Hanging By A Moment

Hanging By A Moment
Chapter 18: Being Part Of The Family

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Jean, having just heard from Ororo how she had met the love of her life, was in a state of amazed shock as she took in her story. There was so much happiness, love, and joy written in the older woman’s face as she described the memories that hung so strongly in her mind even after over 25 years. What she described had given Jean a lot to think about…Mainly on the ongoing issues she was thinking about with Scott. It had been so confusing for her, wondering just what it was that she was developing with this young man who evoked so many feelings within her…But now, thanks to Ororo, it was beginning to gain a clearer perspective on the ever uncertain relationship with Scott. She wasn’t sure where it would lead, but she knew with an absolute certainty that it was going somewhere very profound.

“That’s…Quite a story,” said Jean, finally managing to get the right words out.

“Why thank you child,” said Ororo, unable to suppress her laughter from Jean’s reaction, “It’s one I’ll never forget. Even after so many years, I believe it is that one night that changed my life forever.”

“Yeah, I don’t doubt that,” said Jean, “You’re really lucky Ororo.”

“You’re right…I am,” said the older African woman in full agreement, unable to keep herself from smiling as she looked back at the young redhead with so much more to tell, “Logan and I were married less then a year after that night. It wasn’t a big, elaborate storybook wedding…It ended up being a small little gathering at a church here in Buffalo with only a handful of close friends present. Never the less, it was still every bit as meaningful in my eyes.”

“Well I think it’s good to keep things simple,” said Jean.

“You’re right about that Jean,” said Ororo, finding it all the more uncanny as to how the young redhead who grew up in such an upper class setting could develop such simplistic views, “And let me tell you right now, it was by no means easy. Marriage and relationships rarely are. Both Logan and I went to a small college and got regular jobs in the city after we were married…Both of which we hated. The money was fine, but it made us both miserable to no end and during those first few years, we had to contend with stress the likes of which we never had to deal with before. But we helped each other through those tough times and now that I look back on it, I doubt I would have been able to get through it with my sanity in tact without him.”

“Sounds pretty rough,” commented Jean.

“Oh it was,” said Ororo, shaking her head in amusement as she thought about those early memories that actually made her laugh somewhat even though they weren’t very pleasant at the time, “Since neither of us came from a very rich background, it was rough having to deal with a constant lack of money. The jobs we had to work at paid well, but at the cost of a great deal of stress. I worked as an accountant, he worked as a security chief…And we both hated it. I remember coming home at times and just crawling into bed a nervous, crying wreck because of all the shit I had to put up with at that job and Logan would have to just hold me for hours on end to give me the strength to feel better.”

“Yikes…Sounds like some pretty crappy jobs,” said Jean, not knowing if she could relate to something like that given her background.

“They weren’t bad in a sense…” continued Ororo as she gave it more thought, “They just weren’t the jobs for us. They weren’t the jobs that made us happy. Finally after nearly two years of putting up with them, both Logan and I decided to just stop before it completely drained us of our mental health. I remember the day we both quit our jobs and spent the rest of the day celebrating…In our own special way.”

Jean once again blushed as she quickly ascertained what she was talking about judging from the look on her face, but she shook it off fairly easily and managed to regain her composure before she ended up looking like too much of a fool.

“So what did you do after that?” asked Jean, knowing that couldn’t be the end.

“Well…We both decided to pour what little resources we had into pursuing something we actually wanted to do,” she said as her tone took a turn for the more optimistic, “I had always had love of gardening and Logan had great fondness for anything that ran on an engine. So I managed to find myself a nice little job at the local botanical garden where my skills ended up getting me a very nice position that may not have paid as much as my old job, but it was the best possible line of work I could have ever asked for. As for Logan, he managed to find a job at an auto shop that fixed old cars and motorcycles where he became a fully certified mechanic and even went on to inherit the business after his boss retired. It was a dirty, greasy, messy job and he always came home stinking to high heaven of axle grease…But he always had a smile on his face.”

“Must be tough having you husband come home smelling like that all the time,” said Jean with a chuckle.

“Oh you’d be surprised Jean…” said the older woman with a grin, “Some women, myself included, actually find that smell…Kind of sexy.”

Both women let out a laugh once again as Jean found herself discovering new things about this enchanting older woman with every word she said. So much experience and so much wisdom seemed to have been imparted upon her throughout the years and it showed in the way she spoke about life and happiness. Just from talking to her, Jean could already see where Scott had managed to obtain so much of the knowledge that had turned him into the wonderful young man she had become so attached to. And as she continued to feel in awe at all the things Ororo had told her thus far, she couldn’t help but feel more curious as to just how much more this woman knew and was willing to tell her.

“So I take it things got better afterwards?” said Jean as they both managed to stop laughing.

“Oh yes, things got a lot better,” said Ororo confidently, “From that moment on, we no longer had to dread what we had to do for a living. Even though money was never overly abundant, we managed to settle into this nice little house and build a great life together. And not long after we got our new jobs and moved in here, Logan and I felt we were ready to have a child together…And we wasted no time in getting around to that.”

