A series by November

Chapter 59: Mariah

He walked into the apartment and put the post-it note down on the kitchen island. He pulled out a bottle of water and uncapped it, drank most of it in a gulp.

He set the bottle down and touched the paper. Reread the name and number. He moved it in circles with his finger. He picked it up and put it down again. He took it into the living room. He sat down and stared into space. He looked at the clock. Marie would be home in another hour.

He couldn’t wait. He had to know.

He picked up the phone and punched in the number. He paced. It rang. He paced. It rang.

She picked up on the second ring. “Hello?” The voice was intelligent, pleasant, smoky, and a little anxious.

“Hi, Mariah Christensen please?”

Silence. “Logan?”

“Yeah.”

“Logan, I think I’m your mother. Do you remember me?”

“No. I don’t remember anything.”

“That’s what Mr. Xavier said.”

“How did you - hear about me?”

“I saw you on TV. You look just like an older version of my son. He... you, if it is you, disappeared in college. That was in 1977.”

“College?”

“You... he went to the University of Denver.”

“Oh.”

“My son was on a hike with his father when he was fifteen when he fell and cut himself on some rocks. My husband watched and the cut healed instantly. We knew then that you were different. Logan, If it is you. I’m not sure but I have to know. The professor said that DNA tests are easy.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember anything about you. Do you have a mutation too?”

“No. And neither did your father. I don’t care anything about that. You - if it was you, were my only son.”

“Oh.” He was quiet for a long time. “I don’t remember anything. I woke up twenty-two years ago and didn’t know who I was. I’ve been searching for a long time. I want to know, too.”

“You poor dear.” Logan stifled a laugh. It was the first time he could remember anyone referring to him this way.

“What year was your son born?”

“Fifty eight. February 28.” I could have a birthday, he thought. Just like Marie and everyone. He tried to imagine the mansion’s residents throwing a party for him and couldn’t.

He thought that he might be forty-seven years old, and it was strange. The face in the mirror hadn’t changed much in the days he could remember.

“So...what was he like?”

“He was wonderful. He was so smart, so full of life. Everyone loved him. He played guitar and could dance… He always had a different girlfriend. He and his buddies started a band. He went to U Denver...”

She stopped talking. She got the impression that he was overcome. He didn’t say anything. He would not reveal any personal information about himself, in case she was with the media.

.

When Marie got there forty-five minutes later, he was on the phone. "Really? That's so strange." He was sitting on the couch with the kitchen phone to his ear, the long cord tangled like a jacob's ladder in his fingers. Marie was curious. Logan was not a phone person, especially in the aftermath of the Hoboken thing.

She half-eavesdropped as she started dinner. He got off the phone quickly. Was he on the phone with another woman? No, he wouldn't dare.

She heard him hang up and felt his arms wrap around her. "Hello."

"Hey love."

"Guess who that was?"

"Johnny?"

"No."

"I give up." Logan wasn't known for having a long list of friends.

"She thinks she's my mother."

Marie turned around, shocked. Many emotions were moving behind his eyes, so quickly she couldn't sort them out.

"Your mother?"

"A woman from New Mexico. She had a son in '58. She claims he disappeared in '77. That was six years before I woke up."

"Oh my god. What-"

He crushed her in an embrace. "C'mere," he said, even though she was pressed tightly against him. It was his way of saying he wanted to be held.

"You ok?"

"I dunno."

They were silent for long seconds. She reached up to knead the muscles of his neck, where he stored his tension.

"Holy shit," she whispered.

"Damn straight."

Rogue pulled back and looked at him. "What else did she say?"

"Well, she said her son was hiking with his father one day and he tripped and cut his leg. She said the father watched as it healed up. He went off to college, disappeared a month before graduation."

"Oh my god, Logan, what if she's with the media?"

"She's coming here in two days. Jeannie and Chuck are gonna pick her up. If she's got ulterior motives, they'll know."

"You think she's for real."

"I... shit, Marie, I don't know what the hell I think. Or if I should dare think anything."

"This could be so wonderful."

"Could. Or..."

"Or."

"Logan. Talk to me."

"Well, I got this feeling. What if she's for real and I remember her? What if I start remembering things? All these years I wanted to know what happened to me in that lab and now I'm afraid I will know. I'm not sure I wanna know."

"Scary. Well, sug, that's a lot of ifs."

"Yeah."

She stood there, feeling his heart beat against her ear. Her mind reeled, and she just held him.

.

Two days later he picked Maggie up from school. His fingers were tight around the steering wheel.

