Disclaimer: The X-Men do not belong to me the only character that belongs to me is Adalida Savannah Phillips (AKA Whisper). This is strictly for entertainment purposes and no money is being made.
A/N Greetings Y'all thanks for readin' this! I just wanted t' know the PPP are gone!! But b'fore y' start celebratin' I have a new muse. It's this weird lil' plastic fuzzy green bird that came in a chocolate egg that now mah sister-in-law brought back from Germany. I'm startin' t' miss the PPP this thing's strange. Well, enjoy N-E-Ways! Thanks t' Wendy, Kristi, an' mah brother for all the support. Y'all are the best!
~Thought~
*Psychic thought*
A Whisper In the Night
Chapter 5
Hidden Discoveries
By: Rogue Marie LeBeau
~Hmmm ah can't believe ah have all this space for clothes, ~ Addie mused, ~If ah had all the clothes ah owned in the last five years they wouldn't fill up all o' these drawers~
At the end of the room was a large chest of drawers and next to the closet was a dresser. She put her uniforms and dress in there and lovingly laid her mother's brush set and perfume on top. On the mirror she stuck the picture of her and Marie and the one of Remy and Marie on their wedding day.
~The closet's a nice size t'~ she thought as she opened the door ~Ah'll have t' ask Jean 'bout hangers~
Just when Adalida was about to shut the door something caught her eye. Something was propped up in the back left corner. She reached in and pulled out a guitar.
It was a light wood and looked very similar to the one that Addie's grandma had given her when she was twelve.
~It musta been Marie's. Ah remember her sayin' she played. Ah wonder why it's in here though? ~
Addie sat on the bed and strummed the strings. She had to leave her guitar back home. Then she noticed an envelope taped to the back. She was shocked to see her name written on the front in her sister's handwriting. With trembling hands she gently opened the envelope and read what Marie had written.
Addie,
I'm so glad y' decided t' come t' the mansion after all. I know you'll be safe and loved here. Things may get tough at some point but stick 'em out I know everything'll be OK. Try not t' let Jean an' Jubes getcha into too much trouble. Stay the same sis. This song is for y' it's the best advice I could give y'. I love you always.
Love your big sis,
Marie
Tears rolled down Addie's cheeks and she grasped the letter tight in her hands. Then she pulled out some sheets of music. It was one of her favorite songs.
~Ah'll cherish this always~
She gently folded the music and put it in her drawer saving it for later. Addie was touched at the fact that Marie had sent her that one song.
~But how did she know ah'd come? ~ She wondered.
She chuckled. ~Ah guess she just knew me better than ah knew mahself. ~
Addie brushed from her face some stray hairs that had made their way loose from her ponytail. She held the guitar on her lap and played some chords of a song that her grandma had taught her.
Her 'Mom-maw' had taught her to play the guitar the summer that Addie had turned twelve.
Addie's Mom-maw was born and raised in the bayous of New Orleans. She was Addie's mother's mother and she had adored Addie. Jolie Adalida LaChapelle was the one whom Addie had been named after. She was also a surrogate mother to Addie after her own had died. Jolie had taught her to cook, to laugh, but most importantly to play the guitar. Great-Grandpa Duprix had taught Jolie to play when she was a little girl and Jolie had taught Addie. Her Mom-maw had been her best friend and protector from the time that Addie's mother had died when Addie was ten until the fall of her fifteenth year when Jolie suffered a stroke and passed away.
Addie strummed out one of the many songs that Mom-maw Jolie had taught her. One that Grandpa Duprix had written about a poor barefoot Cajun swamp girl who was really a French princess. She played it from memory, tapping her foot, and singing in her soft sweet soprano. When she had finished she was greeted by the sound of applause. Addie, startled, looked up to see Jean standing there smiling.
"That was beautiful Addie. Where did you learn to play and sing like that?"
Addie blushed deeply at the compliment. She wasn't used to playing for an audience.
"Mah Mom-maw taught me" she replied with a shy smile.
"Well, you should play for everyone sometime you're very good." Jean told her honestly.
"Ah don't know. The guitar's not even mine its Marie's" Addie explained.
