Super Friends, Part 4/?
Continued...
Bruce was trying to play catch up at Wayne Enterprises from the time that he was injured and for the next few weeks he was bogged down in work. Whenever Vicky tried to get together with him, he claimed to be too busy. When Vicky called, Bruce claimed to busy to take her call but would promise to call her back. He never called her back.
Vicky stood at the window of her apartment and looked out. It had been eight weeks to the day the last time Vicky had seen Bruce and she was carrying a constant reminder of the last night that they spent together. She carried Bruce’s child. She had decided to not try to contact him again. She would have her baby on her own and just not tell him about it. She now knew that Bruce had lied to her. He didn’t love her. Those were just idol words that he spoke, a script that he read. She had no one to blame but herself.
Just as Vicky wallowed in self pity, there was a knock on her door. She opened the door and was surprised to see Clark.
“Hi, Vicky. I’m just checking on you. I haven’t seen you around. Guess you‘ve been spending a lot of time with Bruce, huh?” Clark noticed Vicky’s eyes start to tear up when he mentioned Bruce.
“Haven’t seen Bruce in eight weeks, Clark,” Vicky started as sobs overtook her.
Clark just grabbed her and hugged her to his chest.
“Did you have a fight…what happened?”
“He just stopped being interested in me. He is always too busy to see me or take my calls,” Vicky choked out between sobs.
“Vicky…so he’s being a jerk. Just forget about him. I know you. You’re stronger than that. Where is the Vicky that I know, who is able to shake it off, who moves on…”
“She’s pregnant, Clark…with Bruce’s baby. The last night we spent together, the first time we ever…well…it happened. I guess he finally got what he wanted and…” Vicky tried to continue but finished with a vague waving motion of her hand.
“Does he know?”
“No.”
“Do you love him?”
“Very much,” Vicky sniffled.
“Then tell him.”
“No, I don’t want him to feel obligated to be with me and I don’t want him to patronize me with his money. I make a decent salary and I can take care of me and my baby.”
Clark led Vicky to the couch and they sat down. Clark was in deep thought.
“Vicky, it’s gonna be okay…just believe that. I promise.”
Clark kept his an eye out for Bruce whenever something went down but could never really get a moment with him. He knew that this whole situation was none of his business but he couldn’t just stand by. It had been a week since he’d been at Vicky’s apartment and he wasn’t having any luck running into Bruce. So, Clark decided on another approach.
The next morning Clark stood in front of Wayne Enterprises and looked up to the 120th floor. Bruce was there. He was about to cross the line in their friendship. He wasn’t sure how Bruce would take it but he’d try to help two friends.
Clark went up the elevator and approached Bruce’s office. Bruce’s assistant, a middle aged lady with auburn hair and a motherly demeanor, greeted him at the door.
“May I help you, Mr. …”
“Kent, Clark Kent. I need to see Mr. Wayne,” Clark answered calmly.
“Do you have an appointment, Mr. Kent?”
“Uh…no…I…”
Just then as if on cue, Bruce came out of his office.
“Clark…Hi! It’s good to see you. Funny I’ve been meaning to contact you about a proposal that I have for you. Come in…Millicent, hold my calls, please.” Bruce held out his hand to shake Clark’s as he was speaking. Clark returned the small gesture.
“Sure thing, Mr. Wayne,” Bruce’s assistant assured him.
“Clark, please take a seat,” Bruce instructed. “The reason I’ve…”
“Bruce, wait…when was the last time you talked to Vicky?” Clark asked seriously.
“Is she okay?” Bruce asked concerned.
“When, Bruce?”
“Umm, maybe two months ago, why?”
“I thought you two were…you know…an item.”
“Well, I’ve been busy and I discovered that I just don’t have time for a rela…”
“Bruce!”
“Clark, that’s personal! Now you’re a friend and I…I just thought it would be easier to just let it go. I’m busy…and I don’t want to…Batman…it’s not fair to her and…”
“So, why didn’t you break it off before you slept with her?” Clark’s almost whispered.
“Clark, she assured me that you two were only friends. I wouldn’t have never crossed that line…” Bruce started, defensively.
“Bruce! Vicky’s pregnant…nine weeks. It’s your baby she’s carrying Bruce. She’s tried to call you but you wouldn’t return her calls. She finally stopped calling you and just decided to do this…have this baby…all alone. She’s crucifying herself about this. She thinks that you dumped her after you slept with her. She is distraught…she loves you, Bruce.”
