The next morning, Barbara was preparing breakfast before going to work. She took a glass of milk. The phone rang, calling her attention, she walked toward it and stumbled against Helena at the entrance of the kitchen. She examined the girl up and down.
"Where are your shoes?" She put her hands on her waist.
"I don't like them..." the kid muttered in a low voice.
"You can't to school in those boots, go to change them."
"Mom lets me."
"All right, just hurry up or we'll be late." Barbara gave her a glass of milk. "Put it in the microwave for thirty seconds."
"For me?"
"No, for me." She went to the living room to pick up the phone.
"Why?"
"Doctor ordered it." Barbara answered the phone. "Hello, Gordon... Hi, Candy."
"Just a half glass?" Helena asked.
"Want to throw up again?"
The girl shook her head.
"So, no milk."
The little brunette looked at the stove. "Scrambled eggs again? We ate those yesterday."
"It's that or chicken soup."
"Why do you like to eat birds?" Helena made a face and put the milk inside the microwave. "I'm starting to grow feathers."
"Helena. Be quiet." Barbara smiled. "Candy? Sorry, a bit of trouble here."
"Okay."
Selina opened a newspaper; her name was in big headlines. She took the next one. The same. She opened four more newspapers and she sighed. She put her hands on her waist and kicked the wall angrily. Her plan had failed. Now she was in trouble.
She rubbed her face with her hands. She needed to think of something fast. The first issue was Barbara. She needed to talk to her before she read the newspapers. She walked downstairs quickly, looking for a public phone.
Barbara arrived at her office. She ordered her papers and began to sign some letters. Her secretary gave her the schedule for the day, gave her the newspapers and a cup of warm coffee. She couldn't start a day without coffee.
When she finished signing some papers, she took one of the newspapers and started to read. She saw the usual news about politics, discussions, and wars. She turned the pages slowly, checking some articles.
Her eyes were trapped on a headline. She blinked and took that section between her hands feeling it trembling. "Catwoman's Back."
Catwoman's Back.
"It can't be..." she mumbled and started to read.
Catwoman, principal suspect of a snatch £40,000 of Rodsmand's Private Collection of jewelry from an exhibition at the Louvre.
JOHN INNES
Paris-France.
POLICE were searching last night searching for jewelry once belonging to Rodsmand's Private Collection, which was snatched from an exhibition.
The thief entered the Louvre Museum in Paris at around three pm on Tuesday, while it was packed with visitors. They all identified her. She broke into a cabinet, she seized a highly-prized three band 14-carat gold ring with a raised diamond-encrusted "M" motif, and a gold bracelet. She eluded security guards during a chase past the Paris Eye on the busy South Bank. Together the bracelet, which has a cluster of clear gems in its centre, and the ring are valued at around £40,000.
Barbara hit the table roughly with her fist. She felt the rage clouding her mind and she brushed her hair with her hands. She had been cheating her. How could she be capable of leaving her daughter alone to go to steal jewelry? That was low!.
She stood up and began to pace around her office, what the hell was Selina thinking, exposing herself that way? What if the police caught her? And Helena? Had she stopped to think of Helena?
The phone rang and she picked it up in a bad mood.
"Yes?"
::Mrs. Selina Kyle on the line:: her secretary said.
"All right."
::Barbara:: she heard Selina's voice at the other end of the phone line.
"Dammit Selina, do you think I'm stupid?" the red head almost yelled.
::Wait... wait.:: It was too late, she had read the newspapers.
"Why the fuck are you using me??? Did you stop to think about Helena?"
::Barbara, calm down.::
"You are not in Paris to sell your apartment!!!"
::Barbara, wait...::
"Catwoman, principal suspect of a snatch £40,000 from Rodsmand's Private Collection of jewelry from an exhibition at the Louvre," the red head read a headline. "Want more? Tell me why you lied to me!!" She heard a silence at the other side of the line "Fuck!! I really thought you had changed!" Barbara shouted, exasperated "You told me you had quit your criminal career and I believed you, stupidly!!"
:: I did quit!:: Selina yelled.
Barbara's secretary opened the door. "Something wrong, Miss Gordon?"
"I'm okay, close the door!" she said, exasperated.
The woman obeyed immediately.
::Sorry Barbara...::
"Tell me why the dammed newspaper has a big headline that says that you are the principal suspect of a robbery of £40,000?." Barbara took the daily and threw it against the desk in anger.
::It's a long story...::
"You needed more money? Was that it??? Fuck Selina!!!" She hit the desk with her fist.
::Okay, okay,:: Selina tried to calm her down ::I lied to you about the apartment, but I can explain."
