Chapter One
Eric Lensher rubbed his neck and massaged his temples. He needed to tell his wife, Maggie, the truth. The truth that had been haunting him more than usual lately after his wife had declared happily that she was glad there wasn't any deception in their marriage. Normally, it was strange that his wife would make a statement like that but she had been watching All My Children. According to her, Erica Kane had just confessed she knew Greenlee was Jack's daughter. Afterwards he thought, "what the heck kinda name is Greenlee?" But it had spurred the rise of guilt in him. And now Eric had to tell her or he was going to go crazy. He was a mutant. A mutant that could attract metal.
He sighed. He needed to get a grip. Eric dug in his pockets for his keys after exiting the flower shop. He had wanted to get some pretty flowers for Maggie. Eric figured that it couldn't hurt. So after purchasing some pink roses, he walked to his car, unlocked it, and got in. He drove the short 3 miles to his house and walked up the walkway decorated with a garden along the sides. Eric stopped and smiled. Maggie would definitely like the pink roses. He turned, then completed the walk to the door. Eric retrieved his house key and inserted it into the lock. The door opened and he stepped in. Immediately, he was greeted by a thin, dark-haired, and middle-aged woman who was bouncing up and down, flashing her dimples at him. "Guess what honey? I have the best news to tell you!" she squealed. Then, evidently seeing the roses, she sighed. "Oh honey! Thank you!"
Eric chuckled. "You're welcome. I know you like them. I have some news too."
Maggie smiled. "I do. Hey, so what about your news?"
"Nah, it can wait. You tell me yours first," He said, anxious to avoid telling his "news".
"No honey, you first."
Apparently, there was no way he could avoid. Taking a deep breath, he said "Um honey...you remember seeing those reports about Xavier trying to get rights for the mutants?"
Maggie nodded, confused.
"Well...I've known Xavier for a really long time now...I was...am.. like him..."
"What do you mean, 'like him'?" she asked suspiciously. She set her roses down on the coffee table and folded her arms.
"Well..." Eric swallowed nervously. Lord, he hoped she would understand. "I'm a....mutant."
Maggie just sat still for maybe five minutes. When Eric couldn't stand it anymore he called her name gently. "Maggie?" suddenly walked to the coffee table and said quietly, "I want you to get out. You're not the person I thought I knew. Get. Out."
Eric just stood there, immobile. A tear rolled out of his eye. He just shook his head as if saying, Not this.
"Maggie please.." Eric pleaded. "I'm still the same person."
At this, Maggie turned gripping the roses. Then without warning, she threw the roses at her husband. "I SAID GET OUT!" she cried, quavering.
Shocked, Eric turned, ran out of the house, and jumped in his car. His hands shaking, he finally found the key and inserted it into the ignition. The car started up and he backed out. Eric took one last look at the house with his visibly upset wife standing the doorway, still watching him as if he was a freak. He jammed on the gas pedal and took off.
****************************************************************
Maggie stood there in her doorway, staring down the direction that Eric had fled. He had lied to her! And even worse, he was a mutant! She disliked mutants intensely, but that didn't stop her from loving him. She slowly shut the door, walked back to the living room and looked at the scattered roses. No doubt he bought those to ease the terrible news. A mutant! A sob escaped her. How could she not have known? Always finding keys, pins, or coins on him and still she didn't realize. She knelt down on the floor, crying her heart out. After a long time had passed, she stopped. Wiping her eyes, she stood up. Maggie gently placed a hand on her stomach and whispered gently, "Long as you don't turn out to be a mutant, we'll be okay baby."
Eric Lensher rubbed his neck and massaged his temples. He needed to tell his wife, Maggie, the truth. The truth that had been haunting him more than usual lately after his wife had declared happily that she was glad there wasn't any deception in their marriage. Normally, it was strange that his wife would make a statement like that but she had been watching All My Children. According to her, Erica Kane had just confessed she knew Greenlee was Jack's daughter. Afterwards he thought, "what the heck kinda name is Greenlee?" But it had spurred the rise of guilt in him. And now Eric had to tell her or he was going to go crazy. He was a mutant. A mutant that could attract metal.
He sighed. He needed to get a grip. Eric dug in his pockets for his keys after exiting the flower shop. He had wanted to get some pretty flowers for Maggie. Eric figured that it couldn't hurt. So after purchasing some pink roses, he walked to his car, unlocked it, and got in. He drove the short 3 miles to his house and walked up the walkway decorated with a garden along the sides. Eric stopped and smiled. Maggie would definitely like the pink roses. He turned, then completed the walk to the door. Eric retrieved his house key and inserted it into the lock. The door opened and he stepped in. Immediately, he was greeted by a thin, dark-haired, and middle-aged woman who was bouncing up and down, flashing her dimples at him. "Guess what honey? I have the best news to tell you!" she squealed. Then, evidently seeing the roses, she sighed. "Oh honey! Thank you!"
Eric chuckled. "You're welcome. I know you like them. I have some news too."
Maggie smiled. "I do. Hey, so what about your news?"
"Nah, it can wait. You tell me yours first," He said, anxious to avoid telling his "news".
"No honey, you first."
Apparently, there was no way he could avoid. Taking a deep breath, he said "Um honey...you remember seeing those reports about Xavier trying to get rights for the mutants?"
Maggie nodded, confused.
"Well...I've known Xavier for a really long time now...I was...am.. like him..."
"What do you mean, 'like him'?" she asked suspiciously. She set her roses down on the coffee table and folded her arms.
"Well..." Eric swallowed nervously. Lord, he hoped she would understand. "I'm a....mutant."
Maggie just sat still for maybe five minutes. When Eric couldn't stand it anymore he called her name gently. "Maggie?" suddenly walked to the coffee table and said quietly, "I want you to get out. You're not the person I thought I knew. Get. Out."
Eric just stood there, immobile. A tear rolled out of his eye. He just shook his head as if saying, Not this.
"Maggie please.." Eric pleaded. "I'm still the same person."
At this, Maggie turned gripping the roses. Then without warning, she threw the roses at her husband. "I SAID GET OUT!" she cried, quavering.
Shocked, Eric turned, ran out of the house, and jumped in his car. His hands shaking, he finally found the key and inserted it into the ignition. The car started up and he backed out. Eric took one last look at the house with his visibly upset wife standing the doorway, still watching him as if he was a freak. He jammed on the gas pedal and took off.
****************************************************************
Maggie stood there in her doorway, staring down the direction that Eric had fled. He had lied to her! And even worse, he was a mutant! She disliked mutants intensely, but that didn't stop her from loving him. She slowly shut the door, walked back to the living room and looked at the scattered roses. No doubt he bought those to ease the terrible news. A mutant! A sob escaped her. How could she not have known? Always finding keys, pins, or coins on him and still she didn't realize. She knelt down on the floor, crying her heart out. After a long time had passed, she stopped. Wiping her eyes, she stood up. Maggie gently placed a hand on her stomach and whispered gently, "Long as you don't turn out to be a mutant, we'll be okay baby."