"And look all the way up at the ceiling," Dr. Kapoor instructed Adriana during his visit to Wayne Manor.
She looked up at the ornate decorations on the wood cieling.
"Any pain?" he asked.
"Nope," lsaid.
"And face forward again," he said. "And I'm going to place my hand here. Alright and lean to the side."
Adriana felt her mind slip away as the doctor guided the same exercises she had been doing during each one of his visits.
"Excellent," the doctor said. "It seems the sword fighting wasn't too much."
"No it was great," Adriana said.
"I'm glad to hear it," he told her. "You can stand up."
Adriana stood up and took a deep breath.
"Everything alright?" he asked.
"Yep.." she said and extended her hands in front of her. "Time to walk like Frankenstein?"
The doctor laughed.
"A few steps forward, turn and walk back," he told her. "Tilt your head back a few inches."
She followed his instructions but felt herself walking strangely.
"No neck pain?" he asked.
"Nope," she said.
"Are you sure the sword training wasn't too much?" he asked. "Your legs aren't straight and there is a bit of tension-"
"Yeah.." Adriana said. "I'm fine."
"Okay then," Dr. Kapoor said. "A warm soak should help with any tense muscles."
Once the doctor left, Adriana went to the jacuzzi room and got it. Once she lowered herself into the hot water, she felt her body finally feel soothed. her phone vibrated on the tile floor beside her.
"Harri," Adriana said and picked up the video call.
"Woww..." Harri said and looked at the background. "Where are you? A fancy spa with a Turkish bath?"
"No, I'm home," Adriana said. "Wayne Manor in the jacuzzi."
"Oh wow I can't wait!" Harri said. "Wayne Manor looks gorgeous, I can't wait to see it when we come visit for the dinner party. How's my nephew?"
"He's taking a nap," Adriana said. "I've got fifteen more minutes until he's up again. Bruce went back to the office today after a couple weeks of work from home. Needless to say, Arsenio isn't the most happy about it. If he had it his way, Bruce would be home all day , every day." Adriana felt her eyes shut tightly as she shifted her body on the seat in the jacuzzi.
"What's wrong?" Harri asked. "Is your neck hurting again?"
"Not my neck," Adriana said.
"What is it then?" Harri asked.
"Um..." Adriana started to ask. "Have you ever needed a long hot soak...like all day...from sex?"
Harri burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Adriana asked.
"You," Harri said and picked up her Starbucks cup and sipped her cold drink through a straw.
Adriana rolled her eyes.
"Never," Harri laughed. "I mean I've felt like a nice bath would be soothing but I never wanted to soak all day long."
"I'm walking like a 90 year old," Adriana said with a groan.
"Oh, sis," Harri said still laughing. "What the hell? Are you really in a lot of pain? Damn..what the hell were you two doing?"
"Nothing..just.." Adriana leaned back. "I'm not in a lot of pain I just feel like my vagina is tipped over."
Harri burst into laugher again.
"You know for someone who had sex that crazy you definitely seem a little less than enthused," Harri said.
Adriana groaned again as she turned to the side and rested her elbow on the side of the jacuzzi.
"Harri..." Adriana asked.
"Hm?" Harri hummed with her straw in her mouth.
"Have you ever...thought of another guy while you're with Antonio?" Adriana asked.
"Por supuesto," Harri replied. Of course.
"Really?" Adriana asked.
"Antonio's been Jason Momoa more times than he knows," Harri laughed.
"I don't mean like that," Adriana said. "I mean..maybe an ex or someone real?"
"Jason Momoa is real," Harri said.
"No," Adriana said. "He's not. I mean, not for you."
"You're saying I don't have a chance with him?" Harri asked. "Well then, fuck you too."
"Whatever," Adriana said.
"No I never really thought of an ex," Harri answered. "Why? Did you?"
"Yeah...kind of ..." Adriana said.
"Ew," Harri said.
"Don't judge me, you just admitted to doing the same thing you little hussy-" Adriana said.
"I'm not judging you for thinking about another guy it's just that," Harri shrugged. "All your exes sucked. Compared to Bruce. Like yuck."
"Oh..." Adriana said. Harri didn't know about the Joker. "Well..anyway...I feel pretty guilty about it."
"Why?" Harri asked. "It's perfectly normal, in my book."
"Because.." Adriana said. "I couldn't..."
"Couldn't what?" Harri asked.
"I couldn't finish," Adriana said. "I wasn't...into it once I stopped the fantasy about someone else."
Harri frowned. "And this was last night?"
"Yeah.." Adriana replied.
"Last night during the vagina dislocating sex?" Harri asked, holding in a laugh.
"Yep.." Adriana said solemnly.
"Well...what happened?" Harri asked.
"We just..went for it.." Adriana said. "And I was really into it I guess, but I just couldn't get there."
