Chapter 36 – Thanksgiving pt. 1

Selina had every confidence that Bruce would do his best to arrange an alternate babymoon. That is, he would have, had the cottage investigation not consumed all his waking moments. One might say his phone was ringing off the hook, but that phrase didn't exactly apply to mobile phones. All Selina knew was within minutes of one call ending, another began; Bruce's voice became hoarse by Sunday afternoon.

Selina lost count of how many detectives, specialists, and experts Bruce had to explain everything to ad nauseum. But by Tuesday, information started coming into Wayne Manor, rather than being extracted out of it.

Bruce was told an invasive vine species had infiltrated electrical components around the cottage perimeter, disabling the security grid. With no audible alarms or surveillance footage, the vandals came and went without detection.

The whole situation was rather exhausting, but at least they had some answers. Not much to necessarily provide lasting peace of mind, but answers nonetheless.

No sooner did the cottage commotion settle, when along came preparations for an early Thanksgiving to be attended by Carmine and Louisa Falcone. Those preparations grew even more hectic when Carmine called to ask if he & Louisa could come two days before their expected arrival. Naturally, Alfred acquiesced as he was wont to do.

Selina sat with a heating pad against her lower back, watching the men of the house run around like headless chickens. Quietly she mourned another week's passing without resolving things with Bruce. Life showed no intention of pausing long enough for them to share dinner together, let alone address Batman's future to any satisfaction. It was so relentless that she was starting to feel numb half the time – but then, a swift jab to her kidneys or a foot on her bladder would jar her back again.

They had two, maybe three weeks before the point of no return. And Bruce was dithering it away with sweeping the garage floor in order to give a "good impression" to the Falcones. As if it wasn't them who needed to impress him.

It pained her to think he may be intentionally stalling. He'd promised to devise another babymoon, and she had to take him at his word. If they could just get through this one last crazy weekend…

A weekend that was starting even earlier than its revised time, thanks to the doorbell ringing three hours sooner than planned. Selina threw a panicked look at Bruce, who was passing through with a vacuum just then.

"They're here already?!" he demanded, as if Selina were somehow to blame.

"I don't know why… they told me four o'clock!" she cried, trying to stand in haste. Bruce dropped the vacuum and rushed to help her.

"Alfred!" he called out in vain. But Alfred was down in the bowels of the Batcave, unpacking boxes of new gear and equipment that Bruce didn't want cluttering the main floor. The odds of the butler hearing him – or the doorbell – were zero.

Which meant it fell upon the man and woman of the house to answer their own door. Which would have been a simple enough thing to do… had Selina already informed them that she was pregnant.

Bruce assumed that she had. After all, they'd shared a handful of phone calls over the last few months. Plenty of opportunities to alert them to their impending grandparent status. But when the doors of Wayne Manor opened to reveal their dumbstruck, agape expressions, Bruce realized he'd assumed wrong.

"Selina…?" Louisa gasped, holding her hand over her heart. "Oh my goodness dear, you never mentioned this!"

Carmine, meanwhile, hadn't moved a muscle. He stood rooted in place, staring unblinkingly at his daughter's round abdomen. The contrast between the ecstatic, emotional Louisa and her stone-faced husband was almost comical.

Tears were rapidly welling in Louisa's eyes. "Would it be all right if I hugged you? Both of you?" she looked at Selina and Bruce pleadingly.

"Of course," Selina held out her arms. Feeling the poignant embrace of the mother she never knew, Selina found her own eyes growing moist.

"My turn," Carmine stepped forward next. His arms felt different around her, carrying the ache of so many misdeeds, but still his soul pressed against hers. In that moment, Selina was glad for Alfred's absence. This affecting of a reunion was best done in private.

"And here we have the illustrious Bruce Wayne," Carmine extended his hand toward Bruce with measured respect. Bruce towered over the Italian man, but both knew the power each other held. "My son-in-law. It's an honor."

"The honor is mine," Bruce purred, narrowing his eyes. "We're so pleased you and Louisa are here."

"As are we. And now we understand why you wanted an early Thanksgiving," Carmine pointed to Selina's belly. "Our meal won't be interrupted by an emergency trip to the hospital, will it?"

"I don't think so," Selina said sheepishly. "The doctor says they shouldn't come for another few weeks."

"They?" Louisa's eyes widened.

"Twins," Bruce explained, guiding his guests inside.

"My, my," Carmine took in the manor's grand entrance. "Not bad. A lot like our first home, wouldn't you say, dear?"

"Oh, I hardly remember," Louisa deflected, still fawning over Selina. "So it's twins? How very exciting!"

"Yes, the most exciting part comes at two a.m. each morning, when they like to dance on all my vital organs," joked Selina.

"Oh, I remember those days," said Louisa fondly. "I promise you'll forget about all the discomfort once you're holding them in your arms."

I desperately hope so, thought Selina, more concerned about emotional discomfort than physical.

Carmine caught sight of the book-filled study. "That library looks quaint. Shall we?"

Before Bruce could object, something appeared from behind the grandfather clock – Alfred had ascended from the Batcave, wiping his perspired brow and looking altogether exhausted. He froze halfway across the study, stunned by the sudden visitors. Too bad he couldn't just crawl back behind the clock to retreat.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Falcone!" he greeted with inflated cheer. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Alfred Pennyworth, the Waynes' butler. May I get you anything from the kitchen?"

"A butler," Louisa whispered, nudging Carmine in the ribs. "We never had one of those."

"Nothing from the kitchen," replied Carmine coolly, "but maybe I'll have something from that secret room you just came from."

Alfred swallowed nervously, catching a terse head shake from Bruce. "Oh, I'm afraid there are no refreshments in there, sir. Just a very dark, musty broom closet," he hastily rearranged some pillows and magazines. "Please, have a seat. Make yourselves comfortable and I'll bring some appetizers as soon as I can heat the oven."

Carmine sauntered over, still eyeing the clock suspiciously. Thankfully, Selina had come prepared – she drew their attention to a large photo album perched on the coffee table.

"Here, you two can look through my baby pictures," she offered. Alfred hustled past her, casting an exasperated look at her and Bruce. Bruce shrugged a helpless apology.

"These are adorable!" exclaimed Louisa as she flipped through. "You look exactly like…"

Without a word, Carmine reached for his wife's hand and squeezed it supportively.

"…like your sister, Sofia did," Louisa choked out.

It was Selina's turn to be shocked. "What did you say?"

Louisa trembled slightly and kept her eyes lowered. "You have a sister. She –"

With timing as atrocious as Alfred's had been, Dick chose that exact moment to enter the study, flopping his backpack down on the floor.

"Oh. Hi everyone," he waved vaguely before sitting down between his parents. "So dad, is this the old mafia king you were telling me about?"