Vivian hated coming to this place. The malodorous smell of artificial lavender and vanilla shampoos and the austere odor of burnt hair from the hot curling and straightening irons along with the loud chatter of her gossiping mother and other women made her toes curl in her shiny black Mary Janes.

And the very worst thing about it was that she could do nothing. There was absolutely nothing to keep her seven-year-old mind entertained.

Mrs. Ables, the stylist doing her mother's hair, allowed her to sweep the shop at one point, but it did not amuse Vivian for very long. She ended up on a waiting chair. Her mother would scold her if she saw her doing so.

She didn't like it if she were using a seat that could be occupied by someone who was actually waiting. But she liked to think she was waiting. Waiting for her mother to finish up so she can take her to get ice cream as she had promised.

Vivian was comfortably placed in the chair picking at her pantyhose because her dress had caused an itch. When she heard the door to the salon give a little jingle, she curiously peered over the chair in front of her to see if it were anyone she knew.

It wasn't. Defeated, she plopped back down and waited patiently for her mother to finish. After what felt like years, her beautiful mother stepped off the chair and paid the stylist. Her mother's freshly done hair never ceased to amaze Vivian.

The way her red hair twisted into right curls around her full cheeks and clear forehead.

"How do you like it dear?"

"I think you're even more beautiful than before!" Vivian told her with a smile.

"Oh, my sweet Vivian, you spoil me, dear."

"Where are we going now?"

"We are going to pick your sister up from her piano lessons." She scrunched up her little nose.

"I hate the piano."

"Well, you'll be starting lessons next week, my dear. A young lady should be talented as well as beautiful."

"Yes, ma'am," Vivian agreed as they walked hand in hand down the sidewalk in the Bronx. Ladies walked alongside their gentlemen and spoke in hushed, polite tones.

Wednesday's were Vivian's favorite days. They were Catherine's piano lessons. That meant that he had the entire day to spend with only her mother. It's not that Vivian didn't like Catherine, it was just that Catherine was very mean. She always laughed at Vivian and hid her stuff. She was very irritable and angry. She was 12 now. She thinks that her age made her better than Vivian. And maybe it did. But she still liked it better when it was just her and her mother.

They entered a large white home that was joint with others. "Come with me, my dear," her mother said as she climbed the stairs, her t-strapped black leather heels clicking against the concrete. Vivian could only take one step at a time.

Her mother knocked gingerly on the red door. It took a few seconds for the door to be answered. It was an older woman with nimble fingers. When the two started talking, Vivian found the ladybug on the railing to be much more interesting. Her hazel green eyes followed the vibrant insect as it crawled up the black metal. She was mesmerized.

That time was cut short when a finger smashed the ladybug, crushing it into the railing, twisting and grinding. In horror, Vivian looked up to find the culprit. It was Catherine. Her thin lips curled into a taunting smile.

"Mommy says that a lady is to be gentle," Vivian reminded.

Catherine scoffed, wiping her finger on the inside of her silk skirt. "It's just a bug. Don't be a wuss."

Disappointed, Vivian turned away from her sister and stared off into the sky. Catherine took her hand and Catherine's and started down the stairs. Catherine shrugged her hand out of her mother's and took a step ahead of them. Their mother frowned.

"We are meeting your father at dinner this evening. We have some news," she announced to her girls, pride, and excitement laced in her voice.

"When is this evening?" Vivian asked. "5 o'clock? 6 o'clock? 7:30?"

Her mother smiled down at her and began to answer, but Catherine beat her to it. "When we get there. Stop asking."

Her mother sighed. "I'd say about 5:30, dear."

"What time is it?"

"4:30," Catherine answered. "I read the clock on the way out."

"I'll bet it's 4:31 now," Vivian hypothesized.

"It hasn't been a minute yet," Catherine assured. "Don't correct me."

"But how do you know?"

"DON'T stand to correct me," Catherine seethed quietly, behind their mother's back. Vivian flinched back and shut her mouth. She took her mother's hand and didn't let go.

They headed back to their home. It was small, but obviously affluent, even in those hard times. Upon entering, their mother reminded them that they were to get dressed for dinner. She offered to help Catherine.

"I can get dressed on my own," Catherine shot back. "I'm not a moron."

"Don't use that word, dear. Even in reference to yourself, it's quite rude," her mother scolded.

"What 'moron?'" Catherine asked chillingly, her thin lips twisting into a smug smile. Her mother's expression hardened.

"That's the one, my dear." She let go of Vivian's hand and turned to look at her. "Are you ready to get dressed?" Vivian smiled and shook her head.