“Oh, that must have been wonderful…Finding careers you both loved and then having a baby,” said Jean, thinking it sounded almost dreamy in a way because it seemed to embody the elusive happiness that she so sorely sought, but found so unattainable because of her conflicted upbringing.

“It was a great time…” said Ororo as her tone suddenly shifted, “But it was also a very scary time for me as well.”

“Well having kids is definitely scary any way you look at it,” said Jean with a lighthearted chuckle.

“No…It wasn’t that,” said Ororo as a distant look fell upon her face, “Both Logan and I were thrilled and we really wanted children…We wanted to become parents.”

“Then…What was scary?” asked Jean, sounding somewhat confused by this.

“Well…” said Ororo, taking a deep breath as she prepared to reveal this rather difficult part of her story, “It started out just fine. It really didn’t take long for me to become pregnant and both Logan and I were absolutely thrilled as the pregnancy progressed. I remember him spending hours on end in the garage carving out baby furniture and holding my hair back for when I puked because of morning sickness. But around my sixth month…Something really unexpected happened that took us both by surprise.”

“Oh no…” said Jean, determining from the look on the older woman’s face that it couldn’t have been very pleasant, “What was it?”

“I’m not exactly sure of the full medical details,” said Ororo as she remembered those very frightening moments in her life, “But my pregnancy had caused some critical blood vessels to rupture. At first I wasn’t sure what was happening until I felt as though someone had just hit me with a baseball bat from the inside. I nearly passed out right then and there…But Logan was quick to get me to the hospital where they managed to stop anything worse from happening. But I nearly had a miscarriage…I nearly lost my baby.”

“My God…” said Jean, not knowing just how scary something like that could have been for a couple that had wanted a child so much.

“I was pretty much confined to a hospital bed for the rest of my pregnancy,” continued Ororo as she once again felt her tone deepen at the memory that still hung so strongly in her mind, “I was lucky that the baby hadn’t suffered any damage, but the internal bleeding had caused a lot of hemorrhaging throughout my body and I was very weak during the pivotal weeks that followed. I remember Logan being absolutely hysterical the whole time, practically living at the hospital and talking to me for hours on end, begging me to fight through it. The doctors said that I had a thirty to forty percent chance of surviving the delivery of my baby and urged me to have an emergency caesarian section. But at only six months, it would have been detriment to the baby and I truly didn’t want to lose it…So after much arguing and many heated debates, some of which where Logan nearly decked the doctors, I decided to carry my child to term.”

“Wow…” said Jean, not knowing if she could have made such a heart wrenching choice, “I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to be forced to make a choice like that.”

“It was very difficult…That much I can ascertain,” she said with a sigh as she remembered how hard that time had been on both her and Logan, “I can’t tell you how scared I was…Thinking that I might die giving birth to my child…Never being a part of her life and never having a chance to raise and nurture her like any mother should. Just thinking about it made me cry every day as each moment passed slower than the last. I remember Logan just holding my hand for hours in his, begging me not to leave him. It was tough…But I fought on day after day until it all came to ahead.”

“What happened?” asked Jean, eager to know how such a traumatic ordeal ended for her and left her standing before her now and able to talk about it.

“At a little over eight months…I went into labor,” she began as her mind drifted back towards that fateful moment, “The doctors said that my chances had not improved and that deliver could very well kill me…But I managed to go through with it. Logan was there and we were both holding our breath, waiting for whatever fate lay before us. It was a very complicated birth…One that caused me to nearly pass out on several occasions. It was a long, hard delivery…But in the end, when I heard the cries of my little girl…It made it all worth while.”

“Oh that must have been such a happy moment,” said Jean as Ororo’s tone became more hopeful and joyous as she told her how such a trying ordeal ended.

“It was…It most certainly was,” said Ororo with a wide smile as she remembered that fateful moment, “I think that’s one of the few times I’ve seen Logan cry…Holding our newborn baby in his arms. I never saw him so happy before. Sarah was such a blessing…And I had managed to survive all the hardships to bring her into this world as a beautiful, healthy child. However…It did come at somewhat of a price.”

“A price? What kind of price?” asked Jean somewhat wearily.

“Well…After we got the news that Sarah was a completely healthy baby and that I was going to survive…The doctors told me that the hemorrhage and the pregnancy had caused some major damage to my womb and if I was to attempt to have another child, it would mean almost certain death. So…After giving birth to such a beautiful little girl, I had no choice but to have a hysterectomy to cut and pinch of my tubes so I could never have another child.”

“Oh…That must have been really hard,” said Jean, knowing from the look on her face that it had not been an easy choice.

“It was for the best I suppose,” said Ororo with a sigh, “Both Logan and I wanted more children…But after such a trying ordeal, that wasn’t possible anymore. Nevertheless, we were still fully devoted to raising Sarah in the best way we could. She was such a joy…And she could always put a smile on my face. It was a wonderful feeling having a family with Logan that brought so much happiness and over the years we became a very close knit family. But as Sarah got older…Both Logan and I were beginning think a lot about other children even though I knew I couldn’t have any more. So…We started thinking about adoption, and that’s how Scott came into our lives.”

