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12. Ready for Launch?

Summary: The way things are, one would think its an expedition to the moon.

Friday morning,

The weekend just about here, meaning two days of cleaning, repairing, laundry, grocery and all that household work However, unlike every other week, this time its wasn’t planning out his house chores that was on Logan’s mind, neither was the upcoming opening of his automobile dealership. This week, or more importantly, this day, a very different event…and the special person it involved had all his attention, so much so that he was finding it difficult to concentrate on the job.

Finally, he gave up the charade of trying to look busy, yanked off his work gloves instructing Piotr to take over for him and stomped out the workshop and across the road to the one place that always allowed time and peace of mind to think, Irene’s…or as it was now, Marie’s diner. Just before she passed away, Irene had made the name change, despite Marie’s protests to the contrary.

‘Make the customer feel at home,’ had been her first and foremost rule, and the name change somehow fit in that. “It feels good to have the person whose name is one the front to be working and serving you. Makes it feel that you care.”

A week later, Irene’s Diner became Irene and Marie’s Diner and after Irene’s passing away, just Marie’s Diner or as it was better known as among neighborhood, Rogue’s.


As for Logan, ever since he, Mariko and Amiko came here for the first time, they had not only become regular customers but also friends and ultimately, once they moved in across the road, a part of the family.

And while, after Mariko’s passing away he used to come here to both relive the past and to both stop himself from losing it and giving into the lure of the bottle, this time around he was here for very different yet oddly related reasons. He was here to think about the ramifications of his actions not only on his personal life but also of his kids, his girls. More than anything, even himself, it was Jubilee and Amiko that mattered to him. And even though this…whatever it was with Ororo, this thing, it may or might not work out, he did not know how they felt towards it, or how it would affect them.

Though Jubilee had been more than a little vocal in her efforts and support in getting him to date even if it was Ms. Munroe, Logan couldn’t help but feel a sense of withdrawal from Amiko. She never said anything, the sweet kid, but Logan knew that more than Jubilee who came to them much later, it was Amiko who would be the most….touchy when it came to him and her mother.

Maybe he should have waited some more before allowing himself to do this? Ten years would have been enough…anything to keep his baby girl happy.

----

“Hey Marie,” he called from the door of the diner, the overhead bell tinkling as he pushed open the wire mesh door, his nostrils flaring at the familiar smell of fried bacon and baked potatoes.

“In heah sugah,” Marie’s loud and given the volume slightly high pitched cry sounded from the kitchen, her head appearing for a second before disappearing again. “Come in. Ah’m just’ preparin’ an order.”

A cursory glance around the diner and Logan placed the two occupied tables, also noting the solitary person sitting at the main counter. ‘Pick up,’ he concluded strolling over towards the back of the front counter.

“Ya busy?” He inquired, arching an eyebrow at seeing Marie rushing around like a rooster high on crack. “Need help?”
“Yah an’ yah,” she nodded for both his questions. “Come heah an’ take ovah the fryer an’ this pan.”

Smirking at her straight forward attitude, Logan quietly started assisting her. It still surprised him, especially at times like these, to see someone as young as this belle of the south here running a diner on her own.

“Where’s the Elf?” he asked as he stirred whatever she had cooking in the pan. Looked like some kinda vegetable…horse fodder. “Shouldn’t he be here? Today’s his day off, ain’t it?”
“Hmm-uhm,” Marie nodded a slight frown formed marring her young face. “He said he had t’ go somewhere? Left an hour ago…” she trailed off.
“What is it Marie?” Logan instantly picked up on the worry in her voice. “Somethin’ wrong?”
“Yeah. No. Ah don’t know,” Marie didn’t know what to say. Finally giving up, her part of the order just about done, she sighed and stepped away from the kitchen counter, leaning back on the edge of the island in the center of the large room. “Maybe.”

“Somethin’ to do with Kurt.” It was more of a statement than a question.
“Umm-hmm,” frowning, Marie hung her head to her chest, the momentary silence broken soon enough by the pinging of the fryer.

Empting the contents of the pan into the take-out boxes, Logan jerked his head towards the order hall. “Lets get these punks out of the way, then ya can tell me all about it.”

---


Fifteen minutes later, with the customers enjoying their meal and with no newcomer to keep them busy, Logan and Marie were sitting just inside the kitchen. Well Marie was the one who was sitting on the counter, facing the door just in case anyone came in or tried to leave without paying the bill. However, given the time and that the two outside were regulars, there wasn’t a very much of a chance that they’d be disturbed.

“So kid,” Logan leaned against the wall. “What’d he do?” He was surprised that someone like Kurt had managed to get into some type of trouble, well, not trouble but do something that hurt….okay, troubled Marie. He’s never do anything that stupid. ‘That’s Gumbo’s territory.’

“Nothin’,” the worried expression on the young woman’s face told otherwise, Logan’s arched eyebrow telling her as such. “Umm....Ah think he is goin’ out.”

“Going out?” What was so troubling about that.

