The Story Book

Cont...   'What if she's in love?' Cass's voice wouldn't leave him alone.  AJ watched how Mama glowed as she piloted the boat out to the water. She was happy. Really happy. Happier than AJ had seen her in a long time.  He could clearly remember the first time he'd seen her like that. The first time Uncle Bucky had taken her on a date. Uncle Sam had thrown a fit over it, but eventually, he'd come around. Mama would have gone if he approved or not, though. AJ knew that.  Bucky had picked her up on his motorcycle, and they stayed out for hours. AJ had been in bed when he heard the gravel crunch softly when they returned.  His bedroom faced the front of the house above the door, and with the open window, he heard the murmuring of voices. They'd murmured at the front door for a good ten minutes before there was a long silence, more murmuring, and then the door opened. The gravel crunched softly away as AJ listened to Mama navigate the creaky stairs. She'd

  Cont... Cass knew something was up when he came downstairs to find mama humming in the kitchen as she fixed pancakes and almost dancing to the music on the radio.  "Morning." Mama smiled as Cass sat on the barstool at the island.  "Morning?" Cass asked, almost unsure.  "Any plans this morning?" Mama asked as she flipped the pancakes.  "No. I was just gonna chat with some friends online." Cass admitted trying to relax. He couldn't remember the last time they'd spent a Saturday morning together like this. Mama was almost always at the restaurant by now. "You gonna be at the restaurant tonight?" Cass asked, trying to find his proverbial footing again.  "Maybe. Carlos offered to cover today, so I thought we might take the boat out. Go down to the cove we used to go to. It's supposed to be nice out." Mama suggested.  Cass was officially off his footing, "...sure?"  "Unless you really need to be here to

Cont... Sarah looked over at the basket of shrimp she still needed to devein and sighed. Her restaurant was getting more and more popular, but some days it was hard for her to get enough hands to work in it. Today one of her line cooks and a waitress called in sick, so Sarah was forced to jump in herself to make sure it all worked out. Not that she didn't mind. Cooking was a passion that had started years ago when she'd met her first husband.  Sarah paused at the thought. First husband indicated she'd had more than one. But she'd never remarried. But you almost did. Suddenly the ring she wore under her shirt felt cold and heavy.  She'd never married him, yet somehow in her head, maybe even in her heart, it felt like she had. They'd barely gotten engaged before he'd- And this was how she felt?  Sarah shook off her stupor and went back to deveining shrimp. No good was going to come from agonizing over it. But the thought wouldn't go away. What would their

Cont...  If the world collapsed around him, Sam doubted he'd notice. Shuri's words were rising in his ears. It's not some reproduction. This was drawn three months ago. Not posthumously. Three months ago, someone drew blood from Bucky Barnes. Which was a problem because six months ago, Bucky Barnes died.  "That's not possible," John said, looking like he might just fall over in shock.  "Well, it's not supposed to be, but the science doesn't lie." Shuri shook her head, "As of three months ago, he was alive."  "What if it's not him?" Sam asked without quite feeling himself ask.  "What do you mean?" Okoye asked suspiciously.  "What if it's one of those shape-shifting things Carol was talking about?" Sam grasped for the right word, "Skulls? Something like that?"  "Skrulls?" Nakia corrected.  "Yes, those. Carol said they could mimic DNA." Sam pointed out.  "Yes. Bu