Hanging By A Moment

Hanging By A Moment
Chapter 16: Meet The Parents

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After a long drive through the roads of upstate New York, Scott and Jean finally neared the outskirts of Buffalo after over three hours of driving. The weather had been bright and sunny the whole time and it offered a bit of comfort for the two nervous youths, still dealing with lingering anxieties about this trip and where it would lead them. They kept each other occupied from such thoughts as they made small talk for most of the way and listened to the radio to pass the time.

Finally after a long, anxious drive, Scott began making the last few turns down the neighborhood he had grown so attached to after having gotten through so many tribulations concerning his past here. He hadn’t seen his foster parents since the day he left for Bayville and he very eager to see the people who had taken him in and loved him like a son once again. Jean was still a little nervous about meeting them, wondering what they would think of her since she was in a rather serious relationship with their adopted son, but she remained determined to keep a positive attitude. This was not her family she was dealing with…This was Scott’s. And no matter how weary she felt, she was determined to make the best of this situation and hopefully gain a little insight into both Scott and herself as well.

“So this is the neighborhood you grew up in?” asked Jean as she took in the sight of the surrounding houses, finding it to be very quaint.

“Yep!” said Scott proudly, “This place helped me work through a lot after all the issues I still had after losing my family. Growing up here helped me cope with what I had been through and aided in turning me into the man I am today.”

“Must be quite a place then,” said Jean as she flashed her boyfriend a warm smile.

“It is,” said Scott, smiling back in response, “It may not seem like much to most people…But I owe this place an awful lot and a part of me is always going to remain here no matter how long I live.”

Jean looked around the surrounding area and took in the sights she saw. This place was by no means the upper class neighborhood where she had grown up in back home in Connecticut. Everything here was more middle class. The houses were smaller, yet still very nice and by no means run down. Everything was smaller and simpler, kind of like she was at heart in a sense, which only helped to add a sense of comfort and calm to this place.

They were fairly close to the city, but there were still wooded areas behind many of the houses, giving it a touch of nature that seemed to add a sense of balance to the whole place. As she watched the homes outside pass her by, she saw children playing, people raking leaves, and others simply enjoying the outdoors. It was a very quaint area that seemed free from the snobbish rich people that Jean had been surrounded by for the most part of her life. Already, Jean felt a sense of comfort in this place…For it wasn’t too rural, but it wasn’t too urban either. There just seemed like so much more than what she saw on the surface…As if every home had a story to tell. It was so different than the ubiquitous homes and families of her old neighborhood, but that only made it seem better to her as Scott made the final turn towards the house that he still considered his home in many ways.

“Here we are Jean…My home sweet home,” proclaimed Scott as he pulled up in front of the house where he had spent nearly half his life.

“Wow…” said Jean as she took in the sight.

The house was by no means fancy, but it was no shack either. It was well kempt, clean, and gave off a mysterious aura of gentleness. It wasn’t exactly the biggest house in the neighborhood, but it was still a very quaint home that anybody would have been lucky to grow up in. It had predominately white sidings with black shutters. There was also a rather large garage that looked as though it may have been renovated at one point and a neatly kept porch at the front door. The grass was freshly cut even though parts of it had turned brown as a result of the cold and everywhere she looked, there seemed to be plants. There was a garden in the front, one visible from the side, and she pretty much assumed there had to be one in the back as well. In addition, there was an area of woods visible in the back, which helped give the whole area a unique feel in that they were so close to the city, yet there was still this natural setting around them to enjoy.

Jean was about to comment on the pristine setting that his conveyed, when suddenly, the front door opened and out stepped a strong, burly, man that was heavily muscled and had a hairy complexion. He was wearing a pair of worn jeans and a red and black flannel shirt. He looked almost like a lumberjack in some ways, but with the way he walked he showed that he had a poise all his own as his commanding voice filled the brisk air.

“Scottie! Welcome home my boy!” he said in a gruff tone of jubilation as he walked over to the young man and the beautiful redhead beside him.

“Heya Dad, it’s great to be back!” said Scott with a smile as he gave his adopted father a hug.

Jean couldn’t suppress the smile on her face as she saw the interaction between Scott and his foster dad. While she had seen pictures of him in the many photos that Scott had shown her, that didn’t accurately portray the man in his entirety as he gave off this wild, free-spirited feeling for which he didn’t care what anybody else thought. It was definitely different from many of the people she grew up around, but that only heightened her fascination with this place and this setting for which Scott seemed so much at home and so happy to be.