"I'm sure Gambit won't mind if you kept it. I'm sure that's what Marie would have wanted" Jean assured her.
"Y' might be right but ah'll ask Remy just t' be safe." she replied laying the guitar back in the closet.
"Are you ready to go shopping?" Jean asked.
"Sure am" Addie told her with a smile as they left the room.
Jubilee came out of her own room across the hall to join the other two women.
"OK ladies off we go," she said enthusiastically while putting on her new sunglasses.
The three women headed down the stairs and into the front hallway.
"Hey Jean what car are we taking?" Jubilee asked. Before Jean had a chance to answer Logan came out of the rec room.
"We'll take the hummer" he answered Jubilee with the keys already in his hand.
All Jean and Jubilee could do was to look at each other in complete shock. Jubilee for once in her life was speechless. Finally Jean broke in.
"Uh Logan you want to go shopping with us voluntarily? No blackmail, no begging just of your own freewill?" Her eyes were huge.
Adalida just stood there uncertain at exactly what was going on. She had a good idea that Logan didn't usually care for shopping.
"Sure" and then he added "I thought ya could use someone t' help ya carry things. Hey I'm in such a good mood" he looked at Addie "I'll even buy dinner"
This finally broke Jubilee's silence. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"OK Wolvie what's in this for you? How long are we gonna have to do your chores?"
"Nope Jubes nothin' like that. Can't a guy just wanna spend the day with three beautiful women?" he asked with a smile.
Addie was so embarrassed all she could do was turn bright red and stare at her shoes. No man had ever said she was beautiful. Well, no man except Emil and he had been joking when he had said it.
~Don't be silly Adalida~ she told herself ~of course Logan's jokin'. More than likely he's got some errand t' run an's just bein' nice. ~
"OK, OK" Jean told him still snickering. "If you insist."
"Yeah" Jubilee added "Free dinner sounds good t' me. Leaves more money for clothes and stuff."
Jubilee and Jean each grabbed Addie by an arm and followed after Logan to the hummer that he had already moved out front.
"We'll all sit in the back," Jean told Jubilee and Addie.
Jubilee giggled like she was twelve again. "This is like having our own personal chauffeur."
As if on cue Logan opened the back door for the three women.
"After you ladies"
The three climbed into the back seat of the hummer.
"Logan, are you feeling alright?" Jean asked him after he had climbed into the driver's seat.
"Right as rain" he answered with a grin as he drove the large black hummer out of the driveway.
**************************************************************************************************
Thirty minutes later they reached the Salem Center mall. Jubilee and Adalida had talked the whole way there.
~Actually Jubilee talked. Addie just nodded here and there. Poor girl couldn't have gotten a word in if she had tried~ Jean thought with a smile as she climbed out of the SUV.
Logan hadn't really been watching the road as he drove. He had been watching Adalida.
~Oh no~ Jean thought ~not Addie~
Not that Jean didn't like Addie, in fact she thought the girl was a sweetheart. And Logan had been one of her best friends for what seemed like forever. She just didn't think they were right for each other.
Logan needed a woman who could stand up to him. Maybe in the future Addie could do that, but right now she seemed so fragile. Jean suspected she had been abused. What she needed was a man who would be gentle and tender with her. Logan could be like that Jean knew, but his dominance and passion might overwhelm Addie.
~Oh well~ Jean reasoned ~I'm staying out of it unless asked. ~
"Ready girls?" Jean asked pulling out her plastic.
"Jean" Jubilee answered shaking her head at the question "You can ask Whisper that, but you should know me better. When have I not been ready to shop?"
Jean laughed. "OK got me there." She turned to Addie "Are you ready?"
Addie's eyes grew large at the size of the mall.
"Wow ah'm a lil' stunned but yeah ah guess ah'm as ready as ah'll get."
"Alright then, off to the hunt" Jean told her as she opened the mall door.
**************************************************************************************************
Two hours, five stores, and fifteen bags later Addie sat on a bench to catch her breath. Logan sat with her his arms full of her bags.
"OK" Jean told her "Just two more stores and then we're done."