“Ah yes…Scott’s told me about this story many times before,” said Jean, “And every time he mentions it, he always ends up smiling at the end.”

“Really?” said Ororo, sounding a bit surprised at this revelation, “Scott normally doesn’t tell a whole lot of people about his past.”

“Well…He did with me,” shrugged Jean with a grin.

Ororo looked at the young redhead with a curious expression, for she knew her son was a fiercely private person. It was very rare for him to feel comfortable telling anybody about his past whether it concerned the death of his biological family or how he came to be adopted by them. But for some reason, he had chosen to let Jean in on this rather difficult issue for him…Which spoke volumes to Ororo, but decided against pursuing too quickly.

“I’m glad to hear that Jean,” said Ororo with a smile, “It’s good to know that Scott has someone he can open up to. I know he sure wasn’t that way when we adopted him.”

“Yeah, I can figure that,” commented Jean.

“Then you can only imagine how hard it was for him,” she said, reflecting on those tough early years for him after they took him in, “You see…Logan and I truly wanted another child to raise…But because of the complications of my pregnancy, that was not possible. So after discussing it together for many months and talking about it with Sarah, who had just turned 13 at the time…We finally decided to go ahead with it. It started out a little rough at first with social services since we weren’t exactly the richest prospective parents and some of people involved in city programs can be a bit corrupt to say the least.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet that made you and Logan happy,” grinned Jean.

“I’d rather not get into that,” she said with a chuckle, “But let’s just say, some of those corrupt people came to learn Logan’s distaste towards their practices the hard way.”

“Well it sounds like they deserved it,” said Jean with a snicker, “But I guess we’ll never know.”

“I guess not,” shrugged Ororo, “But logistics aside, Logan and I were very excited to adopt a child. It was a nice, warm Saturday afternoon and everything was just brimming with possibilities. There were so many kids there of so many different ages that it was almost overwhelming in a sense. But of all the energetic, rambunctious little boys and girls there…One quiet little boy stood out among them all. Initially, I didn’t know that Logan had encountered him playing a guitar on a street corner for loose change, but when he saw him sitting in a corner, as silent as can be simply strumming that same guitar, I could see though the look in his eyes that this child was the one…He was the kid who we would come to call our son. It was a great change for both our lives.”

“Yeah, and after getting to know him so well these last few months…I can safely say that you and Logan did a hell of a job raising him,” said Jean with a beaming smile.

“Why thank you Jean,” said Ororo with a slight blush, “That means a lot to me. And believe me, it was by no means easy for either of us. Scott arrived at our home scared, shy, and undernourished from living on the streets in a way that no child should ever have to endure. For the first few weeks, he was terrified of us since he had already had a rather nasty experience with another foster family. But over time…We gradually earned his trust and eventually…He came to see us as his parents just as much as we came to see him as our son. And now that he’s a proud soldier, war veteran, and college student at the Xavier Academy…I couldn’t have asked for a better child to call my own.”

“Yeah, Scott’s a really amazing man…” mused Jean as her tone became more distant, “Being with him and spending so much time with him has really been a blessing for me. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy with someone before. I mean…The way he treats me, the way we interact, and the way he makes me feel…I honestly can’t find the right words to describe it.”

Ororo couldn’t help but grin at the rather telling tone in Jean’s voice that there was more to this than she was willing to discuss. As a married woman who had been down those roads before, she knew the signs. Yet all throughout her conversations with her, Jean seemed somewhat reluctant to go in depth about it. And for this reason, she was very determined to find out more since this young woman was now such a big part of Scott’s life.

“It sounds like you and Scott have really connected,” commented Ororo as the tone in her voice shifted somewhat.

“Yeah…We have,” said Jean in agreement, “It’s been really amazing.”

“It must be pretty serious then,” she said, causing Jean to blush somewhat, which was common for her whenever anybody inquired about her ever uncertain relationship with Scott.

“Well uh…” she stammered, only assuring Ororo even more that her hunches were right, “Yeah, I guess it is.”

“You sound awfully nervous about it though,” said the older African woman with both concern and humor in her tone, “Why so anxious?”

“It’s…Complicated,” answered Jean hap heartedly, knowing she probably wasn’t going to fool somebody like Ororo.

“Is it child?” questioned the wiser older woman, “Just what is it that makes your relationship with Scott complicated? Tell me…Maybe I can help.”

“Well it’s just…” began Jean, having to pause briefly just to get the right words out, “I’ve been in a lot of crummy relationships in my life. I’ve been down many roads when it comes to men and I’ve just never had any luck. Serious relationships outside of casual sex just never worked for me. They always ended up making me doubt time and time again that nothing like real honest love existed for me. Everything was just so superficial…But with Scott, it’s totally different.”

“Really? How so?” asked Ororo as she pushed further, seeing that Jean was really trying hard to get the right words out.

Once again, Jean found herself at a loss for words as she struggled to formulate exactly what her relationship with Scott truly was. She had long deliberated over it, but she had always arrived at a dead end. Now, in the presence of Scott’s foster mother, she almost felt obligated to give an answer. And after hearing Ororo’s story about how she had come to meet her husband, she felt she actually had a little perspective on it now…But that didn’t make it any less confusing for her.

