Disclaimer: Don't own the X-men. Would love to, but don't. I'm only using them for entertainment. Please don't sue.
Note: There's no Ro/Lo in this chapter, but there will be soon. Promise.
"Oh Goddess Jean! Look!" she exclaimed as something in the store's window caught her eye.
"What? What's wrong?" her friend asked as she was pulled towards the store.
Ororo Munroe bent down slightly to get a good look at the item that had her so excited.
"This!"
Jean bent down to Ororo's level.
"What? You mean the statue of the angel?"
"No. The jewelry box next to it. It's so beautiful!"
Jean cocked a perfectly thinned eyebrow at her friend. It wasn't like her to get worked up over something as material as a jewelry box. Jean got a good look at the box in question. It was a beautiful piece of work.
"Come on!" Ororo exclaimed as she grabbed Jean's hand and once again dragged her friend behind her. "Let's go inside and see it up close."
"Ororo! I can walk by myself you know."
Once inside the store, Ororo searched for someone to help her, but there was no one around.
"Hello? Is anyone here? I'd like to see one of your items in the window."
"Yes, I'm here. I'm in the back. Please give me a minute" came a voice that obviously belonged to a woman.
While they waited, Jean and Ororo walked around the store and looked at the various odds and ends being sold there. Old clocks hung on the walls, mirrors with elaborate frames hung near them as well, China dolls in frilly dress from different time periods lined the shelves, various pieces of furniture, vases, statues and a plethora of other things filled the shop.
"Look at all this stuff. It's incredible!" exclaimed Jean.
"Welcome to Antique's N' Stuff! Where if we don't have it, then it doesn't exist!" came a voice.
Jean and Ororo turned around to find an older woman standing behind the counter. She was shorter than both women, around 5 feet tall. She moved a strand of her gray hair out of her face and checked the rest of her hair to make sure that the bun on top of her head was still in place.
"I'm Edie. So, how can I help you young ladies?" the older woman asked as she rolled the sleeves of her floral print dress up her arms.
"Hello Edie. My name is Ororo and this is Jean. We were walking past your shop and saw the jewelry box you have there in the window. I was wondering if I could see it."
"Ah, yes. That's a beauty. I'll get it right away."
Jean looked at her friend and smiled. Ororo watched the woman getting the item with barely contained glee. A smile on her face, her blue eyes bright and shining, like a child who couldn't wait to open their presents on Christmas day.
"Here you are dear. You have very good taste" Edie said as she gently placed the jewelry box in front of Ororo.
The jewelry box was was made of wood. A deep mahogany color with all the swirls and patterns of the natural lumber. Small white shells and tiny blue pearls decorated the edges of the very top of the box. A latch sat on the front of the box, allowing for it to be locked if one were to desire to do so. The jewelry box also had a small black winder in the back of it.
"Open it darling" the store owner encouraged.
Ororo did as she was told and let out a low gasp.
The velvet lining of the inside of the box matched the outside in color. There were little slots for rings and necklaces of various sizes and even a little ballerina in a blue dress on a little stand in the very center of the box.
"Oh, you'll love this darling" Edie said as she turned the black winder at the back of the box.
A lovely little tune began to play as the ballerina spun on her toes with her hands over her head.
"That is so lovely. Isn't it Ororo?"
Ororo didn't answer and Jean looked at her friend with a little concern. Ororo seemed to be entranced by the music and the little ballerina. Hell, she seemed hypnotized by the whole damn box.
"Ororo" Jean called as she toched her friends shoulder.
Ororo came out of her trance and automatically asked "How much does this cost?"
"Well, while I managed to restore it to it's original form. It is quite old and the price is quite high."
"How much?"
"$2,000."
Ororo's face fell and Jean felt for her friend, even though she still quite confused by her behavior.
"Oh, well thank you for letting me see the jewelry box. Come on Jean."
"Okay. Goodbye ma'am."
"Goodbye darlings. I'm sorry."
********************************
The walk to the car was silent. Jean didn't speak until they got inside.
"Ororo, what was that all about?"
Her friend was silent for a while, but then she heard a sniffle. Jean turned to Ororo.
"Please tell me what's wrong Ororo. You've been acting strangely ever since we went into that store."
"I--That jewelry box---I had one exactly like it when I was younger. My father had it made for me."
"Oh Ororo..."
"I loved it. I thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world. My mother even gave me my first piece of jewelry to put in there. It was a necklace made of the same beads and pearls that the box was made out of. I saw the box in the window and all these memories of my childhood started coming back to me and I--I just thought---."
"That you could buy it and have it to remind you of your family."
"Yeah" Ororo said with tears brimming in her eyes.
"Oh, Ororo. I'm sorry" Jean said as she pulled her friend into a hug.
"Don't be. I suppose it just wasn't meant to be."
"Well honey, maybe you can ask the professor for the money" Jean said as they parted.
"For a jewelry box? He'd never--"
"For you he would."
"No, that's way too much money."
"Ororo---"
"No Jean. That's it."
"But--"
"No, buts. And don't you say anything about it to him either."
Jean sighed.
"Fine."
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