"Seems to be par for the course.", John chuckled. "Never find too many people who don't think much of the stunts.", with a grin as he squeezed Dick's shoulder warmly. "Well, those people are boring or just crazy...", Dick smiled as he shook his head.
Thomas chuckled, "That's for sure. They didn't know what they were missing. We were very impressed with your act, Mr. and Mrs. Grayson. Your son was very wonderful with showing us his favorite rides and was such a helpful child.".
Mary smiled warmly, "That's good to hear, sir. We wanted our son to grow up considerate, well-rounded, and friendly. I'm Mary Grayson, and this is my husband, John Grayson.".
Thomas smiled, "Very nice to meet you. I'm Thomas Wayne, and this is my wife, Martha Wayne, we are the patriarch and matriarch of the family. This is my all but in blood brother Alfred Pennyworth and his wife, Caroline Pennyworth. Next to them is Waylon Jones, Alfred and Caroline's eldest son, and his wife aka my and Martha's daughter, Poppy Jones. Next to them is my and Martha's eldest son, Bruce Wayne, and his wife, Selina Wayne.", pointing them out by their position.
Martha then replied, "And this is Jane Pennyworth, their daughter, and this is the twins, Sean and Daphne Jones, and this is the youngest of the brood, Damien Wayne.", smiling warmly as she pointed out the kids.
"Quite the family you've put together.", Mary smiled. John looked between Damien and Dick in curiosity and amazement, "Well, you were certainly right, Dick. You and Damien look like identical strangers.".
"What are identical strangers?", Damien asked in confusion, and Selina smiled, "Think of it as unrelated people who happen to look alike, where other people would mistake them for sisters or brothers.", warmly ruffling his hair as he made a look of understanding, widening his eyes, "Cool!".
"I have to admit, it's quite a coincidence. I mean, the odds and all of these two looking alike and meeting each other?", Mary said.
Caroline replied, "Well, this isn't too rare as Damien and Dick aren't the only ones who are identical strangers as it's something unique to have identical strangers throughout cities, states, countries, and all, not too common per sec, but it's a discovered thing for decades, at least maybe a century.".
Mary nodded, "I can't argue against that, but this is still amazing...How old are you, sweetie?", looking at Damien, and Damien puffed his chest proudly, "7, almost 8! My birthday is next year, on April 25.".
John chuckled, "Such a boisterous lad you got there. Dick just turned 8 recently as his birthday is in March. Right, son?", and Dick nodded, "Yep! March 12!".
Poppy's heart leapt in joy and pain, with tears unable to hold back from appearing as that was the day she had the quintuplet miscarriage and laid the egg of the twins, and also the day of her four children to be born again on their choice of families after being cared of by Kel for a timeless span in heaven, upon Poppy's permission and desire to have her children be happy and safe somehow, and Dick's birthday proved it.
It was also something the kids had to know when they saw Poppy being strange and sad on that day for years as well. Wasn't an easy conversation to have for sure; having to explain where babies come from as well as having to explain the whole tragedy that is miscarriages. Obviously, things were toned down and weren't too specific. Like the whole baby thing being a 'mommy and daddy love each other' deal rather than getting into gritty biological terms.
Mary saw the tears on Poppy's cheeks, "Are you alright, Mrs. Jones?", seeming to realize that what Dick said had impacted Poppy for some reason.
Sean replied, "March 12 was when-", as Daphne finished, "Mom lost our baby siblings.", in their twin talk, and Mary gasped, "Oh, my!", a hand on her mouth as John replied, "Lord...Couldn't imagine losing a first set of twins.".
"It was... actually it was quintuplets.", Poppy admitted as John and Mary were even more shocked. "I don't fully know how I was able to have so many but lost... lost them all.", she sniffled.
Dick asked in confusion yet concern, "How many is quintuplets?", and Mary replied softly, "Five babies all in one multi-pregnancy at once, Dick.".
Dick's eyes nearly popped out in shock, "Golly...I'm awfully sorry when I said my birthday date, Mrs. Jones...I didn't know...I...I didn't want to hurt you like that...", even knowing that there are thousands of babies born on his birthday in other places when his parents explained about babies and pregnancy when he saw pregnant women in various places they traveled through, but he didn't know that there are also baby deaths too on his birthday...
"It's alright.", Poppy said. "It... it was rough at that time... like, really bad but I thankfully had family there to comfort and hold me and keep me from losing it all. And Sean and Daphne coming certainly helped a bunch too. After all that, I was worried I could never have children again with just... well, you get what I'm saying.".