“Logan, are you mad?”

He stopped the car at a red light and turned to face her. “No, kiddo, I’m a little nervous.”

“Why?”

“There’s a woman out there who thinks she’s my mom. She’s coming to meet me today.”

“Did your momma leave you too?”

“No. This lady says that her son disappeared when he was twenty-one. She thinks I might be him.”

“Why don’t you remember?”

“I think because the bad guys took my memory away.”

“Why would they do that?”

“I dunno, Blue.”

Jean and the Professor met Mrs. Christensen at the airport. After all the publicity about Hoboken they were wary of her identity and motives, so it made sense to send two telepaths. Logan waited at the mansion, pacing in the apartment.

Finally, Marie came in. “Hi Magster.” She kissed the little girl on the top of her head and turned to Logan. “Hey, love. How you holding up?”

There was no point in lying to her. “I’m a nervous wreck.”

She dropped her backpack on the sofa and wrapped her arms around him. She fixed her big brown eyes on him and said “no matter how it turns out, you’ve got me.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Well, I choose you so tough shit.”

He grinned, and she kissed him. “Oh, so you choose me?”

“Yeah. You got a problem with that?”

“No.” He held her close. Lifted her hair and whispered into her ear “I love you Marie.”

“I love you, Logan,” she mimicked, with a soft smile.

His head tilted upward and he tensed. “I hear Jeannie's car.”

He walked down the hall to the sitting room with Marie. His heart was pounding He heard voices in the room and in his head he heard Xavier’s voice. ~Logan, I believe the woman’s intentions are good. Both Jean and I are convinced that she is genuine. Jean is running the DNA tests right now.~

He squeezed Rogue’s hand and she squeezed back. They walked into the room.

He thought that perhaps a bit of memory might blip past him when he saw her. But there was nothing. She was a tall woman in her early 60’s, attractive, with silver gray hair, wearing jeans and a clean white sweater. She stood nervously and tried not to gasp.

“Hello Logan.” She started to tremble. Her hands were shaking and the tears in her eyes brimmed over. “Oh my god it’s you.”

At the same time he sniffed ever so slightly and though there was no memory, he instantly knew her scent. It comforted him on a level so basic it was like nothing he had ever felt.

“It’s her,” he said to Xavier. Logan let go of Marie’s hand and sat next to his mother on the sofa. Marie met Xavier's eyes.

Mariah was trembling all over. She seemed like a dignified woman who was not accustomed to breaking down.

“Don’t cry,” he whispered.

“I’m sorry - it’s just that you were gone for twenty-eight years, I’m overwhelmed.”

“Well I’m here now." They were quiet for what seemed to be a long time. Logan remembered that they weren't alone.

"Hey, this is my girlfriend Marie.”

Mariah blinked and forced her attention away from her son’s face, hurriedly wiping away tears. She held a shaking hand toward Rogue who shook it in both of hers and smiled warmly, trying to comfort the woman. His girlfriend looked like a child, had to be less than half his age, but her warmth and hands did comfort Mariah.

“Hello Mariah, welcome to the school.”

“Hi Marie. It’s good to meet you. I’m glad to know… someone’s taking care of my son.”

“I try. He’s a handful,” Rogue smiled. They all laughed, including Xavier, whom they had forgotten was there. He said “I’ll leave you all to get acquainted,” and rolled away.

Rogue left soon after, leaving them to talk. He watched her walk away.

“You’re serious about her,” Mariah said.

“I’m gonna ask her to marry me.”

“And what do you think she’ll say?”

“Yes. Eventually. If I can avoid pissing her off for a while.” He smiled.

“You’re happy."

“Oh yeah. For once.”

“You haven’t been happy all this time?”

“I’ve been lost - trying to figure out the past. Marie is the only thing I found. It’s enough.”

“I wish…” Tears brimmed in her eyes again. “I wish I could have been there for you all this time.”

He embraced her. He wasn’t used to touching anyone other than Marie but it felt right. “Me too. But you’re here now and I’m really glad.”

Mariah pulled away after a few seconds and regarded him with wonder. "You don't look a day over thirty-five. But you're forty-seven."

"I've always looked this way, that I can remember. My mutation."

“How did you know? That it was me?”

“I’m not sure if it’s the mutation or the... or what, but I have a keen sense of smell and hearing. I could tell by your scent.”

“But you don’t remember.”

“I don’t. But I can tell. How did you know it was me?”

“Those eyes. Your eyes changed from baby blue into that brilliant shade of hazel green. The exact same color as your father.”

