Seasons Change
Logan watched them as he hide in a nearby tree. He didn’t understand why he hadn’t attacked. He was furious and yet he hadn’t moved from his spot. He didn’t care about the man, but the woman he now realized was what he did care about. He didn’t want to upset Ororo and he listened to their conversation and then watched the car pull off and Ororo go back inside. Now he was hurt and angry, yet he did not explode. What was keeping him so grounded? Thinking about her. He sighed heavily.
She’s really going to marry that ass hole. Well, I sure ain’t sticking around here ta see that shit.
The warmth that he had just felt was quickly replaced back with coldness. He wished he could get that short moment back, but he knew he never would. He jumped from the tree and looked at the giant building. The mansion that was supposed to be his home, but he didn’t feel what a home was supposed to make you feel. He knew if he went inside he was not going to be comforted, he was not going to feel safe, wanted…..dear. He was tired of everything it brought to him which was nothing at all. She was inside, and he didn’t want to see her, ever again. As livid as he was he was sure he was thinking clearly.
He stepped from under the tree’s canopy and onto the driveway gravel, just as soon the light drizzle began. Dozens, millions of tiny water droplets hit his body, but Logan didn’t hurry his walk towards the door, what was the purpose to escape the rain? It was taking nothing from him. What most people felt when the rain hit him was already socked in his insides.
It was past midnight and the soft rain continued outside. The rhythm hitting the windows was the only sound the house heard that night. No one heard the rustling going on in his room, him closing his suitcase, or even him leaving with the door still open. He walked down the hallways, not taking the elevator to the first floor. Past the kitchen and through the sunroom’s door he paced until he got to the garage.
Of all the gorgeous sports cars, foreign beauties to choose from, Logan settled on the simple black Ford Explore Sport. He put the key in the ignition and commanded the garage to open up. As soon as the doors were high enough for him to drive the vehicle through he speed off.
He was gone and the season changed from fall to winter and then slowly spring. At first everyone wanted to know what happened to him. They asked when he was going to come back home, when he was going to visit, and then they stopped asking. They went back to their routines.
Ororo knew Xavier knew where he was, but she was not going to ask him. Logan didn’t want anyone to know where he was and since he left nothing apparently he wasn’t planning to come back. The many more months that went by made her build a wall around her feelings that she was sure she had for him, but not having to hear his voice, see his face, feel him around her made it easy for her to act as if she had gotten over him.
Christmas came and for a moment she had hoped he would suddenly reappear, but it was a wasted hope. She tired of waiting and she knew life had to go on. So she took her next steps along with the seasons. The snow wasn’t falling anymore and neither were her tears, the trees stayed bare, but the temperature began to rise and so she looked forward. She picked a date for her wedding and she began her planning. It was agreed to have it in the spring, when the earth was ready to renew and give birth again.
Mike and her picked a lovely small church in town. He had no family but his mother and his friends from work so there was no problem inviting her friends and students. Mike insisted that she have everything, but all Ororo wanted was something simple.
Jean helped her pick mostly everything, but it was a surprise when Mike’s mother insisted on going with her to pick out the dress. Mike’s mother had been pleasant the rest of Ororo’s stay last fall, but she knew it was forced. They hadn’t had much of a conversation since then, but now in the middle of March she took a trip from North Carolina for the weekend just to help Ororo with any arrangements.
Ororo took a time out to catch her breath when she answered the door to the older woman. Brenda took Ororo into her arms and showed nothing negative as she greeted her. With her pleasant turn around, Jean, Violet, and Brenda gathered into the red Corvette and Ororo drove off into town. She parked in front of a small boutique, which had several designer wedding gowns in their window. Inside it was a gallery of white. A young and very pretty brunette immediately walked over towards them.
“Hello, welcome to Michelle’s Gowns. I’m Claire, can I help you with anything?”
“Hello, Claire. We spoke on the phone yesterday, I’m Ororo.” Ororo introduced herself and then the other ladies with her.
“Oh, yes, I remember talking with you and it’s nice to meet you all. Are these going to be your bridesmaids?”
“Oh, I’m to old to be walking down the aisle in those fluffy gowns. I’m the mother of the groom.” Brenda grinned.
“You’re never to old to be apart of someone’s wedding party, but if you’d like to look around at our other dresses you may. Many of the mothers of the brides and grooms can find their outfit here.” Claire said pleasantly.
Brenda smiled back, but told her that she already had something else in mind at home.
“This is my flower girl and this is my maid of honor.” Ororo directed Claire.
