Afternoon Treat
By Yasmin M.

Disclaimer: Semua watak di dalam cerita ini adalah kepunyaan saya, kecuali X-Men dan Friends of Humanity yang dihakcipta oleh Marvel. (They never said which language the disclaimer had to be in. )

Rated PG-13 for dastardly language not meant for innocent eyes. I don't know how this story came about, save that I was nursing a writer's block for Northlight's challenge at the time. ;) My apologies to the real Ai-Leen...

"Jesus Christ, Hernandez, just hand me the bloody thing already."

Ai-Leen Hadler was having a thoroughly bad day. Not content with throwing her out sans reference, her ex-boss vented his petty rage against the Chinese-American woman by having two beefy security guards rifle through her belongings to, quote, "make sure that fucking slut doesn't steal anything", unquote -- in full view of her erstwhile colleagues. Well, what was she supposed to do when he groped her ass? Lift her skirt? Okay, maybe kneeing him in the balls and letting loose with a left hook wasn't the best tactical maneuver, but damn it if it didn't feel good.

"I thought yer an atheist, Len," said the guard she addressed, who grinned from ear to ear. Fortunately, he was a good friend of hers and had managed to convince his partner, a redhead named Seymour, to finish the search quickly.

"I'm Taoist," she corrected him primly. "Just because I'm a lapsed Taoist tainted by the evil American decadence doesn't mean I don't believe in religion. As for invoking a deity I don't pray to, blame it on my dear ex-hubby."

"Whatever." Hernandez handed her the cardboard box filled with her meager belongings. Seymour faded into the background, but the swarthy man escorted her to her car. "Gonna miss havin' ya around, girl," he said as he gave her a hug. "Keep in touch, y'hear? Call me if ya need anythin'. Anythin' at all."

"Aww, you're going to make me cry," she mock-sniffed as she gave him a good squeeze.

He laughed, and retorted, "Somehow, I doubt that."

With a final hug and a wave, Ai-Leen drove away from the parking lot of Home & Hearth Ltd for the last time. Already her mind was occupied with problem of getting another job. Her qualifications were impeccable, but lacked the extra something that made all the difference. She was forced to accept low-paying secretarial positions, and for the last three years had been working with H&H (slogan: "We supply only the best in kitchenware"). She grimaced. Too bad the nice old manager was promoted, and replaced by an odious butt-kisser.

Ah, well. She could worry about it, and call her lawyer cousin later. At least she was able to go home early and spend some time with her daughter. Whistling "Garry Owen" under her breath, she switched on the radio.

"Up next we have Celine Dion singing "My--"

Gack, not that moronic song again. She quickly changed the station.

"This morning, an anti-mutant rally by the Friends of Humanity turned ugly when baton-wielding members beat an alleged mutant in public. The boy, 15, is now in critical condition. Police reportedly arrested 30 FOH members..."

Angrily, she played a Sarah McLachlan tape instead. Her thoughts were bleak as the soothing music washed over her. What a bigoted bunch of fools they were, with their blind hate and unreasoning fanaticism. People readily condemned foreign extremists, but shut their eyes to the fast-expanding terrorist army in their own country. Sad, and frightening. She fleetingly toyed with the idea of migrating. How could she let her daughter grow up in an environment like this?

Ai-Leen was a low-level telepath, but her mutant power was too weak to even defend herself in a fight. She relied more on her intelligence and a black belt in karate. Yet, because she was a homo superior, she was considered a danger to humanity. Oh yeah, as if a group of armed robots are much of a saviour. At least the X-Men were doing some good, instead of going around killing innocents.

"Instead of spending all that money on those freaks, they should use it to find and neuter faithless husbands," she murmured, thinking back to the useless piece of trash she had married. He had abandoned her for a leggy blonde, leaving her with a new surname and a baby on the way. Not that she mourned for long. With her flawless skin and attractive smile, she found it quite easy to get dates.

Finally, she was home. Ai-Leen whistled as she unlocked the door of her apartment, and called out, "I'm home!" The apartment was quiet, but that was to be expected -- it was "Homework Hour".

"Mommy! Why're you back so early?" greeted her daughter, Susan. The seven-year old smiled as her mother kissed her on the cheek.

"Don't worry about it, dear. Where's Mel?"

"She's cooking." The girl wrinkled her nose. "I don't like eggplant casserole."

"It's good for you. Have you finished your homework?"

Mel had been Susan's babysitter for the past six months, quite a record. Ai-Leen nodded to her as she passed the kitchen, but did not stop to talk. Now, where... ah, there it is. She snatched the cigarette packet, and stepped out to the balcony for an afternoon smoke.

"What the--? Sue!"

"Yes, Mommy?" her daughter answered demurely, hands behind her back.

Ai-Leen shook the packet at her. "Didn't I tell you not to turn my cigs into chocolates?"

"But Mr Alex says that smoking is bad for you! I asked him, and he said that chocolates are much healthier," she protested, green eyes wide open and pleading. "He said you can get cancer!"

The woman sighed, and wondered which joker up there gave her daughter the power to turn inanimate objects into milk chocolates. "Yes, but that doesn't give you the right to do that. Those were my property. Would you like it if I turn your teddy cats into chocolates without your permission?"

"I guess not." She shuffled her feet.

"Never mind. Just as long as you don't do it again. Here, would you like one? I was thinking of quitting anyway..."