Barbara had a pounding headache all day. She took some pills to try to ease it. She felt so tired too. Maybe she had caught a cold; it was raining hard over the city. She just wanted to go home and sleep, but she needed to prepare for Helena's school conference.
The conference.
She needed to finish the speech for the conference.
Where was the speech?
"Miss Gordon?" Her secretary opened the door of her office. "A man left this envelope for you a few minutes ago." She gave her a big yellow envelope and exited.
"Thanks." She took it and opened it. Batman had sent her a copy of a secret file from the University about the professors' plan regarding Vodoo; they thought Black Magic was a dangerous practice in countries like HaitÃ. She read it carefully.
Her eyes stopped on a name, Damian Meltzer.
She knew him. He wasn't a professor at the University, but he was a specialist about Voodoo. He knew him; she looked at her watch, she was on time and she could make a fast visit to him. She took her suitcase and her coat.
Gibson and Helena were waiting for their parents at the school door with their backs against the brick wall. It was raining. Both had a lollipop in their mouth. It had been a good day. Helena had passed her exam with a B. Her mom would be happy now. She just needed to pass one more exam. Barbara was a good teacher, maybe some day she would be a professor at school.
"Helena, are your parents are divorced?" Gibson asked suddenly.
"Separated." Helena answered hugging her legs.
"It's the same, no?"
"I think so."
"Do you miss him?" He moved the lollipop out of his mouth and looked at it.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know him."
"No? Why not?"
"I think they separated when I was a baby because I don't remember him."
"And you have never seen a picture of him?"
Helena moved back and forth, thinking a few seconds. "No."
"Have you asked your mom?" Gibson asked curiously.
"No. You are asking too much," Helena said, annoyed.
"Maybe they don't want to see each other." Gibson seemed not to have heard her. "Your last name is Kyle. The same as your mother."
"I like my mom's name and I don't need him."
"And your mom never married again?"
"No, we don't need anyone else!" Helena shouted.
"Hey, don't be mad. I was just asking." Gibson protested.
"I don't like you asking." She raised her fist.
"All right, all right." He moved his hands to cover his face. "I just asked because it's curious."
"What is curious?"
"Your hair."
Helena blinked. "What about my hair?"
"You are a brunette!" Gibson peered at her from behind his hands.
"Yes, I'm brunette, so?"
"You mom is blonde."
"Dork." She saw her mom's car and took her school bag, standing up. "See you later, Gibson."
"Bye, Helena," He said, exhaling hair, that had been close. He must remember not to piss her off frequently.
Helena walked toward the car and threw her school bag in the back seat. She sat, in a bad mood, on the front seat and slammed the door. Selena glared at her.
"And now?" the blonde woman asked.
"Bad day." She said putting on her seat belt.
"Exam?"
"No, B... It's Gibson.. he annoyed me." She looked through the window.
"B? Hey! That is excellent!" Selina drove the car down the street.
"I know." She sighed.
"Why did Gibson bother you?"
"It's nothing."
Selina raised her brow. She was definitely pissed; she wasn't was exactly sweet, better not to ask anymore.
"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"Why did you never marry again?" Helena asked, without moving her gaze from the window.
"Because you make me incredibly happy." Selina smiled and looked at her.
Helena turned her head and returned the smile.
"And I don't need anymore," the blonde woman added. "And I'm selfish, I want you only for me!" She tickled her.
Helena giggled. She was funny, she always made her laugh.
Hours later, Selina was watching a movie in the living room of her home, lying on the couch with her bare feet over the arm; she sipped a can of coke. She liked to watch movies on TV and that one was a classic-- "Casablanca."
Helena was on the floor building a house with her Legos. Watching old pictures was not her favorite past time and, outside, it was raining. All afternoon it had been raining.
Helena finished the walls of her house, now she needed to do the roof. "Mom?"
"Yes?" Selina answered distractedly.
"Who was dad?"
"Dad of who?"
"My dad." Helena tried to look nonchalant. Her mother always avoided talking about that topic.
Selina sighed; she didn't like to talk about it. If Helena knew who he was... she would have to tell him too; and her biggest fear was that people would know who her father was. It would be trouble... First, just the fact that she was the daughter of a millionaire was a risk. Second, because if Batman's enemies ever discovered that he had a daughter, they would take revenge against him using her child. And she preferred to sacrifice her love for him to protect her.
The kid waited for her answer. The silence in the room was a signal that her mom didn't want to answer her again. Helena lowered her head and began to look for her Legos. She wondered why her mother never wanted to talk with her about him.
"Do you have a picture of him?" Helena asked after a few seconds.
"No," Selina said. She tried to find an exit without hurting her.
"Why not?"
"He doesn't like pictures."
Helena turned to look at her. "He knows me?"
Selina rubbed her eyes with her hand. "Why the topic?"
"I just want know. Why is my last name yours and not his?" Helena fixed her pupils on her mother.
Selina sighed. She closed her eyes. This was so difficult; she sat on the coach and looked at her, she didn't want to see her sad. "Because I don't need anyone else to take care of you; because I have fought alone since the beginning for you, to give you the best. Do you think that I haven't given you enough? Do you think that you need something else?"
"No."
"Do you think I haven't given you enough love?"
Helena shook her head feeling guilty. Maybe she had hurt her.
Suddenly, Selina stood up and took her by the waist and loaded her over her shoulder.
"Hey!" the kid shouted surprised.
Selina walked to the door and opened it.
"Mom?" Helena asked. "Where are you going?"
The woman walked inside the elevator and pressed the button to the lower floor. A neighbor was inside. The old man looked at the woman and the kid, stunned. Helena blushed; Selina smiled at him. "Afternoon, Mr. Harris."
"Afternoon, Miss Kyle."
"We are going for a walk."
"Oh... I see."
"Mom, you don't have shoes on and neither do I," the kid said, the moment that the door opened and Selina walked toward the street. Helena looked outside. "Mom!! It's raining!"
Selina walked out, the rain was falling harder. People were walking outside with umbrellas and long coats.
"Ewww!!!" Helena yelled, feeling the drops on hr back. She struggled, but Selina held her still. "It's cold! Mom!"
"Tell me who loves you?" Selina asked in a loud voice.
"You! Put me down!"Helena shouted.
"I can't hear you." Selina laughed and crossed the street to a park that was in front of the building.
"You, you love me!"
"I can't hear you!"
"You, mom!" Helena shouted, giggling. "You!"
Selina ran on the grass and raised her head feeling the cold drops on her face. She puther daughter down and she raised her head opening her mouth and stretching her arms.
"Mom, it's raining!" Helena said, making small hops as she felt the cold, wet grass under her feet.
"Feel it!" Selina told her.
"I'm feeling it! It's cold!" the kid protested.
"Don't be grumpy and feel it, open your arms and taste it."
"We don't have shoes." Helena moved her bare foot over her other one rubbing her arms.
"Helena Kyle!"
The kid moved her feet down "Itches..."
Selina took her again by the waist and, picking her up, she began to walk.
"Now what?" Helena looked up and opened her eyes wide. "The fountain?? No Mom!"
"Okay, tell me again who loves you?" Selina laughed and carried her to the fountain in the park.
"You! Mom, stop!" Helena fought, but her mother was stronger and, suddenly, both were inside the fountain.
"Mom!!! It's cold!" the little brunette yelled.
"Grumpy!"
"You are crazy!" Helena used her hands and began to throw water at her mother, who laughed and began to do the same; Helena giggled and began to run in circles to avoid the water.
Selina finally caught her by the waist to stop her.
Both giggled in the middle of the park, while the people walking by couldn't avoid a smile watching them play in the rain.