“Yes ma’am. Do you know what color you had in mind for your wedding?”
Ororo shook her head no. She didn’t know what color she wanted.
“Well this is a spring wedding, but sometimes women tend to pick their favorite color.” Claire tried to say as they began walking more towards the back of the store.
“I don’t have a favorite color.” Ororo answered.
“I do, I like purple.” Violet called out.
“Purple, soft lavender is nice. ”Claire nodded her head.
“Well, Ororo what kind of flowers do you want?” Brenda asked.
“I was thinking yellow roses and white daises.”
“Oh! That is every spring. It sounds very, clean, nice and simple. Since your flowers are going to be yellow and white, what do you think of yellow for your party’s dresses?”
“What shade of yellow are you talking?” Jean asked with slight concern.
“We have many yellows, but not many in the store. “ Claire directed them over to a small table and told them to look through the magazines and see what design Ororo wanted them to have.
Violet, Brenda, and Jean rushed over and began flipping through. Ororo was not in a rush. She didn’t care what Violet or Jean picked out all she cared about at that moment was finding her own dress.
“Aren’t you going to look with them?” Claire looked towards Ororo.
“No, I want to look for my dress.”
Claire smiled. She remembered the conversation Ororo and her had had the day before. She said she wanted something simple, but beautiful. Nothing with a large train and to heavy, maybe something off the shoulders and with small designed beading. Claire paid attention to everything Ororo had requested. She lead her over to four racks with nothing but what Ororo had asked for. Claire had them separated by color, by lengths, and their bodice.
“These dresses have nothing them at all. They are just as simple as a wedding dress can be, long, white. Some have sleeves and some don’t. The ones over here,” She pointed to the next rack closest towards her,” are the off whites, they are the ones with the beadings and, well I’ll let you look. The dressing room is right behind you, if you need any help I’ll be right out here.”
Ororo thanked her and began looking. After some time, she found it. A long white satin dress with embroidered flowers, white pearl like beads outlined its sleeves coming off the shoulders. Ororo told Claire she wanted to try it on and she went off to find the slip.
“It fits you divinely. ”Claire grinned.
Violet nodded her head approvingly, as did Jean. Brenda said nothing. Her eyes filled with tears and the expression on her face was one Ororo would never forget.
“Are you alright?” Claire came over with tissue in hand. Brenda nodded her head,” Yes, it’s just that she looks so beautiful. Oh, my son is going to cry when he sees you in this.”
“Aww, you think he’ll like it?”
“Of course he will. You look lovely.” Brenda smiled at Ororo.
“Well, wait, let me go get the veil.” Claire rushed off.
“I love it, Jean.” Ororo said softly as she patted the dress. It flared out a little more then she had expected it too, but she was happy it did. She suddenly felt like a princess as she stared at her reflection. Claire walked over and placed the veil on top of her head and it was then decided that this was it.
The Jean and Violet’s dresses were going to be a bronze yellow. Simple, sleeveless dresses that flared out. Jean said she was sure she’d be okay with that. Violet was a little mad that she wasn’t going to get a veil, but she did not complain. She was happy that she would have her moment putting the rose petals on the ground.
“Thanks again, Claire.” Ororo smiled.
Claire smiled back at her,” Thank you and congratulations. You’re going to be beautiful.”
The weekend with Brenda was wonderful. She clung to Ororo and they had entertaining conversations about the wedding and Mike. On her last evening with them, Brenda told Ororo that she wanted to bake their wedding cake. Ororo told her that it wasn’t necessary, but Brenda insisted. They drew out some pictures and finally agreed on a three tier yellow cake decorated with yellow frosted roses and rose petals.
March turned into April and with April came the showers. Ororo did her best not to interfere with Mother Nature’s plans, but she couldn’t help making it rain a little more, even for April.
“Is that you out there or her?” Jean asked her friend as she sat looking out the window at nothing but the rain.
“I guess me.” Ororo turned to give her a half smile.
“What’s on your mind, dear?” Jean asked as she placed her arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
Ororo sighed,” I don’t know, Jean. Maybe I’m getting a little nervous. My wedding is in two weeks. Two weeks! Everything is in order, nothing is going wrong, nothing but me.”
“What’s going wrong with you?” Jean asked with a small smile as she looked out the window, at the rain.
Thunder suddenly boomed in.
“Claim down Ororo.” Jean commanded as she knelt down to look her friend in the eyes.
Tears were trying to form, but Ororo was doing her best to hold them in.
