Remy rode shot gun as Logan drove them from the city. Ororo sat next to her sister, both of them looking out of their respective windows, watching the shadowy scenery pass in a blur. Ororo couldn’t help but wonder what life would be like for them now.
She looked over at Anna and noticed that she was chewing on her fingernails, something she did when she was nervous. Glancing down at her dress, Ororo thought they needed to stop at a WalMart so they could pick up a few things including sensible dresses so they could make a good first impression.
“Logan, would you mind stopping at a WalMart? We need to pick up a few things,” she requested, catching his eye in the rearview mirror.
“Sure, darlin’,” he said, with a smile, turning his eyes back to the road.
Remy looked over at his normally surly teammate and was surprised to see his normally scowling face, relaxed with a slight smile.
If Remy didn’t know bettah, de Wolverine done caught feelin’s for the fille, he thought turning his gaze back to the road.
Seeing a sign, Logan took the designated exit and guided the car to the 24 hour retail giant. He found a park near the entrance and pulled in.
“Thanks,” Ororo said, “You guys going in?”
“Naw. Imma stay put. Gumbo?” Logan replied, turning off the ignition.
“Remy be good. Have fun mon amis,” he told them, slumping down in the chair, the late hour catching up with him.
“Okay. Be right back,” she replied, as Anna got out the car and Ororo followed suit.
They had gotten a few feet from the door when Logan called her name. She turned to see him jogging toward her.
“Go ahead. I’ll meet you in the clothing area,” Ororo told Anna who nodded and walked inside.
“Take this,” he said, taking her hand and placing some folded money in her hand.
“Logan, I can’t,” she whispered, not wanting to be heard by the people entering and leaving the store, “I don’t know when I will be able to pay you back.”
“Ya won’t have too,” he replied, closing her hand over the money.
“And why not?”
“It’s a gift from me to ya and Anna,” he replied.
“But,” she began, looking down at her hand and back up to his face, her eyes glistening.
“But nothin’, darlin’. Take it and use it for whatever ya need,” he replied, “We’ll be waiting for ya.” He started towards the car. He stopped when she called his name and when he turned, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek softly.
“Thank you so much,” she replied, her voice wavering, the threat of rain imminent. He held her in his arms for a moment before releasing her and gently pushing her to the door. “Yer sister’s waiting.” She nodded and headed into the store.
Logan watched her disappear into the store before heading to the car where Remy pretended to sleep.
“How much ya give ‘er?”
“Enough.”
“Ya catchin’ feelin’s for the fille?”
“Mind yer business, Cajun.”
“Ya my team leader. Ya is Remy’s business,” he replied, looking over at the scowling mutant, “We look out for one ‘nodder, ‘member ya speech?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“So Remy followin’ orders,” he said, sitting up a bit and looking out at the front of the store, “Remy got one last question.”
“Yeah?”
“Emma?”
“Old news.”
“Emma know that?”
“Yeah.”
“Ro know?”
“We’re just friends,” Logan said, leaning his head against the head rest.
“Yeah, friends like me and Marie,” Remy said, chuckling before drifting off to sleep.
“He gave you money?” Anna whispered as she tried on the dress she selected. They were in the dressing room of the department store with the clothes they were considering adding to their sparse wardrobe. Ororo thought they should get some new clothes and underwear, stock up on toiletries and get a few snacks with the money they “borrowed” from Logan and Jibril the night before.
“Yes,” Ororo said, trying her dress on the room they shared.
“How much?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t count it.”
“What? Why not?”
“Because I don’t plan to spend it.”
“Okay, I’m confused. We have more money than we've had in weeks and then lover boy gives you more and you haven’t counted it?” Anna asked, her voice rising.
“Shhhhh, keep your voice down. You want the whole store to know we have money?”
“No. I want to know how much he gave you,” Anna replied, crossing her arms in from of her bra clad breasts.
“We have enough for what we need,” Ororo replied, turning her back to her sister for her to zip her dress.
“But I want another outfit,” her sister whined.
“Lil’ girl, don’t start. Just because we have it doesn’t mean we have to spend it,” Ororo replied, turning to face her, cupping her cheeks in her hand.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen when we get to this mansion they’re talking about so until then, we act like we don’t have any. Capisce?” she whispered, coaxing a smile out of the young girl with her use of the word, “Now, how do I look?”
“Beautiful as always,” Anna replied, turning to her sister so she can zip her up, “Are we losing the wigs?”
Ororo hadn’t thought about the wigs or the contacts.
“Think we should?” Ororo asked, her way to gauging if her sister was comfortable with the idea.
“You always said that God accepts us as we are. So if this is God answering your prayer, then we need to go as we are, no disguises,” Anna replied, erupting in a fit of giggles when she saw Ro’s face.