“I just…The way I feel around Scott is so much more…Meaningful,” said Jean as she stammered with the words to the point where Ororo almost found it to be rather humorous, but she still listened on with great intent as Jean tried to continue, “It’s like there’s something I feel with him that I’ve never felt with anybody else before. I know we have a connection…But I guess I just don’t know what to make of it because I’ve had such lousy luck with relationships in the past. And ever since we got together I’ve found that calling what Scott and I have a relationship is just…Not right. He’s not like my previous boyfriends…What we have isn’t even remotely like that. It’s like he can be my best friend and my lover at the same time…With a little romance as well. I’ve never had that in my previous relationships and I…I honestly don’t know how to classify something like this…Something that’s just so…Deep.”

The dazed look on Jean’s face said volumes to the wise older woman standing before her as she smiled back at the redhead in a warm, comforting manner. Talking to Jean had taught her a lot of things about her…And hearing about the way she felt towards Scott made things only seem more profound…Yet clearer at the same time. Ororo thought she knew from what Jean had said earlier…But after hearing this and seeing the look on her face…A look she knew all too well…She finally had to proof she needed to understand just what it was that Jean was having trouble with in putting her relationship with Scott into perspective.

“I’m…Sorry I can’t explain it any better,” said Jean rather sheepishly.

“You don’t need to Jean…I understand perfectly,” said Ororo who didn’t stop smiling, causing Jean to become somewhat curious at what she was implying.

“You…You do?” she said in response as the smile on the older woman’s face only seemed go grow wider.

“Yes…Believe me, I understand,” she said with a great level of confidence in her tone, “I know what it is that’s causing you so much confusion…I know because I’ve been there before. You’re in love with him…You’re in love with Scott.”

Jean felt her knees slightly weaken and her heart-rate go up the moment she heard Ororo say that. Her face quickly flushed red, but Ororo didn’t miss a beat.

“It’s okay Jean…I know it’s scary,” she said, as she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“What?” she said in a confused tone, “Scary? But I…”

“You’re scared Jean…I can tell…And so can you,” she said, not leaving any room for argument, “You’re scared because you know in your heart that you’re in love with somebody…You’re in love with somebody who you truly have connected with on many different levels. And because of all those bad relationships of the past…You’re in denial. But you know it’s true…I can see it in the way you describe what it is that you and Scott share. You say it’s a connection…A bond that you have with him that neither of you have with anybody else…And that Jean…Is true honest love.”

“Love…” she said, finding that word hard to say, yet comforting as she finally let it out.

Ororo’s words were full of wisdom and assurance…Lending Jean comfort as she took a moment to process what she had just learned about herself. Ever since her relationship with her family went to hell and after all the ill-matched relationships she had been in…She had always come to believe that there was no such thing as true love. She had felt that way for so long now that when it finally did come along…She didn’t know how to handle it or how to make sense out of it. It had brought her so much confusion, but now that she thought about it like this…It finally made sense. But unfortunately…This was hard for her mind to process because it was a truly profound thing to take in.

“I…I’m in love with Scott,” she said to herself, finding her heart rate leap as she said those words, “But…But I don’t believe…”

She found it too hard to finish, but once again Ororo understood this as she continued to offer Jean the comfort she knew she needed.

“I know Jean…I can tell you’re one of those people who doesn’t think true love really exists,” she said as her calm voice helped to ease Jean’s tensions, “I believe that everybody thinks that to some extent until they truly experience it themselves. But now you have indeed felt it Jean…You’re experiencing it right now with Scott…That you’ve made very clear. It’s just hard to accept for some people because it seems so unbelievable and unreal…But the thing is, it is real Jean…You know it and I think Scott knows it too.”

Jean looked back at the wise older woman before her as she smiled back with understanding in her eyes. She had to admit…Ororo knew how to make things seem easier.

“But…What do I do? I mean…How do I handle something I haven’t believed in for so long?” she asked, still wrought with questions.

“Just answer yourself this one question Jean…Are you in love with him?” she said in a serious tone.

Jean simply let out a deep sigh, feeling strange that she was saying this to the boy’s mother, but knowing there was no more denying it now.

“Yes…I am,” she finally admitted.

“Then that’s all you need…” said Ororo with a comfort and assurance that only someone like her could offer, “What you choose to do with that now…Is entirely up to you.”

As Jean let that sink in, she actually found herself smiling. Finally…It made sense. All this confusion…All this questioning about where she and Scott were going and just what their connection was…She knew it now. And the more she thought about it…The more she began to accept it. However, at the same time…It was still very scary to her. How was she going to handle this? Was she even ready? What she and Scott had already was so wonderful and amazing at is it was…Would something like this jeopardize that? It was a lot to think about and a lot to consider as she was torn between what she now knew and the implications it could possibly lead to. Never the less…She now knew the answer to one question…But now it only led to another and there was no telling where this would lead both her and Scott.

