"Did you hear what I just said?" Harri said to Adriana.
"Oh sorry...um...what?" Adriana said over the phone.
"Girl, you are so distracted, maybe I should call you back?"
"No..I'm not distracted. I'm sorry, my mind was just wandering."
"Wandering why? What's on your mind? I know it's not my new car that parks itself that I'm trying to tell you about."
"Nothing much," Adriana lied.
"Nuh uh," Harri said. "Tell me. Did something happen? Something bad?"
"No, no way," Adriana laughed. "No, nothing bad happened. Everything's fine."
"So?" Harri said. "Who's got your mind all distracted?"
"Who? What makes you think it's a person?"
"I can hear it in your voice," Harri said as if she was rolling her eyes because it was obvious. "Tell me your not thinking about Damien."
"Harri, what the hell is wrong with you? I haven't thought about him in ages, and now you remind me of his existence."
"Damn, I'm sorry!" Harri burst into laughter. "So, who is he?"
"What makes you think..." Adriana's voice trailed off.
"Yeah, bitch. It's obvious."
"Fine," Adriana said as she wiped down the elliptical machine she had just finished using. "He's...just someone from my past. Sort of..just appeared."
"Who?"
"Harri, you don't know him."
"You haven't had many relationships in Gotham. Was is Will? Amaury?...Those are the only two I can remember other than you know who." Damien.
"Wasn't Damien, wasn't Amaury or Will. I told you, you don't know him-"
"Oh wait! There was a guy you were telling me about last year. A one night stand that went very very well. Hmmmm...was it him?"
"I...I did tell you about that didn't I.." Adriana sighed. "Ugh..."
"So it's him!"
"Yeah..and truth be told it was more than just once. But we...we ended things. I mean, thing's ended. Whatever. It ended and now he's..around."
"Your head is in the clouds today," Harri noticed. "You like him a lot."
"No...no..." Adriana said. "I'm married."
"I'm married too!" Harri laughed. "Not dead! I mean I would never cheat on Antonio but I get it."
"I would never cheat either," Adriana said. "And I wouldn't...I mean I can't go back to this guy. It just...it's not right. He's just having a bit of a tough time with life right now and I'm trying to help him when I can. I guess being around him it's..I don't know. I remember a lot."
"Are you giving him money?" Harri asked with a sour disapproving voice. "Is he broke?"
"No," Adriana said. "I'm not giving anyone money. He's injured so I..bring him food and stuff.."
Adriana knew she couldn't mention that she helped perform surgery on him and rescued him from an underground solitary prison that her husband had put him in. And that he was being treated in her husband's private medical facility..without him knowing.
"Aww," Harri said. "You're so sweet to help him. What happened? Car accident?"
"Um..yeah, something like that," Adriana said. "He needs a lot of physical therapy and stuff."
"Poor guy," Harri said. "So, it he hot?"
"Ughh, always Harri-"
"I wanna know!"
"He's having a really rough time...lost a bunch of weight. Had a...wound infection that really almost took him out. He's in really bad shape right now-"
"Fine, make me feel bad for asking," Harri said. "So, is he going to be okay?"
"Well.." Adriana said, and leaned against the cycling machine. "I don't know. I mean...It's complicated."
"Will he be able to go back to work and everything?"
"I..." Adriana's voice trailed off. "Maybe. I don't know."
"One day at a time," Harri said.
"Yeah.." Adriana said.
"So what does Bruce think about you helping your ex?"
"Umm... Well I have not actually told him. I don't think I should, I mean it's a complicated situation and I'm sure my friend will be much better soon and won't need my help anymore. No need to drag Bruce into it."
"Whatever you say."
.
.
.
"Another trip?" Adriana asked Bruce. He was holding Arsenio and standing by the fireplace. Arsenio had just been bathed and was wearing soft light green colored footie pajamas.
"Yes," Bruce said. "I'm so sorry, Adriana. I wish there was a way around this but...things have been going so well..fiscally speaking. Which means more trips unfortunately."
"Oh.." she said.
"I don't mean that it's your fault," he said quickly about her gift rubbing off on him. "It's just that, I've been making a lot of good choices lately and so much of the company is international so-"
"I get it, sweetheart," Adriana said.
"The two of you could come with me," Bruce offered. "It wouldn't be the most exciting trip though. Not much for a baby to do in Brunei."
"That's okay," Adriana smiled slightly. "We'll chill here."
"What about you little man? Want to come with me?" Bruce asked Arsenio.
"No way," Adriana laughed.
"Mommy's paranoid," Bruce said. "Doesn't think your dad can take care of you all by himself on an international trip."
"I never said that," Adriana told him.
"But you thought it though," he said with a smile. "Don't worry Arsenio. Maybe when you're four or five she will let you come with me on trips."
