Chapter 33

29 4 0
                                    

Peter checked the phone screen to make sure MJ hadn't written to him that she had changed her mind and that he shouldn't come anymore. He went to Blue Hill with his parents for a final check, and somehow it dragged on. It was even more magical in real life there. He couldn't even imagine a better place for their wedding. But one easily loses track of time there, so now he is late for meeting with Michelle. She wrote him that she didn't mind and that she would wait for him, but one could never be sure. And he didn't want to miss a chance to reconcile them.

"Couldn't you go a little faster?" he asked impatiently. The Blue Hill Farm was beautiful but far from New York.

Tony gave him a quick look in the rearview mirror. "I know I can often do the impossible, but I really can't let the convoy of cars in front of us disappear," he grinned.

"I bet Loki could do it," he muttered under his nose, but loud enough for his father to hear.

"I can't believe that if all goes well, the next time we go back will be for our wedding," Pepper said before Tony could respond to Peter's remark.

"I don't understand, won't there be a need to go there anymore?" He didn't know much about wedding planning, but he thought that the closer the wedding date came, the more arrangements would be needed.

"Yes, but from now on Tommy is in charge. I have to say that I will miss the planning, but on the other hand, I am so relieved! And I will have more than enough at work now. It is necessary to prepare everything for the period of my absence," she explained. "I'll be available on the phone, but I'd rather I didn't have to deal with anything and enjoy it to the full."

"And where are you actually going for your honeymoon?" he asked curiously. He realized that they had never actually mentioned it. He hoped they didn't want to stay home just to keep him under surveillance.

"Yeah, Tony, where are we going for our honeymoon?" Pepper repeated his question.

"It's a surprise," he replied, as always, when she asked him. She would be lying if she said she wasn't curious, but somehow she didn't mind that she didn't know.

"Sooner or later, you'll have to tell me anyway," she said playfully.

"You forget we have a private jet. You'll find out on the spot, Pep," Tony said in a perfectly calm voice. He managed to keep it a secret for so long, he certainly wasn't going to ruin it now.

Peter watched them softly with a small smile on his face. For a moment, he forgot about the problems they had with Michelle. Instead, he remembered the first time his parents had kissed and had no idea they weren't alone on the roof. They have come a long way together. Peter didn't know if his relationship with Michelle would last until he grew up, but he knew that one day he wanted to have a relationship like his parents had. Sure, they used to argue, but that was normal. And when they weren't arguing, they had the most beautiful relationship. He didn't understand that Dad hadn't asked for her to marry him much earlier.

"Here we are," Tony told him as he parked in front of the old block of flats.

"Thanks, I'll be back sometime," he said, getting out of the car quickly. He waved goodbye to them, and as soon as they set off, he sent a message to MJ that he was waiting downstairs. Normally he would probably go up the fire escape, but now it didn't suit him very well.

"Are you coming?" came a familiar voice behind him.

Peter turned to find Michelle standing in the doorway. It took him a while to work out the situation. "Michelle! Um, hello," he greeted her and took a few steps toward her. "I thought we were going for a walk," he said nervously. He didn't want her to feel like she had to invite him home.

"No one's home, so feel free to come in," she said in a firm voice, but Peter knew she was just as nervous as he was.

"All right then," he agreed, following her inside. They made their way up the stairs in silence. Only now did he begin to realize how important this moment was. If they argue or disagree today, it would probably mean the end for them.

"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked as they entered their apartment.

"Maybe water," he muttered softly.

MJ nodded and poured them both a glass of water, then sat down on the couch. She knew it was up to her now, but she had no idea how to begin. She was ready. She really was. It was just so hard and she never talked to anyone about it.

"That's how it looks at us most of the time. No one is home," she said dryly, drinking cold water to give her time to think about her next words.

Peter nodded but said nothing. He had to listen carefully and patiently now.

"Okay, so that's the way it is - our families don't look alike at all, and I don't mean that your father is a superhero and your mother is a successful businesswoman. Imagine that you would be a completely ordinary family just like us, but you would still not resemble us in anything," she tried to explain for a start. Peter just nodded again. "I know from photo albums that when I was a baby, we were a happy family, but I don't remember any of it. All I remember is that Mom and Dad argued all the time and one day Dad left. Mom started working harder to feed us. I never blamed her. I know she did what she could, but when she was at work, she couldn't be with me. So I had to learn to do everything myself. You'll get used to it over time, and then it's hard to change. My father came back after a few years, just like that, and do you know what my mom did? She fell around his neck and took him back without blinking," she hissed and drank again to calm herself a little. "Peter, my parents don't care if I disappear for a few days. They just don't care. I haven't considered them my family in a long time."

"Michelle, I didn't know that," was all Peter got out of himself.

"How could you? I'm not talking about it, and I have my reasons. Can you respect that? I don't want you to get involved. I don't want to talk about or deal with it. I told you that because I care about you and I don't want it to end between us because of them," she explained. It was true that she was quite relieved to confide in him, but if he hadn't found out that she was lying to him, she probably wouldn't have told him any time soon.

Peter was silent for a moment, thinking carefully about it. Suddenly it seemed too easy for him. "I think I can do that," he said softly with a small smile on his face. "I have no problem respecting your wishes when I know the truth."

"So the pause is over?" she whispered uncertainly.

"If you still want to be with me," he said shyly.

Michelle nodded. Today she talked too much about her feelings. Instead, she sat closer to him and pulled him into a kiss. Finally, she felt like she was home again.

The Revenge of Devil | Irondad, pepperonyWhere stories live. Discover now