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As the night set in and things settled down in the Howlett house, everybody soon felt ready to turn in after all the excitement of the day. With one last big hug, Logan and Ororo retired to their room while Jean met up with Scott in his room before she went to bed in Sarah’s room as well. They had a lot to talk about despite the late hour, but it was safe for both of them to assume that most of the initial anxiety they had felt before coming had definitely eased. While they were both still anxious over their respective revelations about one another…They kept it to themselves for the time being, feeling as thought they weren’t quite ready just yet to take on something so grand.

“Scott, I can’t believe how much your mom rocks! She has got to be the coolest parent I’ve ever met!” exclaimed the redhead as she and her boyfriend leaned back on the soft bed that he had slept in as he grew up with this wonderful family.

“I wouldn’t argue with you on that one,” said Scott with a grin, surprised to see that his foster mother had made such an impression on Jean, but glad none the less knowing that only Ororo could truly pull something like that off, “She truly is an amazing woman.”

“I know…She’s so wise, caring, and funny,” said Jean as she smiled back at him, still feeling so excited after everything she had experienced on this fateful day, “You’re so lucky…There probably aren’t many people out there who have a family like yours. You all are so happy, loving, and close knit that I can safely say that I’m very jealous of you.”

“Oh come on Jean…” coaxed Scott, blushing slightly at her praise of the family he had grown so close to.

“I mean it soldier boy,” she said with a confident smirk, “You’re mom and dad are just so unbelievably cool. It’s like they actually listen to you and give you the freedom and love that my parents never seemed to believe in. They don’t boss…They nurture. And I just…It’s so incredibly amazing to be able to spend time with a family like this.”

Scott couldn’t help but smile warmly at her as he soon found himself gently stroking her long, fiery hair. Everything had gone so much better than he had expected. Jean really connected with his family despite different backgrounds and upbringings. Now he had a chance to spend Thanksgiving with both his family and a girl he had just come to admit that he was falling in love with.

“I’m glad you feel that way Jean,” he said, still smiling as Jean sunk into his warmth, “I knew my family would love you. And now that all the initial awkwardness is behind us…The only thing that should be on your mind now is having a nice, memorable Thanksgiving here in the Howlett household.”

“I can’t wait…” she said with as smile as she snaked her arms around his strong neck and drew him into a passionate kiss.

As their lips met, they nearly fell back on Scott’s bed. After such an exciting, memorable day, they both wanted to cap it off in the best way possible. Both Scott and Jean had arrived confused about the current situation of their relationship…Yet now they had at least some answers even though they kept bringing more question. They each remembered the moment when they admitted to themselves that they were in love, yet even in this tender moment they still found it too difficult and too soon to tell each other. Instead…They merely soaked up the happy moment as they continued to kiss.

As their tongues slipped into one another’s mouth and began to wrestle with each other, a feeling of arousal began to grow between them. Jean’s hands were beginning to roam and Scott found himself gently squeezing her sexy hips, evoking a soft moan from her. They both knew where this was leading, for they knew the signs all too well. The arousal within their bodies could clearly be felt and there were few things stopping them from simply lying back on Scott’s bed and having wonderful, passionate sex to celebrate this momentous day.

However, while their bodies were quickly beginning to succumb to their desires for the sensual, their minds soon caught up with them, for it was still late and they were still in Scott’s parents’ house. Even though it took quite a bit of effort on their part, they managed to pull away before things got too heated.

“We…Should save something like that for later,” said Scott with a grin, although part of him just wanted to keep going and have sex with her right on the bed he had grown up on as a kid.

“Yeah…You’re right,” said Jean with a warm smile as she suppressed the urge to simply rip his clothes off right then and there as a pre-Thanksgiving celebration, “It might not be the best idea here in your parents’ house on the first day.”

“But don’t worry…I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time later,” said Scott as he gave her one last kiss on her forehead, “Until then…We should both get some sleep.”

“I know…It’s been a long day,” said Jean as she was once again reminded of her exhaustion, “I guess I’ll see you in the morning soldier boy. And I know I’ve been telling you this all day but…Thanks.”

And with that, she gave him one last kiss on the cheek and made her way to the door, leaving a wide smile on Scott’s face as he looked back as the beautiful redhead that had captured his heart.

“Anytime Jean…Good night.”

“Sweet dreams Scott…”

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Upon leaving Scott’s room, Jean threw on a pair of cotton pants and a tank top in preparation for bed. After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she retired to Sarah’s bedroom where the older girl was already sitting on her bed, stretching her tired muscles. For Jean, they had set up a nice elevated loft alongside Sarah’s bed for her to sleep in. It may have made the room slightly more cramped, but they could still get around none the less.

“Don’t you look tired…” commented Sarah as she sat back on the bed she had grown up sleeping on, “Is the loft going to be comfortable enough?”

“Yeah, its fine…I’ve slept on worse before,” assured Jean as she felt her body practically collapse on the mattress, “I’ll adapt.”