Bruce looked at Clark with his mouth opened.
“Clark, I didn’t know…I…”
“Do you love her, Bruce?”
“More than anything,” Bruce said sadly. Bruce felt as though he was confessing to the priest.
“Then tell her…make it right. She needs you now, man,” Clark encouraged Bruce.
“I haven’t told her…about…about my other side…” Bruce said as he went over to the window to look out. He just needed some figurative distance from what Clark was saying. He was trying to clear his other thoughts and cycle all of this in his head.
“Then tell her. Listen, Bruce, I’ll get with you about that proposal you had for me later. It can’t be as important as this is right now.” Clark paused, then continued, “Just a friend trying to help out a friend,” Clark stated as he stood to leave.
“She’ll never forgive me for what I’ve done to her.”
“She’s an adult. Try her and let her make her own decisions,“ Clark said as he headed for the door.
“Oh, and Bruce…”
“Yea…” Bruce creaked out in his broken baritone voice, still with his back to Clark.
“She has no idea that I came to you,” Clark finished as he closed the door and left.
What Clark didn’t know is that Bruce’s emotions had gotten the best of him and a single tear escaped down his cheek as he heard the click of Clark closing his door. He had to make this right.
After Bruce regained his composure, he called the flower shop and ordered a dozen red roses to be delivered to Gotham General Hospital where Vicky was sure to be at work. He would cancel the rest of the afternoon and make time to see Vicky.
By 2 o’clock pm Bruce got a confirmation from the flower shop that the roses had been delivered. He then grabbed his keys and headed for his Lexus SUV. Destination…GGH.
Vicky was coming from a patient’s room when the young ward clerk called her.
“Hey, Vicky…there’s something here for you,” with excitement in her voice.
When Vicky saw the roses, she began to tear. She opened the card that was attached and it read:
I’m sorry about the distance, lately.
Maybe we can talk over dinner?
I Love You,
Bruce
Vicky’s eyes started to glaze over. She had to regain her composure and act as if the flowers hadn’t affected her.
“Thought you said you weren’t seeing that hunk anymore,” the ward clerk pressed on.
Vicky had regained her bearings and turned around.
“Mandy, don’t you have anything else to do?” Vicky said jokingly.
“Um…Vicky…turn around…” Mandy said as Vicky started to walk away. The uncertainty in Mandy’s voice got a quick response from Vicky.
“Mandy, I’m not answering…” Vicky started as she abruptly turned around, right into Bruce’s chest. Her gaze slowly went upward until it landed on his perfectly chiseled face.
“Hi…got a minute?”
“Bruce, what are you doing here? I can’t talk right now,’ Vicky said nervously.
“Then, is that a yes for dinner?”
“Bruce, don’t do this…”
“Say yes or I’m not leaving,” Bruce said with a big smile on his face, folding his arms across his chest.
Vicky looked over at Mandy who was absorbing this whole event and then back at Bruce.
“Yes,” Vicky whispered to Bruce. “Now go.”
“I’ll pick you up at your apartment at seven thirty.”
“Fine,” Vicky whispered sharply to Bruce as she walked away.
Bruce knew that she had just brushed him off but he wasn’t having any of it. He would be in the parking lot when she got off, waiting for her and he would make her talk.
At 5 o’clock pm, Vicky headed out to the parking lot to her white Toyota Solara Convertible. She had no intentions of going out with Bruce tonight or any other night. She just wanted to get rid of him. She had planned to just go home and take a bath and claim that she forgot or was too tired to go out, just anything…to get rid of him.
Vicky had decided that her emotions couldn’t handle another injury right now, especially with the baby. She had survived Bruce breaking up with her once but she wasn’t sure that she could survive it again so soon.
As she unlocked the driver’s door she thought to herself, <I‘m gonna have to get a four door when the baby comes>. Just as she opened the car door, to her surprise, a baritone voice spoke to her.
“Vicky, please, wait,” Bruce pleaded.
Vicky was startled and stilled just for a moment. She new that voice without any doubt.
“Bruce, you ended this, not me…” trying to keep her emotions in check.
Bruce held his door open to his SUV, which now was parked next to Vicky’s car and beckoned, saying, “Please, talk to me.”
