"Can I come in?" Adriana asked Harri who was in bed, flipping through a clothing catalogue.
"Of course," Harri said and sat up, showing Adriana the page she was looking at. "You should totally get this to wear for when Bruce comes back home."
"Oh..." Adriana said. "What a cute and...very short dress.."
"It's not that short," Harri said.
"I don't know.." Adriana said. "I looks like it would ride up if I took steps."
"How? It's kind of A-line shaped so it won't," Harri said and got up. "I have one similar to it. Try it on and see what you think."
Adriana sat on the bed as Harri went through the drawer full of her clothing. It seemed she had packed enough for a month, likely because she did not have to pay for her ticket and was able to bring as much luggage as she wanted at no cost. Bruce had insisted she come to Gotham in a private jet, and that Adriana's parents have the same whenever they visited.
"Harri, can we talk about something?" Adriana asked Harri, as she pulled out a short pink dress.
"They told you, didn't they," Harri said. "Alfred and Evelyn. They told you I was asking questions."
"Well...Evelyn did," Adriana said as Harri handed her the dress. "You asked Alfred about Jack too?"
"Yeah.." Harri confessed. "I'm sorry...it's just...everything you told me left me with more questions."
"You...didn't ask Jack directly, did you?" Adriana asked.
"No, no way," Harri replied. "When he was here earlier, I was on my best behavior."
"Great," Adriana said with relief.
"I wouldn't do that," Harri said. "I mean you told me he has some type of trauma that made him forget his whole life. He's Arsenio's biological father..and you made it sound like he got mixed up in some stuff that wasn't so good. There's no way I'd bring up any of that to him. Especially not with Arsenio around us all the whole time. I'd never just ask him directly about all that...but I still want to know. I wish you'd tell me-"
"I think..perhaps it's best if you don't," Adriana said.
Harri pressed her lips together and sat and the bed.
"So try on the dress," Harri said.
Adriana stood up and started to take off her jeans.
"Where did you go earlier?" Harri asked. "You were gone for hours."
"Errands," Adriana said vaguely. "In the city."
"Oh," Harri said as Adriana pulled off her shirt. "Oh my gosh."
"What?" Adriana asked.
"Is that a bruise?" Harri asked and pointed to a purple spot on Adriana's side.
Adriana had a flashback to earlier. A man who was attempting to steal an ambulance swung a crowbar at her side.
"Yeah..I fell off the elliptical earlier," Adriana lied.
"Sis...you need to stop working out so hard," Harri said. "Look at your stomach...you have an eight pack..it's unnatural."
Adriana quickly pulled the dress over her head and covered herself.
"I'm sorry," Harri said. "I didn't mean to make you self conscious or anything. You look great!"
"Thanks," Adriana said with zero enthusiasm.
"I mean it," Harri said. "You're slim and you have muscles..you don't look manly or bulky or anything it's just..your body fat is so low-"
"Well, I am fine," Adriana said. "I'm not underweight."
"I didn't say you were," Harri responded. "You look amazing I just don't want you to push yourself so hard."
"I know my limits," Adriana assured Harri.
"Yes.." Harri said. "I mean, you should. You're married to a billionaire so I guess you kind of have to.."
"Have to what?" Adriana asked and crossed her arms. "You think Bruce makes me work out?"
"No.." Harri said. "I just mean he's, really a catch..he's wealthy and successful and you know... and maybe he's really into the whole.."
Harri shrugged and looked at Adriana.
"Comic book heroine physique," Harri said. "I just think it can't be easy to maintain day in and day out.."
"Bruce really is that not into the super lean or muscular physique," Adriana found herself admitting out loud. "I mean, he loves me and he loves what I look like but.."
"You know his preferences," Harri said. "You've read his mind before. Before you lost your gift."
Adriana nodded.
"So..why the heck do you train so much?" Harri asked. "It seems like since you've been married you've only gotten more ripped."
"It's just...my passion," Adriana said.
"But why?" Harri asked. "I don't get it. I hate working out."
"Well, I don't," Adriana said and shrugged.
.
.
.
Adriana picked up her phone as soon as she felt the single vibration of a text message alert. Bruce had been texting her almost every night. She looked at her phone to see a string of at least 20 kiss emojis.
Hi, sweetheart. Adriana wrote.
I will be home in a few days, he wrote.
Really? Oh, that's amazing! I can't wait to see you. Adriana sent the text an smiled. It seemed he would be coming home early.
Neither can I, he wrote back. How are you?
Adriana paused before writing back. She though about how she felt for a moment.
Is everything alright, my love? Bruce wrote after less than a minute of waiting.
Adriana was laying in the dark alone, and could not stop thinking about Harri's words. She pulled off the loose shirt she was sleeping in and laid back onto the sheets. She held her phone up above her body, opened the camera and turned on the flash. She took a picture, making sure her face was not in fame. She looked at the image in front of her for less than a second. All she saw was sharp lines, angles, hardness. It seemed like she had become even harder since he had been gone. It was as though she had suddenly become aware of some major flaw in herself that she had been unaware of. Something she had not been paying attention to. She sent the picture to Bruce with no words.
She closed her eyes and was surprised when she felt a tear fall down the side of her face. It took Bruce a while to respond and although she knew he would never say anything critical to hurt her, she still felt nervous. It felt like it was taking so long.
When her phone vibrated again she opened her eyes.
Thank you, he wrote, followed by a splashing water emoji. Finished twice.
That was fast, Adriana wrote.
Well you are incredibly hot, Bruce wrote.
Thanks, Adriana wrote. That makes me feel better.
Is something wrong, beloved? he wrote.
No just something Harri said earlier was on my mind but I feel better now, Adriana said.
What did she say? Bruce asked.
Just...something about my body looking unnatural. She said I work out too much. Adriana wrote.
Adriana saw that Bruce was typing but it took a moment for the text to come through. He was writing a lot.
My eternal love, I did not grow up with siblings, although I know they can be harsh. She is your sister and she loves you very much and I am certain that she did not use her words to hurt your feelings. Your sister loves you very much and she has known you her entire life, so perhaps she is used to seeing you a different way. I believe her words more of a reaction of surprise than criticism. With all of that being said, I want you to know that you are the most stunning woman I have ever laid eyes on. Your body is glorious. It is overwhelming how flawless you are, and I truly mean that. You are without flaw. Just gazing at you makes me question if I am enough. Do I deserve a goddess? Sheer perfection. Every inch of you is so alluring, I cannot even begin to put it into words. I imagine what it must be like to be you. What a miracle it must be to exist as such an enchanting creation. You are truly beautiful. Never allow anyone to convince you of anything other than that truth. Because that is the truth. And it cannot be questioned or contested.