Adalida couldn't believe her ears. She had gotten ten pairs of shorts, fifteen tops, six sundresses, and four skirts. She had been to the shoe store and had gotten tennis shoes, sandals, dress sandals, silver dress shoes, and a pair of fuzzy slippers.
She looked from Jean to Jubilee and asked them, "What've ah forgot?"
"Sometimes the X-Men have formal occasions so you'll need a couple of formal dresses." Jean explained.
"But first" Jubilee chimed in "We have t' go over there." Jubilee pointed to the store diagonal to where they now sat.
First, all the color drained from Adalida's face then it turned beet red. She completely avoided Logan's amused gaze.
"Ah ah uh Know ah need" she stuttered "Underthings" she added in a voice barely audible. "But why there?"
"Oh come on Whisper" Jubilee begged, "They have the nicest things."
Adalida turned to Jean for help but all that Jean would do was smile and nod her head in agreement.
"But what about?" Whisper didn't continue she just sneaked a sideways glance at Logan.
He noticed her uneasiness.
"It's alright darlin'. I have some things t' do myself. I'll just put your stuff in the hummer and meet you ladies at Bradfield's in forty-five minutes. We have t' be back t' the mansion by seven. I have night duty t'night."
"Wow, Bradfield's, cool" Jubilee handed Logan her bags. "Thanks Wolvie"
Wolverine headed for the hummer and his quest. Jubilee and Jean led Adalida to the store diagonally from them. Victoria's Secret.
**************************************************************************************************
Addie had chosen seven sets of pretty but sensible bras and panties. She had picked out three cotton nightshirts, one knee length eyelet nightgown, and three sets of satin PJs. All laid out in a neat pile to her left in the dressing room.
~This is way t' much~ Addie thought.
But what really concerned her lay in a pile to her left.
An equal number of bra and panty sets, nightgowns, and PJs.
~If y' can call 'em that~ she mused.
To Addie all those things together seemed to have less fabric than more set of her PJs.
~OK~ she admitted ~they have some fabric~ She held up one of the nightgowns. ~But it's see through. ~
Jean knocked on the door. "Are you OK Addie?"
"Sure Jean, it's just ah was raised by mah Mom-maw from the time ah was ten 'til ah was fifteen. Ah couldn't imagine what she'd say 'bout all o' this" Adalida admitted.
"Oh Addie" Jean laughed. "Your a grown woman now! She'd probably like that you had such pretty things."
"Yer probably right Jean" Addie agreed.
Jubilee walked up with the last item in hand.
"Here" she said handing it to Jean "This'll be perfect no matter what dress she gets."
Jean passed it over the top of the door.
"What's this?" Addie asked.
"It's a bustier," Jubilee told her. "It'll push you up and it's strapless so it'll look great with whatever dress ya get."
Adalida slipped it on. She had to admit it was pretty, white satin and lace. Then she looked in the mirror. It accentuated every curve she had and showed off more cleavage then she ever thought possible.
"Mah Mom-maw would kill me if she saw me in this. Gawd bless her soul." She exclaimed.
Both Jean and Jubilee giggled at the remark.
"Come on Whisper it'll look great." Jubilee encouraged.
"Addie hand me everything," Jean told her.
Adalida slipped out of the bustier and handed all the things to Jean.
"Here Jubilee take these up to the register and check-out we'll be there in a sec."
"Sure Jean. We have t' hurry. We still gotta get her a couple of dresses and we're supposed t' meet Wolvie in twenty-five minutes." Jubilee took the huge pile of lingerie and headed for the register.
Adalida came out of the dressing room dressed and ready for the next task.
"Ah feel like a giant Barbie doll." She said with a giggle.
Jean giggled in reply.
"Well, Jubilee and I have had a great time 'playing Barbie'. Now my favorite part the dresses."
Addie had already had a wonderful time. The only person she had ever shopped with had been her Mom-maw at least eight years ago. Most of the clothes she owned at home were from then and fit poorly. The others were old castoffs from various charities. They had all seen better days. She felt like all of this was a dream.
Not just all of the beautiful clothes but most importantly she had friends. Why they cared when they didn't even know her was beyond her. But they did.