Vicky looked up into his dark pleading eyes and reluctantly gave in. She knew she’d live to regret this.
“Let me put my flowers in the car.”
Vicky placed her flowers in the car and then proceeded to the passenger side of Bruce’s Lexus. He held the door open for her until she got in, then closed it. He then went around to the driver’s side, got in, put the car in gear and proceeded to drive off.
“Vicky, I’m sorry…I’ve been busy and I…”
“Bruce, cut the crap. Don’t patronize me. After we made…slept together, you had no more use for me and you used that busy thing to break it off. I got it. I’m okay with it!” Then tears started to roll down her cheeks. “Why don’t you just leave me alone, Bruce? Why couldn‘t you just let it go Bruce? I had!”
“Because I love you, Vicky and I want to be with you.”
“Bruce, take me back to my car…now!” Vicky screamed.
“I wanted to be away…alone with you, sweetheart, where you couldn’t run off. I have something that I want to say and I want you to hear me out.” Bruce had pulled over onto an empty shoulder of the road that looked over into a canyon. He then faced Vicky in the seat of his SUV. Vicky just looked straight ahead out the window.
Bruce started to tell Vicky the story of how he lost his parents so many years ago and how the emotional stress of it all led him to become somewhat of a vigilante. He finished his story by looking into her eyes and saying, “Vicky, I am Batman. Yes, I was playing a game, trying to break it off, by distancing, because I didn‘t want you to be subjected to that part of my life. I didn‘t think you would understand or accept it. I thought you‘d hate me. I didn‘t want to endanger you. So I thought it the best thing to do.” The look on Bruce’s face was praying for understanding.
Vicky stilled, but continued to silently look out the window.
“A friend told me that if I love you to tell you and to tell you about Batman and let you make your own decisions. Well, I’m telling you,” Bruce whispered as he grasped her hands. “I’m asking you to make a decision…marry me Vicky…come back in my life and make me happy again.”
Vicky suddenly snapped back into reality with that proposal with her mouth agape. Bruce placed his index finger on her lips and looked at her lovingly and whispered, “Just say yes.”
“I…I can’t…not now. Bruce, why now? Three months ago I would have said yes without hesitation…”
“I love you, Vicky. What changed from three months ago? Did you stop loving me?” Bruce asked, knowing the answer, as he opened a little black felt box and showed her a 2-karat emerald cut diamond solitaire. “I don’t want our baby to grow up without a father,” Bruce finally whispered as the final trump card.
“Is this about…how did you…okay…I don’t want to…I wont marry you, just because I’m pregnant! It wouldn’t work anyway…just for a baby.”
“Didn’t you hear a word I said…I love you Vicky, and I know you love me,” Bruce struggled. “If you can look me in my eyes and tell me that you don’t love me anymore, then…I’ll…” Bruce fidgeted to try to finish his thought. He couldn’t say that he wouldn’t bother her again, because the truth is that he’d never let her get away again that easily.
“Just for the record, Bruce, I didn’t care about the Batman. I knew there was something about you when I took care of you. I’m not surprised. I loved you in spite of your ’weirdness’. But you hurt…”
“Then marry me, Vicky…I know now that I hurt you and I am sorry. Please, Vicky, marry me…” Bruce whispered.
Vicky looked deep into Bruce’s eyes and hesitated. Then she smiled and leaned forward to hug Bruce. She then whispered in his ear, “I love you Bruce. Yes, I’ll marry you…call me crazy.”
The next day there was a situation where Batman appeared. Superman was also on the scene. After everything was under control, Batman walked up to Superman before he flew off.
“Clark…thank you for saving my but…again. I owe you for my life, my fiancée and my baby.”
“Superman responded with wrinkled eyebrows, “Batman I’m…”
“Clark, look man, you know my secret and I know yours. No need to pretend anymore. Thanks for being my friend,” Batman finished as he held out his hand to shake Superman’s. Clark smiled, shook his hand and just decided to go with it. Clark turned and started to walk away but turned again to ask Batman a question.
“But how did you figu…“ but Batman was gone.
The wedding plans went under way. It would be a small wedding, taking place in three weeks. Bruce wanted to keep the tabloids away. Clark agreed to be the best man and Vicky had a friend from nursing school, Lois Lane, who was incidentally moving to Gotham from Metropolis to attend anaesthesia school, as the maid of honour.
tbc...