John and Mary nodded softly, getting what Poppy meant as Dick replied, "Oh...It was literally your first time...", and Poppy nodded lightly, "Y-yes, Dick. It was 9 years ago, and yes, time heals, but it still hurts sometimes. It's not your fault.".
Dick replied, "Really? It feels like it...I wish I could make you feel better...wait, I can...Mom, Dad, is it okay if I hug her as my apology?", wanting to do something, even if he knew that her kids can hug Poppy and all, but it wasn't their fault for bringing it up, it's his fault...
It's funny, but he feels comfortable about wanting to hug Poppy who is hurting because of him. Other strangers, he'd try to say really reassuring words and all, but Poppy, she feels special for some reason.
Poppy gave a small nod, "If you wish... and if your parents think that it's alright.". Dick looked at his parents as Mary nodded, "From one mother to another, I can understand the pain... I was more fortunate in not losing a child... but my heart still does aches for all the mothers who weren't as fortunate as me.".
John then smiled, "We sure raised a good, compassionate kid. Go on, son.", and Dick smiled, turning around to see Poppy kneeling down on one leg, opening her arms, and he sprinted to her, with the rest of the family watching with warm expressions, and hope behind their eyes, with the kids behaving quietly, somehow feeling not jealous, but like an important thing is to happen for their aunt, mother, and all.
Dick wrapped his arms around her as Poppy almost was on the verge of crying, trying all that she could to keep herself from crying right then and there as she was beginning to think that this moment may have never happened.
Poppy's heart felt like something was snapping back into place, next to the places of her huge family, her husband, and her twins, and of course, Damien.
In the manor, when she held Damien for the first time after Selina declared him to be weaned off and all from the nest, she was free to cry, feeling like Damien fit in her arms just right, and he absolutely adored and loved her from the moment he was held, even if he had seen her over Selina's belly and all in the nest, it was like a connection snapping back into place between two souls, two hearts.
And it's the same thing for Poppy and Dick, as John wrapped his arm around Mary who smiled, resting her head on his shoulder, whispering, "I don't know how, but I feel like I'm not mad or jealous or sad, but like...like...", trying to search for the right words, or even the right emotions to describe this.
"That it feels, somehow, right?", John whispered back to her. "Maybe it's just the resemblance... but I swear, Dick has some of her features...", Mary told him.
John replied softly, "The forehead, cheekbones, and somewhat in bone structure and frame...And you know, I don't remember my folks having Dick's nose, but it sure looks like the same to Waylon's nose...I mean, not going to accuse or anything because people can have similar bone structure or noses or height or hair color or anything else because all humans are related very, very distantly from ancestors.".
Mary nodded, humming, "Perhaps, but I still am glad to see that it feels somehow right...Do you feel the same, John?", speaking softly, and John nodded, "Yeah.", as Poppy had to resignedly let go of Dick before it gets uncomfortable past the boundary of hug limits and of course, being in public, smiling warmly, "Thank you, Dick, that certainly made me feel better, much better. Now, how about you and your folks give us the VIP tour, hmm?".
"We'll have to be a bit quick with things of course...", John said. "After all, we're shutting down for the night so obviously animals going to their pens and people need their rest for the next day of performances.".
Thomas replied, "Right, that certainly makes sense, even with the rest of the carnival still going for a while longer.", as Poppy got up, and Dick traded smiles with the kids. Mary smiled, "Let's go then.".
And so, the VIP tour went well, with John and Mary somehow feeling comfortable in talking and conversating with the adults, with Dick showing the kids around, eventually trading numbers by iPhone and all.
The Graysons were invited for lunch for Saturday the next day, and then a friendship became real with the weekends of visiting the Graysons or the manor, where Dick flourished with the kids giving him tips and advice when watching him in practice on the kid-sized trapeze after school, conversations over lunch and dinner, laughter and running feet all over the manor grounds, in the manor, or through the carnival grounds, and Mary and John was surprised to find so much in common, becoming fast friends especially with Poppy and Waylon, next to Bruce and Selina.
And before they all knew it, it was almost the end of the month, on the fourth weekend. The Graysons almost had a scare with a mob family called the Zuccos on the third weekend, on a Saturday late afternoon which night was approaching, where after Dick called for the cops, on that night, it was lucky, thanks to the hotline that connected to the Batsystem, with Selina at the computer, that Batman came to the rescue, with Delta She-Hulk aka the Sensational She-Hulk not far behind to threaten the Zuccos by kicking their car in the rear to teach them a lesson, with one of the Zuccos arrested by Batman, and eventually, the cops.
Of course, the family knew very well that the Zuccos were not ones to be denied. Especially with the almost desperate times, organized criminals of their breed: the old crime family, mafioso types; they would come back. Obviously, their target was the circus itself, just going after the folks of the final act to send the message along to the owners.
