Crumbling down
December 6th, 1941
You take another sip of your beer and leave the glass on the table while giving a cheeky smile to Bucky “So, James…Have you made your pick?”
He gives you a false innocent look leaning back on his chair “I can't possibly imagine what you mean” he knows you know he’s lying.
“Have you picked up the girl for whom you’re going to leave us?” Steve chuckles next to you.
Bucky puts a hand over his chest with a dramatic gesture “It hurts me that you believe me capable of such a despicable act honey” you give him a stern look. “Actually yes, the red haired one with the pick dress over there” he gestures to the other side of the bar, you and Steve laugh your guts out.
You try to compose yourself but the fake angry face of your friend makes you laugh harder until he can’t stand it anymore and breaks out laughing with both of you.
After the three of you compose yourself Steve stands up “I’ll get another round” Bucky stops him “It's my turn, besides the pretty in pink is at the bar” he winks and leaves.
“We’ll never get that beer” you scoff. Someone approaches you from behind, puts a hand on your shoulder and whispers in your ear “Hello doll! Are you waiting for me?” the man’s voice in your ear makes you nauseous “Tony, what on earth…?” You nearly scream as you get up from the chair to face him.
“You know you like me sugar face, you don’t have to pretend” He leers at you from head to toe, stopping particularly at your breasts. “Let's dance baby”
“Tony, I wouldn't dance with you even if you were the last homo sapiens on earth” Anger starts to build up in you, your hands clenched as fists.
Steve gets between you and Tony “Tony, please leave Victoria alone she doesn’t want to dance with you”
Tony puts a hand on Steve’s shoulder and tosses him aside “Go away you midget, let the man talk”
You’ve had enough, as Tony turns to face you with his depraved smile you slam your fist on the bridge of his nose, hard. He stumbles and falls to the floor “Don't you dare lay a hand on him again” you snarl through gritted teeth.
The room is now silent, Tony grabs his now bleeding nose. When he sees the blood on his hands he gets up angry and yells while trying to throw a punch at you “You little bicht!” At the last minute Steve stands in front of you and receives the blow destined to you.
He falls backwards but you catch him, in the meantime Tony is ready for another smack, but before he can deliver it Bucky tackles him and while on the floor he starts hitting him “I’ve. Told you. To. Stay. Away. Of. Them” Each punch a reaffirmation of his words.
Steve and you grab Bucky and usher him away from Tony “It’s enough Buck, leave him” Steve tries to put some sense on his head. Everyone is watching the scene “Let's go guys, the night is over'' the three of you head for the door.
Before you leave you turn again to look at Tony “Hey Anthony! I hope you don't get around much anymore” you yell at him playing with the words of the Duke Ellington’s song that the band is playing.
The next morning your mother shakes you violently to wake you up, without opening her eyes you know she is upset. "Victoria, I'm not going to let you sleep another second until you explain to me what on earth you were thinking last night to persuade James to savagely beat up poor Tony."
“What? I did not do such a thing” You rub your eyes trying to fully wake up. Your mother keeps yelling “Don’t lie Victoria! I saw the poor boy’s face, is black as a sin”.
“I'm not lying mother! Bucky punched Tony because he tried to hit me first!” you get up of bed trying to collect your thoughts “Tony were being obnoxious and I told him off, he insisted and Steve tried to defend me, but Tony tossed him aside, that’s when I punched Tony and when he tried to hit me back, Bucky smash him to a pulp”
Your mother can't believe what she's hearing, it seems that her eyes are going to pop out of her head “You hit Tony? VICTORIA WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? What is Ms Miller going to say?” All the commotion makes your father walk into the room worried. “What’s going on Betty?”
“Your daughter here is a savage! Last night she hit Tony!” Your father stays silent and looks at you with half a smile “Say something Ray!” claims your mother.
Your father’s lips stretch into a knowing smile “Did you make him bleed?” You smile in relief knowing your dad has your back “Just like you taught me dad”
Your mom looks at each of you with dismay “Ray, have you been teaching her to fight?” With total nonchalance he answers “The girl has to know how to fend for herself” She stays there for a moment trying to push her anger down and finally she leaves the room “You two will be the death of me”
You two giggle at your mother's dramatic behaviour until your father puts on a straight face “What did I say about antagonising with her?” You put on your best puppy face for him “Sorry daddy, but he disrespected me and hurt Steve. All I could see was red” He gives you a tight hug “I know little girl, but be carefull, he’s an idiot but he thinks he’s smart, that's a dangerous combination”
You stay a little longer wrapped in your father’s arms, he understands you, he always has. You’re at the same time his little girl and his big boy. He has taught you how to dance, how to hunt, how to fight. He supports your choices, knowing that as a woman you don't have many, but encourages you to go your own way without explaining yourself to anyone.
He respects you, and that’s why you love him so much.
On the other hand, your relationship with your mother is different. It's not that you don't love her, but they don't understand each other. While you were studying languages, your mother dreamed that you were going to marry a diplomat and she forced you to take etiquette classes.
She tried to teach you how to cook and you almost set the house on fire.
You two may not see eye to eye on many things, but you love the fierce determination that you’ve inherited from her, and your grey eyes.
“Ray! Victoria! Come quick!” The tone of concern in your mother's voice pulls you out of the adorable father/daughter moment. You rush to the kitchen together, your mother with tears in her eyes listening to the radio "Betty, what happened?" Your father's concern is evident.
"The Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor, there are hundreds of dead" the tears falls down her cheeks, you had never seen your mother like this. "Ray, you know what this means"
You were barely two years old when the Great War ended "Dad, what does mom mean?"
He sights "This means war, again"
At his words you feel something crumbling inside of you.