Good gravy, it's been a long time since I updated - sorry for the delay. It's been a busy winter / spring!

Chapter 35 – Cancellation Policy

Alfred and Selina walked upon a lush carpet of eggshells, pins, and needles the next few days. No corner of Wayne Manor was clear of the walking hazards. Nothing would be gained by pressing Bruce further now. They knew they'd done everything they could, pushed the matter as far as limits allowed.

Besides, Bruce was right – the designated time and place for family-career discussion was during the babymoon this weekend. Clear boundaries and expectations were a good thing, Selina kept telling herself as she packed for the trip.

She also told herself that if she kept the atmosphere light and pleasant, Bruce might be less inclined to interrogate Selina's parents when they visited next week. Dreading that whole encounter was just one more stressor she really didn't need right now.

So when the Gotham Gazette featured a full-page story about the Fall Police Gala, it was a most welcome distraction from heavier things. Selina drank in the paragraphs and photos over breakfast one morning, delighted.

"Have you seen this yet?" she asked Bruce from across the table.

"Hm? Oh, the gala. Yes, I noticed it."

"I actually don't look like a bloated manatee in these pictures," Selina remarked elatedly. "You look pretty good, too."

"Good… and thanks," Bruce acknowledged, distracted by his own section of the paper.

"You look really good," Selina emphasized. "As in, how did you not have a hundred women propositioning you that night?"

Bruce huffed a quick laugh. "You were there with me. They know I'm not available."

"Trust me, that only makes things worse. There's nothing unhappy women envy more than a happy couple."

"That's pretty cynical," he looked up at her in surprise.

"No, it's just human nature! Didn't you notice all the sullen stares we got?"

"To be honest, no. And I doubt you'd be happy if I had noticed any of them."

"True," Selina smirked. "I'm just saying, you don't realize the effect you still have on women."

"If you say so."

"Do you really not believe me?"

Sighing, Bruce sat back in his chair. "It's just… you know better than most that it's not all sunshine and roses being with me. If other women knew the reality, they'd run fast."

"Oh, don't be so sure," Selina shook her head. "If there's one thing women can't resist, it's a complicated, tortured soul who needs 'fixing.'" I should know, she thought wryly as one of the twins kicked her in the ribs.

Friday afternoon, Dick returned from school to find several large suitcases waiting by the front door. Selina paced up and down the hall, trying to keep Braxton-Hicks contractions at bay.

"Dad picking you up soon?" Dick asked her.

"Any minute now," she confirmed, looking at her watch for the millionth time. "Then it's a two-hour drive to the lake."

"Cool," Dick gave her a sideways hug, mindful of her belly. "Hope you have a good time. See ya Monday!"

Monday… it seemed a lifetime away. And by her estimation, this weekend would indeed feel like a lifetime. She'd packed two boxes of Kleenex in preparation.

There has to be a way to get through to him… after all Alfred and I have said, all the sacrifices I've made, surely it'll all add up for him. It has to.

No matter the challenge, she was determined not to back down this time. Logic, reason, and basic decency were all on her side. She hadn't come this far just to forfeit the most vital component of her future. Our future, she corrected, cradling her stomach.

Despite her resolve, her pulse quickened when she saw Bruce's car finally winding up the drive. Why was he going so agonizingly slow? Just pull up to the door and get the bags, already!

She peered through the faceted door window, waiting for Bruce to exit the vehicle. The engine turned off, yet he remained inside. It was impossible to tell what he was doing behind the car's darkly tinted glass. At last he emerged five minutes later, wearing a deeply furrowed brow and a cell phone at his ear. Whatever this signified, Selina knew it couldn't be good.

Bruce stalled just outside the door; Selina heard his words go from muffled to clear as he walked in.

"Okay. Let me know as soon as you find someone," he finished, not looking up at his wife.

Selina read the situation all too easily. "We're not going to the cottage, are we?"

Shoving his phone angrily into his pocket, Bruce scowled out the window. "We can't. It's been vandalized."

"What?!"

"The groundskeeper showed up today and found the door axed to shreds, windows broken, walls ripped apart… it's a disaster, Selina."

"Oh my word…" she reached for his arm. "I'm so glad we weren't there when it happened!"

"Me too," he embraced her tenderly.

"How could this happen? Wasn't there a security system?"

"There was. The police are bringing in a special unit to investigate."

"And no one can start repairs until after the investigation," she surmised.

"You got it. Bill, the groundskeeper, is going to start calling contractors today. Most are booking three months out, or longer."

"What, there's no short list for billionaires like yourself?" teased Selina.

"I wish," he indulged in a smirk.

Selina nestled deeper into his arms, savoring the protective warmth of his chest. "So what do we do about this weekend?"

"Normally we could improvise and fly somewhere, but…"

"No flying for me anymore," she confirmed. "Doctor's orders."

Bruce sighed, hesitating. "I'd offer to barricade ourselves upstairs for three days, have Alfred leave our meals outside the door like a half-rate room service, but…"

She easily read between the lines. If they stayed here in Gotham, the Bat Signal threatened to upend their conference at any time. The only way to ensure Bruce's full, unbroken commitment to these talks was to physically remove him from the city. Otherwise, the specter of Batman's responsibility would hover in the shadows of their room, eavesdropping on every word.

"I'll think of something," Bruce murmured, burying his face in her hair. "Give me a few days, and I'll think of something."