"What do you think?", Selina asked Bruce as she leaned back in the chair while staring at the computer screen that was showing off the files of Tony Zucco and his accomplices that escaped.
"Well, obviously their first attempt at extortion was trying to rough up the Graysons; send the word to the circus owners to play ball with them or things will be worse.", Bruce said as he closed his eyes as he tried to think. "Do you think kidnapping or murder might be the next move?", Selina asked with a frown.
"I'm not fully sure about murder. They're already in enough trouble as is with the assault attempt, but Zucco is very violent. He might be one to think that a murder would be the perfect message to send to the owners.", Bruce bit his lip as he opened his eyes.
"But who?", Selina wondered. "There's dozens of folks hired by the circus; not to mention the owners, maybe their next attempt would be a bit closer to them? Have one of the owners taken out or abducted?".
Bruce sighed, "Maybe...All the same, good thing that I got that strongman down and arrested by the cops, and Poppy had to restrain herself from killing the others as causing a dent with that kick in the rear of their car would perhaps be the message for them to leave the circus alone...It was a threat on not just John and Mary, but also Dick...I had to get her out before she wanted to track down that car...She took out three boxing bags that night, Selina.".
Selina winced, "That explains the mess when I came down here the next night...I don't blame her...Either way, it has been a week...They've been laying low, and I think they have been using either Uber to deliver food and such or some of their lower lackeys to grab any food for the week...".
"More than likely. Wouldn't want to run the risk of getting caught.", Bruce scratched his chin. "Still, obviously up to something; Zucco doesn't let things go.".
Selina nodded, "Yeah...Either way, the tent bouncers and the circus security are informed, and if anyone of us sees him and his brothers, if there's a dark corner, we can use tasers or some really good punches to lay them down in case they aren't around any other people to threaten as hostages.".
Bruce nodded, "Agreed. Zucco may be violent, but he's smart. Best bet he and his brothers will sneak into any weak spots of the circus tent...Everybody can't have eyes all the time on any weak spots, but we will be vigilant.".
"For sure...All the same, let's not bring down the mood for anyone else. After all, this is going to be Dick's first weekend for his part of the act to start...The kids gave him more confidence and reassurance that he can do it before he was when he hadn't met us then.", Selina replied.
"Still feel uncomfortable about a kid his age doing those sorts of stunts.", Selina then admitted. "Maybe that's because of who he is or just how he's around Damien's age.".
"Well, one of these days, there's a decent chance that we'll have to pass on the suits to the younger generation. Though some might go on for much longer...", Bruce thought about Poppy; with how long Martha was doing things, Poppy, for all he knows, could keep going well on longer than pretty much how he assumed he could go.
Selina exhaled, nodding as Bruce then kissed her on the cheek, "And as for Dick, you know that he practiced for over a year since he was seven on that kid-sized trapeze practice set, and John and Mary made sure to supervise him at first before he was able to execute everything, and now, he needs to know that he can do it big-time with his parents...Heck, he's just like Poppy in wanting to prove to himself and to everyone that he is truly a performer.".
Selina gave a small chuckle, "It's ironic in a small, unseen way, I guess...Like mother, like son..Still, it was really sweet of John and Mary to give the entire family a pass for the whole month...I thought the kids would get tired of the carnival fast after going so many times over the weekends, but I guess being with Dick and watching different acts kept things exciting. I don't blame John and Mary to keep Dick yesterday as it was a Friday, and he needed to finish his homework and all, otherwise it'd be a distraction and a rule breaker.".
Bruce chuckled, "Good behavior succeeds good triumph...Come on, we better close up, and head up for dinner, and then head straight to the carnival...The kids would want to wish Dick good luck for his grand entrance into the act physically with some good hugs, though they already reassured him so much all day on texting and all...".
"Right. Let's not be late then.", Selina nodded, as she was glad that last night was very needed with busy patrols, to make sure that the city would be fine without them for tonight a while longer as the kids would want to celebrate Dick's success with some major sleepover fun like watching a movie and some dessert like ice cream, and of course, in case if there's a fumble, when the net catches Dick, the kids would still do the same thing to cheer him up.
"Right.", Bruce nodded as he got up himself and they started to head out of the Batcave; joining the rest of the family as they were getting ready to leave.
The family filled into the family limo, and headed into Gotham, behaving and having a nice dinner at a family-run restaurant not far from the carnival, and then went to the carnival, parking and walking through the carnival to the section of the performers' campers and such, seeing Dick and his folks strolling around to walk off their dinner as well.