That evening,
“Please come in,” Ororo smiled in greeting to her guest. ‘He changed his clothes,’ was the first thing Ororo noticed. Unknown to her, the change was all because his elder daughter, Jubilee forcing him to ‘ditch’ the grungy jeans in favor of a cleaner look.
“Logan…Mr. Howlett,” her honey smooth voice pulled him out of thoughts.
“Huhn, what?” It came out harsher than he wanted. “Sorry,” he winced. “Say anythin’?’
“Yes. Please come in,” Ororo smiled and gestured towards the inside of the house. “That is unless you want to sit out here on the porch.”
“Uh, anythin’ goes with me,” Logan replied succinctly. Not one to make small talk or as he called it, idle chatter, Logan preferred to keep his questions, comments and or suggestions, short and mostly to himself. The only time he let go was either when he was watching hockey or was angry and bellowing at someone or a combination of the previous two, that is, watching hockey, getting angry at one of the players and bellowing at him…well, at the television. “Yer house, yer rules.”
Slightly taken aback by his blunt frankness, something she did not come across too much with the people she usually moved around with, Ororo recovered quickly. “Hmm,” she mused. “Lets sit outside. It is a nice evening and a cool breeze is flowing. But not here, at the back, the patio.”
“’k, lead on,” Logan gestured for her to show the way.
--
Moving aside, Ororo made way for Logan to come in.
As he stepped through the door, Logan instinctively reached to close it behind him, his larger, calloused hand accidentally touching and sliding over Ororo’s slender one. That simple touch, just a second in its duration, brought back the same feeling as they had senses when they shook hands at the school, as a slightly unnerving but at the same time invigorating electric charge rushed through both of them.
“Uhn-sorry,” Logan quickly apologized and put a couple of feet’s distance between himself and Ororo.
There was something about Ororo that set off his mental alarms, causing him to feel as he felt he should not. At one time, he might have gone after her if only for ‘physical’ purposes. But not now, and definitely not with a woman like her. The last twelve plus years, including the time he had spent with his Mariko had taught him many things. She had taught him many things, including how to live like a proper human being and not like the animal he had been.
Besides, Ororo did not look like a woman who would have anything to do with people like him. She probably had a boyfriend somewhere. Some executive or IT professional….or, ugh, someone like that Scooter. ‘Summers.’ The name alone was enough to raise Logan’s hackles. ‘Don’t let it be him.’
-----
“Is something the matter?” Ororo noticed the silence and mistook the lost look in her eyes for tension or reluctance…or maybe, “Did you forget something?” she asked, subconsciously hoping that it wasn’t the matter. “We can postpone…..”
“Nah,” Logan shook head, and offered his ‘putting-at-ease’ lop sided grin. “Forgot to get furniture polish for the house.”
“Oh,” Ororo gave a confused nod that told him clearly. ‘I don’t think so buster.’
“Yeah,” he decided to run with his lie. “Jubes has been after me for days to get them. She’s gonna nag my brains out fer this.”
“Oh.” This time he did get a smile with the nod. Maybe using Jubilee added weight to his excuse and convinced her. Well, whatever worked was fine with him. Hadn’t she heard him ‘talk’ to someone for being late, this very afternoon. “There is a furniture shop near….”
“Let’s not worry about that,” he cut her off by force of habit. Cursing himself, he grabbed to placate the situation. “I mean, I know a place for getting these kinds of things. Thank you for your concern.”
“What’s the matter?” he scowled at the sudden giggle from her. “Did I say somethin’ funny?”
“No,” she shook her head, stifling the involuntary snickers. “Its just that….as many times as we have met, I have never heard you talk in such a controlled manner.”
“Ya mean refined, like you,” his brow creased slightly. Although she had said it with no sarcasm, her words had reminded him how different they were….and even though he never cared for what people thought of him, coming from her…he didn’t like that.
Just looking at her and her house, made their profound social and cultural perfectly clear. It was not that his own place was dirty or anything. It was different. While his house had a Japanese touch to it, set loving by Mariko and him, her house had the whole ‘city’…umm, yeah, cosmopolitan feel to it. ‘Different worlds Bub, different worlds,’ sounded the mental chant.
“No, that’s not what I meant,” Ororo realized the way her words must have sounded to him, his expression leaving in doubt in that regard. “I meant to say that, you are very….very free,” she struggled to find the correct words.
“Ya mean free like the side of the road free,” his walls were coming up. It was an involuntary action for him, just like breathing. Years of living in the orphanage and the road after that, had made sure of that.