“Aww, come here. Tell me what’s the matter.” Jean reached and embraced her tightly.
She felt Ororo trembling and shortly after she heard her sobs. More thunder came and it was louder then before.
“It’s alright to cry, but you have to tell me what’s wrong.” Jean said as she moved Ororo’s hair aside,” Tell me what you’re feeling.”
“It’s like I can’t breathe sometimes Jean. I feel like something’s wrong, something isn’t right, but I don’t know why I’m feeling like this. I ‘m happy one moment and the next I just become sad, so sad and I can’t place where this sadness came from.” Ororo huffed.
All Jean could do was hold her, rock her like a tender child. She knew what she was feeling and she was sure she knew why, but she wasn’t going to tell her. As much as Jean hated seeing Ororo like she was she knew that Ororo was going to have to figure it out on her own.
“Are you wanting to call this off?” Jean asked her softly and she felt Ororo nod her head in the negative.
Later that day Jean went to Xavier.
‘He doesn’t want to be found.’ Xavier’s telepathy told Jean.
‘Please.’
‘No, Jean. I saw this, like you did, but we can’t interfere.’
‘Why not? They’re hearts are breaking.’
‘Do not act like I don’t know what is going on. I can feel as much as you can, their pain. My dreams are not of the future like yours are, I can not see what you can see, but I can feel.’
‘So you do know?’
Xavier nodded his head, ‘Jean, I know a lot of things. I knew you had other gifts besides your telepathy. You have something that I wouldn’t be able to call a mutation. Other people have these gifts, humans. These special gifts that you don’t develop. They just…..are…there.’
‘How can this be special? Watching and knowing my friends are going to hurt like this. Knowing that the only thing, the simple thing keeping them apart is only themselves.’
‘Special does not always deal with nice. Jean you know this.’
Jean sighed, out loud. She kissed Xavier’s head tenderly.
“Jean.” Xavier called out loud, ”I will tell him she’s getting married, but that is all.”
‘Thank you.’
Ororo looked around her room. This was her last night she was going to sleep in it. Mike and her had found a lovely Victorian home just ten miles from the school’s grounds. Sitting all alone on four acres of land. Woods surrounding most of its surroundings. Mike had spotted it months before and had brought it. The family before them had modernized the insides, so with little left to repair it was ready to be moved into whenever they were ready. Mike had showed it to her only yesterday and she was so happy she burst into tears.
Now as she looked around her room full of boxes she felt strange. Tomorrow was her big day, tomorrow she was going to be Mrs. Michael Glenn. Tomorrow Xavier would give her away and her dreams of a happy family would soon follow.
She took a long bath, full of bubbles. She had lit candles and had dimmed down the lights, trying her best to relax, but the entire time she felt like she was being watched as she bathed. She knew she needed to get to bed soon. The wedding was going to be at noon and she was getting her hair done first thing in the morning.
After slipping into a simple satin gown she crept into bed and tried to go to sleep. The room was silent, but still the feeling of someone inside made it take longer for her to finally drift off, but when she did she was at peace.
A smile spread across her face and she laughed, ”Logan, you’re back.” She whispered.
In her dream Logan had come home and he looked exactly like he did at the Halloween dance. He was in his gym uniform, but Ororo wasn’t in her Niffrtii costume. She was dressed in her night gown.
“I’ve missed you.” She told him.
Logan looked at her and smiled. He reached for her and held her securely in his arms and then he kissed her on the mouth and she moaned. He picked her up and was carrying her outside.
“Where are we going?” She asked him, but he didn’t answer her.
She asked him again, but all he did was carry her out on the balcony. He sat her down and kissed her again.
“Logan?” She called to him, questioningly as she watched him walk over to the edge. Worry spread to her face as she rushed to him, screaming for him to stay, but he didn’t, he leapt and when she looked down there was no one there.
She woke up the next morning having a hard time opening her eyes. She rubbed them and they felt tender. Once her eyes opened she almost peed on herself when she saw that her balcony doors were wide open. The morning breeze blew in with friendly greeting.
“Ororo! It’s seven thirty. Are you awake?” Ororo turned toward her door when she heard Jean’s voice.
Seven thirty. She had spelt in. She rushed up and walked over towards the doors to shut them, but for a moment she felt the end to look over the railing. Slowly walking to the edge and peering down she saw nothing out of the ordinary. With a heavy sigh she went back inside, closing and locking the doors behind her.
