The Welcome by Morning 2004
I donot own the Biker Mice From Mars and use them for entertainment purposes only.
The welcome the guys got from Charlie's mother was always bright, cheerful and full of all the motherly concern they sorely missed. Of course the initial shock of their first meeting was to be expected but as with her daughter the middle aged earth woman adjusted very quickly and excepted them like long lost sons.
Mrs. Claudia Davidson was a beauty that out shinning most women twice her junior. Her satin completion was flawless having an almost bronze glow to it. The green eyes seem to be a strong family trait and hair jet black hair was naturally streaked with silver strands that she wore pulled back in a long loose braid that extended down her back almost touching her waist.
After settling in to their rooms the three dusty and tired Biker mice looked foreword to a cool shower and a good home cooked meal. Not to mention having a whole weekend with no Limburger, no tower and maybe for a moment no thinking about the War on Mars or the Plutarkian in general. Claudia's place was far enough out in the country for them to roam around virtually unnoticed.
Everything was almost perfect except for the nervous feel that was coming from Charley and Vinnie, a feeling that threw up a big red warning signal in perceptive earth woman's mind. As her daughter unpacked and the guys made them selves comfortable she walked quietly into Charley's old bedroom and took a seat down on the bed.
Charley kept unpacking trying to not look as anxious as she felt. " Okay Missy what's going on?" Her mother questioned.
"Going on? What are you talking about Mom? We just needed to get away from the city for a while. You know country fresh air, eggs, chickens and all that." Charley joked still fidgeting.
"First of all, I get my eggs from the store like you do and the only chicken you'll see around here is the one I plan on sticking in the oven tonight. Charlene Rebecca Justine Davidson, don't let me have to put you over my knee. When I ask you a direct question I except a direct answer."
Charley knew when her mother called her by her full name, in that tone, she wasn't in the mood for anything but the whole truth then and there.
"Okay Mom, but let me finish before you say anything okay." Charley sat next to her mother.
"Well you know the guys have been here for almost six years and we have all gotten very close. They are the dearest friends I have ever known and I love them very much."
"That's no secret Charlene I feel the same about them. Especially that sweet Modo he's a boy after my own heart."
I'm glad you do Mom because well, you see, Vinnie and I, we, well he sort of asked me to marry him. And I kinda said yes."
As the women were talking Vinnie walked passed the room and over heard the conversation. He stepped back knowing he shouldn't ease drop but couldn't help leaning closer to the door and listening. Charley had asked him to let her tell her mother alone. He reluctantly agreed feeling it was his place to ask for her mother's blessing but under the circumstances he went along with Charlie's wishes.
Claudia took a deep breath and thought deeply before speaking. "Charlene you are my only child and I have always taught you to have an open mind. But I really think you are making a big mistake."
Charley opened her mouth to interrupted but her mother held a gentle finger to her lips stopping her. "No, before you speak hear me out. I love Vincent just as I do the other two but to have him as the husband for my only daughter is not something I think is wise. Have you looked at him I mean really looked at him? Not only does he act very reckless at times, but also he's an alien for heaven sake. What about children, my grand children, what kind of life would they have. You could only hide them for so long."
Charley stood and looked indignantly at her mother. "Yes, I've looked long and hard and I see the dearest most precious face of anyone I've ever known. Beyond all that ego nonsense he has survived a life that would have destroyed most people and still has plenty of love and caring to be the love of my life. And if by some miracle we do have children I won't need to hide them because we are gong back to his home where they will be accepted and embraced by his people, by our people. So you won't have that to worry about."
"Oh you think life will be any different for them on Mars. They'll still be different; you'll always be different. This is wrong Charlene for you, for Vinnie, and for any lives you bring into this marriage."
"I can't believe you are saying this Mother. What about all that stuff you told me? You said people are all the same. That color or race doesn't matter as long as you have the same heart to love. Or does your understanding only go if they are blond haired, blue eyed and resident of this world. It's okay to love that person as long as they don't become part of the family is that it?"
The argument was cut short by the sound of the back door slamming shut. Charley ran to the window just in time to see Vinnie tearing out of the yard.
"Oh no he must have been listening. Thanks Mother, thanks a lot." Charley glared.
"I'm sorry that I hurt him but I still believe I am right, baby."
"Not this time Mother, you couldn't be more wrong. And whether you approve or not we are going to be married." Charley ran out of the room crying.
Claudia sat sighing sadly. She was always a person who faced life head on, no fairytales or illusions on how hard life can be. How unyielding and cruel people could be, any people fur covered or not.
"Um.... Mrs. Davidson mind if I say somthin'." The tall gray mouse stood at the door hoping his intrusion wouldn't be rejected.
