"So, I will be in Gotham tomorrow at 11:40 am," Harri said. "So pick me up at Amtrak then, okay?"
"I haven't driven my car in forever. I probably forgot how to drive," Adriana said while polishing her toenails. "Want Damien to come get you?"
"No," Harri said plainly.
"Okay, I will drive over there," Adriana said. "How long is the train ride?"
"Four and a half hours," Harri answered.
"Ok that's not too bad," Adriana said.
"You don't sound to happy," Harri observed.
"I'm happy to pick you up and see you."
"That's not what I meant," Harri sighed. "What did he do now?"
"Who?"
"You know who."
"Damien...well," Adriana leaned back on her couch and screwed the lid back onto the red polish. "I don't know, it kind of involved some confidential work I was doing.."
"Who am I going to tell? Spill it."
"They had me go back to the institution to observe a patient there, a criminal," Adriana started. "Before I left the criminal got away from the guards and we sort of ran into each other. He made me hide from the guards with him and after they found us, Damien.."
"Did what?"
"Well, he beat the guy up for no reason-"
"Oh, come on, Adri," Harri sighed. "You sound like he did something really terrible. That's like the best thing he's ever done, avenging you!"
"No, it gets worse," Adriana said carefully.
"Mhm."
"He lied and told his peers that the guy tried to attack me and violate me," Adriana said. "And Damien wasn't even there when they found us. He lied on the police report he wrote."
"Oh," Harri said. "Why would they believe that? Who found you?"
"Some other officers," Adriana said. "And I guess they found us on the floor because I fell."
"So is the criminal getting accused of this?"
"No," Adriana said. "Gordon fixed the report. I guess he knew right away that Damien might have been lying."
"How would Gordon assume that? Does he know this criminal personally?" Harri laughed. "How could anyone be sure he wasn't a rapist?"
"It was a high profile criminal," Adriana said and fanned her feet with a magazine. "Maybe he can just see through Damien's lies. I'm surprised he didn't get fired."
"Who's the criminal?"
"I can't say," Adriana said. "I signed some papers-"
"You already told me everything else," Harri laughed again. "Who am I going to tell seriously? Remember when you told me about that mob case-"
"Fine," Adriana sighed. "It was the Joker."
Adriana waited for Harri to respond but it seemed like the line went dead.
"Hello?"
"Are you fucking serious?" Harri said finally. "The Joker? You could have been killed!"
"Yeah, you sound like Damien now-"
"No, I sound like a logical sane person," Harri said. "You sound very calm about this. Ugh..I can almost see why Damien did what he did."
"Seriously?" Adriana was surprised. "Lying on him though?"
"Okay he took it a little far but I'm sure that's something he's done before," Harri huffed. "The worst criminal of all time. There's no crime he hasn't committed, of that I'm sure."
"Well, I've been in his head," Adriana said standing up and walking over to the mirror in her living room. "And I assure you he's done nothing of the sort. Not even close. Also, did I mention Damien didn't even come to the hospital with me. Didn't bring me back home either."
"Mhm."
"Seriously, I keep trying to break up with him..He told me to stay out of his head and our relationship will work better."
Harri burst into laughter. "I'm actually starting to like Damien now that you tell me this. I mean, I'm sure if I knew everything Antonio thought at all times we would have broken up by now. And vice versa. If he knew what I thought all the time.."
"Yeah.." Adriana said. "So we're trying that out. I am officially out of his head."
"Sounds like he really wants to make your lame relationship work. I wonder why."
"Me too," Adriana sighed. "Am I really lame?"
"No, I said your relationship was fucking lame, not you," Harri chuckled. "You can do so much better than Damien and he knows it."
"Yeah he got so jealous when-" Adriana started then froze mid-sentence.
"What what?"
"Ugh nevermind."
"Tell me or I'll reach through the phone and pinch you."
"I had a friend bring me back home that just happened to be driving by the hospital. Damien saw the car dropping me off and-"
"Friend? Male?" Harri sounded excited. "What kind of car?"
"Male, yeah," Adriana said. "Actually friend was the wrong word. Boss? He hired me for a..project."
"Ok and what kind of car?"
"It was a Lambo..I think."
"You think? Was it or wasn't it."
"It was."
"Dammmmmn," Harri sounded like she was beaming. "So what's his name? Is he hot? How old is he?"
"I can't give you his name. I know I tell you everything but I really can't this time," Adriana said seriously. "He's mid 30's. I rather not even talk about him..seriously. It's a pretty serious project-"
"Fine," Harri said. "Don't tell me his name then. But is he hot?"
"He's..." Adriana's voice trailed off.
"On a one to ten how hot is he?" Harri asked. "I mean he's obviously rich so that adds some points. Or he could be ugly. I mean ugly, plus money, equals handsome-"
"He looks great."
"One to ten? If he was homeless how hot would he be?" Harri was laughing. "No Lambo."
"Ok..If he was homeless and lived in the subway.." Adriana started to laugh too. "He would be an 11."
"Noooo," Harri laughed even harder. "That hot? And rich?"
"Yes, and he has plenty of...lady friends too."
"Of course he does," Harri laughed. "Deberías salir con él también." You should go out with him too.
"Ay, no," Adriana said, continuing their conversation in Spanish. "No encajo en su mundo." I don't fit in to his world.
.
.
"What's this?" Damien entered Adriana's home and was holding a gold embellished envelope. "It was on your step."
"I don't know," Adriana said and began pouring some wine into a glass. "Open it."
"Invitations," he said.
"To what?" she said and sipped the red wine.
"A fundraiser," he said looking at the two invitation cards. "CWDF Fundraising Gala.."
"Oh right," Adriana sighed. "When is that?"
"In two days," Damien answered. "Definitely an event for the wealthy. How did you get invited?"
"Just..got lucky I guess," she answered back.
"I'm pretty sure I heard the tickets for this are over $500," he said.
"How would you hear about that?" Adriana laughed.
"Because Commissioner Gordon is going, he mentioned it."
"Well, mine were free," Adriana said. "Lucky gift from a friend."
"Right," Damien said. "Are we going?"
"Sure.." Adriana said. "Whatever."
"So..you're not in my head at all now then?"
"Ugh," Adriana huffed. "I told you I wouldn't. I'm not a liar like you-"
"Okay, damn," he said. "I was just checking. Truth is, I have a surprise for you and I don't want it spoiled."
"Oh?" Adriana said and realized that her voice sounded completely uninterested. "Sorry, didn't mean for it to come out like that. I'm just a bit tired."
"Sure," he said.
"By the way, Harri is coming tomorrow," Adriana told him. "She'll be staying here so..you know."
"Yeah she hates me," Damien said. "I guess you want me to make myself..sparse."
"She doesn't hate you she just.."
"Hates me," Damien shrugged. "Fine. I'll stay out of her hair. How long will she be here?"
"I don't know, maybe a week?"
"Okay," Damien went on. "So I will come pick you up for this fundraising thing. Then I wont see you again til later next week when she leaves, most likely."
"Mhm," Adriana said and took another sip of wine. "We will probably stay busy..doing her favorite thing. Shopping"
"Soo..Maybe we should," he walked over and sat her glass down and began to kiss her.