Jean had taken note of Addie's anxiousness with the lingerie. Even though most of Adalida's mental blocks were still up, Jean was hearing a few things loud and clear.
Addie was broadcasting loudly some very strong emotions. Unworthiness, insecurities, embarrassment. But Jean was getting one thing louder than the rest. Addie honestly thought of herself as unattractive. Some of the thoughts were worse. Someone had convinced Addie of this and Jean was pretty sure this had happened most of her life.
~She just doesn't see the truth she's beautiful. Addie's turned the heads of at least three X-men just in the two days that she's been here. Bobby, Hank, and especially Logan. Heck I've even seen Scott take a second look. ~ Jean thought with a grin.
Jean hadn't seen her with Gambit yet but she was sure that even the heartbroken Gambit would have to admit Adalida was a very attractive woman.
"Addie can I ask you a question?" Jean asked.
Addie looked around slightly uncomfortable.
"Sure Jean but is it OK if ah don't answer?" Addie asked.
"Of course" then Jean continued, "Have you ever dated?"
Adalida shook her head no.
"Ah had a guy friend once. He even taught me t' drive, but one day he just stopped comin' round."
Jean had figured as much. Now she was even more concerned about Logan's quick and apparent infatuation. She wouldn't say anything right now. If she felt that there was a threat to Addie's heart, though, she wouldn't hesitate to protect her.
"Thanks for trusting me with that." Jean told her friend. Then she continued after looking at her watch. "Wow, we better hurry we only have twenty minutes."
They joined Jubilee at the register, where everything had been rang up. Jean paid for it and divided up the bags between the three of them.
"On t' the formal wear store." Jubilee exclaimed and off they went.
**************************************************************************************************
Adalida stood modeling her choice of a dress. A plain, straight, knee length sheath dress made of gray satin.
~Plain, simple, boring~ thought Jubilee ~she needs t' try something more daring, less boring~
"Hold on a sec" Jubilee told her before taking off to search the racks.
"That looks nice." Jean said to Addie who was heading back into the dressing room.
"Jean pst" Jubilee whispered holding up her find.
Jean's eyes grew large and her jaw dropped. She nodded her enthusiastic approval to Jubilee.
Jubilee reached in one of the bags and pulled out the bustier. She handed both that and the dress over the dressing room door.
Both Jean and Jubilee smiled at Addie's surprised gasp.
Adalida couldn't believe the price tag.
"Um, Jean" she started to say.
Jean cut her off. "Just try it on. Don't even think about the price. I'll take care of it."
Adalida complied. Finally she stepped out of the dressing room and was greeted with oohs and ahs.
Whisper stood there in the most beautiful dress that Jubilee or Jean had ever seen.
The bodice was made of pure white silk. It showed just the slightest amount of cleavage not indecent but very sexy. The silk skirt fell just above her knees. Over the top of the skirt was a sheer white material that hung from the waist like the petals of a flower. The sheer material was dusted with small silver sparkles. Two silver chains led from the top of the dress, over her shoulders, crisscrossing, and down to the low dropped back of the dress.
"Look in the mirror Addie." Jean told her.
Adalida turned and looked in the full-length mirror. She twirled and the skirt twirled with her. She turned around and hugged Jubilee and Jean.
"It's the most beautiful dress Ah've ever seen. Thank y' both." she whispered.
Addie went to the dressing room to change. Jean and Jubilee gave each other the thumbs up.
Jean paid for both dresses.
"There" she told Addie. "That'll do you for a little while at least."
"Thank y' Jean" Addie said to her.
"You're welcome Addie it's been fun." Jean said with a smile.
"OK guys" Jubilee told them picking up the bags she had been carrying. "We better go. Wolvie gets grumpy if he has t' wait on dinner."
They laughed and headed for the direction of Bradfield's.
**************************************************************************************************
"Thanks for dinner Wolvie. Wow that place is so nice. We did so much shopping today." Jubilee rattled off everywhere they went after he left.
Jean was certain he didn't hear a word. He had talked Jean into driving home. Good news for them. Logan wouldn't have paid any attention to the road. He was far too busy sneaking glances at Addie in the rear view mirror. Adalida sat with her head to the side, peacefully sleeping and totally oblivious to the enamored Logan.
