Adrienne and Father Michael Bowen (NPC)

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

Father Michael asks to meet with Adrienne to discuss Tandy's guardianship situation.

"Hey, Father," Adrienne greeted as she entered the rectory, having been asked to come around by the priest. "How have you been holding up, with everything that's happened?" She had no idea why he'd asked her to meet him, wondering if maybe he'd just been wanting to chat about how Tandy was getting along in the wake of everything that had happened.

"Adrienne, thank you for coming," Michael replied as he stood to greet the brunette. "I've been, well to be honest I've been better," the priest admitted. "And yourself? he asked as he gestured towards the door to his office, they could sit comfortably and talk in private there.

Adrienne took a seat, folding her hands on her lap politely. "I've been better, yeah," she agreed. "Mind you, I've also been worse, but that sure as he-heck doesn't happen too often. Tandy's holding up, though," she added with an optimistic bent to her voice.

Michael's mind went back to the meeting he'd had with Adrienne and Tandy in the infirmary. "Maybe," he hedged, he was still hurt by the implication that his niece now trusted a teacher she had only met a few months earlier than him. He could understand why she felt that way, but it didn't make it any easier. "It's Tandy and her future I wanted to talk to you about," he began hesitantly.

"Sure," Adrienne shrugged. "You're her legal guardian now, I imagine? What, do you want to take her out of the school or something?"

"No," Michael shook his head emphatically, "I think the school is the best place for her right now. Certainly nowhere else is as equipped to help her as you are. You already touched on it, I can't be her legal guardian."

"What?" Adrienne did a double take. "Really? Shi...shoot, that blows. What, because of the whole 'man of the cloth' thing?"

Michael nodded slowly, "Yeah. Well to be more precise, I talked to my bishop and I can't be her sole guardian. In case the church moves me or something happens." he explained.

Adrienne made a noise of understanding. "That blows. But I guess it makes sense. So... you want me to talk to Professor Xavier for you, or something?"

"Something like that," Michael agreed before taking a deep breath; it was best just to approach this head on he decided. "Tandy obviously trusts you and most importantly likes you, so I was hoping you'd agree to be my co-guardian." he told Adrienne with an apologetic smile.

"I could certainly talk to... wait, what?" All of a sudden there was a buzzing in her ears and her throat seemed to close up, followed closely by her vision going completely white. Dumbstruck, she couldn't seem to form words. Or thoughts. All she could seem to do was make a sort of a gurgly noise that ended on a upnote so it formed a sort of a questiony sound.

"Tandy likes and trusts you so I was hoping you'd agree to be a co-guardian," Michael repeated gently. He knew that the moment he'd realized that he was responsible for looking after his niece the world had stopped for him but he could only imagine how Adrienne was feeling about the request. "I'm sorry to just spring it on you, but I really didn't know a better way to approach the topic." he apologized.

After several moments of silence, Adrienne forced her brain to form words. "Uhh... yeah. I imagine there's never really a good way to approach a topic like this," was what she said, but what she was thinking was more along the lines of holy shit, are you fucking insane?! "I... I don't really know what to say, to be honest with you," she admitted. "I mean... I... I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I've never... I don't want a family. I never have. I barely survived my own. I'm not looking to be a mother. I'm not the kind of person who is gonna set curfews and make sure vegetables are eaten or that sort of thing."

Michael nodded, "I never thought I'd be in this position either," he confided. "I guess I'm not asking you to be Tandy's mother, just to be there for her. Someone for her to talk to and who can look out for her when I can't." The priest spread his hands to encompass the church, "I don't know how most of the parents at your school are but I can't be there for Tandy as much as I'd like to, and I don't want her to have to face the future without anyone. I'm sure the teachers will look out for her, but it's not the same as having someone you can trust to go to when you need them." He smiled at Adrienne, "and it's clear she's bonded with you in the short time she's been at the school."

"I..." she fought off the paralyzing effect of what he was saying and forced herself to keep her head clear. "Yeah, I guess I wasn't thinking of your position. I mean, you're a priest. If there was anyone who didn't think they'd ever be a parent, you're probably the top of the list, right? I just..." suddenly it seemed really hot in the room and before she could scold herself against it, she had stumbled to her feet. "I'm sorry, I just need to... need some time to... I'm sorry, I just need to think about this. Can I get back to you?"

"Of course," Michael pushed himself up and walked around to get the door for Adrienne. "Please take all the time you need, it is a lot to ask of someone all of a sudden." Michael couldn't blame Adrienne for needing some time to absorb everything, he still wasn't sure that this all wasn't a dream, or rather a nightmare. Regardless, he was determined to do the best he could for his niece, it was the least he could do for her.