Chapter 2
"Hello?" I inquiry.
"Hey, is this Charlie O'Conner's apartment?" A voice asked.
"Yes, and who is this?" I ask.
"I'm Sam Wilson, a friend of Steve's. He can't make it to your appointment so he asked me if I could take you instead." He explains.
"Okay, I'll be down in a minute." I reply. I walk out with my cane to see Same in a Chevy. " Hey, thanks alot for the ride." I say as I get in. "The car I owned actually belonged to the agency so I had to give it back when I was forced into retirement." I explain. Sam gives me a questioning side glance. "Oh, the good Captain never divulged into my back story." During the drive to my physical therapy I gave Same the rundown on the last six months of my life.
"Girl, you are as tough as nails. Ever want to get back into the business?" Sam asks as I got out.
"I would give anything to get back in. Can you pick me up in an hour?" I ask. Sam was back an hour later waiting for me to finish.
"Charlie, that is some grueling physical therapy. How are you feeling?" He comments as I limp toward his car.
"I'm sore but Mike is keen on me having a full recovery. Good news is no more cane!" I smile as we head home. Sam dropped me off and bid me good day. I make it back to my apartment to see an envelope taped to my door. I head into the kitchen to take some pain medicine and open the letter. It's from Steve apologizing for missing my appointment and promises me lunch to make up for it when he returns from a business trip. I smile at his nice cursive handwriting.
It had been two weeks until I saw Steve again.
"Hey, Charlie, are you good for lunch this afternoon?" He asks.
"Yeah, I'll be ready at 11:30 if that's alright."
"Great, we will be meeting a friend of mine as well."
After Steve left, I had an hour to get ready. My outfit consisted of dark wash shorts, a grey v-neck tee and brown sandals. I contemplated on a jacket to cover my scars but to be honest they really don't bother me anymore. I finished french braiding my black curly hair when there was a knock at the door.
"All I have is my Harley, is that alright?" he asks as we take the elevator down.
"Yeah, it's been awhile since I've been on a bike."
About twenty minutes later we arrive at a small cafe.
"A reservation for Rushman." Steve tells the hostess and we are led to a table that sat a redhead. Steve makes introductions as we sit down. "Charlie O'Conner, Natasha Romanoff. Natasha, Charlie."
"Nice to meet you, Charlie. Steve has told me much of you that I wanted to meet you myself, and please call me Nat." It was a nice lunch and by the time we got back to our floor I'm exhausted.
"Steve, thanks for lunch, and I loved meeting Natasha. Please let her know not to be a stranger around here." I say
"You're welcome. I'll see ya later, Charlie."
I changed into a pair of shorts and end up sleeping throughout the afternoon and most of the evening until I hear loud music coming from Steve's apartment. I make coffee and sit on the couch to catch up on Once Upon a Time. Halfway through the episode I hear a gunshot? I grab my gun and this time a bullet hit my TV. I run into the hallway. "Rogers, why is there an armor piercing bullet come your apartment and lodged itself in my TV." I yell when I stop to the commotion. Kate has a gun and is talking into a com, Steve is no where but I see a man down. I run over and start putting pressure on his wounds.
"Kate! We need to get this guy an ambulance, I can see two chest wounds and the bleeding is not slowing!"