Chasing Ghosts | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 10: One Big (But Not Happy) Reunion

Natasha

Natasha hurried out of the car, running unto the porch with Maya. The rain had gotten worse. Instead of a light drizzle, it came pouring down. Like someone emptied an entire swimming pool on their heads. 

Inside, they shrugged off their muddy shoes and damp jackets, and moved to the kitchen for something to drink. Maya silently sat down at the counter. She hadn't said much in the car, ashamed of her behavior. She wondered what Katya would have done in this situation. Something told her she would have laughed at it, receiving a glare from her wife in return. 

''So, what do I have to do?'' she eventually asked, drinking the glass of water Natasha placed in front of her. 

Natasha furrowed her eyebrows, warming her hands with her coffee mug. ''What do you mean?''

''Mom, I hit a girl,'' Maya reminded her dryly. ''What is the consequence?''

Maya was obviously used to getting some sort of punishment for making a mistake, and Natasha wondered what that punishment at the orphanage had been. Probably something like no TV or staying in the bedroom for a day. She didn't want to be that kind of mom. ''You need to set the table tonight,'' she said casually, taking a sip of her coffee.

''I already do that every day,'' Maya reminded her, confused to the bone. 

She hummed. ''Exactly. There is no punishment because you already said sorry and that it wasn't going to happen again. I trust you on that. You knew you were wrong. I don't have to tell you that again.'' Maya's frown turned into a surprised smile. Natasha mirrored that and added teasingly, ''But you do have to get your ass upstairs and do your homework.''

Maya giggled, nodded and disappeared upstairs with a beaming smile on her face. Natasha watched her go, letting out a breath after she heard the bedroom door close. Parenting was not easy, but Maya made it feel easy. She was so smart and honest.

The rain hit the kitchen window, making the house feel cozy. It was silent except that sound, only Maya's desk chair upstairs rolling back and forth over the floor once. For Natasha, rain was always welcome. She loved the sun, but there was something about sitting in a warm house and watching the grey world outside that made her feel content.

Instead of to Katya, her mind traveled to her daughter, and what those bullies must have said to get her mad. Maya had thick skin, but family was a sensitive subject. Natasha could come up with some things, but couldn't think about it too long. The idea of Maya getting bullied in school made her so angry that her hands shook.

She hadn't realized her mind had drifted that far off, so when her phone rung loudly, she jumped a bit. It was easy to let her guard down in her own home.

The number on the screen wasn't an unknown number. It wasn't Katya, which caused Natasha's heart to sink a bit. It had been hours since a last sign of life. But no news could be good news.

''Hey man.'' She accepted the call and threw the phone on the counter, too lazy to hold it by her ear the entire time.

''That was fast,'' Clint replied surprised. They hadn't heard each other's voices in weeks, but nothing would ever change between them.

Natasha leaned against the counter and crossed her free arm over her chest. ''Waiting on news from Kat.''

''Right. Heard that. You doing alright?''