xp_logs | Callie and Haller: Mother's Day

Haller takes Calie away from the mansion to a familiar, yet still very foreign place.

Callie stopped, turned around, and admired scenery, waiting for Haller to catch up. The sun shone brightly in the sky above, illuminating both its territory and the one below. Everything seemed brighter, clearer, than it had in months. With the brilliant blue sky above and the lush green grass below, stretching as far as the eye could see, her mood was much improved. It was almost enough to pull her completely out of the slump she had been in for the past week. Almost, but not quite. At least not yet.

"Thank you for this Mr. Haller," she called out to him. "For getting me out of the mansion and stuff. It's beautiful here."

"Don't worry about it. It was worth the drive." Jim made sure his keys were in his pocket, then headed to join Callie. The day was warm; he'd shucked his light jacket by the car and now carried it folded over one arm. A few feet away a robin cocked a wary head at him from a patch of white clover blossoms. There weren't alone, but no one was close.

The trees murmured with a sudden rush of wind, and with it came debris. Something soft struck his hair; shreds of leaf and white-colored petals clung to Callie's. He smiled.

"Okay," he said, brushing a string of goldenrod seed from his hair, "before nature can launch another attack, lead on."

Callie giggled as she shook the rogue petals from her hair, taking care not to displace the silk sunflower she had nestled in the waves of red. "They're plants, they can't really control it," she replied with a smile as her fingers searched for any lingering pieces.

"I hope I remember where we're going," she continued as she set off across the lawn. "I haven't been here in almost two years?" Not much had changed in that time by the looks of things, but still everything looked different. She was seeing it in an entirely different light, which surprisingly was seeming to aid in her quest judging by the confidence in her gait. "And if all else fails we look for a big maple tree."

"I'm going to have to trust your judgment, because the horrible truth is that I can only recognize maples is in the fall when they start turning," Jim said, matching her pace. He reached out and absently plucked a last fugitive leaf from Callie's hair. A rare gesture, sparing as he normally was with physical contact, but tactile communication, like tone and body language, were things he adjusted to almost subconsciously. He returned his attention to the nearest of the trees. "Are they the ones with five-pointed leaves?"

"It depends on the type. They have between three and five lobes. What we're looking for is a red maple, so three lobes, and small, sharp teeth along he sides," she replied as her eyes scored the area. Yup. They were going the right way. "And in the fall it turns red, you know to match our hair...."

Callie's voice trailed off as she noticed the very tree the two had been discussing not but a few meters away. She stopped. From far off it was difficult to distinguish this tree from the various others that dotted the area, but as she neared the object her brain recognized the shape. Try as she like, she would never be able to forget that tree for as long as she lived. It was burned permanently into her memory. All of a sudden, any self-assurance she had was gone, and she couldn't take another step.

"I don't think I can do this," she said softly. "I thought I could, but now I can't."

Jim followed her gaze. "Is that it?" he asked, already knowing from her expression that it was. He exhaled, and gently bumped the side of her arm with his elbow. "Hey, it's okay. Remember, you don't have to do anything. There's no hurry here. But -- do you think you could you take us a little closer? Just a little bit. I'd like to see it."

Callie sighed heavily and continued on course, motioning for Haller to follow. Each step was a struggle; instructions from her brain sent to her feet were slow in arriving. There was nothing more she could say, nothing more to say, until they reached their destination. The tree's branches filtered the sun's rays, providing the area with comfortable shade. It was serene and calming, with the only sound to disturb her thoughts being that of the wind stirring through the leaves.

"This is it. This is my mother's grave."

There was a hand on her shoulder. It was Jim's. He smiled, and gave it a soft squeeze. "Thank you."

A few more steps took him to the headstone. Kneeling beside the marker, he carefully brushed it free of leaves and dried glass-cuttings. With his other hand he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small, round stone. He set it on the corner of the marker and sat back.

"Hello, Mrs. Betto," he said as wind rippled the grass and moved the branches of the maple, "Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot."

As Callie watched she felt emotion well up within her; a mixture of emotions she coudn't put her finger on, couldn't name. She was sad, she was happy, she was so many things, all fighting for supremacy, but above all she was relieved. For two years, she realized, she had been denying the existence of this place, as if by doing so it could negate the fact that her best friend in the world was gone. But no amount of pretending and hiding could change reality, and that reality was staring her right in the face.

Finally she felt like she could accept this and move on.

She was ready.

Following Haller's lead, Callie knelt beside the marker, running her fingers over the carved stone before reaching for the flower in her hair. She studied it for a moment, twirling it around, before setting it beside the small stone with a smile. "Hey mom, it's me. Sorry I didn't come sooner. But I'm here now, and I wanted to wish you a Happy Mother's Day," she wiped the dampness from her eyes, "I miss you."

A few heartbeats passed. Jim let his eyes linger on the flower for a moment, then turned to rest a hand on the girl's back. "I know it's been hard," he murmured, now to Callie only, "but you did well. I just want you to know that."

She said nothing, her stare fixed on the flower that was now obstructing her mother's name. There was so much more she wanted to say, so many things she wanted to share. But there would be time for that later, this was enough for now. Callie turned to Haller, and wrapped her arms around his middle, giving him a tight hug. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"You're welcome." He returned the hug, and meant it. You couldn't protect people from life. That was a lesson he'd learned a long time ago. Sometimes, though, it was enough to be there to help them close the wound.

The telepath released her from the hug. "So," he said, "lunch, before we drive back?"

"That sounds perfect. There's a cafe not far from here, and it's really good." She rose, wiped the dirt off of her knees, and turned to head back to the car. It had been a long car ride, and an emotional roller coaster for the young mutant. But as she left the grave site and wandered back through the cemetery, Callie felt a distinct sense of calm, something she hadn't felt in a long time.

As she left, from the spot of land still imprinted by Callie's knees a small dandelion poked itself from the ground and slowly spread its golden petals. Some may have considered it to be a weed, but in reality, it was so much more.