______________________________________________________________________
Please review y'all thanks:
A/N Greetings Y'all thanks for readin' this! I just wanted t' know the PPP are gone!! But b'fore y' start celebratin' I have a new muse. It's this weird lil' plastic fuzzy green bird that came in a chocolate egg that now mah sister-in-law brought back from Germany. I'm startin' t' miss the PPP this thing's strange. Well, enjoy N-E-Ways! Thanks t' Wendy, Kristi, an' mah brother for all the support. Y'all are the best!
~Thought~
*Psychic thought*
A Whisper In the Night
Chapter 5
Hidden Discoveries
By: Rogue Marie LeBeau
~Hmmm ah can't believe ah have all this space for clothes, ~ Addie mused, ~If ah had all the clothes ah owned in the last five years they wouldn't fill up all o' these drawers~
At the end of the room was a large chest of drawers and next to the closet was a dresser. She put her uniforms and dress in there and lovingly laid her mother's brush set and perfume on top. On the mirror she stuck the picture of her and Marie and the one of Remy and Marie on their wedding day.
~The closet's a nice size t'~ she thought as she opened the door ~Ah'll have t' ask Jean 'bout hangers~
Just when Adalida was about to shut the door something caught her eye. Something was propped up in the back left corner. She reached in and pulled out a guitar.
It was a light wood and looked very similar to the one that Addie's grandma had given her when she was twelve.
~It musta been Marie's. Ah remember her sayin' she played. Ah wonder why it's in here though? ~
Addie sat on the bed and strummed the strings. She had to leave her guitar back home. Then she noticed an envelope taped to the back. She was shocked to see her name written on the front in her sister's handwriting. With trembling hands she gently opened the envelope and read what Marie had written.
Addie,
I'm so glad y' decided t' come t' the mansion after all. I know you'll be safe and loved here. Things may get tough at some point but stick 'em out I know everything'll be OK. Try not t' let Jean an' Jubes getcha into too much trouble. Stay the same sis. This song is for y' it's the best advice I could give y'. I love you always.
Love your big sis,
Marie
Tears rolled down Addie's cheeks and she grasped the letter tight in her hands. Then she pulled out some sheets of music. It was one of her favorite songs.
~Ah'll cherish this always~
She gently folded the music and put it in her drawer saving it for later. Addie was touched at the fact that Marie had sent her that one song.
~But how did she know ah'd come? ~ She wondered.
She chuckled. ~Ah guess she just knew me better than ah knew mahself. ~
Addie brushed from her face some stray hairs that had made their way loose from her ponytail. She held the guitar on her lap and played some chords of a song that her grandma had taught her.
Her 'Mom-maw' had taught her to play the guitar the summer that Addie had turned twelve.
Addie's Mom-maw was born and raised in the bayous of New Orleans. She was Addie's mother's mother and she had adored Addie. Jolie Adalida LaChapelle was the one whom Addie had been named after. She was also a surrogate mother to Addie after her own had died. Jolie had taught her to cook, to laugh, but most importantly to play the guitar. Great-Grandpa Duprix had taught Jolie to play when she was a little girl and Jolie had taught Addie. Her Mom-maw had been her best friend and protector from the time that Addie's mother had died when Addie was ten until the fall of her fifteenth year when Jolie suffered a stroke and passed away.
Addie strummed out one of the many songs that Mom-maw Jolie had taught her. One that Grandpa Duprix had written about a poor barefoot Cajun swamp girl who was really a French princess. She played it from memory, tapping her foot, and singing in her soft sweet soprano. When she had finished she was greeted by the sound of applause. Addie, startled, looked up to see Jean standing there smiling.
"That was beautiful Addie. Where did you learn to play and sing like that?"
Addie blushed deeply at the compliment. She wasn't used to playing for an audience.
"Mah Mom-maw taught me" she replied with a shy smile.
"Well, you should play for everyone sometime you're very good." Jean told her honestly.
"Ah don't know. The guitar's not even mine its Marie's" Addie explained.
"I'm sure Gambit won't mind if you kept it. I'm sure that's what Marie would have wanted" Jean assured her.
