2013.03.13 - Welcome To The Family

== Scenes from an Italian Restautant... ==
The time between the lunch and dinner rushes is Fern's favorite time at Anita Bella. She can catch up on learning lines, practice with Jerry, the waiter who is also an aspiring actor, take care of chores around the place like filling up salt and pepper shakers. This is her current task. She's already topped off all the shakers, and she's going in a circuit around the dining room, putting them back out. There are customers at two tables, but Jerry is handling them. 
 
Her dingy white sneakers squeak lightly as she moves around, stopping to rest the plastic container that holds all the little shakers on the table as she swaps them out. *squeak*squeak*squeak* Stop at the next table. Lather, rinse, repeat. 
Kurt has been coming into the city a lot lately, but today is the first time he's stopped in. Sure, he probably should gave before, but..
Dressed in a light jacket and hat (with tail tucked in) Kurt opens the door to enter. The chime of the door, of course, bring a little attention around.. and stares.
"Guten Tag.." What else can one say?
Jubilee, of course, is right behind him. She'd planned on visiting today anyway, and seeing him only gives her another reason. Dressed in flare-leg jeans, layered tees, and a white, fur-trimmed winter coat, as well as pink earmuffs and scarf and wedge-heeled white fleece-lined boots, she might be anyone in this city... except for the signature earrings, red shades, and her distinctive 'do. "Ooh, totally fab workplace you've got, Fern!" she says immediately, sighting her friend in working attire. "Hi, Kurt. If I'd known I was coming, I'd have baked a cake... or is that a threat, coming from me?"
The chime does draw attention, as Fern's head raises from her task, her smile immediately blooming. She quickly changes out the last pair of shakers, leaving the container as she turns away and moves toward the door. "Herr Wagner," she greets the blue guy brightly. The customers at one table do gawk a bit, noting them as probable tourists, but no one else really seems to pay much attention to the fuzzy blue elf. Natives. 
 
Fern's brows go up as she spies Jubilee just behind Kurt, "Jubes! Did you come together?" She knows of their association since she and Jubilee had a chance to compare some notes yesterday over Chinese food at the mall. "Come on in, sit down, can I get you something to drink?" It comes rapid-fire as she motions the pair toward a table by the windows.
Happy happenstance, really, and Kurt looks behind him, yellow eyes widening. "Jub-" and is caught up by Fern's happy greeting. 
"Together? Nein.. I think she would be afraid of my driving." No bamfing into the city today.
Unbuttoning his jacket to reveal rather normal clothes, Kurt offers an apology. "I am sorry I haven't been in to visit."
Jubilee giggles. "I guess I'm more surprising than I thought!" she comments, and gives Kurt a quick hug. "You'd probably be just as afraid of /my/ driving as I am of yours. Either way, I ended up taking the bus."
She hurries to the table Fern indicates, and then, before her red-haired friend has a chance to slip away, gives her a hug, too. "It's so good to see you again! How's the coffee here? Should I risk the espresso?"
Fern readily returns Jubilee's hug, then, after just a bare hesitation, she steps to Kurt to give him a hug as well. "Herr Wagner, you've been a bit busy lately. I think I can forgive that." The words are light and joking, but as she steps back there's a serious cast to her eyes and she adds, very softly, "And I'll never be able to thank you enough." How exactly DO you thank someone for helping to save your life? 
 
A dubious look is given to Jubilee, and Fern asks, "Do you really need espresso?" The tease is comfortable, and she goes on, "Julius makes great coffee, but our espresso machine is on the fritz. That ok?" she asks. "And for you, Herr Wagner?" 
Jubilee's hug is easily returned, letting her loose so she can hug Fern. "I'll drive you home, leibchen." While he doesn't have one of the high performance cats, he doesn't have the van either!
Kurt removes his hat, giving those few customers the view, as it were. Pointed ears.. blue, fuzzy head, and short dark indigo hair. Holding it in hand, he follows the ladies to the table, waiting for them to sit before he does. 
"Coffee would be perfect, danke.." Beat. "So this is the place?" Looking around, Kurt nods his approval. "Best Italian?"
Of course Kurt returns Fern's hug, his words a soft murmur. "I will always come, leibchen.'
"Drive me home? Well, I'm a little short on bus fare, so... okay!" Jubilee grins obligingly. The bearing it will have to come later, but come it will.
She nods to Fern. "Do you serve cappuccino? That sounds great right now, if there's no espresso. But only if it comes with your company, Fern. Except for yesterday, I haven't seen you in a week, and that involves a /lot/ of worrying."
And back her attention goes to Kurt. "So, I hear you had something to do with the rescue of our favorite redhead... do tell?" She's careful to keep her voice conversationally low.
While Fern hasn't been a witness to Kurt's actual skills, she knows that he drove a plane to get her and One! How bad can he be with something on the ground? Of course, she knows better than to question that too closely. She nods to Blue's question, smiling proudly, "This is the place. Best in Brooklyn." Then there's an apologetic look to Jubilee, "Can't make cappuccino without espresso. But I promise the coffee is good enough to make up for it. I'll be back in a tick." Seems she's picked up that particular way to measure time from One. 
 