"Yes, I want to hear why you failed Helena. What the hell is were you thinking?? She is a great child and she didn't deserve you as a mother!"
::Don't you dare question whether or not I'm a good mother for her... that's not your right!:: Selina shouted.
"Don't tell me what to say or not! I didn't lie, that was you!"
::Stop! Barbara, stop!!:: she heard Selina's voice, pissed. ::Don't go there!::
"Listen you to me! Return the damn jewels and come back immediately!!" Babara's face was red with anger. "I want to talk with you, but not by phone. Bye!"
She hung the phone up furiously and walked toward her door and opened it. Her secretary almost jumped out of her chair.
"If Mrs. Kyle calls again, tell her I don't want to talk with her." She closed the door immediately.
Her secretary remained still, without knowing what to say.
Inside her office, Barbara paced angrily. How was this possible? Selina had tricked her. She had lied to her.
"Dammit!" Selina broke the glass of the phone booth. She kicked the door roughly and walked like a rabid animal down the street. "Damn!!!" she growled. This was a disaster, nothing was as she had planned it. The news, Barbara, now she was infamous around the world again.
"Great." She brushed her hair with her hands. She was in trouble. She needed to fix it and fast.
Barbara took Helena to the parents camping day of the school. She felt pissed yet for Selina's attitude but wasn't the child's fault; and she had decided that she her anger against Selina go wrong with that splendid and sunny day.
She drove inside the parking lot. She wore jeans and a white t-shirt with her hair in a pony tail under her baseball cap. Helena sat next to her looking around with a white t-shir and red shorts. Barbara parked her car under a tree. The place was full with parents and childrens. Was the annual anniversary of New Gotham school where there were many contest for parents and kids.
She smiled, it remembered her days at school, when she and her father played with other kids. She loved those contest and participate on it. She was her daughter and he was a busy man but he always had a time for her. Now she understood better how Helena felt when she didn't pay attention to her. But that day was going to be different.
"This is going to be a disaster." Helena said interrupting her thoughts.
"Why? Hey, smile, we can have a great day here."
"Ill prefer stay at home."
"Don't be boring Kyle, move down."
Helena walked down and looked around the place full with ballons, food and tables. The red head stood up net to her and put over her head a red cap.
"Barbara are you sure you want do this?" Helena asked.
"Why are you asking that?" she put her hand over her shoulder and pushed her lightly to do her walk.
"Becouse you are a office woman." Helena said in low voice trying to not offend her.
"Am I what?" Barbara almost laughed.
"You know, suits, papers, work behind a desk... You work in a library!"
"Helena, you don't know me."
"Barbara I don't want that my friend make a joke with me."
The red head smiled walking toward the inscription table. "Why?"
"Well... you know... "the kid hesitated.
"I know what?"
"You never do sports I don't want be in last place..." she said ashamed.
"Be optimistic girl." Barbara grinned, that was most fun that she had think. She would gave to Helena a big surprise. "Wait here."
"Where are you going?"
"We come here to have fun, so, we could have it." Barbara patted her head making the bill fall over her eyes..
Helena raised ther bill and looked her go to the inscription table. She lowered again the bill over her eyes. "Oh boy!"
"Hey Helena." A thin kid ran toward her.
"Hey..."
"Ready?"
Helena glared to him "Gibson Im going to be the joke of all school today."
"Why?"
"Barbara wants participate in some contest. She is a librarian ,mouse, she never goes to walk or to the gym. All her life goes from office to house."
Gibson turned to see Barbara who leaned againstthe table signed some papers. He opened his eyes. "Wow..."
"Wow what?" Helena frownered putting her hands inside her short pockets.
"She has a good body" Gibson whistled.
The girl smacked him. "Watch your mouth."
"What?? She has."
"She has a normal body."
"No... she looks great."
Helena raised her hand.
"Okay, okay... I shut up." Gibson covered his head.
"Helena it's done." Barbara arrived smiling. "Hi Gibson."
"Hi miss Gordon." The kid greeted.
"What did you do?" the brunette grumbled.Barbara took off some papers. That day remembered her days at school. "We are going to participate in the race, jumping, climbing wall, run a lod, football, climbing rope, in the boats race... and..." she began to look for other one.
"Don't say cooking." Helena mumbled closing her eyes.
"Cooking." Barbara raised a last paper. That was her favorite contest.
"Damn..." the child rolled her eyes "Im screwed."
"Came on Helena, the first is a race, starts in five minutes." Barbara pushed her. She wanted start the fun. "See you Gibson."
"Bye miss Gordon." He smiled looking Barbara pushing her with her hands. She seemed had most fun than Helena.
