Ch. 28

Rorschach couldn't say when he had ever felt this nervous. He had been on edge for most of the week. It wasn't Underboss or anything related to fighting crime or walking that dangerous line close to death in battle, either. He was worried about that blasted dinner.

He didn't want to go, of course, but he had to. He had to go if Dan was going to be there. Walter had worn himself out worrying endlessly through the nights. It didn't help that he had been worrying about other things, as well. His future, for instance. Walter had finally given in a few days ago and told Mr. Greer of his desire to work in a better environment. He had meant that he was going to look for a job elsewhere, but his statement seemed to elicit a positive response from Mr. Greer.

"I actually have a colleague in the tailoring business," he had told Walter. "He's been looking to hire an assistant, you know. I'll put in a good word for you."

Walter had been stunned.

"Err, thank you," he managed to tell Mr. Greer, who pat his shoulder affectionately.

"Good to see a nice young man getting somewhere in life," he said, before adjusting his tape measure and attending to a customer. Walter thought that was a kind gesture, but expected nothing of it, as he wasn't professionally trained to work in this business, let alone as a tailor.

The next day, Walter was hired. Walter played along, imagining it to be in the similar line of work as he had been doing. He was pleased to find that the shop had only male clothing. He was shocked to find that it was a very high-end establishment that required that he wear a suit. Mr. Petersen, the tailor who owned the shop, was an older man than Mr. Greer. His blue eyes peered out of thick glasses, and his snowy white hair set off the dark clothing he would usually wear. Mr. Petersen himself didn't own a suit, he said. He told Walter he wanted a respectable looking young man in the shop to help lure the customers in. Walter thought he would drive the customers away more than anything, but he had no problems looking respectable. Mr. Petersen even fitted him for a suit and gave Walter materials to make it with.

So now, Walter was an assistant tailor in a shop that catered to the rich. It was a huge leap from where he had been working in just a few days before, and he still couldn't believe it. Thinking about it now, his heart fluttered for a moment before it sank again as he recalled his dinner obligation. It was tonight, and Rorschach really didn't want to go.

That's why he was standing on the sidewalk looking up at Sally Juspeczyk's home and wishing he were somewhere else. He heard someone approach and looked up. It was the Comedian. Well, Edward Blake.

"Hey kid," said Blake, laughing a little. "I guess you're looking forward to this thing as much as I am, huh?"

Rorschach nodded in an absent-minded manner. He wondered at Blake's meaning until he remembered how he had been kicked out of the Minutemen. He mustn't have interacted at all with the other members after that. Rorschach imagined how awkward that must be. He was surprised that Blake had shown up at all. He and Blake walked up the steps and Blake rang the doorbell. Hollis Mason answered the door.

"Blake," he said, nodding curtly at him.

"Hollis," said Blake, looking like he was grinding his teeth on something bitter.

"And you must be Rorschach," Hollis continued.

"Yes," said Rorschach, tentatively.

"Nite Owl II tells me all about his friends," he said.

Rorschach wanted to vomit. Instead he followed Blake inside. Blake started looking around, and Rorschach shoved himself in the corner and out of the way. There he stood and watched Hollis and Blake as they attempted at conversation until the doorbell rang. Closer to the door, Rorschach opened it but stayed behind it and out of sight. Ozymandias looked in, confused for a moment until he spotted Rorschach.

"Oh," he said, looking relieved. "I'm glad I'm not the only one in costume."

"Welcome," said Hollis. "Sally's in the kitchen with Laurie. She said dinner will be ready in ten more minutes."

Blake looked at Rorschach. They seemed to be thinking the same thing -- how come Hollis didn't tell them that?

Ozymandias nodded politely and stood near Rorschach, looking a little nervous himself. Rorschach heard voices, then footsteps coming up the steps outside and opened the door again before whoever it was could knock.

"Nelly," exclaimed Hollis, "It's good to see you."

"Hollis," said Nelly, coming inside. He wasn't in costume, but Dan who was behind him, was.

"Hi," said Nite Owl II, first to Rorschach, then Ozymandias. The three Crimebusters huddled out of the way and watched the former Minutemen -- well, more like Hollis and Nelly -- catch up. Blake came to join the younger crime fighters. He shrugged at them.

Sally came in a few minutes later, and she put her hands up in surprise.

"Oh, Hollis, you didn't tell me everyone had arrived," she said, laughing. She hugged Nelson and kissed his cheeks. Then she turned to Blake expectantly. He waved at her.

"Hey, Sal," he said, in a weary tone.

"Hi Eddie," she nodded. "Introduce me to your friends."

"Uh, Laurie's friends, actually," he said. He turned to them anyway. "Nite Owl II, Ozymandias, Rorschach."

"Ah," said Sally. She looked Rorschach up and down. "You're shorter than I imagined, Rorschach."

Rorschach was hurt. Ozymandias cleared his throat while Nite Owl II looked away. Blake scratched his head.