Logan drove around town looking for Saint Thomas’s church. He was surprised to see only a few cars in the parking lot. He pulled in and parked towards the back. He didn’t know what brought him back here. It wasn’t like he was going to run in there and stop her wedding, yet he felt something telling him he needed too. Something was telling him to rush in that church and save her, but he stayed frozen to where he was.
For six months he had been driving around the northern part of the United States and some parts of Canada trying to forget about what she felt like in his arms, what she smelt like, how lovely it sounded when she spoke to him. He told Xavier he didn’t feel like being bothered about anything or anyone, that he just needed some time to escape and think about some things. Xavier never questioned him when he left, never got angry or…he never showed much emotion, period. He only called out to him if it was an emergency. What Logan didn’t understand was why he told him about Ororo’s wedding.
Six months of being in the cold mountains and he continued to dream and day dream of her naked body next to his, of the talks they shared about their views on anything. He missed her no matter how much he tried to forget about her. The distance had only made him more bitter then he’d admit he’d ever been and now was his last chance. It was his last chance to let her know that he did care for her, that he loved her.
He felt nervous, wondering how he was going to actually come out and tell her. He knew he was going to have to sneak in and get her alone. A grin spread across his face as he remembered he could’ve told her last night.
“Yeah, ya ass. I coulda told her last night,” He muttered to himself.
Last night he had got back into town and last night he had came into her room from her balcony. He had no problem getting into her room and hiding in all the shadows from the boxes she had crammed in there. He watched her bathe and he wanted to go to her then, but something kept him frozen in his corner. He hadn’t seen her in some time, hadn’t seen her naked in an even longer time. She looked good wet. He decided that he’d make his presence known when she got out, but she went straight to sleep.
He felt silly standing over her bed watching her talking, murmuring his name. He kissed her softly, several times, but she looked to peaceful for him to wake up. So he just sat on her bed waiting for some chance. She never did stir and he ended up falling asleep.
The sun was about to rise when he woke up. He began to wonder why he had even came back. She was probably over him. Logan was sure since she had actually pulled everything together for a wedding. That had to prove that she really had forgotten about him. She couldn’t possibly be thinking about him if she was about to go through with this. So in a panic he fled from her room, back out the way he came.
“I’m a damn fool.”
He got to the church and opened the door just as Jean had reached for the handle and was about to leave.
“Whoa!” Logan reached to make sure she didn’t fall over.
“Logan! What are you……oh my god.” Jean’s voice began to soften and her eyes suddenly filled with tears.
Logan pulled her to him and hugged her tightly, ”It’s good ta see ya too, Red. Where’s Ororo?”
“Can I help you with something sir?” A man came walking towards them. He wasn’t that old, Logan guessed no more then forty.
“Yeah, I’m lookin’ for….”
“You’re to late, Logan.” Jean interrupted him as she burst into tears.
“What are you….”
The preacher wasn’t dumb he picked up on their words and opened his mouth, “Mr. and Mrs. Glenn were married just twenty minutes ago. I’m sorry you missed the ceremony, but I do believe their reception will be held at the….”
Logan didn’t stay to listen to what the preacher had to say. He started walking off.
“Damn it!” He screamed to no one. His chest was pounding. The cigar fell out of his mouth landing on the black top of the parking lot.
“Wait! Wait!”
He heard Jean’s voice in the distance, but when he turned around to face her everything was a blur. What the fuck! No… He swiftly turned around and shut his eyes, trying to blink back his tears.
Jean got to him just as he was reaching for the door of the Explorer.
“I didn’t think you’d actually come.” she said as she tried to wipe at her face,” I didn’t think you’d come back.”
“What the fucks it matter now!” He yelled at her.
“Logan….”
“Damn-it! Jean why didn’t you just leave me alone! Why’d you have him tell me?” Logan demanded as Jean’s face began to become blurry again.
Jean could not believe what she was seeing. She’d never thought it was possible. She’d never thought she’d see the day that the mighty Wolverine would have tears in his eyes, but she saw them, and she felt his pain. A pain that she wished would go away.
“I thought you needed to know. I thought you…” Jean tried to explain.
“Well, look, you happy. You fuckin’ see me! I KNOW….I’m to…LATE!” He shouted and he quickly wiped his face and tried to get into the car, but Jean stood in the way of him closing the door.
“Move!”
“No! You can’t leave.”
“I gotta get out of here.” Logan shook his head.
Jean opened her arms to him and she held him. When he tried to pull away she gripped him harder.
“There is no where to go. You can’t escape what you feel.” She whispered to him.