A Life Beyond Love
Chapter 1: Life shall go on
(Ten Years Later)
It was a bright summer's day as I awoke to find the sun shining through the window, cascading inward filling my bedroom. I slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, then proceeded to bind up my long mane into a single ponytail. After grabbing some clothes I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen only to find that there had been some breakfast already made. There was tuna sandwiches and bacon and eggs set out, along with a jug of milk and some fruit. Poking my head into the living room I found the culprit sitting on the couch enjoying the tv, she was sitting there and I could just see the tips of her pointy ears above the edge of the couch.
"Good morning Kate" I told her.
"Morning Dad," she replied going back to her food as her tail swayed lightly from side to side.
"By the way thanks for breakfast honey," I said heading back to the kitchen to eat.
"Your welcome, by the way do you have to work today?" she asked coming to drop off her dishes.
"Yes I do, but I only have three appointments today so I should be back before three."
"Ok, so you'll be able to get me from Ms. Price's place then. Maybe early this time?" she asked.
"Yeah I guess I could," I told her looking at the clock. "Oh, gotta go, love ya honey. Ms. Phillips will be around in about an hour so be good alright."
"Bye Daddy," she said waving as I left the door.
From there I went off to my office five blocks from my apartment. For those of you that don't know me my name is Jack Howlett and I am a mutant. My father John Howlett a.k.a Wolverine is one of the most feared mutants in the world sharing with me an adamantium skeleton and healing factor. I have a physical mutation that has left me in the appearances of a large blue toned wolf, which out of sheer coincidence was my code name at that time. Sixteen years ago I found my father, I was chased out of my mountain home in the Rockies of Canada and out of fear I headed for Xavier's institute for the Gifted in Bayville New York. It was there that I not only found my father but also the love of my life. Her name was Catherine Pride and she was a student enrolled at the school, her and I fell in love and got married after a year of being together. Her and I continued to live at the mansion for four years until we went on our own. After a year we found that we were pregnant and we were going to have a daughter. Her labor with Kate was hard and long but she did it, unfortunately there were complications and due to internal bleeding and she passed away. This left me with Kate and so I moved the two of us to Gotham City where I knew that I would be able to work and raise her. To look at it I haven't really had to work, for my family's estate fund is quite large and I have full access to it, as does my father. But I choose to because if I didn't I get bored real quickly and that isn't good. Out of all things I chose to sit behind a desk and plunk away on a keyboard all day designing artwork and little portfolios for a cosmetics company named Hidare industries. They're not my sole contributor however, I also prefer to do freelance consulting. I have to admit I have quite the nice position because I only work when I have appointments and usually that means three or four a day but it can lead to as many as twenty all tightly packed together and short. But that is the life I choose to live and you know for all it's worth I really enjoy myself. And that is how I met my daughter's babysitter, she was a former employee for Hidare in their art department, but was fired for apparently missing a due date on a fouled project. Anywho, she had some friends that told me that she would be able to do some small work and I gave her a call. It went from there and she was thrilled to have Kate over and soon enough Kate was almost there everyday always eager to spend time with her.
So today I had three appointments and one of the names intrigued me, the initials were B.W. and he was supposed to be here any moment so I decided to pick up and organize a bit. Just as the last bit of garbage hit the rim of the basket a light knock at the door could be heard.
"Come in," I instructed taking a seat behind my desk.
From there the door opened and a mid-height man dressed in a very expensive suit happened through, holding a briefcase and his cap. I stood up to shake his hand as he introduced himself.
"Good day Mr. Howlett my name is Bruce Wayne, owner and CEO of Wayne Enterprises."
"Nice to meet you Mr. Wayne and what can I do for you today?" I asked him.
From there he brought out a briefcase that contained some rough art work, "I would like you to have a look at these and tell me what you think," he noted passing them across the desk into my hands.
"Well, from this it looks to do quite well, the layout of the text and the addition of the graphics is a nice touch, but I would have the color changed to something lighter like a grey backing or something similar to that. Going with a slightly lighter color will help draw the text to the reader's eye," I explained to him handing him the posters.
"Wonderful, I'm glad my boys in marketing didn't fuck up this time," he told me closing his briefcase.
"May I be so bold as to ask why you came to talk to me?" I questioned resting my large arms on my desk.
"What do you mean?"
"Well my standard clientele will bring me about five or so ads and even then it isn't the CEO who talks to me either it's their dinner maid interns that do that, so what would you really like to talk to me about?" I questioned leaning back a bit.
From there he just smiled, "here's the thing, you head up here as a marketing advisor, as of an hour from now I will have fired my present head of marketing. So in other words I was wondering if you wouldn't mind having the job. You will see a 50% wage increase and your own flexible hours, most of which you can simply work out of your own home. How does that sound?"
"Well right now that sounds much better but I will still have to think about it, because I still have to factor my daughter into the mix...How about this I give you a call in about two weeks and we can go from there."
"Why so long? He asked.
"I'll probably make a choice by the end of the day but I can then use the time to tie up loose ends and be prepared for the outcome of my decision," I explained rising from my chair to once again shake his hand.
"Sounds reasonable I hope to hear from you," he finished shaking my hand and leaving the room.
It was from there that the day just seemed to fly by, and to tell you the truth I wasn't sure what it was, but it felt good. Before I knew it the clock had struck three and I was clear to leave. Grabbing my things I caught the next elevator and I was on my way home. My home is about five or so blocks from the Hidare tower and that makes transport easy because I don't need to rely on a taxi for assistance. Ms. Price's apartment however was on the North end of the tower about three blocks up so that meant that would have to change and then go over to Ms. Price's in order to pick up Kate. It may take longer but you have to think that at least you're not walking eight to ten blocks in a full office suit.
Quickly jogging up the steps to her apartment door, I gave a quick knock and a young woman's face appeared from through the crack.
"Good afternoon Patience I came to take Kate off your hands, I got off earlier today so I figured we might go do something while the sun was still up," I told her as she opened the door right up.
"Well sure thing Jack she's just around here somewhere...Kate your dad's here to come and get you!" she called out and then from around the corner she came holding her day bag and coat.
"Ready to go kiddo?" I asked her taking her bag and coat.
"Sure thing," she replied taking her place at my side.
"Good, well thanks again patience, we'll be seeing each other again soon enough."
"Alright, have a great day Jack and you to Kate," she said before heading back into her apartment.
Just as she closed the door and I was about to leave I caught the odd scent of a feline but then again it just could have been Kate, figuring my mind was playing tricks I should it off again like I had so many times before, it always seemed to show up right before Patience's door. It must have been my mind. Kate and I went from there out to the Zoo where we walked around and watched us oddly, it was as if they knew who we really were under these image inducers. It was more so when we walked by the wolf exhibit and they were all anxious to meet me and my guest. Just for Kate's amusement I let out a low and severely muffled howl that made them lie down and simply look up at me, showing a sign of obedience. Aside from just dinking around we did nothing else for the rest of the day and it was soon nightfall before we reached home. I was stepping up just to put my key into the door when something caught my eye, a dark figure leaping across the roof tops and moving about. Still holding Kate on my back I simply took her to her room and lay her to bed. Then after discarding my shirt and pants for a pair of shorts, I ridded myself of the image inducer and stepped into the evening Gotham air.