“Ah mean seein’ someone…a girl.”
“Huh?!” Okay that was surprising. Kurt had never mentioned it to him, or to Petey or Remy for that matter. Well, at least as far as he knew. He’d have to have a sit down with those two. “Who?” he asked curiously.

“Ah’m not shuah,” came the dejected but slightly annoyed sigh, the annoyance coming up at her brother hiding something from her, something he’d never done ever since they’d found each other.

“Oh…’kay.” ‘That isn’t much to go along with,’ thought Logan. “But maybe…’

“Ah have an ideah. But am not shuah, if it is her.” An idea? Marie, though enjoying gossip, wasn’t one to make wild and unsubstantiated claims. If she said she had an idea, Logan would bet his Jeep that she it was a lot more near to the truth than mere speculation.

“Who?” He questioned, now really interested.

“Wanda.” Marie muttered, remembering the name from the first and only time she had met the girl. “He’d brought her heah to tha diner. Said that her car had broken down and was in the shop. So he brought her ovah to spend the tahme.”

“Wanda?….Wanda….” Logan wracked his head, trying to recall where he had heard the name. ‘Oh fuck, the Audi from last month.’ He inwardly cursed, recalling the invoice that Piotr had handed over to him. That was one freakin’ car of hers. Had all the optional bells and whistles, and then some. Even the engine had been customized. And it wasn’t an aftermarket job, but a right-at-factory one. “Wanda Maximoff!” He exclaimed as the realization hit him.

“You know her?” Marie asked, going past the whole ‘yes she is’ or ‘no its not her’ fillers.

“Yeah I know her,” he blurted out. “I mean, have heard of her. She’s one of the two brats of Eric Lehnsherr. The guy who is always in the news for all the work he does with metals. Got two kids, both of them two steps in front of dad in getting inta the news. Wanda’s one o’ ‘em.”

“Yeah,” Marie looked up at him, her frown deepening as Logan confirmed what she’d already searched and read about this Wanda chick. “Ah don’t lahke it.”
“Why?” Logan asked, the incredulous look on Marie’s face telling him that it had been a rather lame question.

That the ‘social’ difference between Wanda Maximoff and Kurt Wagner was about as glaringly obvious as between him and Ororo, didn’t even come to him.

Too different to been imagined, let alone seen together.


“Do you even have ta ask why?” Marie all but screeched, her loud outburst drawing attention from the outside.

Apart from the severely possessive and madly protective sisterly concern, Marie had had the same thoughts. Its not as if she and Kurt were poor. They did quite well for themselves. The diner was going great and so was Kurt’s job under Logan. But they weren’t as great, as rich as the Maximoffs, who had who knows how many minor and major steel, iron and other metal working facilities all over the country.

She was worried about her brother. Kurt had led a very sheltered life in Germany and didn’t possess the street smarts she had. She was worried that the rich girl was getting her kicks with him, taking advantage of his naïve innocence. He who probably loved her and would get his heart broken when she’d dump him like yesterday’s news once she found someone new, someone bette…

‘No. Not someone better.’ Marie wouldn’t say that, she would never say something like that when it came to Kurt. He had a heart of gold. But even she knew that they…that he wasn’t rich, he didn’t have flashy cars or a big mansion or any of the other things that rich folk had. All he had to his name, was a few thousand in the bank and a ten year old truck, which he’d got for pennies, all thanks to Logan. The truck had been his and when Logan decided to go in for a new one, he’d sold the old one to Kurt.

Logan would have readily given it for free, had it been for Kurt’s firm standing that he would only take if Logan accepted a payment for it.

---

Listening to her voice her worries and opinions, got Logan thinking about his own situations, his wishes, his insecurities. ‘What are ya goin’ ta do?’ he asked himself.

“Did ya say somethin’ t’ me?” Marie looked up, leaning in at the thoughtful look in the older man’s eyes.

“Nah,” as always, his first reaction was to deny it. “Why do ya ask?”

“Ya seem a little off. Is everythin’ faihne?” she asked gently. “Is somethin’….Oh,” she stopped at realizing what day it was. “Its today ain’t it.”

The frown that flashed across Logan’s face didn’t impress her.

“Everythin’s fine,” Logan pushed himself off the wall. “Just peachy. I just came ta see how ya were doin’.”
“Sure yah did,” a corner of her lips twitched in a smirk. “You not goin’ to cancel it, are ya?”
“No.” The way he said that ‘no’ conveyed that he had thought about it, the way he started for the door only making it all the more clear.

Rushing after him, Marie caught his arm and yanked it…hard.


“What else kid?” Logan growled, wanting to get away before she finagled the cause for his uneasiness.

“How’s Ororo?” too late.
“Fine,” he tried to act nonchalant. “Saw her day before yesterday when wenta pick up ‘kiko. Seein’ her tonight.”
“Thaht I know,” Marie huffed, lifting her hand to smack the freshly clear neck of her older brother. It had been an acceptable compromise. Well, it had been more of a stalemate than a compromise with Jubilee and Marie hell bent on him getting hair styled and he not ready to give up his ‘chops. In the end they settled on a haircut, with Logan getting an actual style (instead of his wild mane) but one which would work with his precious mutton chops.