"Yeah, maybe," Adriana said and reached for Arsenio who was quietly playing with Bruce's tie. "Maybe when he's eighteen."
"Strict mom," Bruce said and handed the baby to her.
"Mmmmhm," she said. "So, when's your next trip after this one?"
"Not til July, if nothing pops up," he told her. "I'll make this up to you, I promise."
"I wonder how you'll do that," she smiled and kissed him.
"I'll think of something," he said.
"You driver will be here shortly, Master Bruce," Alfred said to Bruce after coming into the room.
"Right...I'll be right there."
Alfred nodded before leaving them.
"He's sleepy," Adriana said. "Time for bed, hm?"
They went together to put him to bed in the nursery. Bruce told Arsenio that he loved him half a dozen times before he fell asleep, then he handed Adriana the baby monitor and kissed her on both cheeks and then on the lips.
"Wish you didn't have to go," she whispered as they shut the door to the nursery behind them quietly.
"I know," Bruce said. "I cannot wait to retire. Maybe by the time Arsenio is ten..at the latest."
"So, you wanna retire in your 40's," Adriana said as they walked down the hall.
"Things are going better than I could have ever imagined right now," Bruce said. "If they keep going this way I will definitely be able to retire in the next ten years."
"I'm looking forward to that," Adriana told him. "No more business trips."
"Just vacations," Bruce said. "You..me...Arsenio...maybe he'll have a few siblings by then."
"Maybe," Adriana smiled and gave Bruce another long kiss.
.
.
.
"A compass," Lucius smiled and looked at the gift Adriana had gotten him.
"It's an antique," she told him and set in one of the chairs in front of the desk in his office.
"It's exquisite," he told her. "Thank you very much."
"It's not enough but I wanted to get you something to thank you for helping me with... Everything. Getting the Joker out of that hellhole. I know it was a big risk for you and I really do appreciate it."
"Well," he smiled and returned to his seat. "What are friends for?"
"I owe you one. Seriously."
"So how is everything going with..."
"Really well actually," she told him. "We had to extract all of his teeth but we were able to replace them all with dental implant. If you would have asked me a few weeks ago I would never have believed that I would be performing oral surgery. He's walking a bit better but he's still having a few issues with his joints. I'm sure in time things will just improve and he will heal. Doctor Kapoor told me he's being very cooperative in his psychotherapy sessions. He's gained over 20 pounds which is great."
"That's great news," he said.
Adriana noticed he was looking at her as if he expected more. She could see his thoughts.
"We don't talk, Lucius. Not really. Just small talk and it's not awkward at all. "
"Mind reading," Lucius said as though he was still not used to the idea.
"Yes."
"It seems you're investing a lot of time helping him and taking care of him. "
"Lucius, seriously. It's not weird," she said, continuing to read his thoughts. "And as far as the future... I guess he will do what he wants. I know that's a possibility that he will go back to what he was doing before and I will feel awful and guilty. But I would feel awful and guilty now if I did not help him... and just let him suffer and die. He's not actually thinking about the future very much though so it's hard for me to tell which way he will go."
"I understand," Lucius said. "But maybe you should make an effort to speak to him. Just to see what's going through his mind even though you don't need to talk to him to do that. Maybe it will get him thinking about his future."
"I'll try but he's not exactly an open book. Even mentally. "
Lucius nodded to show he understood.
"I assume you haven't spoke to him about... Anything else? "
Adriana pressed her lips together. "You're talking about Arsenio. Of course I haven't told him about... Lucius I'm not crazy"
"I don't think that it's crazy that you would tell him that he has a child. Perhaps it could make him think a little more forward-"
"Wait wait wait," she said and stopped him. "Lucius there is no way he can be involved in Arsenio's life. No way."
"Because he's dangerous? "
"Actually," she said. "No. I mean, of course he is a dangerous man but I don't think he would hurt Arsenio or anything."
"Then?"
"Lucius don't be silly. That would include explaining everything to Bruce which I can never do. What on Earth do you think Bruce's reaction would be?"
Lucius' eyes diverted away from hers thoughtfully as he seemed to contemplate the outcome of revealing that the Joker was Arsenio's father to Bruce. Eventually he stopped gazing ahead and looked down at his hands before looking at Adriana again.
"Yes," he said finally agreeing with her. "Perhaps you are right. But the Joker will not remain in the medical facility forever. He will learn that you have had a child. "
"And as far as anyone knows, he is Bruce's," Adriana said as if she had already thought it all out. "No one has taken any pictures of him other than me and Bruce and people close to us. Bruce and I have already agreed that it would be better for a child to be brought up without being in the public eye. "
"Meaning you convinced him of that? "
"Well yes and I'm not ashamed."
"Well one thing is for sure," Lucius finally said "You certainly are forward-thinking."