She spins sharply, hurrying out to the kitchen, and after a moment returns with a tray holding three cups of coffee, sugar, cream, artificial sweeteners, the works. Putting a cup in front of each of her friends, she then slides in to sit herself with the third cup. A sheepish look goes to Kurt, "Anita will be out in a few minutes to meet you. She's making something special." Yes, she confided most of the events of the past week to her employer, and it's guaranteed that exclamations of gratitude will be forthcoming. 
"I will give you some of the particulars on the way home, leibchen. I did borrow the airplane, however." Which means some distance was in the mix, as well as the need for supersonic speed. "Und I think a decaf would save us all.. for her please, Fern?" Please?
Kurt scoots over for Fern, and he fixes his coffee before the first sip. He likes it sweet! Brows rise, however, and cup is half-raised before he asks quietly, "You did warn her .. ja?" What he looks like?
"Oh... I knew that," Jubilee replies, blushing a little. "At least I should've." She's silent until the coffee arrives. See? Miracles do still happen! But once it is, she adds plenty of sweetening, sugar, and concocts an elaborate melange of ingredients to add a particular flavor to the stuff. Whatever it is, it's plenty sweet, judging by the smell. She takes her first sip, smiles, and rejoins the conversation, fortified. "So we're flying home? Cool beans!"
And the conversation turns to someone who must be Fern's employer, by the reactions. Jubes looks up in concern. "Should we talk to her first? She might be in for a shock, yes. No offense, Kurt, but you remember how I reacted the first time..." She blushes at the memory. She was /such/ a Nellie Nervouspants back then...
Fern's own coffee is made sweet as well, she has been teased in the past that she might just as well melt down a candy bar in her cup and call it coffee! The three have more in common! She grins at the pair, shaking her head after she takes a sip. "Anita's a native New Yorker. Not much phases her." It was amazing how well she took the tale of Fern and One's Bangkok Adventure, but she's a pretty unflappable woman. "Not even when Warren Worthington came in the first time." An Angel and a wealthy one to boot? Not an eyelash batted. 
Kurt shakes his head at Jubilee. "Nein, I have the Jeep." On that off-chance to go off-roading. In the city.
"I think that might be a good idea, leibchen," Kurt begins, his voice low.. in full agreement with the other mutant. "Und Katzchen even took a little." Okay, years.
Kurt watches as Fern dumps the contents of the sugar (what was left) into her cup and he grins. He still sounds dubious, however. "I don't know- you met Warren?" One of his best friends! "I imagine she liked the wings, ja?"
"Good point. I keep forgetting how adaptable New Yorkers can be," Jubilee replies, giggling embarrassedly. "If an angel couldn't surprise her, neither will Kurt. Blue devils are just another page out of the same book," she adds, just to tease her scary-looking friend. She doesn't mind, of course!
Fern reaches to pat Kurt's hand reassuringly, "Trust me. Anita is unshakable." She has to laugh at the question, but there's something almost sad in her eyes for a moment as she answers, "Yeah, Anita really liked his wings. She went on about them after he'd left both times he's been here." Then it dawns on her. "You know Warren? Do you, like.... all know each other?" So far, the Mutants that she's met have all been in the same circle. Just a coincidence? Maybe there are so few of them they really DO all know each other? Then there's another ping in her brain and she looks at Jubilee, "Blue devil?" What now? 
"Ja.. but we are not usually cast as the heroes," comes as a good natured rejoinder. Kurt has long lost the sensitivity in regards to his looks, instead playing them up when needed.
Fern's question is answered with a smile.. the first one. "Ja.. we even have our own secret handshake." No.. not really! 
Fern's other, however, gains a somewhat surprised reaction. He really shouldn't be surprised.. most don't make the connection. Not even Domino did at first. "You may not make the connection, Fern.. meeting as we did. But do I not resemble one from Dante's Inferno?"
"Warren's cool," Jubilee replies with a smile. "We're acquainted." And never more than that. She's far from the only girl who's had a Worthington fantasy. She leans over and whispers something in Fern's ear.
You sense Jubilee leans close and giggles. "I saw that blush, Red. Don't feel bad about it. He /is/ a mega-hunk!"
Fern turns slightly, really taking a good look at Kurt. Well, maybe his teeth are a little bit pointy. But she can't think of any devil that would put his own life in danger to save someone else. "Huh." She shakes her head then, "I mean, I guess maybe a little, but you sure don't act like any devils I've ever heard about." She's about to ask about the secret handshake, when Jubilee leans and whispers. Fern's blush shines brightly at whatever was said and she has no comeback for it. One hand comes up to tuck a stray red strand behind her ear. 
Girls whispering is never a good sign.. well, for any guy that may be present. Of course, the blush that comes as a response gives Kurt the cue that perhaps he should attend to his coffee before it gets too cold?
Clearing his throat, Kurt keeps the cup in hand. "I try to be good so when Christmas comes around, I can tell St. Nicholas that I've been good." Beat. "Mostly."
Jubilee giggles and gives Fern a sisterly kiss on the cheek, then takes a long pull from her coffee. If she just keeps ignoring it, it'll go cold, and that's poor respect for the hospitality of Fern and Anita, isn't it? "I'm always good," she replies, winking at Kurt. Always.
Fern is saved from any further embarrassment, at least about the topic of men, by the arrival of Anita. The Italian woman arrives in a flurry of motion and delicious kitchen smells, carrying a large plate. She speaks with a lilt of an accent, and, as Fern predicted, seems completely unphased by the blue devil at one of her tables to the point of leaning to plant a motherly kiss on his fuzzy blue head. "Thank you for bringing our girl back to us! You come here, you eat free, from now on! Anything you want!" 
 