"Sure Modo dear but let's go come down to the kitchen. We can talk as I fix you boys some lunch." She smiled taking his arm.
"Yes ma'am." Modo walked with her to the kitchen taking a seat at the large oak kitchen table while she began preparing the meal.
"So dear what is it you have to say."
"Well me and Throttle sort of figured out why Vinnie bolted. We knew what they had planned on tellin' ya. I know you love Charley and I think you kinda like us too so whatever reason you aren't too keen on them gettin' married must be a good one. I guess havin' your daughter hook up with alien isn't every earth mother's dream."
"No sweetheart it isn't, but not for the reason you think. I have seen how people on this world are treated when they marry some one of another color, place, or language. I don't want that heartbreak for my daughter. Are your people so much more enlighten that she wouldn't be made to feel like she was always an outsider?"
"I wouldn't call us enlighten. I just know when most of your people have been exterminated you get a slightly different slant on people and how precious life is. There are so few of us that we welcome any one who would be willing to help save us from extinction. You know Mrs. D I get the feeling that you know more about how this feel then your tellin'."
"I don't know why I feel like I should trust you Modo but I feel like I can. I want to show you something." Claudia stopped her cooking and walked out into her bedroom. After a short time she came back carrying a small dust covered wooden box. Sitting close to Modo she lovingly open it and after leafing through some old papers she pulled out a fading picture and showed it to him.
"She's a very pretty lady." He said admiringly.
"Yes that's my grand mother. She was very beautiful but very sad most of the time. She had to live a harsh unforgiving life. When she saw an opportunity to change that she took it. She married out of her race and it got better in one respect but worst in others. Her husband couldn't handle the outside pressure so he left her to raise their 3 children alone. My mother told me of how cruelly those children were treated. Great grandmother tried to protect them as much as she could but this world can be a hard and intolerant place. At that time in our world, people who looked like my great grand mother were treated differently. They were practically enslaved and treated little better than animals. I guess I wanted to make up for those times by trying to bring Charley up with out prejudice. I guess I did a good job because little did I know she would take it to this extent. I feel like such a hypocrite but it's hard when it's your own child." She wiped a tear from her eye with her apron.
Modo could hear the shame in her voice. He looked at the picture then at Claudia with a compassionate eye. Placing a hand on top of hers he comforted. "The universe is not such a big place any more. We all have to make adjustments on how we feel about folks that look different then us. You did a great job in raising Charley girl you just gotta trust that she know what she wants."
" I guess so. I just need to know that Vincent really loves my little girl. That when things get tough he will stick by her no matter what. That one day they won't regret their decision?"
"Mrs. D, I won't tell you that Vinnie is the most sensible person I've known, but he is one of the most loyal. Most of the stuff he spews out is to hide all the pain that would have driven him crazy. I have seen him do the impossible to save a life. I've also seen him look at Charley, his world starts and stops with her smile. But there's no guarantees whether they make it or not is up to them."
"I guess that's the best any one can hope for. You are a very wise person Modo. I can only pray Vinnie has learned some of that wisdom." Mrs. Davidson squeezed the big Martian's hand a little tighter and bent over to kiss his cheek. "Thank you. Now let me get lunch finished, no matter what, those over size stomachs need to be refueled. You go finish freshening up and I'll call you when everything is ready.
"Yes Ma'am" Modo started back upstairs.
"And Modo..."
"Yes Mrs. D."
"I think you are old enough to call me Claudia. I'm not that much older than you." She beamed sweetly.
Momentarily mesmerized by her jade eyes that contrasted with her stunning lightly bronzed skin, his heart oddly skipped a beat or two. "Okay Claudia I'll do that." He looked back at her with a smile that was far from one you'd give to a mother figure and continued on his way.
"I see why Charley fell so hard." Then realizing what she'd just thought looked around blushing like a teenager. "Where did that come from?" Claudia wondered touching her slightly flushed face dismissing the wayward thought.
Throttle had the job of finding Charley and would leave Vinnie to blow off some steam before trying to talk to him. He walked the short distance through the small garden in the back of the house, through the pick fence to a pink and white child's playhouse.
He could hear soft sobs coming from inside. Bending down he saw Charley sitting with her knees to her chest and her head down crying.
"Hey Charley girl can I join ya? " He smiled trying to figure out how he was going to squeeze into the small wooden house.
Charley looked up and had to smile seeing the tall muscular mouse trying to get his large bulk inside. But he managed and sat down in front of her.
"Okay I'm not going to pretend I don't know what happened between you and your mom but I don't think it's as cut and dry as it seems."
