Second Chances - Book 1

Chapter 19: What Lies in the Past - Part 1

The following months of raising a baby were some of the happiest and the most exhaustive months of Bruce and Natasha's time together. Nessy proved to be quite the challenge. Certainly more so than Vinny. They had truly been lucky with their son, but their daughter brought about a series of new concerns. Much like Vinny, Nessy had suffered from colic. It was perhaps the only thing both parents were geared for. 

Sitting at 2 months old, Nessy was taking a nap against her mother's chest, who was sitting on a metallic grey sun lounger beneath a large umbrella that sheltered them from the afternoon sun, the pole of which piercing the lush grass that sprouted amongst their blooming yard. Shorts dressed the spy's legs while her torso was clothed in a simple printed shirt. Bruce, dressed in his cargo-like pants and a shirt, watered the colourful flowers and bushes that grew in their yard. The nozzle of the hose was set to the shower setting so as to not flood the soil. 

Vinny had taken to his bow and arrow rather well. It had become a favourite of his in the hotter months, with his target mounted to a tree courtesy of his father's handiwork, it was certainly easier to get plenty of practice in. When drawing back the string himself grew boresome, he took to using his telekinetic powers. Admittedly, he wasn't as accurate in his shooting with this method. Eyeing up the bullseye, Vinny was ready to let loose his sucker-ended arrow when his father turned the hose on him in a flash, spraying the boy in a playful manner before getting right back to watering the plants innocently.

Vinny released a squeak of surprise that alerted Natasha to the pair's antics. Lifting her hand, she rose the black sunglasses from her eyes to perch atop her head. In just enough time to see Vinny chasing his father around the yard. "If any of that gets us, I'll be holding you accountable," Natasha warned, shielding the back of Nessy's head with a hand. Green eyes tracked the grown man as he ran by the faucet where the hose was connected to shut it off before Vinny would 'tackle' him into the grass.

"I'm being brutally attacked!" Bruce groaned as Vinny sat victorious on his stomach, arms in the air triumphantly. It allowed his father perfect time to tickle the pits of the boy's arms, enough for Vinny to squirm and giggle infectiously. Natasha shook her head with a smile from her seat, adjusting herself as Nessy began waking up.

"Oh, hello sleeping beauty." Natasha cooed, sitting herself up some. Nessy's hazel-green eyes gradually opened, blinking tiredly as she adjusted to the shaded light of the outdoors. The infant had been born with brown eyes. Mahogany, almost. They had gradually lightened until the shades of green could be seen. Her brunette hair and almond-shaped eyes made her the perfect mixture of her mother and father. The redhead was inclined to believe she looked more like her father, but at such an early age, it was hard to say. The infant cooed quietly, stretching out her tired body. 

Vinny had freed himself from his father to rush over to his mother and sister, broad smiles for the both of them while Bruce sat himself up. "Hi, Nessy!" Vinny peeped, planting a gentle kiss on Nessy's rounded cheek, and repeating the same for his mother.

"Thank you, sweetie." Natasha smiled, lifting her hand to stroke her thumb across Vinny's cheek. "Are you keeping papa in check?"

"Mhm!" Vinny grinned, squeezing in beside his mother on the sun lounger.

"Oh, tomorrow.." Natasha voiced as Bruce picked himself up from the grass to venture toward his family. "I was thinking we could go to the museum." She mentioned, looking up to Bruce with a soft smile. Vinny gasped aloud, overtaken with excitement. "The Smithsonian has real dinosaur fossils we can see. And even real-life mummies." 

"They even have an exhibit on uncle Steve, now." Bruce nodded in his unwavering agreement to the proposal.

"But uncle Steve isn't a dinosaur!" Vinny protested.