Chapter Four: Uncle Jimmy
She'd taken Ed's suggestion of getting Csilla out of the house. Some of that good ole Gotham air would do her good, she figured, and seeing a few people that were not criminals might influence a good mood where Csilla had been in such a bad one that Sylvia couldn't even properly get her changed.
She first brought her to the GCPD station. A bunch of cops: might have been the safest place to go in order to introduce Csilla to strangers. At this point, Csilla could recognize Sylvia's voice, responding to it as well as seeing her with a smile or a gurgle of familiarity.
The moment Sylvia entered the police station with a baby, it was like a magnet for attention. The first to come was Harvey Bullock, who, when he saw the resemblance of both Sylvia and Oswald in her, he let out a low whistle to which Csilla opened her mouth, narrowing the shape to a small 'O', and tried to mimic him.
Dressed in a pair of small black capris, red sweatshirt, and the smallest ballerina shoes ever known to mankind, Csilla stared at Harvey from Sylvia's lap, those wide cerulean eyes staring up at him. Her bangs had been pulled back with a small purple butterfly barrette.
"She's growing like a weed," Harvey chortled as he sat on the edge of his desk (He let Sylvia have his chair.).
"Yes, she has."
"I'd ask to hold her, but…" Harvey held up his hands, showing that he had some doughnut powder on them. "She looks like a princess, and I doubt she'd want ole Uncle Harv's cooties. Isn't that right.." A slew of baby talk came from him after, to which Csilla giggled.
When she did, Harvey genuinely laughed. He looked at Sylvia, saying seriously, "How have you been?"
"I've been."
"How's the motherhood working for you?"
"It's been interesting so far."
"Finally getting her on a sleeping schedule?"
"She can sleep about six hours," Sylvia said, nodding.
"Straight six hours?"
"Straight six hours."
"Damn, she's getting more than me then, that's for sure." Harvey said, shaking his head with a small smile. "How's the uh…the Mayor? I'm guessing he's all right too?"
"He's just fine, Harvey."
"Nice to see you all getting a nice routine down, you know. Mayoral duties here, Underworld duties there. Still managing the nice house, the white picket fence, this little angel…" Harvey continued, smirking. "Pretty soon, you'll have a lot more to deal with, once she starts dating people."
"Not until she's older, of course."
"So what, you're think fifteen or something?"
"It depends on who you ask," Sylvia replied, chuckling. "I don't care if she starts dating when she's fifteen. Her father, on the other hand: no dating until she's twenty-five."
"Typical father-with-the-shotgun," Harvey said amusedly. "Well, for once, I agree with your bird husband. He's got a point. But you'll have a hard time batting off those sons-of-bitches. Look at all of that hair, and those purty eyes."
A voice said sweetly, "I thought I heard someone brought in a baby!"
Sylvia glanced up to see Lee coming her way, wearing a lab coat over a dark sweater and jeans. Seeing Csilla, Lee's eyes twinkled and she grinned widely.
"Good morning, Lee," Sylvia greeted.
"Morning to you too. So this is the little one," Lee said candidly, grinning down at the baby. "How old?"
"Six months, two weeks."
"She's growing so big!" Lee exclaimed. She bent down at the waist, so she was eye level with Csilla, as she spoke gently to the little girl: "Hello there, Sweetie. I'm Lee, what's your name?"
"S-s-s-s-s," Csilla responded. Some drool came out of her mouth in a small spittle. "S-s-s-s-s!"
"She's trying to say her name," Lee gushed. "That is so adorable."
Harvey patted Sylvia on the shoulder saying, "Hey, I've gotta take care of something, real quick. It was nice seeing you again. Cute kid." He left shortly after kissing her on the head, and he didn't even try to touch the baby in any case she considered him a stranger. Once he was gone, Csilla turned her attention back to the woman in front of her.
Lee pulled a chair, sitting directly in front of Sylvia. She was trying to coax the baby to her, but even as Lee looked so friendly and genuine, Csilla refused to take the bait. She lifted her eyes up, leaning her back against Sylvia's stomach so Sylvia looked down and met them.
"You can go over to her," Sylvia said lightly. "She won't hurt you."
"Wha-wha-wha-wha...oo-ooh…"
"My," Lee snickered, "isn't she a talker."
"Ma-ma-ma-ma. Ba-a-a…"
"Takes after her mother, I guess."
Lee and Sylvia both turned to see Jim coming up the stairs. He looked as though he came back from yet another mission but his resolve was still there and he appeared humored to see Sylvia and Lee sitting together, a babbling child that looked too much like Oswald and already acted too much like Sylvia to be a simple coincidence for a visit. Seeing Jim, Lee cleared her throat and stood, politely excusing herself. As she left to continue whatever was left of her job in the Medical Examiner's lab, Jim watched after her.
