Chapter Six
They ate breakfast in silence, sipping on their coffee as Remy lit up one of his cigarettes. "Owe you a t'hanks, Betsy."
"Why? I only did what we were supposed to do, cover a teammate's back."
"Dat's not it but Remy 'ppreciate dat too. You kep' quiet 'bout what I tol' ya las' night. Could'a made it real nasty in there if ya wanted to."
"I do not want to make things more difficult for you."
"So, ya say. Problem is, you gonna stick to dat once you know everyt'ing? Should Remy risk it?"
"That is entirely up to you. I hope to prove worthy of your trust."
"Seems real strange, Ange hatin' me and his femme tryin' ta be a friend."
Betsy felt angery at the inferred accusation but her mind quickly pointed out the logic of the thought process behind it. Besides, he had not actually accused her, yet, was giving her a chance for rebuttal. "I hope you are not insinuating I am a spy for Warren. Yes, I am in a relationship with him but I would like to thinkg he would not stoop so low as to treat me like some some mutant Mata Hari. I, also, hope I would not sink so low as to tolerate such behavior."
"Ya don' rile easy."
"I know you are testing me. I would probably have done the same if you had approached me when Revanche was here."
Remy stared deeply into his cup. "Sorry 'bout that. Didn't t'ink..."
"Don't, please. I did not bring it up to give you guilt. As we have already stated, you and I hardly know each other beyond the Danger Room. It never hurt that you did not speak to me because I did not expect you to. Actually, if I had not gone through that situation alone, I probably would not be here, now. Up in that house, they are dealing with their various pains and taking comfort from each other, just as they did when they were confused about me. It is hard for them to see past their own pain, to see what they are doing to others. They are like an old family and we are the two impudent new comers. Their coping methods were chosen long before we arrived and have become so ingrained that they fall into them without realizing it."
"Dat why Ange' ain't noticed you down here?"
The question was asked without rancor or spite, only curiosity but it still hurt Betsy. "Yes. He is very hurt and angry and he is turning to those he has always turned to. I do not begrudge it."
"Sorry 'gain. None o' my business."
"Trust is a two way street. I can not honestly expect you to open up to me if I do not reciprocate."
"Remy didn' min' so much, comin' down here. Hurts dem less when 'm not aroun'. Wouldn' even be here if..."
"If what?"
"No ot'er place to go. Burn too many bridges and de one's still standing, don't wanna walk dem no more. 'S like N'Awlins. Knew I was banished but couldn' stay away. 'S where I met Stormy, one o' my secret trips inta there. N'Awlins was home, jus' couldn' stay away. But, now dat Belle's gone, N'Awlins hurt too much, too many memories, so dis is on'y home Remy got. Jus' can't stay away."
"What about your family?"
"Non, if Jean-Luc or Tante eve' fin' out I been in N'Awlins, de hafta kill me. 'S an honor t'ing an' 'm not gonna put dem in that situation."
A heavy silence fell over the kitchen, making the air too oppressive to tolerate. "We have got to get out of here for awhile."
Remy amiled in relief. "Bien, where you wanna go?"
"What do you usually do for fun?"
He smiled at her in amusement. "Ami, Remy don' t'ink it'd be you t'ing."
"Tell me."
"Like ridin' ma bike, playin pool, takin' de pigeon's money."
"Alright."
His eyes opened wide in surprise once again. Though Betsy's clothes were usually as tight as they were stylish, he had never thought of her as less than prim and proper. It was amazing to him that she offer to tag along. Then he smiled. Actually, it would be fun to watch her deal with a rough crowd, and he could do with some fun right now.
"Well, c'mon. Le's get goin' den." He stood up and held out a hand to help her up. They headed to the mansion, sticking to the back paths once again so as not to meet up with anyone.
Walking into the garage, Remy immediately mounted his bike and then smiled at her, waiting to see what she would do. She smiled back and, without hesitation, she settled herself behind him, wrapping her arms loosely around his waist. Trying to cover up his surprise, Remy quickly started the bike and they were quickly flying over the roads at highly illegal speeds.
