The next minute Marie was out the door and off to go shopping to complete Logan’s gift. She just left her cat Tigger, orange tabby, at her neighbor Jubilee’s room. She’d pick him up later; Jubilee wasn’t expecting her until near 8:00 p.m. anyway.
Logan’s Room
Instructor’s Wing
Xavier’s School for Gifted Students
Westchester, NY.
5:40 P.M.
Logan left earlier than Marie from his class in the gymnasium. He got home and he too changed from his school instructor’s uniform, into clean and dry sweats, relit the pilot light on the heater in his room. He turns up the thermostat. Satisfied, he moved to his leather chair and took a seat. Looking across the room at the small leather sofa, he picked up his portable phone, and dialed Marie’s room number. As Logan waited for her to pick up, he wondered if she had seen his handiwork on her bed. She didn’t pick up at all and he figured she was out last minute shopping at some mall. He hung up and decided to try her cell. Logan dialed the number and this time she picked up.
“Caldicott,” Marie answered out of one of Logan’s habits she’d absorbed.
“Are ya free for dinner?”
“No, actually. Ah have plans with someone,” Marie teased.
“Really? Anyone I know?”
“Yes, he’s got orange hair and is always happy to see me.” Logan didn’t buy it.
“Tell Tigger I said hi. So, what are your plans?”
“Ok ya got me. Dinner, a movie, and ah’m wrapping presents.”
“Are ya the ok type or the Martha Stewart type?”
“Oh ah’m a disaster. Ah use a lot of tape. Ah guess ah’m ok. Ah had the rest wrapped, all except two. Ah wanna do those myself.”
“Hmm, sounds interestin’. Ya wanna share the dinner and a movie part?”
“Yeah, ah’ll wrap the one gift and ah cain’t wrap the other because...” Marie stopped talking long enough to sign the slip and take the new purchases she made.
“Because what,” Logan asked trying to find out what Marie had to say.
“What? Ah’m sorry, ah was distracted.”
“Ya said, ah’ll wrap the one gift and ah cain’t wrap the other because…” He mocked her accent.
“Oh, because it is yours.” She wants to be Logan’s so bad she can taste it.
“Is it that big?”
“Ya could say that.”
“When can I expect ya?”
“Ah’ll be there at eight. What are ya cooking anyway?”
“Haven’t decided yet. I’ve got to run to the store in this bone-freezing cold.”
“Ah’m not lickin’ ya ta warm ya up if ya turn into an icicle. Ah know how ya think,” Marie teased.
Logan had a sudden mental picture of Marie licking certain parts of his anatomy. He coughed and thought of something quick to say.
“Gotta go, baby. See ya at eight.”
“Bye Logan. Drive safely.”
Marie’s Room
Instructor’s Wing
Xavier’s School for Gifted Students
Westchester, NY.
7:00 P.M.
Marie put her purchases away in her closet. She showered, and as she changed her clothing, Marie noticed the smell of roses. How did the smell get there? Then suddenly she looked at her bed and saw the rose petal, ‘I’ in a deep burgundy color on her bed. Unless, Remy flirting with disaster or Bobby suddenly had an interest in her again, the only other possibility that could have done it… Logan. She wondered if he was playing a game with her to get her to reveal his present to him, so she decided to go along with it to see where he might take her. A little perfume in all the right spots and she was on her way. Marie went to Jubilee’s room and asked her to watch Tigger a little longer; Logan had asked her to dinner and a movie.
It was okay with Jubes because her adopted mutant daughter from California, Chloe Davis 15, was bonding with him and watching, The Aristocats. Chloe was singing off key the loudest she could, just like a little kid, ‘Everybody wants to be a C-A-T’. Chloe had a few learning disabilities and when Jubilee rescued her from a secret lab in Death Valley, California, they hit it off. Jubilee raised her from the age of 9. Of course Jubilee made Marie promise to get all the juicy details of the date later. Marie rolled her eyes. She had been trying to play matchmaker to get Logan and Marie together since almost the time Rogue and Wolverine came to be at Xavier’s School for Gifted Students. Marie hoped she would give up soon after she heard what happened after tonight. A happy Marie left and started for Logan’s room.
Logan’s Room
Instructor’s Wing
Xavier’s School for Gifted Students
Westchester, NY.
7:40 P.M.
Logan almost didn’t make it home in time. He had gone into the store with an agenda, get food, and get home. It almost worked; he got what he wanted in his cart until these women started chasing him all over the store. He wanted to growl and pop the claws to scare them away but, some of them may have been turned on by it, and he didn’t want to be calling Marie to say he missed their dinner date because he was in jail on attempted murder charges. He barely made it out with his clothing on. He went right to his room; none of dinner had to be cooked, it was already warm. Logan quickly stepped in the shower. Then changed into a navy blue cable knit sweater from his travels and a pair of jeans; his usual boots completed the style. His hair was slightly damp and air drying after a little toweling. Then after he had combed it back into place, a little cologne in all the right places, and there was a knock on the door.
“Marie, come on in,” Logan said as he opened the door. “You look beautiful darlin’.”
“Thank you, oh handsome one.”
“So did ya get all your shopping finished?”
“Yes, have you?”
“Yeah. Ah just have ta wrap your gift.”
Logan’s eyes visibly widened and Marie knew, like a child that cain’t wait for Christmas day, Logan would try to pry her for clues but, this Marie wasn’t going to say a word. God, she hoped Logan wouldn’t try to be under-handed and trick her into giving up her secret.