“What? Just because I act like I don’t listen to you, doesn’t mean I don’t hear you,” she replied, making Ro shake her head at her.
“Girl, you are just too much. Let’s get dressed so we can change and do our hair. I’m sure the guys are wondering what’s taking so long.”
“You know Logan likes you right?” Anna asked, as the sleepy looking cashier rung up their purchases.
“No, he’s just being nice,” Ororo replied distractedly, heading into the ladies room.
“Ain’t that much niceness in the world. The man gave you more cash after you took some from him and I hit him. If that’s not the beginning of love, I don’t know what is,” Anna replied, going into the handicap stall and waiting for her sister.
“We just met yesterday. There’s no way he could like me. Like I said, he’s just being nice and friendly.”
“Yeah and I’m the prince of Egypt.”
“Okay your highness,” she replied, being silly, “And anyway, what do you know about love?”
“Girl, please. I know a thing or two about love. Just because I’m young don’t mean I don’t know what I’m talking about,” she said, zipping her sister’s dress.
“Whatever, love doctor. Hurry up so we can go,” Ororo said, stepping of out the stall and going to the sink.
She looked at herself in the mirror before looking down and removing the hair supplies from her bag. She removed the wig and the wig cap and released the pins that held her long white hair that fell past her shoulders in waves. She started brushing her hair, deepening her hair’s natural wave pattern. She added some mousse and smiled at her reflection.
“That man is liable to attack you when you walk out there,” her sister said, brushing her own chestnut brown hair.
“Why you say that?” Ororo asked, washing her hands so she could remove her contacts.
“Because we some fine ass chicks that don’t play,” Anna replied, being silly, gazing at her sister through the mirror.
“Watch your mouth,” Ororo said smiling, her blue eyes shining. She was very happy with what she saw in the mirror.
Anna didn’t like to admit it, but she was just as beautiful as Ororo, with her shoulder length hair, light brown eyes, and chocolate skin. She stood nearly as tall as Ororo which worked well when they lied about her age. Though she was only 15, she was wiser than her years, having to grow up fast while in the system and on the streets.
Ororo’s hope was that she could savage a bit of childhood for the young girl before she truly had to grow up. School was one of the things at the top of that list.
Ororo did her best to homeschool her but her own knowledge was limited. So they read as much as they could while at the local library. They were there so often, they had gotten to know the staff and had on several occasions been gifted with food and other small items when they had none. She was grateful for them and made a promise to one day return their kindness. But first, they had to see what this school for mutants was all about.
“You ready?” Anna asked, use to her sister falling into deep thought.
“Yes.”
Stepping out on faith, Ororo thought, taking a deep breath before they stepped outside.
Logan looked up and could not believe his eyes. The picture they saw at the mission briefing did neither girl justice. He nudged Remy awake and Remy sat up when he saw the girls.
“Mon dieu!”
“Yeah, my thoughts exactly,” Logan said, opening his door so he could meet them.
“May I take yer bags, ma’am?”
“Why yes, kind sir. Thank you so very much,” Ororo replied playing along.
“Here, take mine too,” Anna said before walking ahead of them, giving them a minute alone.
“She doesn’t like me, does she?” Logan asked, watching as Anna hopped in the backseat on the driver side.
“It’s not that. She’s worried that you are going to get her back for hitting you,” she replied, enjoying the wind blowing through her hair. She knew that wasn’t the reason Anna had walked ahead of them but Ororo couldn’t tell him that.
“She has nothing to worry about…at least not right now,” Logan replied, making Ororo chuckle.
“I’ll make sure to tell her,” Ororo said, tucking some hair behind her ear, “Thank you again for everything. I promise to pay you back somehow.”
“Don’t worry. I still have an IOU from ya. I’ll cash it in when I’m ready,” he told her, making her laugh then groan.
“Oh, now I’m worried,” she replied as she stood at the back of the trunk, as he opened it and set the bags inside before closing it.
“Don’t be,” he said, taking her hand, to stop her movement to the car door. She looked up at him with a question in her eyes and he couldn’t breathe. Her eyes were the color of the sea. They were like blue gems swimming in a sea of white and he had just fallen in.
“Logan,” she asked, after a few seconds of him gazing in her eyes.
“Yer beautiful,” he whispered, stroking her cheek, making her blush.
“Thank you,” she said, blushing. She heard a tap on the window and looked over to see her sister gesturing at them.
“We should go,” he said, glancing at her sister before looking back at her. Damn, what is this woman doing to me, he thought, not wanting to release her hand but knowing he had to.
“Okay, but you have to let my hand go first,” she whispered teasingly.
“Oh, right. Sorry,” he said, releasing her hand and opening her door.
I’m in trouble, he thought, making his way around to the driver side and getting in. He ignored Remy’s smirk and started the engine.
“Next stop, Xavier’s Institute for the Gifted.”
