The early morning was dark like it always was in Canada. The wind blew strong and cold. Rogue had to take care not to slip as she stepped across the frost bitten road. Pulling her trenchcoat tighter around her body, she stepped up to the icy sidewalk that led from the apartment to the restaurant a couple of blocks away. She stomped her boots on the sidewalk in front of the door before opening it and stepping through.
The cafe where she worked was brighter than the other restaurants and buildings around there. It was the one place that she felt was okay for her and her friends to work in. They'd all needed to help out in the beginning. Soon, Kitty hadn't been able to work at all. She'd insisted on helping out, so she ended up doing the housework. Rogue would come home and help her out, then take care of her and everything else that needed to be done.
Jubilee had taken up to dating to escape everything that had been going on. She and John had broken up the day of the newscast and Jubes had found solace in other men. This left Kitty and Rogue to fend for themselves, Kitty's baby, and Jubilee as she lived with them when not with her men.
Marie shrugged off her coat and tied her apron around her waist. Joe was in the back grilling burgers for the customers who regularly came. She shifted her weight to her left foot from her right as she took out her notepad and yawned.
Rogue took a ponytail holder from her coat pocket and pulled her purely brown hair into a high ponytail. She shook her head and sighed. The hair, the perfume she always wore so no one could recognize her scent, namely Creed and Logan. Vanilla, she grimaced at the smell that surrounded her.
The bell rang above the door. She walked over to the coffee maker and started it up. Everyone who came in this early wanted coffee, so coffee it would be. She pulled the sleeves of her long-sleeved shirt down out of habit, then turned around to observe the customer.
An older woman had walked in and had seated herself at the bar.
"Can I help you ma'am?" Marie asked in perfect English.
The woman smiled graciously, like she hadn't seen or heard someone friendly in quite a while. Marie knew that look, she wore it every single day.
"Yes, I would like a cup of coffee please." The woman smiled, then continued, "And your breakfast plate."
Rogue smiled and turned to the back to put up the order. Then she got the coffee for her as soon as it was ready. The woman looked like she wanted to talk, but was too unsure, so Marie started up a conversation.
"My name's Vickie. Are you driving through or planning on staying here for a while?"
"Oh dear no. I'm just passing through. I'm on my way to Alaska. My son's in Alaska. Did you know that? Yep. I'm going to go see my son. He's one of those types you know? Those types that aren't supposed to live in the United States. That's why I'm going to see him. To get him here to Canada. So sad, so sad. The way people act these days, don't ya think young lady? So sad, so sad."
The woman went on, talking about her son and all they had done together. How old he was, which turned out to be about 14. How her son had gone to Alaska with his father. The lady said that her ex-husband didn't like those kind of people and how she was afraid for him. Soon she got quiet and ate her breakfast while Marie went and took care of the regulars and the passers-by.
By the time night fell, Marie was tired and achy, and all for a measly paycheck to keep the four, usually three of them able to keep on going. She quickly got home, avoiding the cold as much as possible.
She found Kitty feeding Lee, her baby, and the dishes and laundry all done. Marie smiled and took her coat off and sat down for a moment. Then as her extra strength began to kick in finally, she got up and looked at the clock. It was so late, Kitty should be in bed and Lee should be asleep, not to mention that Jubilee should have come that day, but once again did not.
"Kitty, I'll finish this up okay hon. You get Lee ready for bed and I'll clean up."
Kitty looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "But I am coming to work tomorrow. I know they need another waitress down there, and I can't just sit here now that Lee's two months old and all. You can't keep going on only like three hours of sleep every single night. And I know you do extra jobs and all. We need the money and I'm not being of any help at all."
Rogue sighed and cleaned up Lee's table. "Kitty, I just, I'm worried about you. Okay, I'll make you a deal. Five days and you come to work, in a month we'll be leaving anyway okay? We have to keep moving. It's not safe to stay in one place too long. We've been here three months and you yourself said that we should get going. Five days?"
"All right, five days, but no more."
"And you can get someone you trust to take care of Lee? 'Cuz that's what I'm worried about."
"I will. Trust me, I will do everything that needs to be done. I've been an invalid for so long, I'm sick and tired of it. And I can't just sit by while our world falls down. One person cannot take care of four on the salary you get from Joe." Rogue nodded and Kitty smiled triumphantly. Then the girl turned and walked to the bedroom to lay her daughter down for bed. After much coaxing she was able to get the little girl to lay down quietly and start to fall asleep. Then Kitty came out to the living room, which really was more of a tiny hall thing that connected to the kitchenette.
Rogue was cleaning up some things in the kitchenette and making a sandwich for dinner. "Jubilee hasn't been home has she?"
Kitty sat down on the small couch and shook her head. "No, I don't think she's been home for two days now Rogue. I'm always worried about her. What she's gotten herself into this time. I don't know what's gonna happen with her anymore. She's changed so much..."
Marie leaned against the counter and sighed. She ate her sandwich and finished with the kitchen area. Kitty was off to bed already and she went that ways herself. After taking a cool shower, since they couldn't afford warm water, she dressed in her warm pajamas and got into her bed at the other side of the bedroom.
The morning would come too soon for her. Morning meant another day of waking up at 3:30 in the morning, going to work from 4:30 till midnight and home again at 1 PM. Another day the same as the rest. Another day of the shadows that lurked within the walls crying out for comfort and peace. Another day of an aching pain in the heart that spread to her body, making the physical ache worse. The pale shadows of dawn never made up for the pale shadows in her heart. There were always too many pale shadows that whispered but never spoke out loud.
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Story Notes:
Not much romance or pairings and stuff, but still important. Special thanks to my wonderful beta, Autumn, sorry I forgot. Congrats on Graduation!