You Must Remember This (WIP)

Chapter 10 - Call the midwife

Brooklyn, March 10th, 1941

"First round is on Barnes!"

"The hell it is! You're supposed to treat me, you idiot! It's my birthday!"

"You made that up! Treating someone for their birthday is the most absurd thing I've ever heard of!"

"Then why did you make us do it for yours?!"

The entire group burst into laughter, and Bucky followed his friends into the club. He glanced back to see if Steve was still following. To his relief, he saw that he was. He would have hated not to have his best pall on his birthday. If only Steve were a little more outgoing. He'd find himself having more fun. Maybe he'd even get lucky and pick up a dame. But as Bucky pulled him in, he realized that wasn't going to happen any time soon.
Poor kid was just too scrawny for his age. Dames didn't like that. They saw Steve, and they pitied him. They saw Bucky or any of his other friends, and they swooned all over them. Even if one or two lacked some qualities that Steve had plenty of, it didn't matter. First impressions were everything.

The Atalanta Club was unusually busy this Sunday evening. That was good. They were bound to get a couple of dames to dance with them. And maybe Bucky would get something more out of the evening if that one gal, Bonnie, was around. She seemed pretty into him. And if she knew it was his birthday, she might just want to go past second. Nothing could ruin this night for him. Absolutely no-

Son of a bitch, come on!

Bucky groaned when he saw Steve's twin sister standing with her girlfriends near the bar. Of all the places Evelyn could have gone to tonight, why did it have to be this place?! The Atalanta was his territory, especially on his birthday! Was it really Evelyn's mission in life to make him miserable?

He touched his cheek with the tip of his fingers. The slap she'd given him the day before at the clinic still stung a bit. And the boys at the docks had given him a hard time about it too. Joking if he'd gotten into another fight with 'his favorite dame' when he arrived with a red cheek. They all knew he and Evelyn hated each other's guts and that she was the only girl who'd get it into her head to hit him. If she'd been a guy, Bucky wouldn't have hesitated to strike back. But his father raised him right. And he hated the bastards that did strike women and children. He would never be one of them.

Bucky was about to lead his friends to the other side of the bar when he suddenly saw Evelyn walking towards them, her black dress swirling around her. She was probably coming to get Steve away from him. He sighed, already dreading the very public argument they were bound to have in a minute.
But Evelyn wasn't headed to Steve. She was coming right at him. Bucky raised his brow. Was she coming to wish him a happy birthday? She only did that when his father or Rebecca were around. They made a silent treaty to keep appearances for Steve's sake, but she could've just pretended not to have seen him. What was she planning?

"There you are!"

"Blondie, what are y-?"

Bucky froze when Evelyn wrapped her arms around his neck. His eyes widened when she pulled him down, and their mouths met. For a split second, Bucky had every intention of pushing her away. But then it hit him; Evelyn Rogers was kissing him. She was kissing him.
The music fell away. The laughter and joy around him fell away. His friends standing right beside him fell away. All Bucky was aware of was Evelyn, pressed against his body, her red lips on his.
Then, as sudden as it had happened, it was over. Bucky blinked when he felt Evelyn back away a few inches.

"For God's sake, James, just play along!" she hissed at him.

She looked back over her shoulder, keeping her arms around his neck.