In a moment it could happen
We could wake up and be laughing.
In a moment it could happen,
We could forgive and be happy.
-Collective Soul
My daughter Joanne arrived at the mansion on a cold, windy
October day. She had only a suitcase clutched in her left hand and a
backpack slung over her small shoulders. The first thing that struck
me was the physical resemblance between us. She had the same dark
brown hair as me. And for the first time in years, I could see the
color of my eyes in something besides my memories. Joanne's were the
same shade of baby blue I remembered as being mine. Those eyes also
expressed a volatile mixture of emotions that surprised me in their
intensity. Rage, pain, fear, and sadness all collided together to
form an expression that was far too old to be natural for a girl her
age. It sort of reminded me of Rogue's eyes for the first few weeks
after Magneto nearly killed her. Instead of mulling that thought
over, I bent down to lift the suitcase from her tiny fist, marveling
in wonderment at the smaller female image of myself. As we walked
through the main corridor and up to the living quarters, I felt it
was time to break the ice. But what do you say to someone of your
flesh and blood that you've never even seen a picture of?
"Joanne, I'm Scott Summers. Your father. But you can call
me whatever you want. I'm sorry we met under such terrible
circumstances. Your mother was a wonderful person."
"You didn't care about her in life, so don' t you DARE act
like ya do now Scott!" the little firecracker exploded.
I watched helplessly as she stalked down the hallway. Just
then Rogue strode out of the nursery and Joanne ran smack into her.
Rogue had learned to control her mutation six months after she began
living here, but even now she's a little jumpy with accidental bumps
against other people.
"Oh, hi there. Sorry about that. I guess now you can guess
my name ain't Grace!" Rogue explained.
Joanne smiled then, and I knew Rogue had another instant
fan. Kids flock to her. One look from her is all it takes and
they're instantly devoted. It's kind of like the men around here.
Most of them are as taken with her as the kids are. I'm certainly
no exception.
It pisses Jean off something fierce. I used to think it was
because she was jealous of Rogue ever since she'd usurped Jean's
position as the number one object of lust around the mansion. I now
believe that she just doesn't like her. She once called her
a "little southern hussy." That had been right after I, the
disciplinarian of the mansion had let it slide after I caught the
kids drinking. That was the only time I never punished the kids, it
was also the only time I caught Rogue.
"Scott?" "Scott?" "Scott?" Someone was calling me.
"Hmm?" I answered still distracted.
" You wandered off there for a minute, I was just trying to
get ya back to reality." Rogue smirked.
I turned my attention back to the present. Joanne was
clinging to Rogue, and looked both scared and relieved. It hit me
then that Rogue would make some lucky kid an excellent mother
someday. I must have contemplated that thought too long, because
Rogue interrupted my thought train again.
"Scott? You're acting weird. Why don't you take your
daughter around the grounds here? I'm sure she'd love to see them."
And then turning to Joanne "Right sweetie?"
Joanne nodded her head enthusiastically, and I knew then I'd
do anything possible to be able to be the one to put that look on her
face.
"Sure. Rogue would you like to come with us?" I casually
asked.
"Pleaseeeeeeee?" Joanne begged, wringing her little hands
together in a pleading motion.
Rogue just laughed and strode towards me with Joanne still
clinging to her side. Joanne reached out and grabbed onto my right
hand while still holding onto Rogue's left one. We walked around the
entire school grounds like that. Just the three of us. None of us
saw Jean by the door to the lab. Otherwise we would have seen the
hurt expression on her face and would have been more prepared for
what was to come.
We could wake up and be laughing.
In a moment it could happen,
We could forgive and be happy.
-Collective Soul
My daughter Joanne arrived at the mansion on a cold, windy
October day. She had only a suitcase clutched in her left hand and a
backpack slung over her small shoulders. The first thing that struck
me was the physical resemblance between us. She had the same dark
brown hair as me. And for the first time in years, I could see the
color of my eyes in something besides my memories. Joanne's were the
same shade of baby blue I remembered as being mine. Those eyes also
expressed a volatile mixture of emotions that surprised me in their
intensity. Rage, pain, fear, and sadness all collided together to
form an expression that was far too old to be natural for a girl her
age. It sort of reminded me of Rogue's eyes for the first few weeks
after Magneto nearly killed her. Instead of mulling that thought
over, I bent down to lift the suitcase from her tiny fist, marveling
in wonderment at the smaller female image of myself. As we walked
through the main corridor and up to the living quarters, I felt it
was time to break the ice. But what do you say to someone of your
flesh and blood that you've never even seen a picture of?
"Joanne, I'm Scott Summers. Your father. But you can call
me whatever you want. I'm sorry we met under such terrible
circumstances. Your mother was a wonderful person."
"You didn't care about her in life, so don' t you DARE act
like ya do now Scott!" the little firecracker exploded.
I watched helplessly as she stalked down the hallway. Just
then Rogue strode out of the nursery and Joanne ran smack into her.
Rogue had learned to control her mutation six months after she began
living here, but even now she's a little jumpy with accidental bumps
against other people.
"Oh, hi there. Sorry about that. I guess now you can guess
my name ain't Grace!" Rogue explained.
Joanne smiled then, and I knew Rogue had another instant
fan. Kids flock to her. One look from her is all it takes and
they're instantly devoted. It's kind of like the men around here.
Most of them are as taken with her as the kids are. I'm certainly
no exception.
It pisses Jean off something fierce. I used to think it was
because she was jealous of Rogue ever since she'd usurped Jean's
position as the number one object of lust around the mansion. I now
believe that she just doesn't like her. She once called her
a "little southern hussy." That had been right after I, the
disciplinarian of the mansion had let it slide after I caught the
kids drinking. That was the only time I never punished the kids, it
was also the only time I caught Rogue.
"Scott?" "Scott?" "Scott?" Someone was calling me.
"Hmm?" I answered still distracted.
" You wandered off there for a minute, I was just trying to
get ya back to reality." Rogue smirked.
I turned my attention back to the present. Joanne was
clinging to Rogue, and looked both scared and relieved. It hit me
then that Rogue would make some lucky kid an excellent mother
someday. I must have contemplated that thought too long, because
Rogue interrupted my thought train again.
"Scott? You're acting weird. Why don't you take your
daughter around the grounds here? I'm sure she'd love to see them."
And then turning to Joanne "Right sweetie?"
Joanne nodded her head enthusiastically, and I knew then I'd
do anything possible to be able to be the one to put that look on her
face.
"Sure. Rogue would you like to come with us?" I casually
asked.
"Pleaseeeeeeee?" Joanne begged, wringing her little hands
together in a pleading motion.
Rogue just laughed and strode towards me with Joanne still
clinging to her side. Joanne reached out and grabbed onto my right
hand while still holding onto Rogue's left one. We walked around the
entire school grounds like that. Just the three of us. None of us
saw Jean by the door to the lab. Otherwise we would have seen the
hurt expression on her face and would have been more prepared for
what was to come.