Half-pint Chapter 3

James looks about the rec room as Ororo and Jean watch with grins as he tries to track down his best friend. Then he catches a scent of lavender and ducks under the pool table and a girlish shriek is heard. Jean and Ororo laugh as James helps Rachel stand and brings her to Jean.

“Hey girlie!” Jean greets her one year old daughter and sits her in her lap. Rachel has her mother’s milky skin, long red hair, and melodic laugh. But she has her dad’s cool personality, her dad’s wavy hair, and his shapely lips. Jean brushes her long hair into pigtails high on her head as James watches with his chin on his mother’s knee.

He is 18 months, but is tall for his age and very muscular like Logan. Ororo tousles his black wavy hair which now sports silver and blue highlights and curls more the shorter it is (which is not very often). He watches Rachel with large silver eyes, they are almond shaped and surrounded by bright white eyelashes that any girl would die to have.

Ororo asks Jean for a rubber band and pull his hair back in a pony tail so he can see without his long hair in his eyes. He and Rachel play hide and seek using their abilities to hide from each other and find the other. James has his enhanced sense and psychic abilities, while Rachel has psychic abilities and telekinesis. Luckily she doesn’t use her telekinesis against him and he doesn’t use his super strength, thank god for his healing abilities!

“You would think they were married at birth!” Ororo laughed as she put down her son and Jean put down Rachel, the two toddlers walked to each other and James held out his hand. Rachel smiled up at him and look it, he grunted and led her to their toys. Logan and Scott were watching from the doorway, Logan chuckled as his son helped Rachel into their playhouse.

“Damn! We are going to be planning their wedding soon,” Scott commented, “I see he has your grunting down, and she already knows how to distinguish them.”

“I know man,” Logan replied, “They are more married than we are and we have rings!” Scott laughed as they joined their wives on the couches. Logan put his palm against ‘Ro’s cheek and she rubbed against him. She sighed as he pulled her on his lap and hugged her. Scott sat beside his wife and sighed as she rubbed his chest and stared up at him. “I think we are going to be in laws Red.”

“I know, ‘Ro and I were discussing the wedding details,” Jean joked. Scott and Logan groaned as the two women laughed like teenagers. “Are we ready to go see S-A-N-T-A?”

“Santa! Santa!” James and Rachel yelled, running to their parents. Ororo laughed as Jean, Scott, and Logan glared at her, ever since she taught them to spell they had to be careful with their conversations.

“All right kiddies, let’s go see the big guy!” Logan told them standing up, “Grab your coats, gloves, and scarves!” James and Rachel rushed to their table in the corner of the rec room and brought their winter gear. James had on a blue flannel shirt, freshly ironed jeans, and boots. Ororo helped him with his black leather jacket and Logan pulled on his blue gloves.

Rachel was wearing a red velvet dress with ruffles and ribbons, black tights, black patent heels, and a matching red velvet poncho. Jean slipped on black mittens with fur around the wrists and a matching black fur ear muffs. While Scott and Logan heated the car, Jean and Ororo dressed and corralled the kids to the garage.

Logan and Ororo swung James between them as Rachel was carried by Scott, Jean holding Scott’s hand. James looked about along with Logan, Ororo shook her head at their instincts. There was a long line so they stood for an hour until they were finally next.

“Dadda, Momma! Dere he is! James, see him?” Rachel squealed with stars in her eyes. James nodded and grinned up at her, a woman dressed as an elf came up to them and stopped. She stared at Ororo and James wearily, then cleared her throat.

“I’m sorry we don’t um…” she stammered, “Ya’ll are mutants, we don’t do mutants. For our safety, I’m so sorry for yer wait. If you could leave please.” The parents looked at the woman hard and in disbelief.

“Now you lil’…” Logan started, pointing a finger in her face.

“Logan!” Ororo chastised, “What my husband is trying to articulate is the children waited an hour to see Santa and are very excited. Just because we are mutants, doesn’t make us anymore human or have less holiday spirit.” The elf went to open her mouth when Santa came up with a smile and two presents.

“Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas! How are you all? My, my you have grown, but yer too big fer my lap now!” Everyone laughed as he addressed Logan, then Santa turned to James. “Well now, it looks like someone will be taking ya place fer now on. How are ya son?”

“Very well Santa,” James answered confidently, “My Rachel and I wanted to see you. We are good.” Scott put Rachel down and she ran up to them,

“Yeah yeah!” Santa laughed heartily, and bent down to hand them each a wrapped present.

“Here ya go, I only give really special kids presents okay? You can open them now you two!” The two children looked expectantly at their mothers, who nodded. Suddenly, there is a flurry of wrapping papter and gasps from the children and parents. They each received the present they wanted most, a Monster High doll for Rachel and basketball for James.

“Thank you Santa!” they both say at the same time and hug him fiercely. He laughs and hugs them back , then the children chatter with each other.

“Sorry about myself, she means no harm,” he told the parents, “But she doesn’t see that it does harm, especially to the children.”

“I am just glad you were here to stand up for our pups,” Logan told him, “But I hope ya don’t keep her or at least not have her interact with people.” Santa nodded then clapped his hands,

“You two want a photo with Santa?”

“Yes!!!”