"Gee Sal, you're fatter than I remembered," said Blake.

"Oh Eddie, you're such a joker," she said, and laughed. Blake looked at Rorschach and shrugged again. Sally turned to address the others. "Now everyone, dinner should be out in a couple minutes, but why don't we seat ourselves while we're at it?"

Sally herded them into the dining room. She had set up a table large enough to seat all of them and perhaps a couple more people. Rorschach sat down. Nite Owl II and Ozymandias sat on either side of him. He didn't really mind in this instance. Blake sat on the other side of Ozymandias. Hollis and Nelly sat on the opposite side of the table, facing Nite Owl II and Rorschach. The room was silent for a moment before Laurie came in and started putting food on the table. Sally was right behind her. Laurie looked up briefly and smiled when she noticed Rorschach. She returned to the kitchen and continued to assist her mother until the table was full.

"Well boys, dig in," said Sally, as she put the last serving utensil into a bowl of mashed potatoes.

Everyone busied themselves with dishing out food and eating. Hollis and Nelson were still talking, but other than that, the room was silent.

"Wow," said Nite Owl II, partly to Rorschach, partly to everyone else. "It's kind of awkward like this."

"Well, that's because you're in that cumbersome getup, dear," said Sally.

"Oh, why not," laughed Nite Owl II. "Everyone here apart from a couple of people has seen me without the mask anyway."

He took off his goggles and pulled back his hood. Then he took out a pair of glasses and put them on. Ozymandias and Rorschach glared at him.

"Much better," said Dan. Rorschach wanted to stab him with his fork.

"So, what kind of work do you do, Dan?" asked Sally. "Hollis has told me so much about you I feel like I practically know you. Of course, he's always kept the privacy policy so I don't know anything but surface details."

"Aw, shucks," said Dan. "I'm into ornithology, actually. My father was a banker but I never got into that line of work. He left me his fortune when he died -- I keep hobbies, such as building, mechanical work and all that, and the aforementioned ornithology, of course."

Ozymandias rolled his eyes. Rorschach wanted to choke Dan this time. Choke him with his cloth napkin. See how many birds you can spot hovering around your field of vision as you black out, Dan.

"That's very nice," said Sally. "How about you, Rorschach?"

"I'm not much into ornithology," Rorschach joked. Ozymandias cleared his throat again. Blake laughed.

Sally frowned.

"I'm sorry, I suppose you misunderstood me," she told him. "I meant -- what kind of work do you do?"

Rorschach stared at her directly but didn't respond.

"All right," said Sally, turning a little red. "How about you, Ozymandias?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Juspeczyk--"

"Oh, please, call me Sally."

"Sally." Ozymandias paused as he dabbed his mouth with his napkin. "I apologize, but considering our line of work, I do not find it appropriate to divulge too much personal information to each other -- even if some of us are retired. I hope you don't take offense to this, but I believe it helps protect the identities of all involved, directly or otherwise."

"Fair enough," said Sally, looking around. "We have a couple of hobos here, do we?"

Sally laughed, and so did Hollis, Nelson, and Dan. Ozymandias gave Rorschach a look before resuming his dinner without another word.

"So," said Blake, a little loudly, "What have you old folks been up to in the meantime?"

"Oh, Eddie," said Sally. "You make it seem like I'm sixty-two."

"Only barely," said Blake.

"We were always sixty-two to you," said Hollis, pointing at him in a surprisingly friendly manner.

"Yeah yeah," said Blake, laughing.

"Are you younger than them, uh, Comedian?" asked Laurie. It was the first time she had spoken, and she seemed intrigued.

"Hey kid, call me Eddie," he said casually. Rorschach decided that father and daughter were both fine actors.

"Eddie is the youngest of us," said Nelson.

"Yes, fifteen when you joined, correct?" asked Hollis, politely.

"Yep," said Eddie. His face darkened only a bit.

"I was fifteen when I started out," said Laurie, brightening.

"She just couldn't wait to get out there," Sally laughed. "A little too young, but what can you do? You men seem so young too. How old are you, Rorschach?"

Rorschach froze.

"Ninety-seven," said Blake. "Jesus Christ, you ask a lot of questions."

"What? I can't really tell by the mask, Eddie."

"I never heard you asking Hooded Justice a thousand annoying questions."

"How do you know? Besides, I just want to know all about who my daughter is dating."

Ozymandias only glanced at Rorschach and Blake was still looking at Sally, but the other men stared at him. Dan was gaping. Rorschach was mortified.

"Mom," said Laurie, sounding astonished.

"Inquiring mothers would like to know, dear," said Sally.

"Yeah, Rorschach," said Blake, sarcastically. "What kind of toilet paper do you use?"

"Eddie," said Sally, putting a hand to her mouth. "What awful table manners."

"Leave the kid alone."

"I'll do what I like in my own house."

