Fender Benders And Consequences

Sunday evening Scott called to ask Logan to come into the office on Monday for a meeting with some potential partners from Tokyo that couldn't possibly be rescheduled for the following week. Scott apologized profusely to Marie, promising he wouldn't disturb them for the rest of the week. As Marie had already planned to spend the day with Kitty and Jubilee she didn't give Scott too much grief. So on Monday morning Logan headed into the city and Marie went to the shelter. She went in just before Kitty and Jubilee were scheduled to arrive because she wanted a chance to talk to Ororo as they hadn't spoken since the day after the accident. Bobby informed her that Ororo was in the kitten nursery and Marie headed back to her favorite part of the shelter.

"Hey, 'Ro."

"Marie....." Ororo put down the kitten she was holding and hugged Marie, "you, okay, kiddo?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"And Logan? How's he doing with all this?"

"Buying baby clothes and making a list of names if that's any indication."

"Not asking you to buy a wedding dress though?"

"Wow, 'Ro, cut right to the chase why don't ya? I don't see Scott asking you to buy one, either."

"I'm not pregnant."

"'Ro, the man hasn't run screaming for the hills, so let's just take one thing at a time."

"Well, what are his intentions? You must have discussed this ...... you have discussed this?"

"Not exactly. But then again we just found out....."

"Marie," Ororo interrupted, "if he's found the time to buy baby clothes and make lists, he's had time to think about it."

"You've been hanging around my brother way too much, you're starting to sound just like him."

"Marie, we're not trying to interfere, we're just concerned and given Logan's history..."

"'Ro," This time it was Marie's turn to interrupt, "you've seen how much Logan's changed. Scott not believing it, I can understand, he's only known about us for a little while, but you've been privy to what's been happening all along."

"A baby changes everything, honey. I just don't want to see you get hurt, that's all."

"He's not going to abandon me. You and everyone else, have nothing to worry about."

Just then they heard the excited voices of Jubilee and Kitty approaching the nursery.

"I just want to say, if you need anything, you know I'm here for you and I love you, okay?" Ororo told her.

"Okay. I love you, too. I didn't mean to take your head off. I know it's because you care about me and I appreciate it, I really do."

The two women hugged tightly.

Marie, Kitty and Jubilee stayed at the shelter until mid-afternoon and then headed back over to the mall, because really, one lousy hour on Saturday just didn't cut it. They had charge cards and damage to do.

Logan, meanwhile, didn't really have a meeting with any Japanese businessmen, that was just an excuse he and Scott had concocted to get him out of the house on Monday. Instead, he was on a secret mission he hoped would please Marie. First he did stop by the office though, to drop off some files and sign some papers. He wanted to be out of there as quickly as possible, ever since the accident, gossip about him and Marie had spread through the office like an out of control forest fire and he didn't feel like answering any questions. He would have to think of something nice to do for Agnes for running interference for him. The woman was a godsend, he was glad he no longer hired secretaries based on their 'fuckability factor'.

He couldn't understand why Scott put up with that bitch Laurie; it wasn't like he was even screwing her. Finishing up quickly, he came strolling out of his office to find Laurie berating Agnes for some minor infraction in the coffee-break room - something about not re-filling the coffee pot when it had been Agnes' turn and the coffee pot getting burned and yada, yada, yada. The two women were standing mere feet apart, glaring at each other. Nobody spoke to Agnes that way when he was around, especially not that bitch.

"Excuse me, Laurie, I don't appreciate you bitching to Agnes about something that's no big fucking deal."

"Logan, I had to spend nearly fifteen minutes scrubbing the damn thing before I could even make a new pot of coffee," Laurie whined.

"Next time try Starbucks, it would've been quicker." Turning to Agnes he asked, "Did the jeweler call?"

"Yes, and it's ready to be picked up anytime."

"Thank you, my dear. If you need me, you can reach me on my cell-phone. Bye, Laurie. By the way, I left part of a roast beef sandwich in the fridge last week that's probably all moldy by now - try not to pop a blood vessel over it." He gave Agnes a conspiratorial wink and walked off grinning.

"Jeweler? He's getting quite serious with that little brat."

"I hardly think that's any of your business, Laurie."

"Well, I guess that's one way to ensure job security, if you can't fuck the boss, fuck one of his relatives."

Agnes smacked Laurie across the face so quickly, the younger woman didn't have time to react before Scott appeared.

"Scott, did you just see that? She hit me!" Laurie wailed, rubbing her rapidly reddening cheek.

"Yes, I saw what she did. Agnes, I want you to report to personnel immediately..... .....So they can process the paperwork for your raise. Laurie, you're fired! You have fifteen minutes to clear out your desk and then I'll have security escort you out of the building."