|
Title: Rule
Number Sixteen: Good Things Come In Threes
Author:
Terri
E-mail:
xgrrl26@yahoo.com
Rating:
PG
Disclaimer:
I don't own any of them. Darn.
Archive:
WRFA, Mutual Admiration, Dolphin Haven, Peep
Hut - all
others, please ask :)
Feedback:
Please? With whipped cream on top? Good,
bad, and
ugly welcome.......
Summary:
Sequel to Murphy's Law. Good things come to
four of
our characters. Well, good for some.....
Comments:
This was supposed to be a much longer
chapter,
but it got broken up into two. Why? For
one, because
the 'rule' works better for just this
little piece.
Also, the second half of this one
turned out
very dark, mostly due to the unwelcome
intrusion
of some real life angst, and nobody (meaning
me and Keli)
was happy with it. It needs a rewrite
because
it really shouldn't be unrelentingly dark, not
in this
series. I'll get right on that, but the Rules
chapters
will probably be coming a little more slowly
than I had
hoped for a while. Thanks to all who have
stuck with
this series so far! Lastly, the inclusion
of Remy
here is in response to Lateo's request for his
appearance
in the series - we'll see more of him later
on :)
-------------------------------------------------------
Things have
been going well, very well in fact. Marie
and Logan
have settled in quite nicely, and he is
performing
well above my expectations at the job I
arranged
for him. There have only been a few minor
glitches
so far. Marie became curious when their
landlord
inadvertently called her Marie Xavier once;
luckily
he explained it away by saying that he'd seen
her at the
Xavier properties over the holidays and had
somehow
connected that name with her. There was
another
close call when I made a slip up of my own,
asking about
a facet of Logan's job that she hadn't
told me
about yet. I believe she took my explanation
that I simply
assumed someone working in the
construction
trades would be apprenticing at face
value. Aside
from those minor things, I do not
believe
she suspects my involvement in their current
good fortune.
In fact, in our last phone conversation
she remarked
that she was pleased that I had called
and that
perhaps a visit at some point before their
child arrived
would be appropriate.
Hank has
been most helpful. It is very beneficial to
have his
advocacy in these matters. Of course, he
knows nothing
about my little 'interventions' on my
daughter's
behalf - such knowledge would only create a
moral dilemma
on his part and would serve no useful
purpose.
I believe it is in large part thanks to his
good opinion
of me that I have been able to work
through
some rough patches with Marie. Having her
consistently
hear a favorable assessment of me from
someone
she trusts is a priceless benefit. She has
even permitted
Hank to share with me information about
the baby
and about herself. That is a very promising
sign as
well.
Most of
the mansion residents have been informed of
Marie's
status as my daughter. The children, the
younger
ones, have no need to know, so that
information
was not disclosed to them. But Jean,
Scott, Ororo,
Bobby, Hank - they are all aware of it.
I must admit,
that went far less smoothly than I
thought
it would. I anticipated a happy,
congratulatory
reaction from all of them, but I was
met with
some suspicion, especially from Jean. She
even wished
to redo the DNA tests that established my
paternity.
I can understand
Jean's feelings about Marie - Jean
has long
been my surrogate daughter, and she probably
feels threatened
by a daughter of my own bloodline. I
have tried
assuring her that my feelings for her will
not change,
but that has not helped ease her anxiety.
She confided
to me that she is concerned about Scott's
reaction
to Marie and that she senses an attraction
between
them. I do not think that this is a cause for
alarm. Marie
is very committed to Logan and, whatever
I may think
of that relationship, I doubt her feelings
for him
will change, particularly now that she is
carrying
his child. Jean does not share my
confidence,
however, and her recent complaints about
having to
pick up slack at the medlab when Hank is off
to see Marie
are evidence that the problem persists.
In any case,
Jean's issues will eventually resolve
themselves.
She is a bright, capable woman, and I am
certain
that if I continue to assure her of her role
in my life
and her place in my affections, she will
come around.
Enough dwelling on the negatives now -
it is time
for my weekly phone call with my daughter.
"Hello."
"Hello,
Marie. It is Charles Xavier. How are you?"
I have been
careful not to be overly-familiar with
her. Of
course, I consider her, and the grandchild
she is carrying,
to be Xaviers. Hank, however, has
cautioned
me against 'pushing' that upon her.