"But Throttle, I never thought my mother would be a-a-a bigot. My whole life she's told me to respect other people, to love and care for others no matter who they were or what they looked like and than to say what she did about Vinnie and me. I feel like I don't even know her, that maybe I never did."
"Well parents are strange creatures. It's one thing to feel strongly about something until your own heart is involved and you are her heart Charley you know that." Throttle placed a hand on her shoulder.
"But I..." Charley looked at him teary eyed
"But you love her and you need to try and understand how she feels. To be honest she was right about one thing. Even back on Mars there are going to be some who won't like Vinnie marring you. Not every body learns, no matter how costly the lesson. Prejudice is a strong disease and it's not easily cured."
"Throttle, do you think there will come a day when every body will at least try?" Charley looked to him with hope filled eyes.
"Yeah I really do. If I didn't, trust me, I would have driven my bike off a cliff long before
this. You gotta have hope Charley, you gotta have hope. Now, you go back inside and talk to your mom and I have the pleasant job of finding that high strung husband-to-be before he does something crazier than usual." Throttle took hold of her chin and pecked the top of her head.
"Thanks Throttle you're the best." She hugged his neck.
"Your more than welcome Charley girl but could you do me a favor. Would you mind helping out of this pink torture chamber, I can't feel my legs any more."
By the time Throttle and Charley walked back to the house Vinnie had decided to come back and deal with the situation him self. They found him parked in the yard still sitting on his bike.
Throttle said nothing just hugged Charley and nodded at his bro then walked in the house.
Charley walked over to her white furred beau and stood in front of the bike straddling the front tire and leaning her elbows on the handlebars with her chin in her hands. She smiled up into his face waiting for him to say something.
Vinnie had to chuckle and shake his head. She always knew how to make him smile no matter how bad his mood was. He reached up and took off his helmet, dropped it on the ground and held her face in his hands.
"Sigh Why can't things ever be easy. Sweetheart, I want your Mom to accept me but I'm not about to give you up. I know that sounds selfish but you are my life now." He pulled her face up just enough to kiss the tip of her nose.
Charley reached up to wrap her arm around his neck, as much as she can from where she was standing. "I feel the same, Hotshot, but let's give Mom a chance. Throttle told me to at least talk to her and try to understand why she feels like she does. But you know that the bottom line is we stick together."
"Good old Throttle always knows the right thing to do except when it comes to his own life. Well maybe if we stay here long enough he'll find a good woman and boot the Martian Harpy to the curb." Vinnie teased.
"Let's get us straighten out first then maybe I can go through my phone book and look up my girl friends that like dating guys from outta town with that exotic look." Charley giggled taking him by the hand as he removed himself off his bike and they walked arm in arm into the house.
Claudia was finishing the last of the meal when she turned to the sound of the screen door opening. Charley and Vinnie walked in and the tension immediately filled the room. Wiping her hands on the dishtowel that was flung over her shoulder she walked up to the unsure young couple. Vinnie braced up not knowing what her intentions were and Charley held tightly to his arm showing that what ever her mother was about to do or say would be directed to the both of them.
Claudia reached up and pushed a stray hair out of her daughter's face then took a firm hold of Charleys chin shaking it playfully. "Just like you're father, never one to take the route of least resistance." She sighed sadly. "Okay we talk later, after you both freshen up and I get a good meal into you." She smiles at Vinnie and he relaxes just a little.
"I guess anything is better on a full stomach." Charley tried joking but her sadness over shadowed the attempt. "Why don't you use the shower in my room Vinnie and I'll use Mom's then we can have lunch and get things settled."
Vinnie nodded giving Claudia a nervous smile and left Charley alone with her mother.
She made sure Vinnie had gone completely up the stairs then turned to her daughter. "Baby no matter what you think, my main concern is your happiness. We have struggled through so much and you deserve to have a happy life."
"I know Mom, I know, but Vinnie does make me happy. He has special way of loving that you can never imagine. Remember you said that when you marry you should be like strong cord twined together, each giving strength to the other. That's what we are and just because he is from a different world doesn't mean we don't feel, think, and believe the same. He respects me like no man I have ever met and I trust him with my life." Charley's pleading face was wet with tears and her mother couldn't help but pull her daughter into her arms and stroke her hair much the same as when Charley was a little girl.
"I'll tried and see in him, the things you see Baby. With all my heart I'll try." She promised softly.
Lunch was not as uncomfortable as everyone thought. Mrs. Davidson's cooking could put a positive light on any situation and she had out done herself. Modo and Throttle kept the conversation light talking about which one of them had trashed Limburger Tower with the most style. Vinnie was even able to put his two cents in letting them know that he always did the trashing in the coolest way possible.
