The Secret
Chapter Four: Scott
Scott stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He loved the smell of the Professor's leather couches, and – just to look busy, he would wander the library staring at the many pictures that dotted the walls.
Of course, lots of people spent their time looking at the professors art collection or the oil paintings and sculptures he has positioned throughout the mansion. But Scott had long ago tired of them. They were just someone else's fantasies so far as he was concerned.
Instead Scott liked the photographs, and if you knew where to look, there were actually quite a few framed photo's around the mansion.
Scott's favorite photo's were the old black and white ones. One showed Xavier in a white lab coat, shaking hands with his then friend Eric who would go on to become Magneto. In the photo though, they were smiling and affectionate.
Another of the black and white photo's showed Xavier, nestled in the branches of a tree with a long haired woman in his lap. They were laughing, waving, and holding each other.
Scott loved the old black and white photo's, there was no doubt, for one reason alone. In all the black and white photo's, Xavier could still walk.
There were two color pictures of Xavier (that Scott knew of) before his accident.
One was of the Professor standing in line at Portland International Airport. He wore a long dark trench coat and stood below a sign that read "Gate 52". It was a small square photo with a flat finish and the poor, faded color one would expect from the late 60's or early 70's.
The professor had hung it in a small alcove. No one would know it was there unless they had happened to sit in the one spot where Xavier liked to park his chair to read his newspaper.
If you looked real careful, as Scott always did, you could see that Xavier had hand written along the bottom of the photo "Of all things owed to family." Of course, this was half hidden by the frame.
The second color picture of Xavier was Scott's favorite. It was Xavier in a gold colored hard-hat, holding a gold plated shovel at the groundbreaking ceremony for the mansion. He was grinning like a mad-man.
"Scott?" Jean had eased up behind him. "What are you . . . I've never seen this before." She was captivated by the picture. "He looks so happy."
"Thankful." Scott told her.
She studied the face in the picture. She could see delight, exuberance and enthusiasm. But anything beyond that escaped her.
Scott reached out his hand and she took it, lacing her fingers with his.
"Can you guess what I'm thankful for this year?" He asked her playfully.
Jean half rolled her eyes and glanced away before turning her attention back to him. "I know what I'm thankful for." She replied.
"Happy Thanksgiving Jean." He whispered, leaning in and kissing her softly.