"Y' might be right but ah'll ask Remy just t' be safe." she replied laying the guitar back in the closet.
"Are you ready to go shopping?" Jean asked.
"Sure am" Addie told her with a smile as they left the room.
Jubilee came out of her own room across the hall to join the other two women.
"OK ladies off we go," she said enthusiastically while putting on her new sunglasses.
The three women headed down the stairs and into the front hallway.
"Hey Jean what car are we taking?" Jubilee asked. Before Jean had a chance to answer Logan came out of the rec room.
"We'll take the hummer" he answered Jubilee with the keys already in his hand.
All Jean and Jubilee could do was to look at each other in complete shock. Jubilee for once in her life was speechless. Finally Jean broke in.
"Uh Logan you want to go shopping with us voluntarily? No blackmail, no begging just of your own freewill?" Her eyes were huge.
Adalida just stood there uncertain at exactly what was going on. She had a good idea that Logan didn't usually care for shopping.
"Sure" and then he added "I thought ya could use someone t' help ya carry things. Hey I'm in such a good mood" he looked at Addie "I'll even buy dinner"
This finally broke Jubilee's silence. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"OK Wolvie what's in this for you? How long are we gonna have to do your chores?"
"Nope Jubes nothin' like that. Can't a guy just wanna spend the day with three beautiful women?" he asked with a smile.
Addie was so embarrassed all she could do was turn bright red and stare at her shoes. No man had ever said she was beautiful. Well, no man except Emil and he had been joking when he had said it.
~Don't be silly Adalida~ she told herself ~of course Logan's jokin'. More than likely he's got some errand t' run an's just bein' nice. ~
"OK, OK" Jean told him still snickering. "If you insist."
"Yeah" Jubilee added "Free dinner sounds good t' me. Leaves more money for clothes and stuff."
Jubilee and Jean each grabbed Addie by an arm and followed after Logan to the hummer that he had already moved out front.
"We'll all sit in the back," Jean told Jubilee and Addie.
Jubilee giggled like she was twelve again. "This is like having our own personal chauffeur."
As if on cue Logan opened the back door for the three women.
"After you ladies"
The three climbed into the back seat of the hummer.
"Logan, are you feeling alright?" Jean asked him after he had climbed into the driver's seat.
"Right as rain" he answered with a grin as he drove the large black hummer out of the driveway.
**************************************************************************************************
Thirty minutes later they reached the Salem Center mall. Jubilee and Adalida had talked the whole way there.
~Actually Jubilee talked. Addie just nodded here and there. Poor girl couldn't have gotten a word in if she had tried~ Jean thought with a smile as she climbed out of the SUV.
Logan hadn't really been watching the road as he drove. He had been watching Adalida.
~Oh no~ Jean thought ~not Addie~
Not that Jean didn't like Addie, in fact she thought the girl was a sweetheart. And Logan had been one of her best friends for what seemed like forever. She just didn't think they were right for each other.
Logan needed a woman who could stand up to him. Maybe in the future Addie could do that, but right now she seemed so fragile. Jean suspected she had been abused. What she needed was a man who would be gentle and tender with her. Logan could be like that Jean knew, but his dominance and passion might overwhelm Addie.
~Oh well~ Jean reasoned ~I'm staying out of it unless asked. ~
"Ready girls?" Jean asked pulling out her plastic.
"Jean" Jubilee answered shaking her head at the question "You can ask Whisper that, but you should know me better. When have I not been ready to shop?"
Jean laughed. "OK got me there." She turned to Addie "Are you ready?"
Addie's eyes grew large at the size of the mall.
"Wow ah'm a lil' stunned but yeah ah guess ah'm as ready as ah'll get."
"Alright then, off to the hunt" Jean told her as she opened the mall door.
**************************************************************************************************
Two hours, five stores, and fifteen bags later Addie sat on a bench to catch her breath. Logan sat with her his arms full of her bags.
"OK" Jean told her "Just two more stores and then we're done."
Adalida couldn't believe her ears. She had gotten ten pairs of shorts, fifteen tops, six sundresses, and four skirts. She had been to the shoe store and had gotten tennis shoes, sandals, dress sandals, silver dress shoes, and a pair of fuzzy slippers.
