Adrienne and Michael Bowen (NPC)

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

Father Bowen visits eVolution to talk to Adrienne about his niece, Tandy.



Adrienne rubbed absentmindedly at the hand she'd recently burned as she stared out the storefront window, having thrown a bandage over it after golfing with Garrison. The skin was still pretty tender despite the healing in Genosha and she'd aggravated it while kicking his ass. She'd volunteered to work cash at eVolution today out of a desire to stay away from the mansion, still running the gamut of emotions about what had happened in the past couple weeks and trying to sort out her thoughts about it. The shop was quiet today, giving her plenty of time to think. She just wasn't sure she wanted to think about Genosha right now.

Luckily, a familiar figure approached the shop and the sight of him snapped Adrienne out of her funk. Father Bowen came in occasionally to collect the used clothing that people gave to the shop in exchange for discounts on new items, and Adrienne found him to be an interesting person. And not just because she'd found out recently that he was the brother of an old colleague of Adrienne's from her modelling days.

Michael pushed open the door and absentmindedly flashed a smile at the cashier, his brow furrowed with worry. His face lit up in a genuine smile when he spotted the lady behind the counter, "Adrienne! You're alive, I was getting worried. Where've you been keeping yourself? I haven't seen you over the last few weeks." As he spoke he walked over to greet his friend until his eyes lit upon the bandage on her hand, "Are you ok? what happened?" he asked in concern.

"Did you hear on the news about the government of Genosha kidnapping Americans and holding them in Genosha for trials as terrorists?" Adrienne asked, trying to keep her tone casual. She didn't say anything more, just kept rubbing her bandaged hand, figuring Michael would put two and two together.

Michael thought about Adrienne's statement for a moment, "That was you? He asked in alarm. "But you're a teacher? Why would they hold you as a terrorist? You're just a teacher up at Xaviers."

"Well, you try telling that to the Genoshans," Adrienne said with a rueful chuckle. "Apparently, any mutants not mindlessly enslaved by the state are terrorists."

"That's horrible," the priest said sadly. "are you, your friends...are they all ok?"

Adrienne made a face. "They're all alive. I think 'okay' is a bit far off for some people, though. But, alive is always good, right?"

Michael looked at Adrienne sadly, "It's a start," he agreed. "I'll remember you all in my prayers tonight." Michael looked uncomfortably at Adrienne, "I know this isn't the best time but..." he began.

"Thanks," Adrienne nodded. She wasn't religious, but prayers couldn't hurt, right? "What's up?"

"It's my niece," Michael started, "she ran away from home and was staying with me at the church when she had a run in with some thugs. She...well she shot them with daggers of light" he admitted frankly. "Her stepfather came and took her home when she got out of the hospital but...I love her, but my sister isn't exactly the most caring of mothers." He sighed, "You're a teacher at Xaviers, I thought maybe you could go there and talk to her. Maybe take Tandy back with you," Michael said hopefully.

"Your... sister?" Adrienne was having a hard time taking all this in, particularly if Michael meant his sister Melissa. "Do you have another sister I don't know about?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Michael replied. "Melissa can be difficult at times, and I'm afraid of what that means for Tandy. She's a sweet girl, but...I can't help but worry," he finished uncomfortably.

"Melissa has a daughter and I never knew about it?" Adrienne was pretty surprised. "I know we're not close anymore, but... damn, how did I not know this?" She was still stuck on the idea of Melissa having a kid, she couldn't process the rest of it yet.

Michael nodded, "Tandy Reese Bowen," he confirmed. "She's 16 years old now, she's had some issues in the past but she's a good kid at heart." Micahel smiled wrly at Adrienne, "I might be the slightest bit biased, but she stayed of at my church and was a great help over the summer. I just want something better for her than being trapped in that house."

Adrienne raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the choice of words. "Trapped? Is Melissa really that bad?"

Michael looked away uncomfortably, "My sister is...she knows what she wants and people who who she sees as weighing her down or standing in her way," he sighed. "At best she doesn't have time for them at worst..." his voice trailed off his eyes conveying the rest of his meaning, words that he didn't want to have to say or admit.

"Well, shit." Adrienne gave Michael an apologetic look. "That's rough." She was getting a pretty good mental image of what this kid might be going through, feeling like she knew Melissa's type pretty well what with having been one of them for so long. "Yeah, I can go there, I guess. Maybe take her back with me. Maybe." That was a pretty big maybe right now, as the school was seeming like a pretty damn unsafe place to Adrienne at the moment. But still, at least people there cared about the kids. Even if they unintentionally put them in danger through their affiliation with the X-Men. Maybe it was a better place than Melissa's.

Michael nodded in relief, "Thank you Adrienne. Even if you could just check on her, it'd be a weight off my mind." The priest smiled wryly at the teacher, "I'm sorry to dump this in your lap so suddenly."

"Don't worry about it," the psychometrist nodded, smiling at Michael. "Lemme know the address and I'll pay her a visit as soon as I can."