“So are ya just gonna stand there like a jackass or are ya gonna introduce me?” grinned the burly man.

Scott simply laughed in response, taking comfort in the knowledge that his foster dad was still the same man he had come to respect so much. He was still every bit as loud and burly as he was when he first met him on that fateful day. With this in mind, Scott eagerly turned towards Jean, who was still standing there with an amused grin on her face.

“Jean…As you probably have already guessed, this is my foster dad…James Logan Howlett,” he said proudly, “And Dad…This is Jean Grey.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Howlett,” said Jean with a smile as she shook his strong hand.

“Please…We don’t do that formality shit here. Just call me Logan,” said the burly man with a grin as she smiled welcomingly at the redhead, “So you’re the girl that my son won’t shut up about every time I talk to him.”

Jean couldn’t help but laugh as Scott quickly blushed at his comments, but he kept smiling never the less.

“Guilty as charged I guess,” said Jean with a grin, “And Scott’s told me so much about you.”

“Well I can assure you that half of it is total bullshit,” said Logan with a laugh, causing Scott only to blush more at his foster dad’s unique sense of humor, “But enough with the icebreakers, come on in! Scottie and I will give ya a tour!”

“Sounds good to me,” said Jean, eager to see the interior of the house that looked so quaint and gentle on the outside.

“Great, there’s a lot I want to show,” said Scott as he and Jean followed Logan inside, “So where’s mom?”

“It’s November kid…You know as well as I do where she is this time of year,” replied Logan with a light chuckle at Scott’s seemingly mundane question.

“Garden…Yeah, I figured,” said Scott with a shrug, knowing that this was usually a key harvest time and his foster mother was a lifelong gardener.

“She’s grown quite a harvest this year,” grinned Logan as he led Scott and Jean right into the living room upon entering the front door, “But you’ll see her soon enough. Last I checked, she was almost done. So in the meantime, why don’t we show our holiday guest around a bit!”

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For the next hour or so, Jean followed Scott and Logan throughout the house as they showed her around. While the house was by no means as big as the one she grew up in, each room seemed to have a rather vast array of stories behind it. There was so much history in this serine place and that made it feel all the more inviting as Jean gradually settled into her new surroundings, helping to ease initial tensions.

In listening to Logan, Jean had found that Scott had not been exaggerating when he described him whenever he talked about his family. He was clearly a fairly old man, but his appearance hardly did justice to his age. While he had his share of gray hairs, they weren’t all that numerous and his movements and tone were that of someone who was active and boisterous. He had somewhat of a mountain man aura to him with his burly appearance and strong muscular build, but he had a great sense of poise and showed himself to be quite knowledgeable. He continued cracking jokes, making comments, and mentioned a few stories about himself and Scott that made Jean laugh and smile. Already, certain fears that had been hounding her about meeting Scott’s parents were starting to wane as she found a genuine sense of enjoyment in the company and feel of this welcoming environment.

After finishing the tour and showing Jean where she would be sleeping during her stay in the room of Scott’s sister, Sarah, the three of them settled in the living room where both Scott and Jean rested on the couch, feeling the need to relax after the long drive. Jean continued to converse casually with Scott’s foster dad, gradually easing into a comfortable exchange as she found him to be a very easy man to talk to despite the age gap that has so often served as a roadblock to Jean with other people back home. However, she had long since decided to forgo the expectations she had from the kind of people she had dealt with so often back home. This was a whole new setting and these were completely different people. And for that reason, Jean found herself exploring exciting new territory that she had never been open to before.

“So let me get this straight…” said Logan as he sat on a chair adjacent to the couch that Scott and Jean were sitting in, “You have to take classes for a business major even though you don’t want to and you don’t have the option of even having a minor in something you actually enjoy?”

“Sad but true…” said Jean with a sigh after having told the elderly man about her predicament in college, “But it’s not my fault…Blame my parents. They’re the ones who want me taking those classes anyways. They don’t care that I hate them…They don’t even care that I’m not very good at them either.”

“What kind of parents make their kids do shit like that?” said Logan with a chuckle, finding it somewhat hard to believe that a rich family like Jean’s would want to restrict the options of their own children so much.

“Mine I guess…” said Jean as she rolled her eyes in annoyance at the situation that had long added to the already harsh stresses of college.

