured out?"