“No, no,” Ororo reached forward and lightly grabbed his forearm, as if to stop him from blowing up and out of control. “I meant free as nature.”
“Hn.”
“I am sorry that I can across as condescending…” Ororo’s apology sounded truthful and sincere to him. “….That wasn’t my intention.”
Instead of saying anything that might mix up matters even more, Logan merely gestured towards the glass door. “Patio.”
Giving a tentative smile, Ororo let go of him and walked to the door. ‘Way to go Ms. Monroe,’ she cursed herself. ‘Real glib. Why didn’t you just give him a bucket and a washcloth and ask him to clean your car? That would surely have gotten the same message across.’
-----
“Would you like some tea…or coffee?” Ororo started with the usual offering, trailing off at the end at thinking that he would not like either of the two. He didn’t look like the kind of person to be drinking either. ‘Beer, I don’t have,’ she mused, remembering the first time she had seen him….well, not actually face to face, but on his bike. Even though the helmet hid the rider’s face, she was sure that it had been him.
“What kinda tea?” Logan looked up from the lawn chair he had just sat on.
“Tea?” Ororo was taken back for an instant. She would have guessed coffee…maybe, but tea. That was a rarity. Even in her friend….her, social circle, she only knew a couple of people who preferred the leaves over the beans, her father being one of them. But hey, he was British and had a long history with tea. “Indian, herbal,” she offered. “Or if you would like, I have lemon tea too.”
“Lemon,” Logan answered promptly.
“Lemon it is.” With a smile, Ororo walked back into the house, happy with making her offer. It had helped break through the ice that had set over after her comment a few minutes ago.
-----
The rest of the evening went along pretty easily, with both Ororo and Logan opening up to each other, the main topic of the meeting soon forgotten. It started with her commenting that how rare it was to have someone to drink tea with, and by the time either of them checked the time, more than an hour had passed.
“Shit,” Logan exclaimed even before he knew he was saying it. “Uhn-sorry about that,” he apologized instantly. “I didn’t mean to say that,” he lied again…sort of. He meant to say that, just not in front of her….well, not yet anyway.
“Its alright,” Ororo put forth a lie of her own, albeit a slightly different one. It was true that she wasn’t used to hearing expressions….expletives like this. She reprimanded her students almost daily for this. However, Logan wasn’t her student, nor was he like anyone she knew. “Did you have another appointment?” She asked even before she could stop herself. Even if she were to deny it, a part of her hoped that he wouldn’t.
“Nah, its not that,” he answered to try to put her at ease. “Its just that, its Saturday and on Saturday’s we get together at Marie’s diner for dinner. I was supposed to pick up Jubes and Kiko….Amiko, on the way there.”
“Sorry for making you late,” Ororo apologized a little half-heartedly. The past hour had been the highlight of her day. In fact, it had been the highlight of the whole week. With all the schoolwork and getting the new tuition going properly, she did not have much time left for herself.
“You didn’t make me late,” Logan flipped the apology away with a wave of his hand. “Just thought I’d get home a little early. Now will be cutting it close, that’s about it.”
“You should be going then,” Ororo commented standing up. ‘Oh, back to the idiot box.’ At least Sunday would be better. If Charles and Moira did not come over, she might just visit them. “You wouldn’t want to be late.”
---
“Ya wanna come?” Logan bit his tongue at his candor. ‘There ya go again. Opening yer trap without thinkin’.’
“Thank you for the offer, but I must decline regretfully,” Ororo smiled serenely. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“Who said anything about intruding?” Logan gave her a somewhat oblique look, almost as if she had insulted him. “But I understand. Ya must be havin’ some other plans. Plans better than going to an old rundown diner, with people…..”
“Its not that,” Ororo cut him off before he could go any further. From what she had seen and heard from the *rough around the edges* man standing before her, she knew that his world was very different from the one in which she lived and worked, a fact that had not gone unnoticed by him. “You said all your family and friends and get together, I would only disturb the status quo.”
“Disturb what?” He was really getting confused and more than a little ticked off now. If she didn’t wanna come, just come out and say it. Why make all the excuses.
“I mean I will be the fifth wheel,” Ororo stated clearly.
“So what.” Logan grinned at her answer. This he could handle….easily. “We’ll put ya in the boot.” The words had barely left his mouth that he slapped his head. “I didn’t mean put ya in the boot, I meant ya as the fifth wheel. Put that in tha…”
“Logan, Logan.” Ororo calmed him down. For a second there she did not get what he was talking about, but when she did, she could not contain her giggles. “I understand what you implied, I mean what you meant.”
