Battlefield ｡ Tony Stark

22 - TINKERING AROUND

The drive to Malibu seemed shorter than other times I had ventured out of San Fernando. With Samuel sitting in the seat next to me, the trip went in a blink of an eye and suddenly Tony Stark's modern cliffside mansion was rising up before my eyes and my nerves were swimming around crazily in the pit of my stomach. 

"Woah, he actually lives here?" Samuel whistled out as he shifted forward to admire the house. There was a slight tug in my chest with his shining eyes. We didn't live in a mansion, it was a small house and he never once mentioned our life style. But suddenly, I was doubting he would compare the two different lives; the one he had and the one he could have had with Tony Stark.

The gates down the very end of the driveway swung open automatically and I pressed down slowly on the accelerator wondering if it was even possible to back out of this family dinner tonight. I had been thinking about tonight all day long, wondering if this was a big step too fast. Only yesterday, I had officially told my son who his father was, despite him figuring it out days before hand. Now, here we were ready to step into the lion's den and try to survive. "Are you sure about this, buddy? We could try this another night or--" I started softly as I eased the car into park, pulling back on the hand brake. 

"I've never met him, not really." Samuel butted in, something new lining in his voice. He had promise he wasn't mad but he was just a kid, maybe he didn't or couldn't understand why I had chosen to keep Tony away and him in the dark. "You said we could have dinner with him tonight, mum." I could hear the tone slipping through and I knew he was ready to put up a fight tonight. 

With a heavy sigh, I yanked the key out of the ignition. "And tonight we'll have some fancy dinner in that overly priced house while your mother makes small talk about the weather, while you pick Tony Stark's brain about whatever you want." I muttered out, trying to put a smile on my lips despite the haunting feeling filling up my mind. "Sounds wonderfully pleasant." I breathed the last words through my lips, as the warm air hit my bare shoulders as we stepped up towards the front doors. 

 Samuel pressed the doorbell, giving me a wide smile. Despite my nerves resting in my body, despite the worry that he would one day choose Tony over me, I gave him a tiny smile back. I wanted to reach out and comb his hair back from his face but I didn't. Suddenly, the doors were yanked wide open and I found a smiling Pepper Potts. "Tilda, hello!" 

Pretty Pepper actually pulled me in for a quick hug and I smelt her expensive perfume before she was pulling away, offering another grin down at Samuel. "And you must be Samuel."

"Hey." He offered kindly, rocking back on his heels.

She was ushering us into the house quickly, her bubbly voice bouncing off the walls. My eyes swung over the open lounge room once again, seeing everything shining with white. I couldn't imagine living in a house like this, it seemed too open, too spacious. "We're having dinner in the dining room and I must admit, it's a first. We don't usually have people over for dinner but it will be a good change." Pepper was saying, leading the way. 

Coming down the main staircase, chatting quickly into a phone was Tony. Pepper halted, sending a little look over her shoulder at me. He was wearing a dinner jacket, something that seemed ridiculous since it was just us but maybe he was trying to impress someone. I noticed Samuel was biting down on his bottom lip, his shoulders tensing up. It was the little things a mother picked up on and I knew all night, my focus would be on him, watching for something that would give me a clue to what he was thinking. Tony ended the phone call as he reached the last step, giving the three of us a charming smile. 

"You're late, but that's to be expected, Tilly." Tony addressed me and I found myself shaking my head lightly as his attempt to lighten the mood, he was already doing that, deflecting.