After every last crumb was devoured the Modo and Throttle excused themselves to go and check out the countryside to burn off some calories. They wanted to be ready for whatever feast Mrs. Davidson was going to prepare for dinner.
"Let's go sit on the porch there is such a nice cool breeze this time of the day. "Claudia picked up her glass of ice tea and walked out the front door to take a seat on the large white wooden swing with the big green cushions. Vinnie took hold of Charley's hand and walked her out. He leaned against the railing with Charley close by his side directly in front of her mother.
"Look Mrs. D I know you aren't happy about my marring Charley. I'm not going to say I wasn't a little ticked off by the stuff you said but I love your daughter. That's not something I thought would ever happen not with her or any woman. I closed off my heart years ago and built a wall around it so that nobody could get in, so that I wouldn't ever be hurt again. Yeah I know people think I'm nuts but when you don't have anything to live for why care about what happens to you. Fightin' the Plutarkians was just something to keep me breathin'. That was until I met Charley. I think from the first time I saw her I loved her but I won't admit it to myself. Then when that jerk Mc Cyber started hanging around and trying to get her back I realized I was gonna lose her. That's when I knew she would have to be a part of my life forever. I know I'm an alien but just because my ears are a little bigger and the hair on my skin is a little longer don't mean my heart can't give her more love than any man on this planet or any other. I'll never hurt her and what ever it takes I'll keep her safe I'll put my life on the line to do it." Charley looked at the Vinnie so proud of him she felt like she would explode the joy, he had her love until eternity came and past.
Claudia realized that her fears were misplaced. Her daughter had shown more wisdom and insight then she could have hoped for. What ever her misgivings were they disappeared and she could only be grateful that her daughter would have such a loving husband to enrich her life. She also knew that it would mean that one day Charley would have to go to his world but their love was strong enough to reach the millions of miles in between. And still she knew she would have to tell Charley the things she'd kept secret about their past but all in good time.
"Charlene this is quite a remarkable young man you have here and Vincent I would be honored if you would call me mother. I can only pray that the love you have at this moment grows as you spend your lives together." She gently kisses Vinnie on the cheek.
"That's no way to welcome the baddest mamma jamma in the universe into the family this is." Vinnie takes Claudia full in his arms and whirls her around to her letting out a ear piercing scream of laughter."
Modo and Throttle pulled up just in time to see the happy goings on between the three and joined them on the porch. "I guess this means we will be having ourselves a wedding soon?" Throttle smiled as he took Vinnie's hand in congratulation.
"And I guess this makes us family?" Modo said as he walked closer to Claudia gently taking her hand.
She shyly looked down not wanting to make eye contact. "Y-Y-Yes I guess it does."
"Can I kiss the mother of the bride?" He all but whispered as he bent down to kiss her cheek just a fraction of an inch from her mouth before she could say anything.
Throttle looked at them both raising one eyebrow and Vinnie shrugged his shoulder not sure of what had just happened.
Claudia could feel the warm flush coming back to her face as his lips touched her skin. Her head was lightly spinning and she excused herself retreating into the house as quickly as possible.
"Mom okay Charley girl?" Vinnie asked concerned seeing how red her face had gotten.
"Oh yeah she's fine. Mom is not one for a lot of emotional stuff but I'll go inside to check just in case." She pecked the side of his face and went inside.
"What's the matter with you big guy?" Vinnie said looking at Modo noticing that he hadn't taken his eye from the screen door.
"Huh, what cha say Vinnie?" Modo was lost in thought.
"Nothing, man a guy gets engaged and every body gets weird. I'm gonna burn off some energy." Vinnie whistles for his bike which immediately responses. He jumps off the porch to land neatly on the seat of his bike revving the motor a few times and happily tears off to parts unknown.
Throttle leaning against the railing as he had a habit of doing when observing a situation looked at Modo waiting for the big mouse to say something.
Modo looks at him and walks over to take a seat in the big swing it creaking just a bit at his weight but holding fast. He leans his head back and closes his eye. "You know don't cha?"
"Yeah, it's about as obvious as Limburgers butt. So what are you gonna do about it?"
"Nothin'. I don't think they need me makin' any more waves. I'll just keep my feelings to myself. Besides I'm no dope, you saw her first reaction to Vinnie and Charley there is no way in the great moons of Mars she'll ever care about a half metal mess like me. An alien one at that."
Throttle could hear the sad longing in his bros voice. Modo had only one love in his entire life and the Plutarkian had ended that. With the death of his wife Modo pretty much decided to just remain single and make freeing Mars the center of his life. He figured since he would never love again he would make the universe free for those who could.
"That's not what I saw Big Guy but you gotta do what's right for you. I'm gonna crash talk to ya later." Throttle grabbed his shoulder and went in the house.