Wesley couldn't remember much of the time between his picnic and Monday morning. What he was aware of when he made his way to his store on Monday was that Ororo would be here. She would be looking at his store, forming an opinion about it, about him… and he was nervous. Possibly over-reacting, but definitely nervous.
So he fussed about his store, trying to ensure that it would look presentable. He made certain that the books that should go out were ready, that the announcements for soon to be released books were up to date, that the sections of histories and natural sciences and the supernatural section were orderly. Oh yes, he was fussing, engaging in what his employees called 'micro-managing'. Finally, he made his way to the office to indulge in a cup of tea.
It was just as he was contemplating having a second cup that one of his employees tapped at the door. "Mr. Wyndham-Price? You… umm… there's a woman out front, she said you were expecting her. Tall, white hair, dark skin…"
Wesley couldn't get out of his chair fast enough. "Yes, yes, I am expecting her."
As they walked back out to the front, Wesley ignored the soft mutter from Ben. 'That explains the whole nervous thing… she's hot.'
There she was, a glorious sight to behold. "Ororo… It's good to see you. Would you… ah… I could offer you a cup of tea?"
She smiled, her eyes twinkling like fine sapphires. "So very British of you… I think that might be nice."
Wesley offered her his arm, feeling rather self-conscious. He wondered if everybody in the entire store was staring at them, or if it was just his own insecurity. They made their way back to his office, Wesley feeling nervous and having that utter certainty that there were eyes watching him, and Ororo smiling. He offered her the seat, feeling glad that things were much neater than when he'd talked to Evan and Kurt. "Sugar or cream in your tea?"
"Wesley, I don't bite. And nobody is here watching you." She smiled as she accepted the cup of tea. "I… I must confess that I don't have very many… I don't have very many dates. And there do seem to be quite a few people feeling protective."
Wesley could only smile at that understatement. "I'd noticed that. The protectiveness, that is, not… ahh… Why wouldn't you have more dates? I can't see any reason why, unless your family have been chasing them away."
"There are a good many people who would be reluctant to date a mutant. There are also some… I did not grow up in America, and my reactions are not the same as those of someone who did. That also seems to unsettle some people." She held the cup carefully, as if it was very fragile, and blew gently at the tea's surface, sending the wisps of steam spiraling in new directions.
"Perhaps the American reactions are…." Wesley stopped himself, deciding that it would not be wise to insinuate that Americans were lacking, especially considering that as near as he could tell, all her family were American. "America is not the whole world, and there are plenty of other people who do not feel things must always be done in the American tradition."
"Someone like you, perhaps?" There was a hint of humor in her voice.
Wesley could feel himself blushing. "Well… yes. And I'm not going to avoid you for being a mutant, or... Well, I must confess it felt rather awkward to have so many people looking at me so oddly. I wasn't quite certain if they were trying to figure out what I was after, or how to throw me out."
She laughed, a beautiful sound like the gentle fall of water. "Perhaps some of them were. But I promise not to let them. I would like to get to know you better. Do you like seafood?"
Wesley smiled, encouraged by what she'd said. She didn't want to let them chase him off… that had to mean that he had at least some chance, right? "Seafood can be quite good. I hadn't… is there a particularly good place in the area? I've only been here a few months, and I haven't done too much exploring."
"I know a very good place. We can go there one evening – are any of them particularly bad for you?" She sipped at her tea, watching him.
"I don't really have too much… oh, shipments arrive on Tuesdays, those are normally spent organizing the newly arrived books. Other than that…" Wesley made a small shrug, confident that there was absolutely nothing currently going on that couldn't' be rescheduled for Ororo. "Is there a day that's better for you?"
"Maybe we could try for this Thursday?" Wesley offered, hands busy with his own cup of tea.
"That sounds… very good. Can you pick me up at the mansion, perhaps at seven?" She looked at him, a small hopeful smile on her face.
"I would be delighted." Wesley meant it, already delighted by the idea. Now all he had to do was survive the anticipation.
End part 13.
So he fussed about his store, trying to ensure that it would look presentable. He made certain that the books that should go out were ready, that the announcements for soon to be released books were up to date, that the sections of histories and natural sciences and the supernatural section were orderly. Oh yes, he was fussing, engaging in what his employees called 'micro-managing'. Finally, he made his way to the office to indulge in a cup of tea.
It was just as he was contemplating having a second cup that one of his employees tapped at the door. "Mr. Wyndham-Price? You… umm… there's a woman out front, she said you were expecting her. Tall, white hair, dark skin…"
Wesley couldn't get out of his chair fast enough. "Yes, yes, I am expecting her."
As they walked back out to the front, Wesley ignored the soft mutter from Ben. 'That explains the whole nervous thing… she's hot.'
There she was, a glorious sight to behold. "Ororo… It's good to see you. Would you… ah… I could offer you a cup of tea?"
She smiled, her eyes twinkling like fine sapphires. "So very British of you… I think that might be nice."
Wesley offered her his arm, feeling rather self-conscious. He wondered if everybody in the entire store was staring at them, or if it was just his own insecurity. They made their way back to his office, Wesley feeling nervous and having that utter certainty that there were eyes watching him, and Ororo smiling. He offered her the seat, feeling glad that things were much neater than when he'd talked to Evan and Kurt. "Sugar or cream in your tea?"
"Wesley, I don't bite. And nobody is here watching you." She smiled as she accepted the cup of tea. "I… I must confess that I don't have very many… I don't have very many dates. And there do seem to be quite a few people feeling protective."
Wesley could only smile at that understatement. "I'd noticed that. The protectiveness, that is, not… ahh… Why wouldn't you have more dates? I can't see any reason why, unless your family have been chasing them away."
"There are a good many people who would be reluctant to date a mutant. There are also some… I did not grow up in America, and my reactions are not the same as those of someone who did. That also seems to unsettle some people." She held the cup carefully, as if it was very fragile, and blew gently at the tea's surface, sending the wisps of steam spiraling in new directions.
"Perhaps the American reactions are…." Wesley stopped himself, deciding that it would not be wise to insinuate that Americans were lacking, especially considering that as near as he could tell, all her family were American. "America is not the whole world, and there are plenty of other people who do not feel things must always be done in the American tradition."
"Someone like you, perhaps?" There was a hint of humor in her voice.
Wesley could feel himself blushing. "Well… yes. And I'm not going to avoid you for being a mutant, or... Well, I must confess it felt rather awkward to have so many people looking at me so oddly. I wasn't quite certain if they were trying to figure out what I was after, or how to throw me out."
She laughed, a beautiful sound like the gentle fall of water. "Perhaps some of them were. But I promise not to let them. I would like to get to know you better. Do you like seafood?"
Wesley smiled, encouraged by what she'd said. She didn't want to let them chase him off… that had to mean that he had at least some chance, right? "Seafood can be quite good. I hadn't… is there a particularly good place in the area? I've only been here a few months, and I haven't done too much exploring."
"I know a very good place. We can go there one evening – are any of them particularly bad for you?" She sipped at her tea, watching him.
"I don't really have too much… oh, shipments arrive on Tuesdays, those are normally spent organizing the newly arrived books. Other than that…" Wesley made a small shrug, confident that there was absolutely nothing currently going on that couldn't' be rescheduled for Ororo. "Is there a day that's better for you?"
"Maybe we could try for this Thursday?" Wesley offered, hands busy with his own cup of tea.
"That sounds… very good. Can you pick me up at the mansion, perhaps at seven?" She looked at him, a small hopeful smile on her face.
"I would be delighted." Wesley meant it, already delighted by the idea. Now all he had to do was survive the anticipation.
End part 13.