Riddle me this...

Chapter thirteen

Nina was on the roof for the second time this week and in true comic book hero fashion, she had climbed the drainpipe that ran alongside her window at the lounge. Today the sky was like paper above her, it was overcast and threatened a downpour. The first time she had come to escape, her room feeling like a prison. This time Nina had felt curiosity, a curiosity that could only be enlightened in the seclusion of the roof.

The concrete was cold beneath her feet, the damp ground seeping through her purple socks, as she stood, looking at her hands intently.

It had taken her nearly an hour to conjure up the flame and she felt the ever threatening sky looming over her, almost in a disapproving way. She waved her hands in front of her face, watching the flame caress her skin. She knew it was dangerous but somehow she wanted more. So she closed her eyes and focused and the fire began to spread. Her arms were engulfed by dancing flames, she had begun to feel warm. Further it crept until her whole body was dancing. Her clothes didn’t burn off but they had begun to so Nina took a deep breath and the flame went out, like blowing out a candle and she was left, stood there smoking.

As if late to the party, the heavens opened, dropping heavy rain on Nina like an over excited fire sprinkler, causing her to rush back to her window, throwing herself in her room with a heavy, wet thud, only to be greeted by Oswald who was staring at her as if she had a third arm sprouting from her chest.

“Oh Oswald. Hi.” She raised a wet, charcoal coloured sleeve to her face as she rubbed the back of her neck, the bruise now faded and painless.

“May I ask what you were doing?” He furrowed his brow.

Nina paused, opening and shutting her mouth like a fish out of water.

“I…er..was…I was exercising.”

Oswald took a step forward and put a hand to her forehead.

“You’re boiling! Are you coming down with the flu?”

He took her hand and sat her on the bench that stood at the end of the bed. Checking her head again and shaking his head at her drenched outfit he slipped off the bench and rummaged through her closet in order to find her something to change into. After handing her a pink blouse and long black skirt he turned round and instructed her to change.

“I won’t look, promise.”

Nina sighed and threw on the outfit Oswald had chosen, which had made her look like one of the pink ladies.

“Tada.” She gestured, causing Oswald to spin around.

“Lovely my dear. So my original reason for coming up here was to ask you if you would like to visit one of the galleries downtown as we hadn’t seen much of each other lately.”

Nina nodded,

“Of course Oswald, lead and I’ll follow.”

“Of course, now that I find you doing strange things, like jumping in through the window from the roof I feel the urge to send you to bed and fetch the doctor.”

Nina felt like a school girl being told off by the headmaster and supressed the urge to reply with a ‘yes sir, sorry sir’.

“You needn’t worry Oswald, I only needed some fresh air.”

He nodded, paused and stared at her with a questioning gaze.

“Then why not use the front door?” He shook his head before receiving an answer.

“It doesn’t matter, let’s go shall we? And then if you have any funny turns I’m reporting you to the doctor.”

“As long as it’s not Dr Crane.” Nina smiled, following Oswald out of the door and to his car.

*

Oswald held the umbrella over Nina’s head as he led her from the car back to the lounge. They were laughing again, about how ridiculous and pompous the people at the gallery had been.

“Did you-did you hear that lady?” Nina held her side as she laughed, her stomach protesting.

This seemed to set Oswald off again as tears rolled down from the corners of his eyes.

“I have never seen such a perfect depiction of romance and self-loathing in one painting.” He quoted, in a high pitched squeal before returning to his own voice, “It was a red square!”

“Yes but Oswald, you must notice the precise detail that has gone into creating that square.” Nina joined in, putting on her own posh voice.

They fell in a heap on one of the corner booths, laughing as they leant against one another. Oswald leant too far and rolled onto the floor with a light thud which set them both off even more which consequently caused Nina to roll off the chair and on top of Oswald. 

The laughing slowed dramatically, as they seemed to notice each other properly for the first time.

“You really are beautiful Nina.” Oswald’s eyes were wide. 

Nina pushed herself off Oswald’s chest and sat up.

“You’re just saying that.” 

He sat up and put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his chest.

“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.” He smiled at Nina sheepishly.

Nina let him hold her, she told herself that she wouldn’t fall for his tricks again but as she looked up from his hand that was rested on his lap she couldn’t help but smile at his pathetic ‘come hither’ eyes. She let out a small giggle.

Oswald smiled at Nina and leant in, kissing her gently as if to say ‘I am here, acknowledge me’ and pulled away from Nina about a couple of inches before she had kissed him back and suddenly the spark in her stomach, the ache that she had felt with the Riddler was back.

Nina’s red lipstick was smudged over Oswald’s face, his hair more wild than usual since Nina had lost control of her hands.

With more confidence now Oswald took her hand and led her up the stairs to his bedroom. Nervous but excited Nina followed. She hadn’t the time for careful consideration, her mind was lost in the moment. She was nineteen again and re-living her first love, the man who had effectively saved her from the clutches of Gotham streets admitting his love for her with honest eyes. She had fallen hard then and never quite recovered, this was remission.

Oswald pulled off Nina’s clothes gingerly, his eyes watching as he gently pushed a bra strap down her shoulder. He took his time, was almost too gentle but Nina felt his urgency.

She unbuttoned his shirt and kissed him again, to break his gaze. While standing in her underwear she took his shirt and trousers and carefully folded them over the back of the dark wooden chair that sat in the corner of the room. It was a kind of routine now, she was his dutiful house wife who kept him happy and safe and sometimes let him into her arms.

*

 The morning air had a sharp crispness. Nina was staring at the ceiling, observing the swirls of the plaster with a heavy heart. She had woken up to an empty bed and Oswald’s clothes had disappeared off the back of the chair. He hadn’t left a note, hadn’t phoned and hadn’t returned in the hour she had been awake.

She supposed this is what it had felt like when she had disappeared and they had met at the coffee shop but it hadn’t been after the passionate love-making that had been shared between them.

No. Oswald was Oswald and would forever be Oswald. He came first, Nina came around halfway down the list. She sighed and climbed out of bed, an instant shiver ran through her as she hurriedly found her clothes, pulling them on.

Stingy bastard couldn’t even be bothered to put on the heating. 

This was the last straw for Nina, she had had enough.

Pulling down her favourite outfit from her wardrobe she changed into black combat trousers and a dark green long sleeved shirt, coupled with her tattered old leather jacket that just about fit her. She grabbed the money out of her purse, stuffing it forcibly into the jacket pocket and took off, leaving the Iceberg Lounge for good.