“Well no offense Jean, but they don’t exactly sound too…Understanding,” said Logan, choosing his words carefully so that he didn’t offend or insult his son’s girlfriend with his usual straightforwardness.

“They aren’t,” affirmed Jean, “They’re just pricks.”

That only caused Logan to laugh slightly, finding her informal nature to be a bit easier to manage than some of the other girls Scott had brought home in the past.

“So then what do you really want to do if you don’t like the kind of things that your folks are making you do now?” asked Logan.

“Well…” said Jean, taking a moment to think about it, “I’ve always enjoyed science classes. Biology, chemistry, anatomy…They’ve always seemed so interesting to me for some reason. But my favorite class is probably psychology because I just find so many things about the human mind to be truly amazing. Sometimes I wish I could just hear what people were thinking and know what makes them tick.”

“Then again, if you could do that, where would the fun be in learning about folks on an individual level?” asked Logan, “Part of the fun of getting to know people is learning, deciphering, and developing an understanding of people.”

“Yeah, I know…But there are just so many things to learn and so little time to explore them,” said Jean, speaking from the curiosity that had always driven her fascination with the things she learned in her psychology class, “Business is just so bland and the human mind is just so complex. I wish I could take more classes and pursue such an exciting field…But I just can’t seem to convince my parents to accept that.”

“Hey, when in doubt…Bug the hell out of them,” said Logan with a chuckle, “That’s how Sarah got me to buy her all those model cars you saw in her room.”

“Thanks, but I think I’ve bugged them enough for one lifetime,” said Jean, laughing once again at the older man’s sense of humor.

“But what if you did get them to come around at one point?” asked Scott, “What if you could take any class you wanted at the Academy and pursue any career you wanted?”

“Well if hell freezes over and I could…” said Jean as she thought about it, “I guess I’d like to do something in counseling and psychiatry. I don’t know…Maybe I could one day be a doctor and help kids or trauma victims.”

“Well if that’s what you want, you should let your folks know that!” said Logan with enthusiasm in his tone, thinking someone who seemed so intelligent shouldn’t let parental badgering hold them back, “If they give you grief, give them more. Just drill it in their heads that you have a goal and don’t stop drilling until they accept it.”

Jean once again laughed at the burly man’s comments. He seemed like the kind of man who just brushed aside the little things and focused on that which was most important in life…A quality that Jean found very rare in any parent she had met. It was almost like talking to someone in college, yet this man had quite a few years on him. But despite this, he didn’t seem to care much for his age, because to him it was just a number.

“I’ll keep that in mind…” said Jean with a grin.

“And Scott and I will be sure to keep tellin’ ya!” said the burly man as they all let out another round of laughs.

Just then the sliding door to the back yard opened and Jean saw a tall, beautiful looking older African woman with long flowing white hair step inside and smile at them. She, like Logan, looked very fit for her age and could have easily passed for someone decades younger. She wore a pair of faded blue jeans that tightly fitted her well shaped legs and hips and wore a rather causal purple shirt that looked a bit dirty from garden work. Her eyes were a beautiful blue, almost like the image of a crystal clear sky and on her face resided a smile that seemed warm and caring, almost regal in a sense as she looked upon her adopted son and the beautiful redhead sitting next to him.

“I thought I heard laughter in here,” she said in a slightly accented, yet very clear and warm tone.

“Hey mom! It’s great to see you!” said Scott as he quickly got up off the couch and gave his foster mother a big hug.

Jean smiled at the sight of the older African woman and the gentle aura she seemed to convey. Since arriving, she had already seen and marveled at Scott’s interaction with his foster parents. The way he talked to them and the way he hugged them seemed so much closer and meaningful than any of the gestures she had done with her parents. They seemed so loving and caring, giving of the warmth a truly deep familial bond that Jean had not had a chance to experience with all the complications in her life.

Then, as Jean was smiling on at the scene before her, the beautiful African woman looked over at Jean and simply smiled back.

“Scott…Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

“Of course,” said Scott as he and his foster mother parted and he walked over to Jean and took her hand, bringing her up to a standing position, “Jean…This is my foster mother Ororo Munroe Howlett. Mom…This is Jean Grey…The girl I’ve told you about.”

Ororo stepped forward and extended her hand to the attractive young redhead before her.

“Hello Jean…It’s nice to finally meet you,” she said in a warm, welcoming tone, “Scott has told me so much about it.”