They ate breakfast in silence, sipping on their coffee as Remy lit up one of his cigarettes. "Owe you a t'hanks, Betsy."
"Why? I only did what we were supposed to do, cover a teammate's back."
"Dat's not it but Remy 'ppreciate dat too. You kep' quiet 'bout what I tol' ya las' night. Could'a made it real nasty in there if ya wanted to."
"I do not want to make things more difficult for you."
"So, ya say. Problem is, you gonna stick to dat once you know everyt'ing? Should Remy risk it?"
"That is entirely up to you. I hope to prove worthy of your trust."
"Seems real strange, Ange hatin' me and his femme tryin' ta be a friend."
Betsy felt angery at the inferred accusation but her mind quickly pointed out the logic of the thought process behind it. Besides, he had not actually accused her, yet, was giving her a chance for rebuttal. "I hope you are not insinuating I am a spy for Warren. Yes, I am in a relationship with him but I would like to thinkg he would not stoop so low as to treat me like some some mutant Mata Hari. I, also, hope I would not sink so low as to tolerate such behavior."
"Ya don' rile easy."
"I know you are testing me. I would probably have done the same if you had approached me when Revanche was here."
Remy stared deeply into his cup. "Sorry 'bout that. Didn't t'ink..."
"Don't, please. I did not bring it up to give you guilt. As we have already stated, you and I hardly know each other beyond the Danger Room. It never hurt that you did not speak to me because I did not expect you to. Actually, if I had not gone through that situation alone, I probably would not be here, now. Up in that house, they are dealing with their various pains and taking comfort from each other, just as they did when they were confused about me. It is hard for them to see past their own pain, to see what they are doing to others. They are like an old family and we are the two impudent new comers. Their coping methods were chosen long before we arrived and have become so ingrained that they fall into them without realizing it."
"Dat why Ange' ain't noticed you down here?"
The question was asked without rancor or spite, only curiosity but it still hurt Betsy. "Yes. He is very hurt and angry and he is turning to those he has always turned to. I do not begrudge it."
"Sorry 'gain. None o' my business."
"Trust is a two way street. I can not honestly expect you to open up to me if I do not reciprocate."
"Remy didn' min' so much, comin' down here. Hurts dem less when 'm not aroun'. Wouldn' even be here if..."
"If what?"
"No ot'er place to go. Burn too many bridges and de one's still standing, don't wanna walk dem no more. 'S like N'Awlins. Knew I was banished but couldn' stay away. 'S where I met Stormy, one o' my secret trips inta there. N'Awlins was home, jus' couldn' stay away. But, now dat Belle's gone, N'Awlins hurt too much, too many memories, so dis is on'y home Remy got. Jus' can't stay away."
"What about your family?"
"Non, if Jean-Luc or Tante eve' fin' out I been in N'Awlins, de hafta kill me. 'S an honor t'ing an' 'm not gonna put dem in that situation."
A heavy silence fell over the kitchen, making the air too oppressive to tolerate. "We have got to get out of here for awhile."
Remy amiled in relief. "Bien, where you wanna go?"
"What do you usually do for fun?"
He smiled at her in amusement. "Ami, Remy don' t'ink it'd be you t'ing."
"Tell me."
"Like ridin' ma bike, playin pool, takin' de pigeon's money."
"Alright."
His eyes opened wide in surprise once again. Though Betsy's clothes were usually as tight as they were stylish, he had never thought of her as less than prim and proper. It was amazing to him that she offer to tag along. Then he smiled. Actually, it would be fun to watch her deal with a rough crowd, and he could do with some fun right now.
"Well, c'mon. Le's get goin' den." He stood up and held out a hand to help her up. They headed to the mansion, sticking to the back paths once again so as not to meet up with anyone.
Walking into the garage, Remy immediately mounted his bike and then smiled at her, waiting to see what she would do. She smiled back and, without hesitation, she settled herself behind him, wrapping her arms loosely around his waist. Trying to cover up his surprise, Remy quickly started the bike and they were quickly flying over the roads at highly illegal speeds.