"That's my doodlebug," his mother praised, leading her to her room. Vivian was dressed in no time and was left in her room to wait for Catherine and her mother. She found entertainment in a book. It was a Sunday school story for children. The pairs of all different types of animals aboard Noah's arc entertained Vivian long enough for Catherine to feel that it was time to go.

"Mommy, you are so pretty," Vivian said dreamily as she ran her hand along with the silk of her knee-length dress.  Her mother smiled widely, showing her sweet smile. Her blue eyes lit up. Her hair was cut in a bob and tucked neatly under a hat. She wore a string of pearls around her neck and wrist-length gloves. Vivian wore gloves too, but they would likely come off before they got home.

Vivian always wondered why she didn't have red hair and blue eyes like her mother. It was Catherine who got to have those parts of their mother. Vivian took after her father. Her hair was brown with a bronze caramel shine to it. Her eyes were a shade of hazel that leaned farther to teal. She had his darker complexion and fuller lips. He had a rather large smile that always lit up a room.

That was Vivian. She and her father were one and the same.

She was always so excited to see him. When they finally reached the restaurant, they found their father waiting for them, a bouquet of flowers in hand along with a small box. When he saw them, his eyes lit up. He put the items in his hand on the bench behind him and crouched to his knees when Vivian shouted "Daddy!" as it bounded down the sidewalk.

"Doodlebug!" he exclaimed in his sing-song voice as she dove into his arms. He picked her up and spun her around, placing a soft kiss on her head. After placing her back on her feet, he stepped toward Catherine who was not keen on accepting hugs, but even she couldn't resist her father's love. When her father turned his attention to her mother, she seemed to glow. "Hello, Sam," she said, her words bursting with excitement.

"How are we feeling, Gertie?" he asked, placing a clean peck on her cheek. She blushed and smiled even larger.

"Excited," she replied. He grinned too.

"Not more than I am."

"Excited for what?" Catherine asked.

"Excited to give you your flower," Sam said, turning around and picking up the bouquet. He gently removed the single rose from the bouquet of daffodils and handed it to his oldest daughter. She blushed and thanked him. Then he turned to Vivian and withdrew a lily for her. "You never told me they were your favorite flower, but I've seen you look at them," He said hopefully. Vivian's heart fluttered. She giggled and took the flower in her hand. She hugged him around the hindneck.

"Let's head in, ladies," their father invited, offering Gertie his arm. She took it gracefully and they led the way through the door, Vivian and Catherine following closely behind.

It was a nice restaurant that Sam brought them to. Everyone was dressed nicely and the food smelled delicious. At each place setting, there was a full set of utensils, rather than only a fork, spoon, and knife. The idea made Vivian excited. They are like this for dinner every day, but eating out was a change in scenery for her.

They sat at their table for four and each of them sat their napkins in their laps. Sam and Gertie held each other's hands over the table and smiled at their daughters.

"We have some wonderful news," Gertie revealed.

"We'd like to tell you, girls, before we order," Sam added.

"Or rather, we just couldn't wait."

"That's the truth of it," Sam laughed.

"What is it?" Vivian asked excitedly, bouncing in her seat.

"Be still in your seat, my dear," scolded her mother. Vivian nodded and stilled her movements, only bunching her fists in excitement. Her feet kicked back and forth under her chair since her legs were too short to touch the floor.

"Are you ready?" Sam asked. Vivian nodded.

"Yes sir, yes sir!" she said. He turned and raised his eyebrows at his eldest.

"Cat?" he asked. She smiled and nodded.

"Yes, sir."

A smile broke across Gertie's face. "You will be getting a new baby brother or sister." Vivian's chest swelled in excitement. She wanted to jump out of her chair, but she remembered what her mother told her. Instead, her mouth hung open in surprise as she stared at her mother.

"I'm going to be a big sister like Catherine?" Vivian asked, excitement dripping from her words. Her mother covered her mouth as she giggled, nodding her head.

Catherine smiled and placed her hand on Vivian's shoulder, sharing her excitement.

"When are we getting it? Where?" Vivian asked. Sam laughed with his entire body.

"It does not work that way, Doodlebug," he said. "Mommy is growing the baby in her tummy."

"Catherine, do you remember when we were expecting Vivian?" Gertie asked her eldest. Catherine nodded.

"I remember how long it took," she said.

"It won't be too long," Gertie promised her girls.

"Not too long," Vivian repeated happily.

A/N: so this the future love of our one and only Bucky Barnes. The mean older sister was inspired by lol. Lmk what y'all think.