She looked from Jean to Jubilee and asked them, "What've ah forgot?"
"Sometimes the X-Men have formal occasions so you'll need a couple of formal dresses." Jean explained.
"But first" Jubilee chimed in "We have t' go over there." Jubilee pointed to the store diagonal to where they now sat.
First, all the color drained from Adalida's face then it turned beet red. She completely avoided Logan's amused gaze.
"Ah ah uh Know ah need" she stuttered "Underthings" she added in a voice barely audible. "But why there?"
"Oh come on Whisper" Jubilee begged, "They have the nicest things."
Adalida turned to Jean for help but all that Jean would do was smile and nod her head in agreement.
"But what about?" Whisper didn't continue she just sneaked a sideways glance at Logan.
He noticed her uneasiness.
"It's alright darlin'. I have some things t' do myself. I'll just put your stuff in the hummer and meet you ladies at Bradfield's in forty-five minutes. We have t' be back t' the mansion by seven. I have night duty t'night."
"Wow, Bradfield's, cool" Jubilee handed Logan her bags. "Thanks Wolvie"
Wolverine headed for the hummer and his quest. Jubilee and Jean led Adalida to the store diagonally from them. Victoria's Secret.
**************************************************************************************************
Addie had chosen seven sets of pretty but sensible bras and panties. She had picked out three cotton nightshirts, one knee length eyelet nightgown, and three sets of satin PJs. All laid out in a neat pile to her left in the dressing room.
~This is way t' much~ Addie thought.
But what really concerned her lay in a pile to her left.
An equal number of bra and panty sets, nightgowns, and PJs.
~If y' can call 'em that~ she mused.
To Addie all those things together seemed to have less fabric than more set of her PJs.
~OK~ she admitted ~they have some fabric~ She held up one of the nightgowns. ~But it's see through. ~
Jean knocked on the door. "Are you OK Addie?"
"Sure Jean, it's just ah was raised by mah Mom-maw from the time ah was ten 'til ah was fifteen. Ah couldn't imagine what she'd say 'bout all o' this" Adalida admitted.
"Oh Addie" Jean laughed. "Your a grown woman now! She'd probably like that you had such pretty things."
"Yer probably right Jean" Addie agreed.
Jubilee walked up with the last item in hand.
"Here" she said handing it to Jean "This'll be perfect no matter what dress she gets."
Jean passed it over the top of the door.
"What's this?" Addie asked.
"It's a bustier," Jubilee told her. "It'll push you up and it's strapless so it'll look great with whatever dress ya get."
Adalida slipped it on. She had to admit it was pretty, white satin and lace. Then she looked in the mirror. It accentuated every curve she had and showed off more cleavage then she ever thought possible.
"Mah Mom-maw would kill me if she saw me in this. Gawd bless her soul." She exclaimed.
Both Jean and Jubilee giggled at the remark.
"Come on Whisper it'll look great." Jubilee encouraged.
"Addie hand me everything," Jean told her.
Adalida slipped out of the bustier and handed all the things to Jean.
"Here Jubilee take these up to the register and check-out we'll be there in a sec."
"Sure Jean. We have t' hurry. We still gotta get her a couple of dresses and we're supposed t' meet Wolvie in twenty-five minutes." Jubilee took the huge pile of lingerie and headed for the register.
Adalida came out of the dressing room dressed and ready for the next task.
"Ah feel like a giant Barbie doll." She said with a giggle.
Jean giggled in reply.
"Well, Jubilee and I have had a great time 'playing Barbie'. Now my favorite part the dresses."
Addie had already had a wonderful time. The only person she had ever shopped with had been her Mom-maw at least eight years ago. Most of the clothes she owned at home were from then and fit poorly. The others were old castoffs from various charities. They had all seen better days. She felt like all of this was a dream.
Not just all of the beautiful clothes but most importantly she had friends. Why they cared when they didn't even know her was beyond her. But they did.
Jean had taken note of Addie's anxiousness with the lingerie. Even though most of Adalida's mental blocks were still up, Jean was hearing a few things loud and clear.