"I'm doing
fine. I was hoping you might call today,
actually."
"Really?"
Now, that is a first. Perhaps she wishes
to discuss
some personal matter with me or requires
assistance
of some sort.
"Yes. I
have some news."
"Good news,
I hope." That is encouraging too - that
she wishes
to appraise me of positive happenings in
her life.
"Well, I
think it is. My note cards have sold so well
that Remy
thought I should do a calendar - you know,
for sale
by the end of the year. He offered me a
really good
deal on it. He says I'm becoming kind of
a local
sensation. Kind of funny, since I'm about as
far from
New Orleans as it gets, huh?"
"Congratulations.
I am sure the calendar will be
splendid."
I had her friend Remy checked out quite
thoroughly.
Thief and scoundrel seems to sum up the
man quite
nicely. He has always seemed to treat Marie
well, though,
and it is my impression that he has
helped her
out of several rough spots. I shall
forebear
from any criticism of him, but I shall keep a
sharp eye
on his dealings and activities as long as he
is connected
to my daughter.
"Thanks.
I thought - well, since you know a lot about
art, or
at least you own a lot of art, that maybe you
could take
a look at some of the works in progress for
it. I can
mail them to you, if you wouldn't mind
doing it."
"That is
a lovely offer. It would be my privilege."
Quite a
nice development. I do believe my chest is
puffing
out just a bit. Marie would like my opinion
on her work.
"That would
be great. Thanks. I'm hoping to get at
least half
of them going before the baby comes." This
is the point
at which I am tempted to ask how the
newest Xavier
is doing. I shall rephrase.
"How is
the baby?"
"Moving
around a little bit now. Logan felt him move
for the
first time a couple of days ago. It feels
kind of
freaky. Sometimes it seems like there's a
little alien
in there."
"Freaky,
yet wondrous, I am sure." Ah, that got a
small laugh.
"Marie, you suggested a visit before the
baby comes.
What would be an optimal time? I was
thinking
of bringing some of my colleagues with me and
giving them
a little vacation, as it were." And a
chance to
get to know you better, if you will permit
it. "I was
thinking of housing them at the cabins,
the ones
not in use by Hank or yourselves."
"That sounds
nice. I think - I think we're pretty
open. The
weather's getting to be pretty springy, so
anytime
that works for you would be good. Just give
us a week's
notice or so. Um, and will - will you be
staying
at the cabins too?"
"I was planning
on doing so, yes."
"Good. That
would be good." Ah, she does not wish
for me to
stay with her and Logan, as may be
traditional
when parents visit. I am in complete
agreement.
Having Logan and I in close quarters seems
very stressful
to Marie, and now is not the time to
cause her
stress.
"How is
Logan doing?" I know it is important for
Marie for
me to make an effort with Logan.
"He loves
his job. It's really a great fit for him
and he's
learning a lot. He gets along great with his
boss, Jack,
and he's starting to get more hours now."
"Sounds
marvelous."
"It is.
Listen - Logan should be home soon, so I'd
better go.
Talk to you again next weekend?"
"Certainly.
Take care, Marie."
"You - you
too. Bye."
"Goodbye."
Ah yes,
another successful phone call with my
daughter.
Things are going well, very well indeed.
"Hey, sugar."
Things are going really great. I'm
going to
have the world's best baby, my man is off
work for
the rest of the weekend, and I'm going to
make a ton
of money on this calendar thing. I'm just
rolling
in the good luck lately.
"Hey, darlin'.
Have a busy day?" He looks so sexy in
that hard
hat and flannel shirt. God, I could just
jump him
right now. Well, let's just cut to the chase
so we can
get to dinner and then the celebratory sex
as soon
as possible. I don't know if it's the
pregnancy
hormones or what, but I'm really, really big
on sex lately.
Even more so than usual.
"I got a
call from Remy. He asked me to do a
calendar.
It could mean a lot of money. It - it
wouldn't
come in until late in the year, you know,
when people
go calendar buying, but the note cards are
doing great
and he wants to do a calendar."
"That's,
uh, that's good."
"It's really
good! I'm really excited!" OK, so I
probably
should be a little more restrained but I am
excited
and besides, Logan likes it when I run over
and hug
him.
