The Red Room

𝕋𝕎𝔼ℕ𝕋𝕐-𝕆ℕ𝔼

I took deep breaths and tried to stay calm. I'd never been more nervous in my twelve years of life. A couple days ago my mom contacted my dad and said she really wanted to meet me. So there I was sitting inside a building I'd ever seen before an hour away from home getting ready to meet someone I hated for abandoning me.

I sat on a bench. There was a desk in front of me but no one sat at it. It was a large building but I was the only occupant. I think it had recently been abandoned. I wondered briefly if the building felt the same way I did in that moment. Abandoned just to have people in it again; abandoned and all of the sudden it's mother wants to meet it.

I realized that was ridiculous. Buildings couldn't feel. My friends would make fun of me for thinking that. I had a reputation to keep. I couldn't be cringy. Jonny said May Jones wanted to ask me out the next week. I couldn't risk that just because I was meeting my mom.

I stared at the floor and tapped my foot. Geez, when was she going to get here? I was driving myself crazy.

It seemed like forever until I finally looked up and there was a blonde haired lady standing there in front of me. I didn't hear her walk in even though she was wearing high heeled boots. She had a soft expression on her face.

I suddenly realized she was my mother. I was expecting her signature red hair, but I could tell I was related to her by her nose and her eye shape. I didn't really know what she looked like to begin with. I didn't look at her even when she was in the news for being an Avenger. I hated her too much.

I swallowed and met her eyes. "Hi." I said instantly regretting it when my voice cracked. I cleared my throat.

"Hi." She smiled. She seemed stunned for some reason. I didn't think the voice crack was that bad. Her eyes traveled over my face. "I'm Natasha, what's your name?" She put her hand out to shake.

"Morgan." I said and shook it.

"I still can't believe I'm finally meeting you." She said as tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you. I hope you'll believe me when I say I really wanted to be."

I nodded even though I didn't believe her at all. "I understand." I said even though I did not understand. "I really wanted you to be there too." Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

She helped me up and pulled me into a hug. She cried and held me tight, telling me how much she missed me. I stood there and hugged her back, this woman I didn't know, and I melted. The tears came so hard and quick that I couldn't stop them, and I felt weak, but it was okay because this woman I didn't know was my mom, and it's okay to cry in front of your mom. She held me tighter before letting go so she could look at me.

She held my face in her hands. "My beautiful baby boy." She pressed her forehead to mine and we stayed there a while. I didn't hate her anymore. I didn't like her, she still left me, but maybe she really was just trying to protect me. As sorry as she was right then, I knew she wanted to be a part of my life as much as I wanted to be part of her's. I wanted to believe her so bad, but I couldn't. Not after leaving me with my awful father.

She finally pulled away. "Do you like the way you're living, Morgan?"

"What do you mean?" I sniffled.

"Do you like your life? Are you happy?" She held my hands in between us.

"I guess." I shrugged. "My father sucks, but I like my friends. And this really pretty girl, May Jones, is gonna ask me out next week." I bragged. "So I'm happy right now."

She laughed. "May Jones, huh? And how do you know she's gonna ask you out? You're not some sort of spy, are you?" She winked at me, still smiling.

"No." I shook my head, unfazed. "Jonny told me that she told him she likes me and her friends told him she wants to ask me out on Monday." I liked talking to my mom about normal things. I could pretend this wasn't my first time meeting her and we weren't in a random abandoned building.

No, we were in our cute little kitchen in our house and my dad was there too. He was a good guy this time and he and my mom were in love. I was telling them about May Jones over a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

"You treat May like a princess, okay?" She instructed.

"Yes, ma'am." I smiled.

"Good boy." She smiled too.

Her phone rang and the setting snapped back to the abandoned building. "Sorry." She said before answering it. "What do you need?" She asked the person in the phone. "No, I can't." She said forcefully. "I'm sorry, Steve, it'll have to wait, I'm in the middle of something." I realized she was taking to Captain America and I held my breath so I didn't disturb the call. "Really? Right now?" She asked sadly. "Okay, you owe me big time." She said begrudgingly.

Mom looked at me with regret in her eyes. "I wish we had more time." She put one hand behind my neck and kissed my forehead.

"You're leaving already?" New tears popped up in my eyes.

That seemed to melt her heart. "I'm so sorry, kid. I'm really going to miss you." She was crying too. "How about this? When you turn eighteen I'll come and find you. You can live with me and get away from that awful man you're living with now. You're just too young now and I can't risk anything happening to you."

I smiled and nodded enthusiastically. I couldn't wait to live with her. It would be so awesome! I could meet Captain America and Tony Stark and Hawkeye and Thor and The Hulk and all her superhero friends. I would have the coolest life ever! "I can't wait!" I smiled bigger than I ever had.

"Me either!" She sealed the promise with her smile. "I'll see you then, kid. I love you." She planted a kiss on my forehead and I watched as she walked out the door.

I never saw her again.