“Thaht ain’t what ah meant.”
“What else did ya mean?” Even though he wanted to talk to someone and even though within their circle Marie was the best person for it, it wasn’t easy for Logan to open himself to anyone, to talk about the touchy-feely-mushy stuff.

Even Mariko had known it and bless her soul, the angel never took his inability…his inexperience the wrong way. She knew, had come to know by experience that Logan like many a male, even more so than others, found it easier to convey his feelings physically than by the spoken word. And show he did, for even though he didn’t say it…often, it was clear how Logan had felt towards his departed wife. In fact, the only time that anyone had ever seen tears in Logan’s eyes was just before Mariko had breathed her last breath. And even those, she had, even with her failing strength, wiped away, whispering that his smile was the last thing that she wanted to see before she closed her eyes forever….and get her wish she did, for swallowing his pain and tears, Logan had not only smiled, he had done that till she drew breath. Even after that he didn’t cry, after all he had promised her that he wouldn’t do so.

“Logan?” Marie’s hail drew him back into the conversation. “Whaht’s eatin’ at ya?”
“Nothing?” He cursed himself for forgetting that she would see about it and confront him about it.
“She said no?” she didn’t let up.
“No.”

“Fahne then. Whaht’s the mattah?” he frowned at her.
“I said nothin’ didn’t I?” Yanking his arm free Logan stomped past the now empty tables.

--

“Logan, do ya lahhke her?” The soft whisper stopped him once again.
“What do you mean?”

Sensing his tension spike up at being put in a spot, Marie decided to take a step back herself. She already knew that her gruff Canadian brother liked the African American teacher. She also knew about his dating history or if better said, she knew about the lack of a dating history for the widowed father of two girls. Ever since their mother had died, Logan had been fulfilling the duties of both parents and had never shown the barest interest in any sort of female companionship, not for the benefit of the girls but for himself….until now.

“Ah was just saying that she is so nice with Jubes, Kiko, you, the rest of us, that….”
“What?” His tone was both annoyed and curious.
“Ah think, ya shouldn’t screw this up?” She got directly to the point.
“Huh?” That startled him. “Who said anything about screwin’ it up?”
“No one,” Marie shook her head, stepping forth to gently squeeze his arm. “Ah just...ah…”

“What kid?” This time around, his voice was softer, almost like the one he used whenever he had to console her or support her, like when she missed her mamma or when the flamin’ Cajun acted like an ass with her.

“Ah don’t want ya to get hurt…”

“Huh?! Thanks darlin’,” Logan leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. “Yer a good kid.”
“Any tahme sugah,” she returned his embrace before drawing back and pushing him towards the door. “Now go.”

“Go?”
“Yeah, go. Yah have a date t’ get ready for.”

“Marie?! Its in the evenin’.” Logan gestured towards the wall-clock.
“Yeah. So?”

“Don’t ya think it’s a bit early. Like almost eight hours early.”
“It ain’t early.” The young woman shook her head. “Ya need tha tahme ta get ready.”

“Time? Ready?” What did she think he was going to do? Get a spa treatment?

“Yeah.” And just like clockwork, she started. “Ya gotta exfoliate, try out different clothes, an’ no jeans,” she warned, rattling off a whole list of pre-launch….umm, pre-date-procedures that he needed to do before he went out for his first ever singles date.

---

That evening,

‘Five minutes seven,’ thankful that he was in time, Logan got out of his freshly serviced and washed Jeep. Fixing his shirt and pant crease, he checked his fly…twice, both top and bottom. Everything was in place.

Next, he patted his behind, making sure that his wallet was there. ‘Yeah, got it.’ It wouldn’t look nice if he showed up on his date without money.

“Here goes bub.” Taking a deep breath he started up the driveway, only to scramble back second later. ‘Fuck,’ he fumbled with the remote locker. ‘Almost forgot it.’

Whew! He sighed as opening the door, he reached in to grab the bouquet that he had just bought ten minutes ago.

‘Make sure the is no bill sticking to it.’ Marie and Jubilee’s chorused warning still rang in his ears.

The flowers in one hand, he repeated his earlier checks.

‘Shirt.’ Check.

‘Pants.’ Check

‘Money.’ Checkeroo.

‘Confidence.’ Uh-Okay. Check that too.


Getting fed-up with the pansiness, the Wolverine snarled out aloud. ‘Fuckin’ do it already.’

Once again a deep breath and Logan stepped away from the jeep, the Wolverine as his ass making his steps surer.

‘Okay,’ he stopped at the front door.

‘Lets see how this datin’ thing works.’

Note: Had planned on getting the date (at least going) in this chapter but somehow things got delayed. Blame it all on Logan and his introspection.

An’ please review!!





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