"I know that longing face." Sylvia said knowingly, her gaze transfixed on Jim, who took Lee's chair, sitting in it.
"What face?" Jim said, playing ignorant.
"You know the face. I'm guessing you two've talked?"
"Something like that."
"And?"
"Nothing much to talk about," Jim responded, shrugging. "She moved on. So have I. She's getting married to a doctor, and I'm…Well, I'm here."
Sylvia sighed, and Csilla looked at Jim with an idle stare.
"Cute kid," Jim commented, smiling at her. "Look at those eyes."
"Yep," sighed Sylvia. "She's a heart breaker."
"How old is she?"
"Six months, two weeks."
"Growing like a weed."
"Growing fast." Sylvia agreed. She wrapped her arms around Csilla's stomach and said playfully, "Who's that man, Csilla? Hmm? Who's that gruff, grumpy looking man, huh? That's your Uncle Jimmy, little one. Uncle Jimmy, say hello."
Jim waved, and then something clicked in him. Something Sylvia had never seen before. There was an inner child in him, coming out. He started making faces at her; and Csilla tried doing the same faces, returning it immediately. When he crossed his eyes, she tried crossing hers. When he opened his mouth widely; she opened hers in the same fashion.
He put his hands over his face, and started playing peek-a-boo. When he 'disappeared', Csilla giggled. When he 're-appeared', she shrieked in surprise and then laughter. The smile lit her eyes, and Jim laughed when Csilla bounced up and down in excitement.
"I've never seen this side of you," Sylvia exclaimed, gesturing to him.
"Well…" Jim returned, shrugging modestly.
He leaned forward, slowly taking his hands and moving them towards Csilla, who started shrieking in suspenseful giggles. And as Jim tickled her belly, Csilla kicked her feet at him, trying to make him stop, but that didn't take away from her laughter.
"She loves this game," Jim said, entertained.
"Yeah, she does," Sylvia agreed. "She likes the tickle monster."
"Do you do the tickle monster?"
"No. Oswald does."
Jim blinked and said incredulously, "Oswald does the 'Tickle Monster'?"
"Yeah."
"Penguin."
"Yes," Sylvia snickered. "What, you think just because he's a crime lord, he doesn't play with her?"
"What about Peek-A-Boo?" Jim asked, almost defensively.
"That's my game." Sylvia returned.
"What about bouncing her on the knee?"
"Ed's game."
"Ed…?"
"Mm-hm."
"Edward Nygma."
"Yes, Jim." Sylvia said calmly.
"You let him around my niece?"
"Yes. He can be around children, Jimmy. He's not a fucking pedophile or some sicko."
"He's a criminal."
"Well, so is Oswald. So am I."
Jim straightened, his laughter sobering and so had his amusement as he said, "So you'll let your daughter around anyone and everyone."
"Not without supervision, no." Sylvia said coolly. "I admit, I love seeing this protective Uncle side of you coming out to play, but I hope you watch your tone carefully. Oswald and I are very protective of her, too. We don't let anyone around her unless we trust them."
"What about the Duke and Tommy Bones?"
"I don't think so. She didn't care much for Tommy Bones," Sylvia explained. "He brought a clown to the party, thinking he'd impress her."
"And?"
"She tore the clown's nose off." Sylvia returned.
"A reasonable reaction, I think. I don't care much for clowns in this town either."
"Who does, really."
Jim crossed his arms, his frown deepening but then Csilla let out a raspberry and he cracked a grin.
"So, how've you been otherwise?" asked Jim.
"Pretty good."
"And how's Oswald?"
"He's doing well too."
"Have you been sleeping?"
"Better than you," Sylvia confirmed. "Are you still trying to duke it out with this infatuation you have for the reporter?"
"Vale and I are fine, thanks for asking."
"Well, I didn't ask that but that's good to know."
"Vee," Jim sighed, leaning forward again. "I know you were hoping for Lee and me to get back together, but you know, that's in the past. It's done…we're done."
"So you think," Sylvia said with a sly smile. "Love has a way of bringing two people back together. Even if they think they can't or won't ever be together again."
"I like your faith," Jim told her, "but I think you're barking up the wrong tree."
"May be, but I still have hope that you two will come back together again."
"Only the future can tell."
"Indeed." Sylvia agreed.
Csilla let out a whine, looking up at her.
"Oh, dear…" Sylvia murmured. "Someone's starting to get hungry. I have her food in the car. It's time for me to get going anyway. I have to drop by the club, see how everyone else is doing."
"You're taking a baby to a bar?" Jim questioned, surprised.
"Well, I'm not forcing her to drink, James. Damn…what kind of mother do you think I am?"
Jim grinned knowingly at her but didn't say anything to that fact.