As Jean rested her head upon the pillows she took in the rather unique layout of Sarah’s room. It was far from that of any stereotypical girl. All over the walls there was Harley Davidson posters and paraphernalia along with countless pictures of hot rod cars and custom motorcycles. On her desk and dresser, there were numerous pictures of her and her family and like the ones she had seen in Scott’s apartment, they showed quite a bit of the unique closeness of the Howlett familial bond. Along with pictures, practically the entire room was littered with model cars. Some looked as though they had been built while others were already put together. Practically everything in Sarah Howlett’s room seemed related to cars, motorcycles, and pretty much anything that ran on an engine. It wasn’t the kind of room most people would expect from a girl, but that didn’t seem to bother Sarah in the slightest.

“Man…You’ve got some room here Sarah,” said Jean as she looked at some of the larger, more elaborate model cars she had.

“Yep!” she said proudly, “It’s not you’re ordinary stereotypical heterosexual girl’s room…But I can safely say I’m not ordinary.”

“And that’s definitely not a bad thing,” said Jean with a smile as she turned to face her boyfriend’s older foster sister.

“Never said it was,” said Sarah as she too turned to the younger redhead laying on the bed adjacent to hers, “But I guess that’s what you get for having a dad who works in an auto shop and loves anything with a motor. Some father’s read fairy tales to their daughters…Mine read me car magazines. And while other girls were putting together dollhouses…I was putting together carburetors.”

“Wow, that’s quite a difference,” said Jean with a light laugh.

“Hey, I ain’t complaining,” said Sarah in a tone that sounded somewhat similar to that of her father, “Hell, because of what my dad taught me, I was inspired to become an engineer. And it’s a job I love to death.”

“Well you’re lucky…I know a lot of people who do things they hate for a living and never had a single story read to them by their father,” said Jean, evoking a curious look from Sarah.

“And would you happen to fit into this category?” she said with a smirk.

“In a ways…Yeah, I do,” admitted Jean, “My parents are really anal and they don’t want me doing any other kind of job than the ones they want me to do. And as for stories…While other girls were hearing fairy tales from their daddies…I was hearing lectures from mine on a nightly basis.”

“Lectures?” said Sarah, somewhat flabbergasted by what she meant by that.

“Yep, lectures,” affirmed Jean, “I…Never really had the best relationship with my parents or my sister. It’s gotten to the point where I’m the certified black sheep of my whole family.”

“Damn, that must be rough,” commented Sarah, “I don’t think I could have managed without my parents growing up.”

“Well you’re parents are just so unbelievably cool,” said Jean with a grin as she thought back to how much fun it had been getting to know them, “Your mom and dad don’t order, boss, or command…They nurture and guide. My parents didn’t really raise me…They wanted the rules and regulations of the upper class world to do that. But…I guess they failed.”

“Does that ever make you feel left out though?” asked Sarah, thinking it must be tough to be isolated in the world she was born into.

“Oh please…” scoffed Jean, “Growing up living under a bunch of fascist rules and regulations meant to control my body, mind, and personality in order to turn me into some snotty peppy bitch into a world of money where the only way to get more power and respect is through more money? As if!”

Both girls burst into laughter, enjoying the lighthearted moments that helped Jean feel more comfortable with this family. It had been only one day and she was already feeling so comfortable around them and it was truly a welcome feeling to be with people who she could really relate to and feel comfortable around.

“Independent and a free spirit!” proclaimed Sarah as the laughter died down, “I can see why my brother really likes you.”

“Yeah…I guess I’m just his kind of girl,” said Jean with a shrug, knowing Scott hadn’t made much of a secret of his preference to strong willed women, which was something she suspected may have come from a mixture of both the military and his family.

“So…” said Sarah as she stopped laughing and bore a more ‘mischievous’ look on her face, “Things with you and Scott are pretty serious, huh?”

“Yeah…I can safely say they are,” said Jean, choosing to leave out some of the details she had come to realize earlier with Ororo, knowing she needed time to process it.

“That’s great to hear,” said Sarah with a smile as she looked back at the younger redhead, “I was a bit worried about Scott after his last breakup…Which, by the way, I still don’t get.”

“I know…He told me about that,” said Jean, remembering clearly the bewildered look on Scott’s face when he told her the story about his relationship with his last serious girlfriend, Emma Frost.

“He did?” said Sarah, looking surprised, “That’s rare…Scott’s usually very private about stuff like that.”

“Well…I don’t know,” said Jean, who couldn’t help but smile at the knowledge that Scott had opened up to her in a way he didn’t do with most people, “I guess he was comfortable telling me.”

“For a guy like Scott…That’s quite an accomplishment Jean,” said Sarah with a hint of admiration in her tone, “He must really like you a lot if he let you in like that. I remember him getting into many arguments over that little privacy quirk of his with Emma, Taryn, and that annoying Candy girl.”

“Well…It’s just different with us I guess,” said Jean as her expression changed to one of personal reflecting, “Scott’s told me some pretty deep things about himself…Stuff that’s pretty hard for him to talk about. And…I’ve shared things with him too…Things that I haven’t told many people…Even my close girlfriends. Scott and I just…I don’t know…We connect. It’s a little complicated to explain, but…I’ve honestly never been happier…Having someone like him in my life.”