“He’s told me a lot about you too,” said Jean as she shook the older African woman’s hand, “And I guess I should say thank you for having me in your home for Thanksgiving. I know it’s a family thing and I’m glad you’re willing to let me spend it here.”

“Oh think nothing of it child,” assured Ororo with a warm smile that seemed to convey such grace and beauty throughout the room, “We’re happy to have you. No matter what, nobody should ever be alone on Thanksgiving. And after all the help you’ve given my son at the Academy, it’s the least we can do.”

“Wow uh…Thanks,” said Jean, blushing slightly, causing both Scott and Logan to laugh.

Ororo had a very kind and gentle aura to her that Jean couldn’t help but find comforting. She seemed so wise and caring in the way she spoke and in the manner in which she presented herself. Both she and Logan were nothing like the parents or families she knew growing up in her neighborhood back in Connecticut. They seemed so much closer and exhibited such a tremendous bond even though she had just met them. And the more she talked to them, the more intrigued she became.

For Ororo, she was definitely curious to learn more about this beautiful young woman that had given her son so much to talk about since he left for the Academy. She could already tell she had a nice aura to her and she hoped to get to know her during her stay here while also taking in the joyous occasion of having the whole family back together for a nice Thanksgiving.

“Come Jean…I’ll show you what I’m making in the kitchen,” she said, “I’ve just gone through quite a harvest in my garden.”

“Sounds great! I’ve never really had food from a garden before,” said Jean, feeling eager to learn more about this woman that Scott had spoken so highly of so many times in the past.

“Damn, you’re parents have deprived you kid!” said Logan with another laugh, “But don’t worry, as long as you’re here you’re gonna taste the best food in the world. I know because I married the best gardener/cook in the world. Hell, her skills practically made her a goddess back in her home country! And ya gotta admit, she sure looks the part!”

Ororo blushed at her husband’s words as she so often did even after being married to him for over 25 years. Logan added more to his words by giving her a kiss on her reddened cheeks, which Jean stood mildly amazed at since she never saw her parents do something like that and Scott simply looked at it with a grin as if he had seen it a million times before.

“Well, you two ladies have fun,” said Logan as he turned back towards his foster son, “Scottie and I are gonna head out back and get some wood ready for a fire later on. Besides, it’s been too damn long since I’ve had a nice talk with my boy.”

“You’re right about that dad…” said Scott with a smile, “And sure, you know I’ll help. It’s been years since I have been able to and I might as well start compensating.”

“That’s the spirit bub!” said Logan with a wolfish grin as he gave his foster son an encouraging swat on the back, “It’s always good to work those muscles of yours. You keepin’ in shape like I showed you boy?”

“Yes dad…You don’t have to worry about that. Being in the marines and spending time in Iraq lends some pretty decent exercise and the Academy does have a gym,” said Scott with a grin, rolling his eyes at his dad’s somewhat over the top optimism now that he was home for the holidays.

“Good, because I don’t want ya gettin’ scrawny on me kid,” grinned the older man, “Lord knows it ain’t healthy and this world is fat enough.”

Scott just laughed and shook his head as he and his foster dad made their way back out into the brisk November air, feeling all the more glad to be back home again.

“Man, it’s good to see you haven’t changed much dad. I can’t tell you how much I missed your rather crazy comments about the world.”

“Ah, you know me bub…Ya can’t keep this here Canadian down for a second!”

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As Scott and Logan made their way into the back yard to chop up some firewood, Jean followed Ororo into the kitchen, immediately taken by the wonderful aroma of unique mixtures of numerous spices and garden products. She had known from Scott that Ororo was quite the cook and she had even imparted some of that skill on Scott with some of the nice dishes he had cooked her since they started seeing each other. Yet with everything he cooked, he had always said that he was nowhere near as good as his foster mother. This only added to Jean’s curiosity of the older African woman who had a look and aura to her that few people her age had. She looked so much younger and boisterous than her age, much like her husband. And because of this and many other reasons that went beyond mere curiosity, she wanted to know more about this mysterious woman that Scott had spoken so highly of.

“So do you need me to help with anything?” asked Jean as she looked around the well stocked kitchen at the many various foods that were stored there.

“That’s okay child, I can handle it,” assured Ororo as she took out a couple of fresh fruits and a cutting board and began preparing some of the components for the dinner she had planned.

“Oh come on,” said Jean with a smile as she sat up on the counter, “As long as I’m here, I might as well do what I can to help. I owe you all for allowing me to spend Thanksgiving here.”

