Broken Lullaby ▷ Tony Stark | ✓

2 - GETTING BY

October, 2017

BIRDIE LIKED TO BE IN CONTROL. She would be the first to admit, she liked knowing when things were going to happen and she hated surprises more than anything else. If she were seeing a shrink, they'd dig into her past and discover that there had been many a time in which she had no control over something and, as a result, she clung onto whatever power she had, never wanting to lose it for fear of what would happen.

But she didn't go to a shrink so until the day that happened, she was going to just live her life and if people disliked her for it, she honestly didn't have the time nor the energy to care.

"Remy Oswald Walsh, you are going to be late for school," she called, stomping down the hall to her son's room, knocking on the door, "If you don't get to school, then I can't get to work, then we won't be able to afford this place."

The door bregrudingly opened, revealing a small boy looking up at her, unamused. "Mark already kicked us out of our brownstone, don't let him kick us out of this place, it's actually pretty nice."

Birdie sighed and grabbed her son by the arm, tugging him back gently, crouching down and placing her hands on his shoulders. "Remy, it doesn't matter where we live. As long as we're together, that's all that matters."

"Then why don't we move to someplace that isn't as expensive?" he asked, crossing his arms, "I get you have a job thanks to Aunt Jayne, but don't you think it'd be easier for us to live in, at least, not-Manhattan?"

She sighed and hung her head low. "Remy, we've been over this, your father doesn't want us living anywhere but here, it's easier for all of us."

"It's easier for him and he doesn't even live with us anymore," the boy argued, pulling out of her grip, "It's dumb, why does he think he still has a say in our lives? He kicked us out of the brownstone that we were paying for."

Birdie pursed her lips. "Really, honey, I wasn't able to keep up with rent, it wasn't fair to your father."

"Mark and his salary can deal with it," he spat, marching over to the dining table, "He doesn't need all of those watches and Roombas."

As he passed by the living room, he caught sight of their own Roomba which was waiting patiently in the corner for when its timer went off and it could stumble about their home, trying to pick up the dirt left by the two inhabitants. Emphasis on 'trying.'

Remy made a detour, walking over and patting their Roomba on the head. "It's okay, Roomba, we know you're trying your best, it's okay."

Walking back to his mother who was watching the scene with a small smile, he whispered, "When the robots inevitably take over, I don't wanna be the first on the hit list."

Birdie covered her mouth to stifle her laugh, her shoulders shaking as she watched her son walk over to the dining table and sit down, waiting for his food. As she went to give him his toast, she heard him ask,

"Can you ask Mark to pay the fee for me to join the robotics team?"

She paused, her heart stuttering to a stop. Despite what Remy believed, Mark didn't pay for anything in their lives, nor did he want them to stay in Manhattan. That was all her parents, though they had all agreed not to tell him know that; if he believed his father was still in the picture, maybe the boy would resent him less.

But deep down Birdie knew that Remy didn't like his father, not since he left them at the beginning of the year, never showing his face unless it was convenient for him or when Birdie twisted his arm.

"I thought you didn't want to join the team because you don't understand math," she ventured carefully; that was what he told her, but she didn't want him to feel as though she was dissuading him.