“Aww…” cooed Sarah in a tone reticent of a little girl looking at a puppy, “That’s so sweet. And if the many phone conversations I’ve had with him these last three months have been any indication, Scott’s pretty happy too. I honestly have never seen him this happy before. And I guess because of that, I should thank you…”

“Oh…Well, you’re welcome,” said Jean, blushing slightly.

There was a brief silence between the girls as Sarah let the reddish color on Jean’s face fade, but with the mischievous look on her face not waning…It was possible that it might not be the only blush she feels on her face by the end of the night as the older woman thought of one last thing she wanted to talk to her about.

“So…If you and Scott have been so happy together…I take it he must be ‘treating’ you very nicely,” she said with a hint of sensuality in her tone.

Jean, knowing that tone all too well, once again felt herself blush intensely, for she was still growing accustomed to everybody’s comfort with sex and sexuality here in this house. She had been through it with Ororo and now she was facing it with Scott’s older sister. It was a bit easier this time since Sarah was younger, but it was still a bit awkward for Jean. Never the less, the look on Sarah’s face persisted and Jean couldn’t help but grin despite her embarrassment as she once again found herself going into her sex life with Scott.

“Oh yes…Scott definitely ‘treats’ me well,” said Jean as she and Sarah started giggling like teenage girls on a sleepover, “If by treat you mean gives me fantastic, pleasure filled sex on a nice, regular basis.”

“Ha! I knew that libido of his couldn’t be stunted even by war!” proclaimed Sarah, who couldn’t help but laugh at the look on Jean’s face, “So how good is he? I’d hate to think that all the advice mom and dad gave him and all the stuff I helped him with during those crucial developmental years of his went to waste.”

“Don’t worry…You all taught him well,” assured Jean in a playful tone, who just couldn’t stop smiling, “Scott is well adept in the arts of sex. He knows how to touch, kiss, caress, and massage his way around every necessary part of my body to give me the best possible pleasure and the most intense orgasms my body can muster.”

“Yep! That’s my little brother!” said Sarah with a humored grin, “He’s got all the sexual skill necessary to send any woman into a world of pleasure. God I’m so proud of him…”

“Well you should be,” said Jean who couldn’t keep herself from laughing at Sarah’s playfulness, “Scott’s a wonderfully sensual man and I’m a very sexual woman with a strong libido. It’s just so rare to find a man who can satisfy those desires in such an amazing way…Keeping it tender, yet passionate…Intense, yet drawn out for the longest possible pleasure…Frequent, yet not overdone…And…”

“Okay, okay Jean…I think you’ve made your point,” said Sarah as her laughter cut Jean off, “Scott’s still my little brother.”

“I’m sorry…I just get carried away with all the juicy details and wonderful memories of having such a wonderful, kind, and very sexy and attractive man that sometimes I just can’t help myself,” said Jean with a grin.

“I don’t blame you Jean,” conceded Sarah as the laughter died down, but the playfulness of their sensual subject matter still remained, “After lifting all those weights, getting all that exercise, and building up all that stamina…Scott really filled out nicely. I remember him when he looked like a famine victim from some third world country, but he grew…And boy did he grow in all the right ways.”

“No argument here!” said Jean with another laugh.

“Even as I got older and helped him into his teen years, I had a feeling he was going to be a hell of a man,” admitted Sarah as she thought back to some of those fond, earlier memories of her and her little brother, “I even remember how some of my girlfriends would come over and say ‘Hey…Who’s the cute little number over there?’ And I almost slapped them a few times when I had to tell them ‘Hey! That’s my little brother!’”

“Yikes, that must have been embarrassing,” said Jean, knowing that must have put Sarah in an awkward position.

“It was…But the older he got, the more attractive he seemed to get,” said Sarah with a shrug, “And he’s also just a very sweet, noble guy…So of course he was destined for greatness in the eyes of so many women. I know because I saw them come and go through his room many times…And each time, they left happier than they arrived.”

“Yeah…There aren’t enough men like that in the world today,” mused Jean.

“Tell me about it…” said Sarah, rolling her eyes at that all too true fact, “I’ve been sexually active since I was 16. If you haven’t guessed it by now…This family is very comfortable with sex and teaching it for all it’s juicy worth.”

“Yeah…I figured that by now,” said Jean with a grin, still finding it fun that she could talk about something so easily that was once so forbidden to mention with her family.

“Then I guess it’s no surprise to you that I too have quite a libido for one of life’s most wonderful gifts,” proclaimed Sarah proudly with a sexy grin, “I remember when Scott was still being taught by our parents about everything he needed to know on and informative and personal basis…I was already bringing home my share of guys to have a little ‘fun’ with.”

“Yeah, I’ve certainly been down that road before,” said Jean with a smile as she listened on to the rather entertaining insight into this older woman’s sexuality.

“And for me…It was a little different with Scott still being in his early teens and growing curious about this and that,” said Sarah with a giggle, “I know he probably heard the noises I made with those boys…Some good, some not so good…But unlike most boys his age, he knew exactly what they were and neither I nor our folks lied to him about it.”