“Think nothing of it child,” said Ororo in a sweet tone as she began skillfully cutting some of the fruits, “You are a guest here Jean…So it’s our responsibility to make your stay here pleasant. And besides…I certainly would like to know more about the woman who has been giving my son so much to talk about these past few months.”

Jean couldn’t help but blush, for she hadn’t known that Scott had said so much about her to his parents. And from the look on Ororo’s face, it was most likely very positive. While she wasn’t exactly sure of Scott’s exact words, she was confident that he must have said something significant, but she chose not to give that too much thought at the moment as she focused more on making a positive impression to the elderly woman before.

“Well to be fair, it’s been truly wonderful knowing your son,” said Jean in all honesty as she watched Ororo continue her preparations of the food for dinner later on, “He’s an amazing man who’s been so good to me and I can’t tell you what an impact he’s had on my life since we first met.”

“I’m glad to hear that Jean,” said Ororo with a smile, proud to learn that her son had done so much to make an impact like she and Logan had raised him to do so ever since they adopted him, “It’s good to know that he’s taken to heart some of the things we’ve taught him in all the years we nurtured him after his tragic upbringing.”

“And you’ve done a hell of a job,” commented Jean, “I wish my folks were half as nice or understanding as you and Logan seem to be. Scott is just a truly unique man…Unlike anybody I’ve ever met before. The way he treats me…The way he makes me feel…I honestly can’t think of any words to describe it.”

Ororo smiled at both the words and the subtle undertone in Jean’s voice that she could clearly sense, but chose to keep that little tidbit to herself as she remained more dedicated to focusing on learning about this woman before going further into what she was feeling for her son.

“Yes, well Scott does tend to have an affect on people,” said Ororo as she set aside the fruits she had cut for a moment to focus solely on Jean, “And that’s unique in of itself given his introverted nature. But I’ve come to know him very well and he truly is my son in pretty much every way that matters. However, I can’t say the same for you though Jean. So why don’t you tell me a little about yourself? I’m sure there’s plenty more than Scott has told me.”

Jean simply laughed, knowing she was probably right given the kind of things she knew Scott would and wouldn’t talk about.

“Well…As long as I’m a guest here, I guess you might as well know me…”

Jean then went on spending the better part of a half hour telling this wise older woman about herself. She talked about where she was from, what kind of personality she had, and touched lightly on the rather strained relationship she had with her family. It was kind of a shock to Ororo that someone could be so distant from their parents, but Jean made no qualms about it and let her know that while it was a major issue for her, she was very strong and independent about it and showed no remorse for who she was…A quality that Ororo couldn’t help but admire. There were some issues she tried to avoid up front like the exact details of the night she and Scott first met, choosing to forgo the hot sex part that ensued afterwards even though that was such an important and amazing part of it. While Scott had repeatedly told her that his parents were very open minded about sex, Jean just wasn’t used to talking about it with someone so much older than her even though it was clear that the years had been really great to this woman.

For Ororo, she listened on with intrigue at this fascinating young woman as she learned how truly unique she was compared to the other girls her age that she had met. In many ways, she saw why Scott was so attracted to her and the more she talked to her, the more likable she seemed. She had a unique persona to her…One that stood out and made her a memorable figure to anybody who met her. She was also very witty, kind, and forthcoming about the kind of person she was. But despite this, Ororo had a feeling she was still holding back somewhat and still seemed a bit nervous talking to her. Ororo may have had a gentle aura to her, but she was in many ways very intimidating because she was so different compared to women her age. Never the less, she didn’t skip a beat and remained focused in a way Jean found to be quite enjoyable because given the kind of people her age she was used to dealing with, it was quite an experience to meet someone so different.

Eventually, Jean got to the point where she started describing her relationship with Scott after they first hooked up at the club. She went over how they spent time on dates, how they talked, and how they interacted in a unique way. And like she did with her friends back him, she avoided calling it a ‘relationship’ in a sense because she still had many anxieties about referring to something so different as being like the other wrecks she had been in with other men. This did not go unnoticed by Ororo as Jean went into detail the unique connection she and Scott had. Every description was done with a smile and Ororo was glad to see that Scott made her so happy in the same way she had done for him. While it was clear to the wise elderly woman that she had left out a few things on purpose, Ororo let Jean finish before giving too many of her comments.

“Sounds like you two know how to have a good time,” said Ororo as Jean more or less finished with her rather long, elaborate description of the past three months with Scott.