"Whoa. Careful
there, darlin'. You got a baby in
there."
"I know,
I know." He's always very concerned about me
and the
baby, and I love it, I do, but a little
jumping
around won't hurt our child, and I'm excited.
This is
big news. "But I'm really excited!"
"Yeah, I
can tell." Oh, don't look all sexy and
amused at
me, mister. Not if you expect to eat dinner
first. "I'm
glad, darlin', real glad. How's my
little guy
doin'?"
He's convinced
it's a son, and, you know what? I'd
love to
give him a son. Not that I think he'd love a
little girl
any less, but there's something he'd
especially
like about having a son. "Just fine.
Moving around
a lot today."
"Yeah?"
"Mmm-hmm.
I thought we could have dinner and then,
you know,
head to bed to celebrate my calendar thing."
"Sounds
good. Helluva day at work today." Nice one,
Marie, you
didn't even ask how his day was. I've
really got
to work on this unselfishness thing and get
it down
before the baby comes out.
"What happened?"
"Big beam
fell right on Jack. Broke a coupla ribs. I
got it offa
him, but he's gonna be outta commission
for a while."
"Oh my gosh!
How did that happen?"
"Remember
Earl?" Yes, I remember him quite well. He
hooted at
me and said 'nice rack' that time I came to
have lunch
with Logan at a site. Good old Earl almost
got himself
clawed for that. "He forgot to anchor it
before lettin'
the jack go. I swear, Marie, I usedta
think I
wasn't that bright, but some of these people
are downright
stupid."
"Well, I've
always thought you were exceptionally
smart."
Heh. There's that gleam in his eye. He
knows what
I'm after. There's no fooling him. I
don't think
he minds, though. Yeah, life is good.
Dis life,
oui, she is tres bein. Dat little girl Remy
pull offa
de street, she a gem dat one. Honest as de
day is long,
believe it or non, hardworkin', and wit'
real talent.
De little note cards she do for Remy,
dey de most
profitable item in de gallery. De tourist
eat dem
up. Who knew Remy could make so much money by
legal means?
Certainment not dis t'ief. It is enough
to make
a man t'ink 'bout goin' above board, dat kind
of money.
Dat girl,
Remy knew she was a keeper de moment he lay
eyes on
her. Sure, she look tres down on her luck.
In fact,
Remy wonder if de girl stole lady luck's man,
dat's how
bad Marie's luck was. Remy - he don'
usually
do good deeds, but somet'ing tell him to take
care of
dat girl. Mebbe de ghosts of de bayou, mebbe
de river
spirits, or mebbe de girl's namesake Marie
Laveau,
but somet'ing strong grab Remy by de short
hairs and
make him do good for dat girl. Whatever dat
was, it
be payin' Remy back tres nicely, oui.
Remy should
go up and visit wit' his star artiste
sometime
soon. De t'ought of all dat cold Canadian
air give
Remy pause, but it has been a long time. Why
couldn't
de girl land in Montreal? Den Remy be right
at home,
even if he still be cold. But no, she decide
to settle
wit' de Anglais Canadiens. Well, Remy can't
complain.
De girl did well fo' herself. Better make
sure she
OK, especially now dat she wit' child. Jus'
in case.
Don' wan' anyt'ing to happen to de girl,
especially
not now dat she be Remy's best payin'
decision
in a long time. Non, better see Marie jus'
to be sure.
She and dat man of hers, dey said to come
anytime.
Now - now is anytime, non?
Seems like
dat man she hook up wit' be pretty good to
her. Only
talk to him a few times, but Remy have a
feelin'
dat he be pretty hard in love wit' her. And
Marie, she
seem to like him pretty good too. She be
havin' babies
wit' him, so he can't be all bad, non?
Remy - he
not de baby- havin' kind. Non. Maybe some
girl tame
Remy one day, but not any day soon. De
Rogue, sweet
Marie, she be a good maman. Remy will be
tres happy
to play uncle to her little ones. An' she
make Uncle
Remy one rich Cajun in turn. Oui, life is
tres bein.
Life, for
a change, is good today. What could be bad?
I am finally
free from that human prison, and freedom
- it tastes
very sweet. Revenge tastes better,
though,
and my dearest daughter will learn the measure
of my revenge
soon. Yes, life is good today.
|