Earth-247

Brave Faces

Lorna clutched her mother's hand more tightly. As excited as she was to go up in a plane again, she was also intimidated by the density and intensity of the crowd in the airport. She feared that if she lost her parents, she'd never see them again.

Suzanna squeezed her daughter's hand in turn. She of course had no desire to lose her daughter, but she grounded herself in her daughter's grasp for another reason. Arnold had been particularly cold that morning as they'd readied for their flight. Even now, he was cold as he stared straight ahead, boring holes in the backs of strangers' heads with his gaze. She feared that a conversation she'd been dreading for a decade was finally upon her. Worse, she feared that Arnold would breach the subject in the air where she couldn't avoid it, where she had nowhere to run.

In the waiting area of the terminal gates, the crowd died down without thinning. Arnold found a lone, empty seat and sat down without a word. Suzanna sighed, then tugged on Lorna's hand. "Come on, baby. There's gotta be more seats somewhere."

The two meandered for a bit before Lorna asked, "Why is Daddy mad?"

Suzanna paused, unable to look in her daughter's eyes. "I don't know," she finally offered, which was only half a lie. She had her suspicions, but they had yet to be confirmed.

"You guys are always fighting," Lorna bemoaned aloud.

"Lorna!" Suzanna scolded in a whisper, turning on a dime to drop down to Lorna's level. "Don't say things like that in public."

"Sorry," Lorna muttered, staring at the floor. "I forgot to say it in my head."

Moisture gathered in Suzanna's eyes. She often said the same thing to herself after her and Arnold's screaming matches. She never meant for Lorna to hear it, let alone internalize it. Hearing it repeated back to her broke a dam inside her that had been cracking for some time. She wrapped her arms around her daughter and wept.

"I'm sorry," Suzanna finally managed.

"It's okay, Momma," Lorna accepted.

"No, it's not okay. Your father and I should not yell at each other the way we do, especially in front of you. I'll try harder to remember that, okay?"

Lorna sniffed back her own forming tears and nodded into her mother's shoulder.

The two composed themselves and resumed hunting for seats. When they finally found one, Suzanna sat, then Lorna jumped onto her lap and nuzzled into her arm. Suzanna stroked Lorna's flaxen hair until the PA system announced that their flight was boarding.

***

"My sincerest apologies for keeping you waiting," the sharply dressed man expressed.

"No harm done," Charles accepted, extending a hand.

The man took Charles's hand and gave it a single, firm shake. "Arthur Milbury," he introduced himself.

Charles retracted his hand and reciprocated, "Charles Xavier."

Arthur took his suit coat off and hung it on a stand in the corner. Without the draping garment, his impressive musculature and imposing stature shone through his white overshirt and black suspenders. He adjusted his tie before taking a seat at his desk. "So, Mr. Xavier, with what can I help you today?"

Charles could hear no forethoughts on Arthur's mind. He made a note of the fact but thought nothing further of it. After overhearing thousands of minds throughout his life, Charles had learned that some people simply had no inner monologues. "'Charles', please," he insisted without missing a beat. "I'm here to discuss a rather sensitive matter, actually."