“Well we’ve kind of learned to make due with what we can through the rigors of college life,” replied Jean with a grin, “The Xavier Academy is no party school, so it’s not the best place in the world to go nuts and act irresponsibly. I’ve been there for over two years now and I’ve learned how to manage it. And ever since Scott and I hooked up, I’ve found that it’s not so much the big elaborate things that most people usually dwell on that stick out…It’s more the little things that I’ve come to treasure. Sure the big things are always nice, but it’s all those little moments we share that make him so different. The way he comments on things, the way we talk about mundane issues, and even the way we interact on a regular day just has this profound simplicity to it that I find somewhat comforting in such a hectic life.”

“Yes, well I know from many years of experience that it’s the simpler things that matter most in any relationship whether it be romantic or the kind of thing you would have between friends or family. It most certainly took me a while to grasp that when I was young, but I came around eventually.”

“Yeah…It’s kind of a learning process…And frankly, I think I’m a little slow at grasping it,” said Jean somewhat disconcerted when she thought about it.

“Oh come now Jean, what makes you say that?” asked Ororo with a slight laugh.

“Well…I guess it’s just that when I look back on all the other serious relationships with men in my life, I kind of negated those little things that I should have known meant more in the end. It sure would have saved me from some pretty crummy relationships.”

“Oh, so you’ve been down that road too I see…” said Ororo with a grin, evoking a rather surprised response from Jean.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked curiously.

“It’s not too hard to ascertain child,” said Ororo who couldn’t help but laugh at Jean’s reaction, “You’re not the only one who’s had some relationship follies in her life. Believe me, I went through my share of mismatched hookups before I finally settled on someone.”

“Really? How many did you have to go through?” asked Jean, feeling somewhat awkward about talking about this with someone Ororo’s age.

“Oh if I kept track, I’d tell you…” said Ororo suggestively, “But let’s just say I was a free spirit when it came to men and relationships in my younger years.”

Jean found that hard to believe, but then again she had never met someone like Ororo before and was so used to dealing with the same kind of people her whole life back in Connecticut. She gave the older woman a somewhat skeptical look at first, but it quickly waned as she saw the seriousness in her expression.

“Don’t look so shocked Jean,” said Ororo with a humored grin, “I too was young once and I too have my own history when it comes to men, love, and sex. Like you, I had to start somewhere and I went through quite a bit of growth like most people do during those golden years of youth.”

“I’m sorry…” said Jean as she started blushing, “I guess I’m just not used to talking to somebody’s parents about stuff like this.”

“Which is entirely understandable,” said Ororo, “I don’t blame you since I’ve found so many other parents out there to be so stiff on certain things that shouldn’t be tabooed or misconstrued. I’ve made no qualms about who I am with my children and I firmly believe that you need to be honest with people if you’re going to earn their respect. Now I may not sound very conservative…But I think that respect from one’s children should be earned just as much as it should with anybody else in life.”

“I wish my parents thought that way…” grumbled Jean slightly, “They think that there’s no middle ground in the world and there are just some liberties that they can take just because they’re parents.”

“Well I personally don’t think that’s right…” said Ororo, speaking from her many years of being both a mother and a foster mother, “I learned a long time ago that children are not lumps of clay that parents are responsible for molding to their own content. They are thinking, feeling beings that need guidance, love, and nurturing…And that is the true job of a parent…To nurture…Not to order and control.”

Jean had to admit…This woman had some very nice views when it came to parenting. She almost envied Scott for having been blessed with such a kind, understanding mother who seemed to think in a way far more enlightened than many of the other people she had known throughout her life.

“Yeah…That’s one of the many conflicts I’ve always had with my parents,” admitted Jean rather distastefully, “It’s just like one big power struggle at times…You know, between what I want with my life and what they want from me. It’s been that way for years.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Jean…” said Ororo with compassion in her tone, “But they can’t control you forever. I mean, you’re a grown woman now…And a very nice one at that.”

“Aww…Thanks,” she said with another blush.

Jean couldn’t help but laugh at the feeling that Ororo’s company offered her. It was almost like talking to someone from school, only so much wiser and experienced in the realm of life. She was gentle, yet fun at the same time. It was clear that there were things she could about with her that she couldn’t talk about with anybody else her age. It was almost surreal in a sense that she had met somebody like her, being that she never had that kind of a parental figure in her life with her family either. But for Ororo, there was still so much she wanted to know about this girl and the quite serious relationship she had with her son. Jean had definitely left a few things out when she described it and the beautiful African woman was eager to know more from this very intriguing young woman.

