Chapter 1; Hayley Janesson

Ding dong. Alfred walked to the door and opened it. It was a rainy September day and both Bruce and Dick were grumpy. They had been extremely nervous for the arrival of the new inhabitant. Alfred had tried all sorts of things not to get the girl in the house, but it was an order and everybody had to obey it. Alfred took a deep breath and opened the large ancient-looking front door. Lieutenant Gordon did not smile at the butler, he was completely soaked. As he entered the large corridor his glasses got steamy. Alfred took his jacket and hung it on the coat rack. After Lieutenant Gordon a girl entered. She was a lot smaller than the tall British butler. Her light brown hair was completely wet from the rain and laid sticky against her face. She had bright grey eyes. And a trail of freckles slithered from her left cheek over her nose to her right cheek. She dropped her old weekend bag on the floor and placed her blue shoulder bag on it. She took of her grey knee length coat and hung it up the coat rack herself. She smiled at Alfred and reached him his hand.
'Hayley,' she said with a smile.
'Alfred Pennyworth,' the old butler smiled.
'Hayley, come here, please,' lieutenant Gordon said as he stood before the door of the first living room. Alfred could see Hayley swallow and slowly walk towards the police man. He lead her into the living room. Bruce and Dick were sitting on a sofa. Their faces were straight and without emotion. Hayley could feel her heartbeat rise. It was the most uncomfortable situation Hayley had ever been in. Well, one of the few.
'Mr. Wayne,' lieutenant Gordon coughed, 'Dick, this is Hayley Janesson. Hayley, meet Bruce and Dick.'
'Hi,' she said soft. Bruce only gave her a small nod. She had heard the rich playboy Mr. Wayne was cold, but this? She hardly felt a thing – ever since the death of her family it been cold inside her.
'If I'm right, your butler has all the information, should there be any trouble you can always call us,' lieutenant Gordon just wanted to get out of there. His wife was waiting for him.
'Indeed,' was the only replay the lieutenant got.
'Well, you sure know where to find me, miss Janesson,' the lieutenant said as he got up, 'Don't stop by too often. Good evening.'
'Good evening,' Bruce said, but remained seated. Lieutenant Gordon looked around and walked back to the door. Alfred showed him the way. Hayley twitched around a bit uneasy. All of the sudden Dick stood up, ran a hand through his black hair and left the room. Hayley did not understand one thing of the two men.
'I have some rules,' Bruce said, he remained on the sofa and stared at her, 'One: never enter the right wing of the Manor, it will be the 'men's wing' from now on. Two: when a sign says 'Do Not Enter', you will not enter. Three: you will only live here as long as you cannot afford a place yourself. Clear?'
'Yes,' she said, clenching her jaws, 'Thank you for your kindness.'
'Alfred, show miss Janesson her room,' he said.
'Right, ser, right this way, miss,' Alfred said. Hayley almost jumped up and followed the butler. He lead her up two stairs, to the second floor. Wayne Manor was a large old-stylish mansion, with a lot of wood and old paintings. Hayley took her bags and followed Alfred.

'Is he always like that?' Hayley asked as they climbed the stairs.
'Master Wayne – just has to get use to a woman walking around the house which he cannot easily show the door, if you know what I mean,' the old man said with a wink.
'Alrighty,' Hayley sighed.
'Here we are,' Alfred said. Opening one of the two large white doors. Hayley entered her new room. It was a large room, with a high ceiling. She had a canopy, double bed. A large desk, a long mirror a closet, a bookcase and a small living room near the large windows.
'Its so beauty,' she whispered.
'Its yours,' Alfred smiled.
'Thank you,' she said as she looked around.
'You're welcome,' the voice of Bruce Wayne sounded behind her. Hayley looked a bit doubtful at him.
'Thank you,' she said.
'You're welcome,' he smiled again, 'Its all yours.'
'Everything?' she said as she saw the laptop and some other things.
'Everything,' he said with a small smile. Perhaps he was not as heartless as he looked.
'Thanks,' she said again.
'Alfred, Dick and I will be gone, the coming days. I trust you will take care of miss Janesson.'
'Of course, sir,' Alfred smiled.

Hayley opened her eyes and looked around. She was panting and tears covered her cheeks. It was two in the morning. Rain was splashing against the window. She swallowed and took a deep breath. She stroke her hair back and step out of bed. She slowly walked down the two stairsm trying to think as little as possible. Yet, the images still flashed through her mind. Downstairs everything was dark. Alfred was fast asleep and Bruce and Dick had left two days ago for – well who knew for how long? On her bare feet Hayley walked to the kitchen and refused to turn a light on. Even though it was raining, the moon still gave enough light to look around. When Hayley walked around the cooking island and wondered what she wanted to drink. For that was the reason why she had left her warm bed. Milk? Juice? Water? Wine? Soda? Scotch? Coffee? There was so much choice. Too much, if you would ask her. She was not used to all the wealth. She had – like most people in West Gotham – lived in a very small apartment, with her mom, Stan (her stepdad) and her five siblings. They had always been short on money and the fridge was almost always empty, because he almost never worked. Hayley had one older brother, Dave, and after them became Pete and Catty. Nora was de five month old baby of her mom and Stan. They had all died in the fire. Hayley had been at the theatre in East Gotham for an audition. She wanted a lead role in a new play. Hayley loved to be a part of a play and had played in several smaller ones, but wanted to try something big and new for ones. Yet, when news reached them from the fire the auditions had been put on hold. By the time Hayley finally reached the district she lived in, the fire was lighting the entire night sky and she was stopped by an old firefighter with a big grey mustache. Days later she had been brought here, at Wayne Manor. And how joyful had it been ever since. Hayley had begged her father's family to take her in, but they did not want anything to do with her, as they always had.
'Goodness, you scared me,' Hayley heard and the bright kitchen light flashed on. She had to blink several times before she could see again. Alfred stood in the kitchen holding a baseball bat.
'Sorry, I woke you,' she muttered to the butler in his pajama.
'O, don't bother, I'm used to a lot more noise,' he said with a smile as he placed the bat against the wall, 'Still, you're up awfully early, miss.'
'I can't sleep,' she replied, half lying. Alfred gave her a friendly smile.
'You know what you need, miss?' Alfred walked to the dresser, 'Tea.'
'Tea?' Hayley repeated.
'Tea indeed,' Alfred said cheerfully, 'You just sit down, miss, I'll get to it.'
'Alright,' Hayley sighed and sat down on a crutch by the cooking island. Within a few minutes, Alfred turned around with two steamy mugs. Hayley blew in it and carefully took a sip and noticed it was not burning hot at all but drink ready! It tasted very different from any tea she had every drank before – and she loved it.
'Thank you,' Hayley said and yawned when she had drank all of her tea.
'You're welcome, miss,' Alfred said with his British accent.
'Alfred, how come you're still so nice when Bruce is so…I don't know,' Hayley sighed. Alfred raised his eyebrows.
'Miss Hayley, master Wayne is a very kind man,' he said.
'Well, he sure does not seem like that!'
'Well, he is an American man, you know,' he said and winked, 'You just have to look through his shield.'
'And what about Dick? I don't know a thing about him, but he always look so mean at me.'
'Master Dick is a friendly young man of twenty-two,' Alfred smiled, 'I guess he's just nervous.'
'Yeah, let's stick with that,' Hayley grinned and stood up. Alfred placed the mugs in the dishwasher.
'Thanks for the tea, again,' Hayley said.
'You're welcome, again.'
'Goodnight, Alfred.'
'Goodnight, miss Hayley.'

Aaahw, isn't Alfred an angel?

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