"Is that why you brought us here? So you can humiliate people at their own expense?"

"No, Eddie, why would I--"

"That shit don't go anywhere with me, and you know it -- stop pretending like you got that halo on your head, Sally."

"Now, now--" said Hollis.

"You keep out of this, Mason," said Blake, raising his voice.

"Eddie--" said Sally.

"Could you pass the poultry dish, please?" asked Ozymandias.

"Uh, I think the pie might be done, Mom," said Laurie, quickly.

"Oh, yes, of course," said Sally. She left, looking upset.

"Hey Hollis," said Dan, taking some initiative, "How is your business going?"

"Very well, thank you," said Hollis, eyeing Blake a little nervously. "Are you still working on that car I lent you?"

"Yes, almost done, actually... I just can't seem to find any time for it nowadays, though."

"That's the life of a crime fighter, unfortunately."

"Even if some of us have day jobs," Rorschach muttered to Ozymandias. Ozymandias actually laughed. Rorschach decided he hated Ozymandias less than Nite Owl II.

Dan was now talking shop with Mason, so Rorschach turned to Ozymandias.

"How's search for murdering Agent?" he asked him.

"Still going with no leads, I'm afraid," sighed Ozymandias. "There's a definite pattern, but not too clear. The murders almost remind me of Jack the Ripper -- without women of ill repute being the targets, of course."

"No, then we wouldn't be having this dinner," Rorschach told him. Ozymandias laughed, hard.

"I suppose we wouldn't," Ozymandias agreed. They laughed together. Dan looked in their direction but he was in the middle of talking to Hollis and paid them no mind after that.

Rorschach looked up to find that Sally had returned, and she was watching him.

After dinner, everyone retired to the sitting room. Hollis, Nelson, and Dan were conversing like old friends. Ozymandias sat near them, but didn't contribute. Blake was outside smoking. Rorschach wished he could just go home -- or at least just fight crime tonight. He'd even take Nite Owl II as a fighting partner if it would mean he could get out of the house.

Laurie and Sally were in the kitchen, cleaning up, he would imagine. He wandered through the house and found the kitchen. Sally was there, but Laurie wasn't.

"Oh," said Sally, jumping a little. "Come in to help, have you?"

Rorschach started to say no, but Sally shoved a towel into his hand.

"Here, you can wipe the dishes," she told him. "You can do that, can't you?"

Offended, Rorschach took off his gloves and started to wipe dishes.

"I really don't know what Laurie sees in you, frankly," she said.

Rorschach paused for only a brief second, then continued as if she hadn't said anything.

"A mother would like to see their daughter get married to a certain kind of man," said Sally. Rorschach eyed the bottle on the counter and realized she had been drinking again. He bristled.

"I assure you, ma'am, married to your daughter, I would guarantee that she wouldn't be having another man's child," he told her in a cold voice.

Sally turned and gaped at him, shocked. Of course -- she didn't know he knew. It looked like Sally was going to say something else, when Laurie came in. She looked tired, but she brightened when she saw Rorschach.

"Laurie, take your boyfriend out of here," Sally told her daughter.

"All right," said Laurie, looking first at her mother, then at Rorschach. Rorschach set down the dishtowel, picked up his gloves, and took Laurie by the hand. He gladly left the kitchen.

"What was that about?" Laurie whispered to him, though they were well out of earshot by now.

"Are you going home soon?" he asked her.

Laurie shook her head and frowned.

"No... she convinced me to stay over for the weekend," she said. "I think she thinks that if I do, I'll somehow be convinced to move back here."

"Are you?"

"You kidding me?" Laurie laughed. "That dinner was so embarrassing, I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight thinking about the awful things that happened."

Rorschach nodded at her, but said nothing.

"Oh," Laurie's expression softened. "I'm so sorry about my mother; I don't know what's gotten into her asking those rude questions, Rorschach."

"She dislikes me," he told her.

"That's not--"

"I don't like her either, so it's all right."

Laurie gave him a sad smile. Her eyes wandered behind him and he turned. It looked like Nelly was leaving already.

"I should go," he told her. "Thank you for the dinner."

"You're welcome," said Laurie. "It's too bad you can't stay."

Rorschach agreed, but he didn't say anything. He just cupped her hand -- the one he had been holding -- with both of his. He turned towards the door after a moment, and Laurie walked him outside. Hollis and Dan were still in the sitting room, but Blake and Ozymandias were in the yard. It looked like Ozymandias was telling Blake something quite serious by the look on his face, but that was Ozymandias' basic facial expression so they could have been talking about anything. Blake just nodded with his cigar in his hand.

"Good night, Walter," Laurie whispered to him as he turned to look at her again. Rorschach started to put his hand out to touch her face, but he saw Sally appear in the doorway and stopped himself.

"Good night, Laurie," he said.

Rorschach nodded politely to Ozymandias and Blake as he walked into the night.

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To be continued...