----
“So wanna come?” The second and final offer came out easily. “Unless yer busy?”
“I am not busy,” Ororo clarified. If nothing else, it would be an outing for her. Anyways, even if Logan tried anything funny, which, she was pretty sure he would not, she always had her trusty mace and Tazer handy. “Are you sure?”
“Wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t,” his words were equally clear and convincing.
“Hmm, okay. Just give me ten minutes,” she snapped her fingers. “I just need to change.”
‘Why change?’ he thought as he watched her go into the house. ‘Ya look fine the way ya are.’
----
Fifteen minutes later, Logan’s jeep pulled out of the driveway, with Ororo in the passenger seat. She had changed from her ankle length dress and blouse, into something more appropriate, namely navy blue jeans and a plain white shirt.
Logan had trouble keeping his jaw from hitting the ground, along with the rest of him. The jeans Ororo had had on were hugging her curves like a second skin. The shirt she had on wasn’t helping either. Buttoned all the way up, except for the top two buttons and tied at the bottom, it perfectly curved around and accentuated her full rounded breasts. She had even braided her waist length hair, bringing out her well-formed cheekbones.
“I can drop ya off on the way back.” Logan said to her as she stepped towards her car. He made a difficult mental note of not to drink that night. Not for his sake, but more for hers. Usually Saturday nights were drinking nights, with Kurt driving him and the kids back. He cared too much for them to even attempt to drive back with alcohol in his system. Tonight, he had made a promise to get her home and he meant to keep it. ‘I got two words for you Bub….just two,’ he reminded himself. ‘NO BOOZE….not even a beer.’
------
Sometime later,
“Hey Kiko,” Jubilee yelled out as she rushed out of her room at the sound of the car horn sounding in the driveway. “He’s here.”
“Coming.” The younger sister called back. “Gimmie a minute.’
“Well hurry up,” Jubilee retorted. Grabbing the house keys from the wall, she unlocked the door and stepped out, all the while speaking at the top of her voice. “Stop with the studying already. It’s almost eight thirty and we are late. I am going to….Oh SHIT.”
“What happened?” Amiko inquired as she rushed out of the door, and headlong into a petrified Jubilee. “Hey, move out of the way. You were the one who was complaining that dad was….”
“Shut up,” Jubilee grunted under her breath, her eyes still stuck at the Jeep and its occupants, or rather one occupant in particular.
--
“Hello Jubilee, Amiko.”
Amiko’s head snapped at the familiar voice, turning from scowling at her sister towards the direction it came from.
“Ms. Monroe,” she blurted out.
“Good evening, both of you.” Ororo smiled at the two dumbstruck girls. However, the way both of the girls were staring at her, she felt as if she were a medical specimen and they were studying her under a dual lens microscope….both of them at once.
“Good…..evening.” Jubilee nodded slowly, before recovering from the shock to regain her mischievous grin, the one that never foretold anything good.
“Good evening,” Amiko repeated, giving a slight nod too.
“You both gonna just stand there like statues, waitin’ fer the birds to come ta ya, or wanna get this show on the road,” Logan interjected impatiently. “The others must be waitin’. Marie is going to be on our case if we get late.”
“Ok, ok, coming. There is no need to get all hyper,” Jubilee raised her hand to gesture at him to calm down. Retrieving the keys that had fallen down to the ground, she turned around to set the security alarm and lock the front door.
-----
After a short fifteen-minute drive, the group reached their destination.
Unlike their drive from her house to his, which had been quite easy, the ride to the diner was strained with tension. Neither Jubilee nor Amiko had said a single word the whole way, only answering the couple of questions Ororo asked of each of them. Sensing their unease and awkwardness at having their ‘teacher’ coming to their house and to their family gathering she wisely restrained from any talk with either any of them or Logan.
“We park here,” Logan finally stated as he pulled in through the open gate of his workshop-cum-secondhand car sales place. “This is where all of us work,” he offered as an explanation. “You already met Remy. There are two more – Kurt and Pete. They’ll be there; he jerked over his shoulder towards the diner across the road.”
“Amiko told me about them,” Ororo replied with a smile, hoping that it would help relax the girls or at least one of them….and it worked, because the next moment the young girl piped up.
“Yes, I did.” Amiko informed her father that she had already enlightened the teacher about their little family of misfits.
“Good fer you,” was all Logan said as he pulled the car into its usual parking space.