“Oh. When did he die?”

“He died in ‘93, in a car accident.”

“Sorry.”

“Oh, me too. He would have been so happy to find you.”

“Tell me about him.”

She smiled, thought for a second.

“I was working in Santa Fe, at my first nursing job. He was a patient. He had this voice - this accent, that made me laugh. What was that kid's show, that came out in the 80's? That muppet. The Swedish Chef. It was horrible, I couldn’t bring him his dinner without laughing out loud at him.”

Logan smiled, and she loved to see him smile.

“I felt so bad that this poor man who had come in for surgery had me laugh at him, but he loved it. I found out that he was Swedish, and that he’d been in the states for years. But he just played up the accent to make me laugh.”

“I’m half Swedish?” He said incredulously.

“Oh yes, half Swedish, half Navajo.”

“I always thought...I thought I might be Canadian.”

She laughed. “No, you were born and raised in Canon, New Mexico.”

There was a soft knock on the door. It was Jean.

“I have the results of your test.” she said, trying to keep a poker face.

“We know already.”

“You know?”

“Yes, we do, “ Mariah said. “It’s true.”

“Yes it is,” Jean smiled. “I’m so happy for you both.”

“Thank you so much Dr. Grey.”

Jean smiled. “It’s my pleasure.”

.

Mariah stayed for three days. They put her up in Logan’s old room. He cooked them all dinner that night.

Maggie came up to Mariah and regarded her suspiciously. "Are you Logan's Momma?"

"Yes, honey, I am."

Maggie stared at her for a few long seconds and smiled. "Did he use to be my age?"

Mariah laughed, a laugh that charmed them all. "Yes, he was your age. That was a long time ago."

"Was he bad?"

"No, he was a good boy."

"That I don't believe!"

"Maggie!" Marie was exasperated, but Mariah was laughing and more relaxed than they'd seen her all day. Logan just watched this exchange, bewildered and a little amused.

Mariah laughed and patted the sofa next to her. Maggie sat down. "How old are you, Maggie?"

"Five."

"Five, huh?"

"Yep. How old are you?"

"I'm sixty-seven. Tell me, how did you get all that pretty blue hair?"

Maggie just shrugged. "I dunno. It just grew on me one day."

"It's so pretty!" Mariah reached out to touch the silky blue hair.

"Thank you."

Maggie, of course, ate up the attention. She had long ago become used to people fawning over her hair instead of ostracizing her for it.

They ate Logan's veal marsala and talked until late at night. He found himself inhaling deeply when it all overwhelmed him, because Mariah's scent relaxed him.

The next day Mariah audited Logan’s martial arts class. She was elegant with her silver hair and white sweat suit.

“This is my Ma." He told the kids. “She's gonna be joining us today. Watch out for her, she’s a black belt. She’ll kick your ass.” And, just as promised, Mariah held her own. She was old and arthritic, not as strong as she once was, but she had lightness to her and a quick elegance of motion that served her well.

She asked him that evening about the claws. He didn’t want to tell her about it, but she asked.

He didn’t want her to know how much it hurt. He held his arm over the kitchen sink and popped the claws. Her eyes got huge and she looked as if she might faint. He instantly retracted them and showed her the healing wounds. “See, it’s okay.” He washed the blood away as if it were nothing.

Mariah spent a lot of time talking to Xavier. He explained the politics of the mutant situation to her. They talked about philosophy and ethics. She went walking with Logan on the snowy grounds but the cold bothered her arthritis. They stayed inside and Marie made them hot chocolate instead.

On the last day they went into town and he showed her his paintings. She was more knowledgable about art than either Marie or Xavier and her jaw dropped when she saw them. He was becoming used to peoples’ reactions to his work but showing them to her made him nervous, almost as nervous as when he’d first showed them to Xavier.

"I can't believe this. We could never get you to take drawing lessons."

"You mean I never did this before?"

"Never. How long've you been painting?"

"About two years."

She looked at him in wonder. "You're a prodigy."

He just shrugged uncomfortably.

Before she left Professor Xavier invited her to return any time. During the break in classes Logan and Rogue would come to visit her in the house Logan grew up in. They both secretly hoped that being there would trigger some memories.

This time Bobby took Mariah home in the Blackbird. Logan, Maggie and Marie said goodbye to her, and the professor shook her hand warmly before she left.

After the plane was gone Logan looked at Xavier and said “Hey Chuck, are you makin’ the moves on my mom?”

They were treated to the rare sight of Professor Charles Xavier blushing.