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I still remember our wedding day.
How Emily would pretend not to be nervous, how she’ll try to fix her dress and hair over and over again no matter how perfect she looked. She spends the entire morning making sure everything is in order and not the slightest out of place. But one thing that stood out was her pregnant stomach. I couldn’t stop looking at her, not because anything was wrong but because everything was perfect, no patrolling the city, just me and her.
When I saw her walking down that aisle towards me, I never felt more in love until now, for me she didn’t look like the confident, blunt woman everyone knew. She was just looking at me so in love, and now that my, Emily.
I never saw her smiled so hard before
Her eyes flutter with unshed tears she refused to let fell
God, it felt like I was going to cry too
But I tried, really tried.
I tried to be strong
But it’s been hard without her, why?
Why did she have to leave me? Leave us?
She talked every day, how she wanted us to get married. How she wanted to have kids. I was scared.. of course, I wanted a family, but I didn’t want to put Emily in danger since I did have enemies, I loved her. And yes, we did get married at some point. And now, we have a baby girl. I named her Eleanor Sachs-Charlton. I liked the name, I was going to name her Katie, but I knew if Emily was still here, she wouldn’t like that name, so I decided to name her Eleanor instead.
I still remember that day. I rushed to the hospital as fast as I could. I wasn’t thinking about the city for the first time, only Emily and our baby girl on the way. I didn’t have my Spider-Man suit on, I didn’t need it. I ran through the halls almost slipping as I busted into the room number Emily was in. All I saw was the doctor holding a board looking startled as he quickly turned his head to me, but when I turned to Emily side. She was just motionless, I felt like my heart actually dropped, I looked at the heart monitor, and it was just a flat line.
The room felt dizzy that day, I couldn’t hear what the doctor said, the only thing I knew was that Emily was gone. I couldn’t feel my body, I didn’t stop crying and shaking all night, and the baby didn’t stop crying either. Days after that incident Nigel tried to call me over and over again but I just simply couldn’t call him back, too busy grieving, eventually I called him back and told him what happened. He was in disbelief.
Weeks after the incident, he tried to help me with the baby every now and then. I tried to appear at Runway for work, but every little thing reminded me of her, Emily. I eventually quit and tried to focus more on the city and my daughter, Eleanor. Nigel did stay in touch, and tried to help me out of it, but it was no use.
Every time I look at Eleanor, she is basically Emily's twin. She had that gorgeous dark auburn hair, those sharp blue eyes, she even had that attitude when I tried to give her vegetables to her.
I tried to be the best mother for Eleanor, gave her constant attention when I got off patrolling the city from villains or creatures.
I tried to get better, I tried to start showering more, eating more. I even tried to take care of my hair again. Of course I didn’t forget the city, I never did. Emily and Nigel were the only ones who knew I was Spider-Man, but now only Nigel knows. He only knows because he saw my spider mask fall out of my bag, and yet he didn’t tell anyone my identity, so I trust him too.
Two years passed, Eleanor got clinger, every time I came home, she was there holding her comfort plushie and would run up to me and cling on my leg, she would cling even if I came home with bruises or blood.
Eventually I got a job as a journalist, nobody still knows my identity, only Nigel. I would write at night when Eleanor fell asleep and wrote every night about Emily. How she changed my life, how she kept her reputation seriously, that stubbornness she has and how she thinks I don’t see her laughing at my corny jokes.
Sometimes I wonder how things would've been different if Emily survived, I wonder if she will still scold me about how I left a trail of dirt in our shared apartment, or maybe how she’ll get mad at me when I dress messy. And sometimes I wonder how she’ll be with Eleanor. Would Eleanor be happier? Would Emily be happier?
I don’t know, but I’ll try every day to see a smile on my little girl, Eleanor.
More years passed
Eleanor was now 14 years old
I am now 38 years old, I never stop talking about Emily to her. I didn’t want Eleanor to not know her mother, Emily.
Now here I am sitting in front of Eleanor, my Spider suit scattered on a chair covered in dust and a little blood.
“Your mother was always stubborned and organized.”
“You reminded me so much like her”
I said as she meets Eleanor eyes as she cleans my spider mask with a rag
“Really?” Eleanor said her eyes slightly widen
“Yes.”
Eleanor then giggles as I laugh quietly too
“How did y'all meet?” Eleanor says
“We both worked at Runway. It wasn’t love at first sight..”
“Then what happened?” Eleanor says raising an eyebrow
“Well really, I got the job and I didn’t know exactly what I was doing.”
“Then I met your other mommy, at first she was debating whether I belonged there or not.”
“Was she mean?” Eleanor says
“Not technically”
Eleanor's giggles again
“She wasn’t mean, she just had high standards. And expected everyone to keep up with her.”
“But somehow, we kind of got along, then started talking more. Eventually we started dating. Then got married and had you.”
“Wow, tell me more.” Eleanor says her eyes brightening as I nodded