THE WINTER CHILDREN | What They Made Me | part 2

20. Surprises and sleepovers

After the whole accords situation, and then the vulture situation was over, it was quite calm for once. It's been a few weeks, and Peter has been coming over for a day or two in the weekends every other week. It's been pretty fun. Dad and I spend a lot of the time in the garage, working on the 1955 Gullwing.  We finished it a few days ago, so now we're back at suit updates and stuff. We have a rough plan for a nano tech suit, but it's probably gonna be like a year or so before it's done. It's fun working on it though.

It's quite early on a Sunday when dad decides we're 'going places.' He made me get up and get ready without letting me know anything at all. Pepper told me to dress nice, but not to nice. I just chose the basic light purple dress she bought me a week or so ago. Dad can be frustrating, because he knows where we're going and I don't. And I hate surprises.

After a quick breakfast and some ushering me around, we're on our way trough the facility. Usually we take the elevator straight down, but now there's hallways and stairs and I have no idea what's going on. We finally end up completely on the other side of this place. That's where Rhodey is. The place is set up for rehabilitation and stuff. I've been down here quite a lot lately, but we usually don't have to go all around the building for that. We get there, but I don't see Rhodey yet. Maybe he's in his apartment thingy right next to it. I want to head over there, but dad stops me.

"Hold on missy." He says. I scrunch up my face and look at him. He just smirks back.

"Friday? Let Rhodes know we're here will ya?"

It stays quiet for a while, until the door down the hall opens and Rhodey walks out. On his own. He still has the braces dad made around his legs but he's walking all by himself now. No crutches or anything. A huge smile forms on my face while we slowly walk over to him. We meet him half way and I carefully but excitedly hug him.

"So, what do you think?" He asks

"This is really great!" I say proudly. "I'm really happy for you."

I smile while he tells us about how he managed to do it yesterday for the first time, and kept practicing all day until he could do it.

"But why did I have to dress nice for this?" I ask dad.

"Well we have to celebrate, right?" He asks. I nod slowly while dad continues. "Well, we were thinking about going into New York for a little. We can grab a drink and maybe go see a movie or something. And then I have a little surprise for tonight..."

"Yes!" I exclaim. I love going to the city. Especially when we go to the movies. Dad knows that. "What's the surprise."

"Well it'd ruin it if he told you now, wouldn't it?" Pepper says with a soft smile. I frown a little at them with a huff before turning around and heading towards the parking garage.

I sit in the back with Pepper and Rhodey and dad sit in the front. Which means awesome music Pepper doesn't completely agree with.

"Hey Nova?" Dad asks after a little while. "What do you want to do for your birthday? It's pretty soon and you haven't really mentioned anything about it."

"Ehm..." I think about it for a while. "Maybe.... like, go back to Malibu for a little bit..." I say in thought. "Yeah. I want to go to the beach and Peter has to come to. And Harley and Maddie and Maisy and Owen and Henry. And you and Pepper and Rhodey and Happy."

Dad laughs a little. "You want to go to Malibu with all your friends?" He asks. I nod excitedly.

"I'm gonna try..." dad says, making me bounce up and down excitedly for a second or two. Rhodey just kinda laughs at dad while Pepper shakes her head with a smile.