A Chat With the Parents

Chris unlocked the door and entered, with Jean right behind him. The two made their way to the living room, where Chris looked around to see if his parents were around.

“Mom? Dad? You guys here?” Chris asked as he began to walk around the house. He heard some noise from the kitchen so that is where he went. There, he saw his mother doing the dishes.

“Honey, is that you? What are you doing here?” asked his mother as she turned to face him. “Are you ok?!” she said in a worried tone as she rushed to her son. Chris just gave her a hug to calm her down before he spoke.

“No, mom, I’m fine. It’s just that...something has come up that has changed my priorities,” he told her.

“Wait, what?! Did you have sex? Did you get a girl pregnant?! CHRISTOPER DANIEL JOHNSON! YOU WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT GIRL AND YOUR CHILD!” roared his mother, in a tone he had never seen from her before.

“Woah, wait, calm down mom!” Chris said in an attempt to defuse the situation.

“Don’t you dare tell me to calm down, young man! I am your mother! And you will be a good father, you hear me?!” she said as she walked towards him. Chris, instinctively, walked backwards away from his mother. This motion led the two into the living room where Jean was waiting. The moment Chris’ mother saw the beautiful redhead standing there, she immediately stopped her tirade against her son and rushed over to the young woman.

“Oh sweetie! I’m so sorry my idiot son tricked you into having unprotected sex! But do not worry, my husband and I will make sure that he takes responsibility and makes sure you and your child are taken care of! I will not allow him to be a deadbeat dad!” Chris’ mother told Jean as she clasped her hands over the redhead’s hands.

“I believe there has been a mistake, Mrs. Johnson,” Jean said in a calm tone with a smile on her face. “I am not your son’s lover. I am actually happily married. I am here to see if you would be willing to transfer your son to the school I work at,” she said calmly.

“Oh...what?! I-I am so sorry, dear!” Mrs. Johnson said as her face turned beet red from embarrassment. The older woman began to just babble in her embarrassment in and attempt to rectify the situation.

“It is ok, I swear,” Jean said in an attempt to calm the stammering mother. “Just take some deep breaths and sit down,” suggested Jean, to which the older woman followed the suggestion.

“I can’t believe I made such a silly mistake. I am so embarrassed!” stammered out the mother, still not able to get over her mistake.

“It’s fine, really! I swear!” Jean said in her continuing attempts to calm the woman. “Let’s change subjects, shall we?” she asked. Mrs. Johnson just nodded in agreement. “Good. So, is your husband here? You both should hear this,” Jean told her.

“Oh...uh yes. He is upstairs working,” said Mrs. Johnson.

“Anna, what is that racket you were making down here?” As if right on time, Chris’ father came down the stairs to see what the commotion was all about.

“Oh! Gerald! We have company!” said Anna Johnson as she quickly rushed to intercept her husband. “So put some pants on!” she told him in an attempt to save her child and guest the sight of her husband in, she hoped, pajama bottoms at best. Jean gave a puzzled look as she overheard this exchange.

“My uh… My dad works from home and only has the camera on sometimes. So he, uh, doesn’t always wear pants since they just see his collared shirt most of the time,” explained Chris, who hoped Jean would understand. The redhead chuckled at the explanation that Chris gave her.

“I get it. Work from home must be nice. Sadly, I’m not as lucky!” Jean said with a laugh. Chris gave it a good chuckle as well.

“Yes, yes, I have pants on now! Calm down, woman! Let me see who the guests are!” Gerald said as he made his way downstairs, with Anna following him quickly.

“Chris? Why aren’t you at school?” he asked before he turned his gaze to Jean. “And who is this magnificent woman? Surely not your girlfriend! She’s far too good for you!” he said with a hearty laugh.

“Gerald!” Anna said as she gave her husband a light slap. “Your son could easily attract a woman like Jean!” Anna defended her son from his father’s harsh jokes.

“Yes, yes, I know he can. He is my son, afterall!” Gerald said as he grabbed his son and gave his head a rub.

“Daaaaaaaaad! Stop!” he said, totally embarrassed in front of Jean. Jean could not help but laugh as she saw the loving family in front of her.

“I do love seeing a happy family,” Jean told the Johnson family. “But, shall we get back to business?” she asked as she gestured to the seats. The family each took a seat, with Chris and Jean on the couch and his mother and father opposite them in arm chairs.

“Sure, sure. So what’s this about?” asked Gerald.

“So, I have found the best way to do this is to just tell the parents right off the bat: Your son is a mutant,” Jean said in a calm, concise voice. There was an eerie silence as Chris’ parents just sat there and stared at Chris and Jean.

“Are you sure you aren’t pregnant, dear?” asked Anna as a break to the silence. Jean just chuckled.

“I assure you, Mrs. Johnson, I have not met your son before today and especially have not had sex with him. My husband would not be very happy if I did that,” she told the older woman.

“Ah! You’re married?! I hope he’s a sweet man!” she said. Jean nodded.

“He is. I love him dearly,” she said with a smile on her face.

“So, my son’s a mutant, eh?” asked Gerald as he leaned in and gave his son a once over. “Well, he doesn’t look any different,” pointed out the older man.

“Yes, not all mutants have outward mutations. I, for example, am a telepath. I have mind based powers. Mind reading, moving things with my mind, that sort of thing. Your son seems to be similar,” Jean informed them.

“Ah, I see. You aren’t messing with my mind, are ya?” asked Gerald in a concerned tone.

“Gerald! This sweet, young girl would never do such a thing! Right, sweetie?” asked Anna.

“Oh, of course! Telepaths from Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters have a strict policy of not reading minds against someone’s will. A person’s mind is sacrosanct, and we will not violate such a sacred place,” assured Jean.

“Really? That is some good values they are teaching you there at this...Xavier’s something?” said Gerald.

“Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters,” corrected Jean. “It is a school in upstate New York whose purpose is to explain to and help young mutants learn how to control their powers so they can better integrate in society,” explained the young redhead.

“Oh, really? That’s actually pretty damn good! I want to see humans and mutants get along. I always thought hating one another based on differences was stupid. There are actual things to hate, like pineapple on pizza!” declared Gerald.

“I wish more people were like you, Mr. Johnson. Sadly, not enough people believe we can live in peace,” a saddened Jean said.

“Yes, but there’s those X-Men people, right? They seem to try to prove that mutants only want to help,” Anna pointed out.

“Yes, but then you have the Brotherhood of Mutants. Those guys want mutant supremacy. Of course, there are also white supremacists. So, maybe that’s just a human thing,” Gerald said in a sudden moment of philosophical epiphany.

“Damn dad, that’s kinda deep!” Chris pointed out.

“Chris! Language!” scolded his mother. “But also, you are right,” agreed Anna.