“So it was okay for either you or Scott to just bring home somebody and fuck them in your room without your parents bothering you about it?” said Jean in a flabbergasted tone.

“Yep!” said Sarah, who couldn’t help but laugh at the look on Jean’s face, “Like I said…They know that sex is a natural part of growing up and it’s better for people to experience it in a positive environment rather than to taboo and scrutinize it. It’s just a natural part of life and a good, healthy activity for human beings of all types. I don’t see why other parents have to be so harsh about it with their kids. I mean…As long as you’re careful and use common sense, it can bring a lot of pleasure, joy, and vitality to one’s life.”

“I wish my parents thought that way…” said Jean in a rather distasteful tone, “They went completely nuts every time they found out I had sex and deemed pretty much everything relating to it as ‘obscene and inappropriate.’ But then again, I don’t really give a fuck what they think. Hell, they don’t even know just how much sex I’ve had over the years!”

“Shit Jean, no offense but you’re parents sound a wee bit…Overbearing,” said Sarah, trying to restrain her words as best she could without making them sound like insults.

“It’s okay Sarah…You can say it,” said Jean as she rolled her eyes, knowing full well what Sarah was trying to do, “They’re assholes.”

“Whew, I’m glad,” said Sarah, giving Jean a playful mock-sigh of relief, “I don’t think I could have survived with parents like that. I’m a sexual woman who has sexual needs just like you. Hell…I have a lot of fond memories on this bed.”

“Oh I bet you do…” said Jean as she once again couldn’t keep herself from laughing, “And you didn’t have to be so discrete about it like I had to.”

“Nope!” she affirmed in a confident tone, “Both my parents and Scott knows that I’ve had my share of guys in here. Some of them were good…Some of them weren’t so good. And some of them were just plain funny!”

“Oh do tell,” said Jean with a playful grin as she listened on with intent.

“Well…Let’s just say, I’m a really ‘energetic’ lover,” she said with a sultry tone in her voice, “I’ve always been very athletic and I have a lot of stamina. To me…Sex is best when it just pushes you’re endurance to the limits and sends every single muscle both inside and out into an orgasmic frenzy.”

“Mmm…I know what you mean,” said Jean in a low, sultry voice similar to hers.

“Well being that my brother is also active and an ex-marine, I wouldn’t doubt it,” she grinned, causing Jean to blush in response, “But for me…A lot of the men I brought home weren’t ex marines. While I usually managed to pick guys that could at least try to go the distance…A few did fail miserably. I remember hooking up with this one guy who ‘looked’ like he could do it…But once we got down to it, he started freaking out because he didn’t know I like it hard and energetic. I don’t know at which point where the screams became that of pleasure or pain…But once we were done, he was practically limping and crawling out of my room.”

“Hey…We all pick bad ones at some point,” shrugged Jean, knowing she had a few experiences like that with weak lovers as well.

“Yeah, and it was a pretty disappointing to me because I wasn’t satisfied…But when the guy stammered out of the door and came across my big, burly daddy…The look on his face almost made up for it,” said Sarah as she started laughing at the memory she was now so fond of, “He was so scared and so petrified, his whole face turned as white as a sheet. I mean….His legs actually buckled under his own weight!”

“Oh my God!” said Jean, unable to keep herself from laughing.

“That’s what I though!” laughed Sarah, “At first he thought my dad was going to castrate him for fucking his little girl…But instead, he just stared down at him and scoffed something like ‘Pussy…What kind of wimp are you? Ya can’t even satisfy my daughter. You sicken me.’”

“No fucking way!” said Jean, not able to picture any parent saying something like that.

“Oh yes way,” affirmed Sarah truthfully, “The guy ran out of the house and I don’t think he’s ever recovered. Hell, I haven’t seen him since. But that’s just the way things are around this place. There are certain things we do that other families don’t and we are who we are…Plain and simple.”

As the laughter died down, the two women relaxed on their respective beds and began to feel their exhaustion catch up with them. It had been an exciting day for the both of them and for Jean, it had opened a whole new world to her. She didn’t know what would happen next with Scott or here with the Howletts, but for now she was confident and hopeful that wherever it would lead…It would be an amazing ride.

“You’re family is so wonderful here Sarah…” mused Jean as she began to relax onto her pillow, “You and Scott are so lucky. And I can’t believe I get a chance to spent Thanksgiving in a place so warm and fun like this.”

“And just think Jean…” said Sarah as she reached over and turned off the light, “This is just the beginning. You should get a good nights sleep…Because for the rest of the week, you’re spending Thanksgiving with the Howletts.”

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AN: That should do it for now! Yet another chapter of this fic ends. This didn’t have any smut scenes, but it did have some nice sex talk at the end! And don’t worry…There’s plenty more smut and other stuff to come! I hope you all have enjoyed this fic thus far and I hope it has been an interesting read. I’d love to hear what you all think about this so please send me your feedback via email to slickboy444@aol.com or post it on the website! Either way is fine as long as you REVIEW! Thanks a ton for reading everybody and I wish you all the best!