Inseparable

Sarah Rogers

Steve walked into his apartment, set the bag of groceries down on the small table, and then hurried to check on his mom. She had been sick since before they moved but in the past few days she had gotten progressively worse.

She was asleep and breathing shallowly but her fever had gone down so Steve set about putting away the groceries and making himself something small to eat.
After he was done he organized some of the things on his mother's vanity, dusting off the picture of his father in the war before putting it back near the folded American flag.
He then changed into a spare clean red shirt and washed up his face and hands in case his mother woke.

Steve then set some toast and tea on the table next to her before sitting down and playing with his toy soldiers. He imagined epic battles and how he would be a hero someday. "Boom, boom, pow, pow!" he whispered to himself. "Oh no, I've been hit, go on without me!" Steve was so lost in his own world he didn't notice his mother stirring until she hoarsely called him.

"Come up here a minute, will you please?"

Hopping up, he hurried over and sat on the side of the bed. She looked at him through puffy eyelids, her gaze serious. "You want to be a soldier like your father *cough* don't you?" "Yes, mama. More than anything." She gave a little laugh, as he brushed her messy hair out of her face. "Well, I imagine. That's what Joe would want. You and him. Acorn and tree."
Her blue eyes filled with tears as she thought of his father. "Once he got an idea lodged in his head there was no shaking it loose either. Whatever you dream, you can be Stevie. But you're gonna have to fight for it. " She reached out and touched his cheek, and he leaned into it. "People are gonna spend your whole life taking one look at your body and telling you what you can't do. But they can't see like I do. It holds a heart ten times its size."

Steve blushed and looked down, "Mama.." She took his hand, forcing him to look back at her, "You got no quit in you. Just promise your mama you'll use your head too. Fine line between fearless and foolhardy. It took your father away from us too soon."I promise mama." She patted his hand gently. "Good son, good. Now help me sit up. I'm going to try to eat something to get my strength up." And while he did he told her all about Bucky, (leaving out the fight of course) and how he couldn't wait to see him at school.

At this, she sighed. "I'm sorry honey, but we're too short on money right now and the school said you're still too young, you have to be 13. You'll have to wait another few years but I can still school you at home a bit and there's a library nearby. I am really sorry."
Steve was crushed but tried not to show it. "It's okay, I understand. Is it alright if I stop to tell him, so he won't be lookin for me?"
"Sure thing."