----
“Logan sugah, why are yah late?” Marie burst through the door even before they reached it. “What happened did…..who’s that?” she changed her question, her eyes widening at the tall silver haired woman walking beside Logan.
“Uhn-this is Ms. Monroe,” Logan answered lamely, choosing the easiest introduction. “She’s the kids….oh, yeah, she teaches English in their school.”
“….and History,” Ororo supplied evenly. “You must be Marie,” she walked up and raised a hand towards the southerner.
“Uhn-huhn,” Marie nodded her head as she gingerly took the newcomer’s hand. Why was she here? None of them ever brought an outsider to their Saturday night shindigs. That night was just for them. Just her and her family. It had started during her mother’s time and had carried to the present day, and never had any of them brought in an outsider.
“I asked her ta come,” Logan answered her silent question. “Thought both of ya might like each other.”
His excuse was so lame that even young Amiko turned and stared up at him, as if to say, ‘Ya sure, ya dumb canuckelhead? Ya sure that she and Marie might like each other, or is it that ya yerself like her?’
“Sure,” Marie recovered instantly, opting to give Logan’s guest the benefit of the doubt. “Come on in Ms. Monroe,” she said awkwardly.
“Thank you,” the taller woman smiled graciously. “And please…..call me Ororo. Ms. Monroe makes me feel like I am still at school.”
“Ororo,” Marie repeated a couple of times. “Come on in Ororo, and ya’ll too. Get in, my potatoes are going to get all crispy and burnt.”
The initial tension let out, the five of them entered the quaint diner.
----
The rest of the introductions were similar to the one she had with Marie, except for Remy whom she had already met earlier in the day.
Soon she was standing in the diner’s kitchen with Marie who was busy putting the finishing touches to her roast.
Even though there was an age difference of almost six years between the both of them, Ororo found that the girl was mature for her age. Whether, her strong emotions were because of her age or was just the way she was, was something Ororo couldn’t make her mind about. Even then, she marveled at Marie’s ability to run a diner all on her won, even though she said that she wasn’t alone like that. Logan and the others helped her out. Having a brother, who, as Ororo came to know had been separated for almost a decade and a half, was helpful too. On Kurt’s day off from the workshop, he used to help by completing any repairs that needed to be made and accompanying Marie to the market to restock the diner.
As for Marie, she liked the ‘newcomer’ as she had termed Ororo now….going one step up from outsider. Even though she came across as snooty at first, she wasn’t like that. Marie found herself opening up in a way with Ororo, that she had missed ever since Mariko had gone away…..almost in a big sister kind of way.
“Its nahice that Logan asked ya t’ come,” she drawled as she flashed a smile at Ororo. “Gives me someone t’ talk too.”
“I too am glad that I came,” Ororo truthfully returned her complement. It was very different from the stifled atmosphere at the country club. It was liberating….almost in a ‘home’ kind of way, but more rustic and down to earth in its feel. It made her remember when Scott used come over with his parents and they used to have a lunch together. Sometimes they used to even make like a picnic, just like it was here Marie, Logan and the others, even though it was at night and instead of being outdoors, it was in a diner.
“All done,” Marie loud clap drew her attention away from her inner musings. “Hey guys,” the call sounded out from the kitchen. “Get youh butts offa th’ wood and come get dinner.”
“Be there in a minute,” Logan replied as Jubilee and Amiko came through the door to help her in setting the dinner.
-----
Much later,
“Thank you Logan,” Ororo turned around at her door.
“Thank you?” he arched an eyebrow. “Fer what?”
“For tonight,” she clarified softly. “I had a great time. I don’t remember enjoying myself so much in ages.”
“No big deal,” he answered hastily. “Ya can get it next Saturday again. That is if ya want to?” He ended hesitantly. Marie had invited Ororo to come back the next weekend, even if Logan didn’t come to pick her up…which he wanted to. He had liked the Nubian beauty’s company and found himself wishing more for it.
”I-I can’t say for sure,” Ororo’s reply was equally hesitant. “I won’t be here next weekend. I may have to go out of town.”
“Oh,” the light in his eyes dimmed a little. “So no class for Amiko next Saturday?”
“No,” Ororo was regretting her reply already. She could just have accepted it and made an excuse later….not that she wanted to. It was true that she had to go out of town, but she could easily do that on Sunday. “But if I return in time, I’ll let you know. How does that sound?”
“Sounds great,” the grin was back. “Till next Saturday then, huhn.”
“Yes. Until next Saturday.”
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