1.16 ▫︎ APRIL, 1934 ↦ VIVIAN

Vivian had been glued to her vanity chair for the past hour, making sure she looked present able enough for her date tha was to be arriving at noon. Her sistehad done th nicest thing shehad ever done fo her in years. Catherine ha described him as tall and handsome adn strong. She had met him when she visited Bucky in a boxing gym.

Vivian was excited to say the least. She took one last look in the mirror and smiled, her pink lip shining and he caramel hair bouncing ashe gave her ahead a little shake.

"Come on, Lady," Vivin coaxed as sh stood up and left her room. Down stairs her mother and Catherine were working in the kitchen, preparing lunch for the family and their two presumed guests. Her father sat a teh breakfast table sippinga cup of coffe and reading th paper. Vivian quickly fixed he dog breakfast and jumped into the effort.

"Well, good morning, sleepy-head," greeted her mother.

"I thought you had maybe died," Catherine scoffed.

"You look beautiful dear," Mother exclaimed as and put a cheese cake into the refrigerator.

"You look like you tried too hard," insulted her sister.

"My darlings, you both look beautiful. I can already tellyou that these two young men do not deserve you as dates," their father said warmly, putting the paper down and lokn htem both in th eyes. Vivian smiled warmly at her father.

"Thank you," she said. But Catherine just ignored him.

"The boys will be here for lunch?" father asked

"Yes dear. And i have just finished preparing. It is ready to serve. They should be here any minute."

As if on cue, there was a strong knock on the front door. Mrs. Carlisle smiled. "I'll get it," she said as she hurried to the foyer. The girls followed her. Vivian attempted to stand next to Catherine, but seh took a step in front of er and strategicllllyc ut er off with ehr foo . Vivian did not tryt o hide it. Sh watched as her mothe opened ht door, but Catherine blocked the view of th boys.

"Good afternoon, boys. Are you James and William?" Mrs. Carlisle asked.

Vivian heard one say. "You can just call me Bucky."
"And I am Bill," The other corrected.

"Yes sirs," Mrs. Calsise said politely. "Please, come in."

"Thank you, maam," one said. As they stepped in, vivina tred to moved ot get a look at htem, but Cathierin moved in front of he again. "For you, I brought a pie," one said.

"Oh,my dear," Mrs. Carlisle said excitedly. "Is this lemon meringe?"

"Yes maam," he answered. "You have a mighty fine nose on that pretty face of yours. Homemade chocolates for the lady," he said as he stepped to Catherine. When catherin moved to greet him, he view fo theboys was nolonger obstructed. Beforeshe could look at Bucky, catherine's date, who turned out to be the one talking, Bill stepped to her and offered her a bouquet of assorted flowers.

Vivian smiled at BIll. "Thank you, Bill. It is so nice to meet you," Vivian said, taking the flowers into her hands. She brought them up to her face and smelled them. "These are lovely."

He smiled, revealing a set of beautiful straight, white teeth. "Not nearly as lovely as you. I am happyto be taking you to your dance."

"You arent so bad yourself," Vivian complemented. "I am Vivian."

"Lovely name," Bill completmplented.

"If you al would fnd yourself at home in the sitting room while i serve lunch, that woudlbe great," Mrs. Carlisle suggested as shewent ot thekitchen.

"Yes, maam," Bucky.

"Let me go find a vase for these," Vivian told Bill as asn turned toi followed her mother.

"Dont take too long," Bill flirted.

Vivian grabbed a vase frm th hutch and filled it with water.

"Those are some handsome young men itf i don say so myself," Mrs. Carlish se noted as Vivan placed the flowers in the vase. Vivan smiled at her mothe asn he headed otht sthe sitting room.

There, her father ahd aslrady shook thhands of boy boys ands sat down.

That was when Vivain got a good look at Bucky.

And when Bucly got a good look at her.

He was taller than Bill. And far more handsome. That was certainly sayig alot because Bill was quite the sight for sore eyes. Bucky had dark-almost blac hair, but it was definatly brown. It was short on the sides ad long on the top. He greased it loosely out of his fine face. And boy was it a fine face. He had such strong feature. A jawline that could cut glass, a smiled that lit up the room, a cute button nose, and lips as pink as a flower petal and thick like ripe berries. He was beautiful. But his eyes were another story.

When she made eyescontact with him, she found it impossible to break. They were baby blue wiith a sparkle of light. Like crystal in the sun. And they were deeper than the ocean. VIvian found herself so entranced by his gaze that she did no even realize that he too was just as enhanced by her as he was.