“I’m glad to hear that things between you and Scott have developed so well Jean,” said Ororo as she casually leaned back against the counter, “It really sounds like you two have something.”

“Yeah…We do,” said Jean, not denying it in the slightest because she knew there was no way to argue otherwise, “It’s just…Unbelievable at times how much we’ve connected in just a few months. But I’m really happy with how things have grown and I’m really happy with what we have. He’s just given me so much…”

“I see…” said Ororo with a rather mischievious grin that one may have taken for that of a teenager rather than a woman of her age, “What about sex? Has he been satisfying you properly?”

Jean immediately began to blush nearly the color of her hair at the older woman’s comment. It was certainly something she felt a little odd talking about with her even though Scott had told her about how his foster parents thought about sex time and time again, but judging from the rather playful look on her face, she seemed quite serious about it while also being rather casual about it…Definitely something Jean was not used to dealing with when it came to somebody’s parents, particularly the parents of a boy she was in a serious relationship with that did involve a lot of sex.

“It’s uh…” she stammered, finding herself laughing through her blush.

Ororo just laughed at her reaction as she frequently had when she asked the people that Scott and Sarah brought home the same thing. To her, their reactions never got old. They were still funny after all these years and Ororo wondered if it was healthy for a woman of her age to still be getting a kick out of it, but she was never one to care too much about that anyways so she didn’t miss a beat.

“It’s okay Jean,” she said, still laughing, “You have no reason to be embarrassed.”

“Yeah, sorry…” said Jean rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment, but still grinning none the less, “Like I said…I’m just not used to talking to somebody’s parents about it.”

“Well it’s perfectly fine with me,” assured Ororo, “Logan and I raised both Scott and Sarah to know everything they needed about sex because it is a very important part of life. It’s a natural, emotional, spiritual desire that we all have and that we all have the right to enjoy no matter who we are. I’ve always been open about my sexuality and I’ve never hidden that from my children. Like everybody, they need guidance and support in finding their sexual identity and as parents, both Logan and I take it upon ourselves to help them with that ever step of the way.”

“That’s really brave of you,” said Jean, sounding somewhat surprised that she was hearing such words from a parent, “Practically every other parent I know including my own talk about sex like it’s some kind of dirty, four letter word that you’re never supposed to say, do, or think about.”

“And that’s really quite a shame,” said Ororo, finding it rather sad that Jean had to contend with such a ridged background, having to find and discover things without any guidance, “Something as important and vital as sex should not be tabooed…It should embraced as a part of life and being human. Everybody has their own sexual identity…It’s a part of who we are. Nobody can suppress it…And nobody should. It’s a wonderful, healthy, natural experience that I for one have always enjoyed and still do to a great extent.”

Normally, most people wouldn’t have wanted to think about their parents enjoying sex as much as young people do. Jean had always been a part of that widely held mentality, but in talking to Ororo…This woman who looked so young, fit, and strong…It didn’t seem as hard to digest. She was open minded, caring, and compassionate…Many things one would not often associate with one’s parents, but a welcomed change for Jean who had been so used to ardent, uptight elders her whole life.

“Yeah…And so do I,” admitted Jean, finally beginning to move past the shock of talking about something like this with an older woman like Ororo, “I’ve made it clear to a lot of the people I know, Scott included, that I’m a very sexual person. I like it, I enjoy it, and I relish in it and all the wonderful gifts it has to offer. My family may have been very prudish about it, but then again I am kind of a black sheep.”

“But that shouldn’t matter as long as you are proud of who you are,” said Ororo, her tone deep with the personal wisdom of many years.

“I know…And I am proud,” said Jean with a smile, “No matter how many fights I get into with my parents or how badly the world I grew up in shuns me…I make no apologies for the person I am.”

“That’s good to hear child,” said Ororo kindly, admiring Jean’s independence from the world that had alienated her, “I really admire that…You must be very strong to contend with the world you came from.”

“Uh…Thanks,” said Jean, feeling herself blush once again.

“So what about my question?” the older woman said eagerly, “You never answered it…How has the sex been with my son?”

Hearing such words still triggered a rather unusual response in Jean, but she just smiled and laughed as she looked back at the African woman with a more playful expression.

“It’s been great…Really great…” she answered, much to Ororo’s approval, “Scott really knows how to satisfy a woman’s needs in the bedroom.”

