A Bat and Her Beginning

Chapter 14 The Fates Have Decided

My dad and Bruce walk out. My dad looks a lot more agitated then Bruce, I know Bruce is a lot more lax then my father, but still is not encouraging for me. Dad looks to Dick, then to me, he raises his hand, "Get up Barbara, we are going to the Wayne's for dinner and we will ALL discuss what happened today."

Me and Dick both rise from our seats. I want to ask if I can ride with Dick but I'm pretty sure dad wants me to ride with him, and since I've yet to know if dad's angry at me or my principal I am not going to push my luck. I walk with my dad and Bruce to the car lot and watch Dick walk by himself to the student lot. He looks over his shoulder attempting to give me a reassuring smile. I can tell he's just as confused and nervous as me. Dad opens my car door and I climb in.

For the first several minutes all there is, is some deafening silence. Bruce lives on the out skirt of town silence is going to make this a long ride, a ride I can't handle. I look to my father, choosing my first sentence carefully, "Why are we going to the Wayne's for supper?"

He keeps his eyes on the road, "I already told you to discuss what happened today."

I wait a second yo respond, "Well what do you think happened today?"

He huffs, "Look me and Bruce want to talk you and Dick together so we can clear up what happened today... can't you for once just be patient."

I nod. I can take this, at least I know my dad is not ready to persecute me for an act I have not committed. While still uncomfortable the silence is a lot less tense now.

We arrive after both Dick and Bruce. I get out of the car and patiently walk up the steps to the massive house with my father. When we reach the door I knock. There is hardly any wait, Alfred probably knew we were coming, but he must have been waiting at the door. He greets us, "hello commissioner, Barbara." I can't even thank Alfred for finally not calling Miss Gordon. So instead we all just walk to the dining room, the sort of small one, the one that is a large table but you ca still hear what the other end is saying without them having to yell. There is already salad, and some pasta sitting neatly in four spots; Dick and Bruce are already seated next to each other. I sit to where I'm next to my dad and Bruce but across from Dick.

We all begin to eat our salads, once again in silence. Me and Dick glance up to each other once in a while awkwardly. Once I finish my salad I sit hoping we can talk before moving to the entree but no that would be too easy. Both Bruce and my father move to their pasta without looking up. If you can't tell I hate tension, and waiting.

Once everyone finished their pasta we all just look at one another. Bruce finally breaks the silence that has been slowly killing me, "So here's how this is going to go we are going to tell you what the principal told us, and you are gonna tell us your version of the story then we are gonna go from there. Alright?"

Me and Dick glance to each other, then to Bruce and nod.

Bruce breathes deeply, " So you two have had previously had run ins with this kid, Ricky. It's been known that he has spread bad rumors about both of you," I look to Dick, I didn't know he ever gave Dick shit for anything other then hanging out with me, but Dick doesn't separate his attention from Bruce. "When you all were at lunch today he was walking by. Barbara you told Dick how much you hated Ricky and that you couldn't stand it, Dick needed to do something about it. At which point Dick got up from the grass and tackled Ricky to the ground. Dick told Ricky to say awful things about himself or Dick would snap his arm. Once you two heard what you wanted Dick snapped his arm anyways. The both of you just went back to eating your lunch after that. Jim did I miss anything?"

My dad just stares at his plate, "I don't reckon."

Bruce looks to us, "So what's your series of events."