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It Began with a Goodbye
by Riley Berg
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Chapter Seven
They say New York cabbies have seen it all, and I am sure they have seen a lot, but I wonder if our taxi driver manages to keep a straight face only because of years of practice. With Strange in his Masters' robes and the Cloak, and me dressed up like a modernized Greek goddess (little do they know!), and pulling a cooler no less, I am sure we are an odd sight.
Strange's expression remains neutral when we arrive at the Baxter Building, so I cannot ascertain his thoughts on our destination. Pulling out an identification card Reed issued me years ago, we pass through the security measures with ease, even if it is the mundane way.
Our destination floor is thick with the aromas of a Thanksgiving feast in the making. I know from my familiarity with it that it is divided into four spacious suites surrounding a large common area, which the elevator opens to. No one is in sight when we enter, but Sue steps out of the suite she shares with Reed with remarkable timing.
"Sophy!" she greets with an enthusiasm that always makes me wonder whether or not she is exaggerating.
As she quickly makes her way across the living area of the common room, I notice that she takes in Stephen's and my appearance, but she says nothing more than a happy, "You're looking yourself," as she pulls me into a hug. She is the only one of the four who was privileged to see my natural appearance.
"I'm so glad you made it! Thanksgiving hasn't been the same since you abandoned us for the Avengers."
I cringe. "So, you found out about that, did you?"
"Of course!"
"Well, technically I was still acting as their liaison while living with you," I pout, "they just were not… around. Anyway, that was only one Thanksgiving. I was away last year, remember?"
"I think you did mention that," she sighs, but then her face returns to its smiling state, with a little mischief.
Oh, no.
"So, are you going to introduce me to your friend?"
"Yes, sorry. Sue, this is Stephen Strange."
I pause for half a moment, wondering what to call Strange. Is 'Master Stephen' appropriate in this setting? But calling him Dr. Strange sounds too formal, and the friendly use of surnames as terms of address is vanishing in this country, if not others…
Strange offers Sue his hand, causing me to take action.
"Stephen," I decide in the moment, "this is Sue Storm. Richards."
Sue laughs as she shakes Strange's hand, then turns to her smile to me. "Either way. Legally, it's Richards, but I still go by Storm of a professional basis." She turns back to Strange. "But you can just call me Sue."
"Stephen," Strange reciprocates.
Sue takes the cooler from me despite my protests and directs us to the kitchen (and toward all those delicious smells) that takes up a large corner of the common area, where we find Johnny—no surprise.
"Johnny," I greet mildly.
"Sophy," he returns, taking in my appearance. "Sue said you'd be joining us."
"This is Stephen," I introduce, indicating Strange. "Stephen, Johnny."
The men nod at each other, but Johnny does not bother leaving his position on the counter to shake hands or otherwise greet his guest, or to help Sue put the pies in the refrigerator.
His mouth is half-full when he adds, "What's up?" in that rhetorical way.
Then I see what he is eating.
"Oh, you have that bread!"
"Only youwould be excited about bread while surrounded by the aromas of a feast."
"Reed!" I squeal at the sound of his voice, throwing my arms around him before he can finish his sentence.
"Now, why don't I get a hello like that?" Johnny pouts.
I snort at Johnny as I release Reed. "You know very well why."
I snatch the bread from the counter and pop a few slices in the toaster before turning to Strange.
"This is the best bread in existence," I say with surety, "but only toasted, buttered, and smeared with jam. It makes for horrible sandwiches." I nod to myself, smiling.
Sue laughs. "There's our dear old Sophy."
After thoroughly enjoying my bread and jam, I help Reed finish setting the table and then keep Johnny away from the food while Sue enlists Strange to help move the feast to the dining room section of the common area.
"Where's Ben?" I inquire as the last dish is set amidst the banquet.
Sue and Reed exchange looks.
"Being shy?" I ask quietly.
Sue nods.
"Ben!" I yell. "There are seven of Sophy's famous molasses pumpkin pies with your name on them." Literally. I used white chocolate sauce to write on them.
Four seconds later, Ben enters the common room through the large doors of his private suite. Strange takes the appearance of the Thing in stride, but the Fantastic Four are not unknown to the masses, even if they have fallen out of front page news with more recent superhero emergences.
"Now we can eat," I smile.
Reed takes one end of the table and Ben the other, leaving Sue and Johnny sitting across from Strange and I. The room is relatively quiet for the first ten or fifteen minutes as we all begin to enjoy the feast, but Sue manages to get a conversation going after that.
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Ben happily eats dessert at the dinner table while Sue, Reed, Strange, and I sprawl on the couches in the living area of the common room. Johnny tries to annoy me with his antics. I debate whether I should physically harm him or use my sorcery. The latter was not an option when last I was among the Fantastic Four, as I had not yet given up my sorcerous fast, as I called it.
I lean over to Strange and whisper, "Would it be a selfish use of my abilities to use them to drop-kick Johnny without having to touch him?"
"No," he whispers back.
"No?"
"No. It would be a generous provision of entertainment."
Enabler.
I smile mischievously.
And topple Johnny with a thought.
He stands up quickly, ego evidently bruised, and looks around to see if anyone saw. Either Sue and Reed are oblivious, or they are kindly pretending to be, and Stephen chuckles under his breath while I look in the other direction.
Afternoon turns into evening as we talk about our lives since parting and discuss the usual unimportant subjects and Ben and Johnny watch football. As the evening grows late, I lean against the railing by the elevator, overlooking the common area and my friends in it. I consider them one of my adopted families and am very fond of them and our times together.
"You love him," Strange interrupts my thoughts.
"Hmm?"
"You love him."
"I love him?"
"Reed," he nods in the direction I was looking.
I smile. "Yes. And Sue, and Ben, and even Johnny. But not like that. Not like you're saying."
"That's a lot of affection shining in your eyes for it to be 'not like that.'"
I shrug. "Maybe you do not give your friends enough affection."
Strange looks at me doubtfully.
"There is little that lasts," I say, "but memories and knowledge, and knowing that you loved your friends with all your heart."
"How philosophical," he replies emotionlessly and leaves me to look over my friends alone.