The Collection- Bucky Barnes

Just Friends i: August

"That time of year again."

Jules glanced up from the paperwork scattered across her desk. It was a pitiful sight, made worse by the fact that she couldn't even remember the last time she had seen the desktop itself. She signed a half-ass version of her name at the bottom of a bill before folding the paper three-way to mail off.

"Bonuses?" She asked wryly. She could do with a little extra money. A couple extra dollars could go a long way for her. Back to Vermont for instance. Further, maybe. Out west. Nevada. California. Across the world.

She could make it last, stretch it out. It wasn't as if ultrasound technicians were exclusive to Manhattan.

Bianca laughed quietly, shaking her head. The obstetrician leaned her side against the doorframe of Jules' office. "Check-ups."

Jules wrinkled her nose. "Are you sure?" She inquired, turning away from her desk. "Because, we just had them like eleven and a half months ago."

Her co-worker snorted. "Yeah," she said, "that's how annual check-ups work. They come around once a year. Every August for us."

She couldn't help but groan. Not at the physical, she didn't mind that. It was a necessary part of the job. The job she happened to love. And not just because it had helped her out of the worst rut of her life. She had just really needed that extra money.

"When?" She tapped her fingers against the desk. Had to be soon, but all the appointment slots for the next two weeks were booked. And the hour lunch break wasn't enough time.

"Ours are Monday morning." Jules reached for the address book that held all their patient contact information. "Don't bother." Bianca said quickly. "I went ahead and rescheduled our appointments for that morning. Patients have been contacted and are all updated."

Always quick to the draw. Four steps ahead of everyone else. No doubt part of the reason she had graduated early from college and performed extraordinarily well in medical school. Jules was forever and always in awe of Bianca Edwards.

"So..." Bianca took slow steps into the office, swinging the door shut, "how're things at home?" That gentle, prying tone. Curious tilt of the head. Sympathetic eyes. "How's Ronnie?"

Jules swallowed, closing the appointment book. She shifted some of the papers around on the desk. "Fine." She stood up quickly. "I actually, uh, I'm leaving now. Date night."

Her coworker- more friend, truly- frowned. "Jules."

"Bianca, don't. Please."

The other woman's eyes were trained on the heavily concealed spot under her left eye. Even the expert combinations of different toned concealers still couldn't completely cover up the fading purplish spot of flesh.

"Let me-."

"I really have to go. We're supposed to book a trip for our anniversary before we go out."

One year. A year of ups and downs, as all relationships had. A rollercoaster of hot and cold. Fire and ice. Hell and heaven. Lately, more hell and almost no heaven. There was no trip. And she knew that Bianca probably knew that.

"Nine a.m. on Monday. Dr. Wrigley's." Bianca sighed. "Have a good weekend."

Jules nodded and grabbed her purse from the floor. She swung it over her shoulder. "You too." She muttered, crossing her office.

She made it as far as a few steps down the hall, just past Bianca's own office, when she heard her name being called. She slowed and half-turned her head. Bianca was standing outside of Jules' office. Her arms crossed over her chest and the no-funny-business look on her face.