“I see…Care to give a few details?” grinned Ororo, sounding almost like a teenager talking to a girlfriend about sex even though it concerned her adopted son, but she still had no qualms about it, knowing that it was a part of being in a relationship and she and Logan had raised Scott to understand and utilize that to the fullest.

Jean took a moment to think about it, for she had always been unable to fully describe her sex life with Scott in all its fullness. Even before Scott’s foster mother, it wasn’t any easier because she had been trying to find the right way to classify it for so long now. Yet she found herself saying what she could anyways…Wanting to get it out into the open in hopes that talking about it would actually put it into some kind of perspective.

“He’s so thorough and gentle, yet still strong…” she described as a somewhat dazed look came over her face that Ororo lightly snickered at, “He knows how to hit practically every pleasure nerve in my body both inside and out. Sometimes we have long, wonderful, tender sex in a bed…Sometimes we just have sex to ease one another’s tension and stress…And sometimes we just plain fuck for the sake of it…But each time it brings us close in a unique way. He’s got the strength and stamina to keep me happy and satisfied so long and with so much passion. He’s very sexual and easy to arouse…Yet he knows every possible way of turning me on through those little gestures, words, touches, and of course that body of his. It’s just…The kind of sex that goes beyond everything you think you know and just…I don’t know…I honestly don’t have the words.”

Ororo looked back mildly amazed at Jean’s description and the look on her face which dominated as she described it. Having had conversations like this before with other girls that Scott had brought home, she knew her son took to heart the lessons about pleasing one’s partner in the sex act…But no girl had ever really given it the same kind of description that Jean had. The subtleness in her tone…The look on her face…The enigmatic profoundness in which she spoke of said many things about the connection she had with Scott. Ororo knew there was plenty more beyond the description she had managed…The expression on her face was a dead giveaway for that. It seemed profound…Very profound in fact. She knew the signs and she could tell that there was something more that either she was not willing to admit or hadn’t fully realized it herself. Either way, Ororo chose to stay silent about it…Not wanting to come off as too pushy with the first meeting.

“Wow…I’m glad Scott’s been able to do so much for you,” said Ororo, feeling all the more proud of the child she helped raise.

“He’s done that and so much more…” mused Jean as she looked back at the older woman with a smile, “You and Logan have really done a truly wonderful job…Raising him to be such a wonderful man.”

“Why thank you Jean,” said Ororo, slightly blushing, knowing that such praise was one of the best things any parent could feel for the job she did on raising a child.

“But there’s just one thing I’ve been dying to ask you for a while now…” said Jean as she hopped off the counter and stood eagerly before the wise older woman before her.

“What might that be child?” she asked curiously.

“How in the hell do you give those massages that you taught Scott how to do? He’s done them on me and I can’t tell you how amazing they feel…And I kind of want to be able to do the same kind of thing to him and since you taught him…”

Ororo couldn’t help but laugh, not expecting Jean to ask her something like that. It was definitely not something she expected her to ask about, but it was nice knowing that Scott had managed to use the skills she had imparted on him with such effectiveness…And she was also glad that he was putting it to good use. And if Jean wanted to give Scott the same kind of joy with her hands as he gave with his…Why shouldn’t she lend her the same skills to make them both satisfied? She was pretty sure that Scott wouldn’t complain.

“Well then…I guess I’ll just have to teach you what I can while you’re here,” she said with a wide smile, “I’m sure Scott wouldn’t mind.”

“No…I doubt he would,” said Jean with a laugh.

It was strange being so comfortable with an older woman like this who was also the mother of the man she was currently very involved with, but it was a welcomed feeling to the young redhead. For so long now, she had never had somebody older and wiser to look up to or talk to about certain things…But with Ororo, she had a feeling she was definitely going to enjoy this woman’s company.

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AN: I’ll stop there for now. I know there wasn’t any smut scenes, but I wanted to spend this chapter introducing Logan and Ororo since they are slightly different in this universe. There’s still plenty more to come as Jean and Scott settle in for Thanksgiving and don’t forget the coming introduction of Scott’s foster sister Sarah (X23)! There’s more drama, romance, and of course, smut scenes to come! So what do you all think of this little universe I’ve created? It’s different, but is it enjoyable? Please tell me! Send me your feedback via email at slickboy444@aol.com or post it on the website! Either way is fine as long as you REVIEW! Thanks a lot for reading and I wish you all the best!