“Who says ya need wrappin’ darlin’? I’ll take ya as ya are right now.”
“Ah do, sugah. Ya won’t regret it, ah promise,” then changed the subject. “So what’s for dinner, Wolvie?”
“A surprise. Ya want somethin’ ta drink? I have a bottle of Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider on ice in the bathroom sink. I can get ya hot chocolate or coffee downstairs…”
“Ooh, save the Martinelli’s for after dinner. Ah’ll have some hot chocolate.”
“Two hot chocolates coming up.”
Logan took Marie’s arm and led her down to the small kitchen. She took a seat on a stool and waited for him to begin.
“How’s Tigger,” Logan asked as he took out some Hershey bars from his private bin in the fridge and started to melt them in a small pan, with a whisk.
“He’s fahn. He’s been playin’ with Jubie’s daughter. They were watchin’, The Aristocats, with popcorn and coke when ah went ta ask Jubes if she could watch him a little longer.”
“Which movie is that?”
“The one where these cats get kidnapped and then wander all ovah Paris.”
“Right, never seen it,” Logan poured the milk into the pan and began to whisk the two together.
“Need help, sugah,” Marie asked.
‘Can’t a Wolverine make hot chocolate? A Rogue could,’ she thought to herself with a smirk.
“Nah, got it covered, just waitin’ for it to cool.”
A couple minutes later he came out from the island with two perfectly warmed hot chocolates. Logan handed one to Marie and took a seat at the table.
“What took so long? Ah was about to send a cold Rogue in to help the frozen Wolverine.”
“Just taste it,” Logan said, killer eyebrow flashing with a smile as he took another sip of his own cup.
Marie took a sip and it was like her taste buds were being sensuously caressed by warm velvety chocolate. She let out a small moan at the sensations the warm drink was causing. Logan just sat there and watched her have a joy-gasm over his hot chocolate.
“Ohhh, this is so rich. This is bettah than instant hot chocolate!”
“Yup, see, a Wolverine can make hot chocolate, without help.”
Marie blushed. Oops! She must have said her comment earlier about Wolverine needing help with the hot chocolate out loud.
“Do ya wanna carpool ta Hank and Ororo’s Christmas party?”
‘What Ah’m really not tellin’ ya is that Jubes is helpin’ meh with your gift,’ Marie thought to herself.
“Ah can’t. Jubes is picking me up when she leaves.”
‘Oh, Logan crash and burn, must get away before she sees hurt,’ Wolverine told him.
“Oh, um ok.” Logan could smell a lie somewhere in her statement.
“Sorry, sugah.”
“It’s ok. I understand. Let’s go start dinner.”
“Need help?” Marie teased.
“No, I’m fine,” he smiled as he took her arm and took her back up to his room.
When they got back, Logan opened the door for her and led her in by gently pushing on her lower back. Then he pulled his bed spread off the bed and put it on the floor, before he went barefoot. He turned on an over head lamp and went for the bags of warm food in the bathroom, sitting on his hamper. He sat down on the blanket.
“I thought we could have a picnic and pretend it’s warm enough to be outside. The light above is our sun. I bought three pounds of fried chicken all the rest of picnic fixin’s I know ya like.”
“Oh Logan, that sounds wonderful sugah,” Marie said as she toed off her shoes and joined him on the floor.
Marie stood after dinner while Logan went to find a movie in the school’s massive movie library. She went to the window to watch it snow. It looked peaceful and quiet out. Her mind began to drift back to warm and sunny Meridian, Mississippi when she was happy. A bittersweet smile developed across her face. She seemed lost in thought of what happened during the years before she became a mutant, her smile long gone, when Logan snuck up behind her.
“A penny for your thoughts,” Logan said leaning against the other side of the window frame.
“Save your money Logan. Ah don’t want to be a rich woman. Ah already am.”
“What are ya thinkin’ of, darlin’?”
“Ya don’t wanna know.”
“Yes, I do or I wouldn’t have asked.”
“Just drop it okay, ah don’t wanna discuss it raht now.”
“Fine. Did you get Chloe her gift in time for Christmas?”
“Oh yeah. I just hope she’s kept her greedy hands out of it until it’s time. Ah gave it ta her mama but, ah’m sure she’s already been searching for it.”
“What did you get her?”
“Ah decided ta give her a trip ta Disneyland in California. She’s going with Jubes and ah. That’s why Jubes
offered ta take meh ta the party ta give mah holiday greetin’s and then we’re goin’ ta the airport.”
“Oh. I’m sure you’ll have a good time.”
Logan’s wheels were turning; he had to pull off his plan in a hurry. Dinner left overs put away in a personal refrigerator in his room and they sat on the sofa in front of, It’s A Wonderful Life in his room. The flat screen television hung over his dresser. He curled his left arm around her as they watched the movie. He felt her snuggle into his side under the bedspread to keep warm. Even with the heater on, it was still very chilly. As the movie went on he thought, ‘what if Marie had never been born?’ He just didn’t want to think about it. He would still probably be lonely and on the road, still seeking the 4-F Method, fighting, fucking, food, finding his past. What if he had never been born?
Maybe Ol’ Buckethead would have succeeded in destroying the planet and that was a scary thought.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Come on guys... The least you WRFA writers could do is let the poor man feed his girl. LOL. My thanks to velvet and annie for your reviews. Enjoy!
Chapter End Notes:
Maybe he should take Marie shopping next time to beat ya'll back?
Anyway, thanks in advance for your reviews!
Anyway, thanks in advance for your reviews!