Chapter 3 Bruce
The golden elevator doors opened on the eighteenth floor and a dashing man with subtle streaks of gray in his black hair stepped out onto the tiled floor. Nelda stood up from her desk and couldn't keep from staring. The man flashed a quick smile at her before he began speaking. "Bruce Wayne here to meet with Jacqueline Nallier."
"Yes… yes Mr. Wayne, please allow me a moment to announce you." Nelda practically sprinted behind the dark wooden office door and Bruce chuckled to himself. He didn't know who this attorney was but he figured she had to be an old bitty in order for the practice to push him and his needs on her.
Nelda returned a moment later and held the door open. "Ms. Nallier is ready for you Mr. Wayne."
Bruce caught the Ms. instead of Mrs. and smiled to himself thinking he was right in deeming her an old bitty. The woman the met him with her hand outstretched shocked him to no end, this was definitely not an old bitty. She was tall and not overly heavy but curvy in all the right places. Her face was round with a small dimple that showed in her right cheek when she spoke. She was dressed sensibly with a pleated tea-length gray skirt and pale blue button up blouse. Her tan heels clicked on the tiled floor and she strolled up to him confidently. "Mr. Wayne, I'm Jacqueline and I'll be taking over your account with our practice. I've tried to review as much as I could before our meeting today, but your file is quite extensive. Let's have a seat and talk through some of the questions I have first and then we can address any changes you want to make."
He took her outstretched hand but instead of a firm handshake he turned it over and placed a quick kiss on her knuckles. "It's a pleasure to meet you Jacqueline and please call me Bruce."
Jacqueline knew she was blushing but she couldn't help it. The old man she was expecting to meet was definitely not Bruce Wayne. He was older, sure, but still handsome and fit and he had just enough gray in his hair to appear distinguished. "Bruce," she said quietly, "please have a seat and Nelda you can bring the refreshments in whenever you are ready."
When his back was turned to them Nelda's mouth dropped open in absolutely shock. She mouthed the phrase "oh my God" a couple of times before she practically ran out of the office. Jacqueline strolled over to the table that sat in the window of her office and sat across from Bruce. She opened her laptop and pulled out a yellow legal pad and ink pen. "It will take just a moment for the program to load Mr.… Bruce," she said causally.
Nelda walked in with a tray of coffee, tea, and pastries and sat it on the table between Bruce and Jacqueline. "Anything else?" she asked trying not to stare at Bruce.
"No, thank you Nelda."
Nelda nodded and rushed out of the room closing the door firmly behind her. "She seems nice," Bruce said, breaking the silence.
"She's wonderful," Jacqueline said, not take her eyes from the computer screen. "She has really helped me make a transition to partner in the practice. I'm sure you are aware that I was named a partner only a month ago."
He grinned at her. "Actually no, Jacqueline, I wasn't aware. I'm glad you were assigned to my file, the last several attorneys have been pompous old men that were just interested in money."
She glanced up at him and nodded. "I won't say I work with a group of pompous attorneys, but I have always been taught it is rude to disagree with the customers."
He laughed at that statement, a deep guttural laugh that was loud and mesmerizing. "I think I'm in love," he said. "Would you like me to pour you some coffee or tea?"
She smiled at him. "It's a little early to be declaring your feelings, Bruce and I would love some tea with sugar please." The computer beeped and she cleared her throat. "Are you ready to answer a couple of questions?"
"Sure," he said, focusing on pouring the hot tea into a white, gold handled cup. "Just don't get to personal."
"You've already confessed your love for me Mr. Wayne, how much more personal can we get?"
"Touché," he said with a grin.
"I reviewed as many of your holdings as I could from the last decade and you are a very busy man. I have your current general status at upwards of four billion in monetary holdings, stocks, bonds, and properties, is that correct?"
He nodded while pushing the cup of tea across the table to her. "Two sugars enough?"
She nodded before she continued. "And I have listed two beneficiaries a Mister Alfred Pennyworth and a Mister Richard Greyson, is that correct?"
He nodded again. "Anything else?"
"It depends on what you are here for today Bruce. Let's discuss your concerns and I'll ask questions as we converse."
"I actually wanted to discuss my living will."
Jacqueline nodded. "Certainly, let me open that section of the file."
Her fingers flew across the keyboard and when the computer beeped again she was ready. "What specific concerns would you like to address?"
He poured himself a cup of coffee and took a bite of a cream cheese Danish before he spoke. "I'm getting older and while I plan on living for many more years I find that some of my adventures are putting me at greater risk of death. I would like to amend my living will to allow for resuscitation measures in the case of death, but with a maximum trial for revival of one hour."
"Adventures?" she asked curiously. "I wasn't aware you were an adventurous type person, but I don't read the papers like Nelda does."
"I'll try anything, once," he said with his mouth full of Danish. "Of course if I die once might be the only opportunity I get."
She shook her head. "I'm glad to see you aren't perfect."
He took a sip of his coffee before speaking. "What makes you say that?"
"I have now been privy to a mouthful of cream cheese Danish during our conversation. Even Nelda's three year old son knows better to talk with his mouth full."
Bruce choked on his coffee and nearly spit it out on the table. "You are calling attention to my manners?"
"Your lack of manners, Mr. Wayne."
He chuckled. "You are a tough one, I'll give you that Jacqueline. If we can make that change I'll be out of your hair, for today anyway."
"It's already done Bruce. I'll print the paperwork for you to sign and have it ready in just a moment."
Bruce watched her leave the table and walk out to her secretary's desk. Her eyes were the deepest emerald green he had ever seen. There was something familiar about her, but he couldn't put his finger on just exactly what it was. He took another sip of his coffee. She had called him out on his pour manners! Ha! Brave little vixen wasn't she.
She strolled back into the office with a stack of paperwork. "I need to condense your file down Bruce, we are killing a forest each time we print your information."
She stood next to him at the table and showed him the changes she had made to his living will and showed him where to initial and sign. She was momentarily distracted by how great he smelled and tripped over her words before recovering. When everything was signed and initialed she went back to have the paperwork copied for his records. He watched the gentle sway of her hips as she strolled out of the room and briefly wondered what she looked like naked.
"Alright Bruce, here is your copy, is there anything else I can do for you today?" she said with a smile.
He stood up from the table and she noticed for the first time that he was a good five inches taller than her which was impressive. Especially since she had on heels today. She didn't know very many men who were as tall as she was, let alone taller.
"Have dinner with me tonight," he said putting his hands in his pockets.
Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him for a minute. "Dinner? Like a dinner date?"
"Exactly like a dinner date," he said with a grin. "I'll pick you up around eight o'clock tonight. You can just text me your address, you have my number on file."
He was talking as he was walking out of the office and she was still staring at him with her mouth open. He stepped onto the elevators while she stood in her office door gaping at him. "Don't forget to text me your address. See you at eight tonight and just dress casual, we won't go anywhere fancy."
The elevator door closed and Nelda rushed to stand in the doorway with her. "What the hell just happened?" she asked.
"I'm… I'm… apparently going out to dinner with Bruce Wayne."
Nelda's mouth dropped open. "You are kidding! This is amazing! I can't wait to live vicariously through you!"
"Nelda, I don't date clients. Which I'll apparently have to inform Bruce… Mr. Wayne at dinner tonight."
"Don't forget to text him your address," Nelda added and Jacqueline snorted.