She did not know how long she stared, but it felt like it was an eternity. Their gazed connected each other like a single string, eyes to eyes.

Mrs. Carlisle held the scissors that cut that string. "Bucky?" she asked, startling them. "You've been quiet compared to how you introduced yourself. How abou you tell us weather you got th name Bucky from what your mother named you?"

Viviain had not even noticed er mother come in with the tray of lemonade, iced tea, and tea cakes.

"I havent even heard this one," Bill said light-heartedly. His voice startled Vivian as well. She wasin such a trance hta she forget he was even here, let alone courting her.

Before Bucky could answer, Mr. Carlisle came walking in. "Hello, boys!" he greeted jovially. He approached Bill first and shook his hand, sending a wink to his daughter. Vivian could not help but blush. She glanced over to Bucky, who s he caught looking at her.

"I'm Bill."

"And I am Mr. Carlisle, boys," her father noted, walking around the coffee table to shake bucky's hand.

"My name is Bucky, sir," he introduced.

"Ah!" Mr. Carlisle exclaimed. "Youre the charming one! If Im not too careful, you very well may steal my wfie form me."

Bucky laughed. "Oh, no sir. I couldnt possibly be so charming tha i win the likeness of your wife from your own charmismatic self."

Mr. Carlisle laughed as he took a seat next to his wie on the love seat. "Bucky was jsuta bout to explain why he goes by Bucky when his birth name is James," Mrs carlisle filled her husband in.

It felt like fire when th boke eye contac t again. "It's simple, really. When I was little and my baby sister was learning to talk, my Ma would repeat my full name to her every time I walked in the door. 'That's your brother, James Buchanan Barnes, right there' she says one day. Becky's first word was Bucky. She called me that ever since. My Ma started doing thatas a joke, but then everyone else seemd ot catch on and before you knew it, bu the time I was three I was introducing myslef as such."

"That is a very lovely story," Mrs. Carlisel complimented. "Im swooning."

Catherine scoffed. "Your mother gave you a fine, classic name," she said. "Its a shame you dont use it."

It was slight, but Vivian caught it. A deep sadness when Catherine said that about his mother. Vivian did not knwo waha came over her, but se was rageful tha Catherine could upset this man. "I think Bucky is fine name," Vivain defended. It felt strange, standing up to Catherine. She had nevre once done it for herself or Syd or her parents. What made her feel liek she should do ti for his tranger? "After all, his mother was one of the fist to start calling him that."

Catherine stared blades into Vivain. Vivian amde so uncomfortatbale by it that she just put her head down.

"Well, what exactly do your mothers think of you two taking a couple Bronx girls to anothe rschool's prom?" Mrs. Carlilise asked.

"My mother is thrilled," answered Bill, his voice thick with a Brooklyn accent. "She wants to know immediatly what the dress looks like so I can match perfectly." He said that wtih a laugh.

"Oh well thats just grand!" Mrs. Carlisle said. "And you Bucky?"

He smiled sadly. "I live with my aunt and uncle as of now. They are happy to knwo that I am going to a a school dance since i was not going to be abke to make my own ."

"Why is it you live with you raunt and uncle and not your parents, son?" Mr. carlisle asked.

"If he's not overstepping!" Mrs carlisle interjected quicliy, rasing her hand ot her hunsband.

"Its, fine, Mrs Carlisle." His voice was quieter now. "I grew up in Illinois," Bucky filled in. "I live there with my parents and 3 siblings until I was five. My Pa died in a training accedent in a training camp in texas during the war. We lived with my Ma until I was fourteen when she got into a car accident. My Pa's brother here in New York took my sister and I in. We had previously lost my other brother earlierbefore my Ma. Been here ever since."

Vivian and Mrs. Carisle had their hands over their heart. It was o sad that someone so young could have expereience shuch misfortune. It broke Vivian's heart.

"Dear Lord, bless you," Mrs. carlisle said, tears brimmingher eyes.

"Its okay, Mrs.," Bucly assured. "Its been along time."

Shj shok her head. "It will never be long enough, dear, I know. You are so strong." Vivian loved htewarmth in her mother's heart. "No matter the journey that got you here, I am jsut deleighted that we get the joy of you company today." She stood up. "How about we move to the terrace for lunch?"

"Sounds swell, Mrs. Carlisle!" Bill said, getting up to follow Vivian's parnets to the terrace. He offered Vivian his arm as Bucky offered Catherine his. They all stood y theri chair and waited fir the hostess to sit first, then the rest had their seat.