"Hmm," Harri said thoughtfully. "Maybe that's the problem. You probably can't just go for it. You need a warmup."
"No..." Adriana said. "I mean I usually can still finish even without that..It just didn't happen this time. It felt like I was...numb or something."
"Clearly you're not," Harri laughed at Adriana sitting in the jacuzzi.
"Yeah...I guess," Adriana said.
"Okay, seriously though," Harri said, seeing Adriana was actually upset. "Did something happen?"
"Like what?" Adriana asked.
"Between you and Bruce? Did he do something?" Harri asked.
Adriana pressed her lips together and scratched the side of her neck.
"Yes," she answered. "But I've forgiven him."
Adriana though of Twyla, she thought of their fight and his words. She thought of the few dreaded moments that she knew he was keeping her away from Arsenio. She thought of the threats to take her child away. He was so angry. But things had been patched up. She had her son, her husband loved her, he meant none of it.
"Okay," Harri said. "I hope it wasn't anything too bad."
Adriana shrugged. "I don't really want to go into detail. But I've definitely forgiven him and I know it won't happen again."
"Yeah.." Harri said. "I mean..sometimes we can forgive people for things but...depending on how bad it was it can change the way we see them for a while. I'd just give it time."
"You're right," Adriana said. "But what if..."
She looked at Harri seriously.
"What if it doesn't change?" Adriana asked. "I mean...it's not that important right?"
"What?" Harri asked.
"Sex? I mean...how important is it really?" Adriana shrugged.
"You know good and well I'm the wrong person to be asking something like that," Harri said. "It's important to me. I can't be unfulfilled."
Adriana knew she couldn't live with being unfulfilled either. At the moment though, she didn't feel unfulfilled. She felt too sore to want anything to fulfill her. She began to think the soreness was replacing gratification.
"That's a good point," Adriana said. "Well, I better get out before I turn into a prune."
"Okay sis.." Harri said. "I hope everything works out."
.
.
.
"Lucius told me that you're going," Adriana said to the Joker as soon as he let her into his apartment.
"To your dinner, yes," he said. "That a problem?"
"It could be, now that you've officially accepted the invite," Adriana said. "You'll be...the guest of honor."
"Ah," the Joker said as she walked by him.
"So...I just wanted to go over a few things with you," she said.
"Such as?" he asked.
"Well...I just want to make sure you'll...act right," Adriana said.
The Joker laughed.
"Good starting point," she said, stopping him. "You cannot laugh at this party."
"Why not?" he asked.
"Your laugh is..." Adriana said. "Distinctive."
"Mmm," he said.
"Look...I know you met Bruce once and he didn't recognize you but this is different," Adriana said. "You'll be around each other for longer and..I just don't want to take any chances."
"Right," he said. "No laugh."
"That too," Adriana said, hearing how his voice was dancing around. "No...smugness. None at all!"
"Not sure I can turn that off.." he said.
She crossed her arms and frowned at him.
"Fine, headmistress," he said. "I will work on it."
"No jokes about politics, or guns, or the law or the police or any of that stuff," she said. "No casual mentions of bazzokas or grenades or-"
"Got it," he said. "Boring topics only. Yes. I do pay taxes. Yes. I love what they've done with the potholes-"
"I'm serious!" she said.
"Very well," he said. "Anything else?"
"Well..." she said. "If anyone mentions Arsenio...make sure you're not looking at Bruce."
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because...you look like him and I don't want him to put the pieces together," she said. "In fact...if anyone starts to talk about the baby, just...avoid eye contact."
"Right then," the Joker said.
"What are you wearing by the way?" she asked.
"Suit Lucius got me," he said.
"Okay, great," Adriana said. "If anyone asks your age-"
"I know how old I am," he said. "I've just turned 30."
"And if anyone asks where you're from?" she asked.
"The Gotham area," he said. "Gotham adjacent."
"Good enough," Adriana said. "And if anyone asks what you do what will you say?"
"Eh...well I'm in between jobs," he answered honestly.
"Okay..that should be fine," Adriana said.
"Who else will be there?" he asked.
"My parents, my sister, her husband, a few friends," Adriana said. "Not too many people."
"And what if someone says something funny-" he asked.
"Don't laugh!" Adriana said firmly.
"Joking," he said sternly and then smiled.
"Anyway," Adriana said. "I don't need to tell you to pretend you don't know Lucius or Dr. Kapoor?"
"Really? I thought I would walk in and ask them, 'Remember me?!'" the Joker exclaimed.
"Not funny at all," Adriana said. "Anyway, if I think of anything else I'll call."
"Mhm," he said and watched her walk to the door. "Gotta bum hip or something?"
"What?" she asked.
"You're walking like a centenarian," he said.
"Well.." Adriana said. "That's my business. Anyway, you should arrive at 7:30...Lucius will bring you a car to drive over."
"Got it," he replied.