Upon the plate are some fresh cannoli she had been making in the kitchen. The pastry is filled with cream which has been tinted blue in Kurt's honor, flavored with a hint of orange, and the edges of the pastry have been laced with dark chocolate and crushed pistachio nuts. 
 
Her eyes land on Jubilee next, and the girl also gets a kiss on her head, and a pat to her cheeks. "And my Fern's new friend. You come any time, you get treated like family, too." 
The Italian culinary tornado that arrives leaves Jubilee blinking in surprise. "Whoa!" The dish she sets down is no less of a surprise, despite the enticing scent. "Are they, like, blueberry cream tacos or something?" she asks, quite clueless on the subject of Italian cooking.
And then the motherly woman not only pats her cheeks, but kisses her on the head! Jubilee's eyes widen again, and she stares for a long moment. "Um, thanks! Thanks /way/..." she murmurs, blinking hard. Are her eyes tearing, just a little?
Men? The subject was men? Kurt is completely in the dark there, thankfully. He's got great vision, but nothing special in terms of hearing. And young woman whispers? Not a chance.
Kurt looks dubious at Jubes' pronouncement, but doesn't say anything on it.. no time!
Anita's arrival pushes anything away, and her greeting of a kiss on the head brings a wide grin, showing pointed teeth. "Danke-- cannoli!"
Anita reaches to Fern, absently stroking the girl's hair as she looks to Kurt again. "What you have done will never be forgotten. Never." It's a promise that the woman clearly isn't making lightly. Fern is the last to get a kiss to the head, before the woman hurries away to check on her baking and give the friends their time together. 
 
Fern looks after her a moment, never prouder of the place she works and her surrogate family. Her grin turns to Kurt and Jubilee, and she shakes her head at the girl. "Not blueberry. Just try it, you'll love it." She pauses, letting the other two help themselves first, before she adds, including them both, "Welcome to the family!" 
Category:Log