Addie was broadcasting loudly some very strong emotions. Unworthiness, insecurities, embarrassment. But Jean was getting one thing louder than the rest. Addie honestly thought of herself as unattractive. Some of the thoughts were worse. Someone had convinced Addie of this and Jean was pretty sure this had happened most of her life.
~She just doesn't see the truth she's beautiful. Addie's turned the heads of at least three X-men just in the two days that she's been here. Bobby, Hank, and especially Logan. Heck I've even seen Scott take a second look. ~ Jean thought with a grin.
Jean hadn't seen her with Gambit yet but she was sure that even the heartbroken Gambit would have to admit Adalida was a very attractive woman.
"Addie can I ask you a question?" Jean asked.
Addie looked around slightly uncomfortable.
"Sure Jean but is it OK if ah don't answer?" Addie asked.
"Of course" then Jean continued, "Have you ever dated?"
Adalida shook her head no.
"Ah had a guy friend once. He even taught me t' drive, but one day he just stopped comin' round."
Jean had figured as much. Now she was even more concerned about Logan's quick and apparent infatuation. She wouldn't say anything right now. If she felt that there was a threat to Addie's heart, though, she wouldn't hesitate to protect her.
"Thanks for trusting me with that." Jean told her friend. Then she continued after looking at her watch. "Wow, we better hurry we only have twenty minutes."
They joined Jubilee at the register, where everything had been rang up. Jean paid for it and divided up the bags between the three of them.
"On t' the formal wear store." Jubilee exclaimed and off they went.
**************************************************************************************************
Adalida stood modeling her choice of a dress. A plain, straight, knee length sheath dress made of gray satin.
~Plain, simple, boring~ thought Jubilee ~she needs t' try something more daring, less boring~
"Hold on a sec" Jubilee told her before taking off to search the racks.
"That looks nice." Jean said to Addie who was heading back into the dressing room.
"Jean pst" Jubilee whispered holding up her find.
Jean's eyes grew large and her jaw dropped. She nodded her enthusiastic approval to Jubilee.
Jubilee reached in one of the bags and pulled out the bustier. She handed both that and the dress over the dressing room door.
Both Jean and Jubilee smiled at Addie's surprised gasp.
Adalida couldn't believe the price tag.
"Um, Jean" she started to say.
Jean cut her off. "Just try it on. Don't even think about the price. I'll take care of it."
Adalida complied. Finally she stepped out of the dressing room and was greeted with oohs and ahs.
Whisper stood there in the most beautiful dress that Jubilee or Jean had ever seen.
The bodice was made of pure white silk. It showed just the slightest amount of cleavage not indecent but very sexy. The silk skirt fell just above her knees. Over the top of the skirt was a sheer white material that hung from the waist like the petals of a flower. The sheer material was dusted with small silver sparkles. Two silver chains led from the top of the dress, over her shoulders, crisscrossing, and down to the low dropped back of the dress.
"Look in the mirror Addie." Jean told her.
Adalida turned and looked in the full-length mirror. She twirled and the skirt twirled with her. She turned around and hugged Jubilee and Jean.
"It's the most beautiful dress Ah've ever seen. Thank y' both." she whispered.
Addie went to the dressing room to change. Jean and Jubilee gave each other the thumbs up.
Jean paid for both dresses.
"There" she told Addie. "That'll do you for a little while at least."
"Thank y' Jean" Addie said to her.
"You're welcome Addie it's been fun." Jean said with a smile.
"OK guys" Jubilee told them picking up the bags she had been carrying. "We better go. Wolvie gets grumpy if he has t' wait on dinner."
They laughed and headed for the direction of Bradfield's.
**************************************************************************************************
"Thanks for dinner Wolvie. Wow that place is so nice. We did so much shopping today." Jubilee rattled off everywhere they went after he left.
Jean was certain he didn't hear a word. He had talked Jean into driving home. Good news for them. Logan wouldn't have paid any attention to the road. He was far too busy sneaking glances at Addie in the rear view mirror. Adalida sat with her head to the side, peacefully sleeping and totally oblivious to the enamored Logan.
______________________________________________________________________
Please review y'all thanks: