The Ties That Bind Us

CHAPTER 10: Confessions

WARNING: PLEASE be warned and read cautiously if you are triggered by any of these topics: emotional, physical and psychological abuse, domestic violence, child cruelty and abandonment, drug use, among others.

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Bruce dropped the bags at the house entrance and opened the door, taking off his shoes and hanging his coat as soon as he entered. Selina was still behind, paying the taxi driver and picking up the rest of their stuff. It had been a few weeks since they'd been in Florence, which ended up presenting them with an interesting turn of events, to say the least, especially for Bruce.

The day after they'd been to the Cafe was purposely filled with different kinds of entertainment and touristic cliché activities, such as visiting the Cathedral and the main galleries, shopping at Via Tornabuoni and even going on boat rides down the Arno —even though they'd been on a boat for almost a month; all of which were orderly and strategically planned by Bruce so they wouldn't have too much free time.

Selina accepted it wholeheartedly, knowing that that was being his way of coping and keeping his mind off of what he'd been refusing to talk about. She acted like it was just another day for them and Bruce was grateful for that—they had really learned how to deal with each other. Which was why Selina also had plans of her own, and keeping Bruce busy during the day was coincidentally convenient, because for the most part of it he was too distracted or focused on other things to notice her separate agenda.

Later that day she made sure Bruce wouldn't take them anywhere for dinner, reasoning that she was too tired and prefered to get room service and go to bed, which he didn't oppose to. When they arrived in their suite, arms around each other and mentally and physically drained from their long day, a strange movement coming from the balcony caught Bruce's attention, leaving him alarmed and alerted, his hand gripping Selina's shoulder tighter. She didn't react though, and when the man outside turned around and entered his field of vision, he was left paralyzed, his bones turning into ice.

"Surprise," Selina whispered next to him. "As you know I'm very light-fingered, you didn't even notice me taking that paper from your pocket," she smiled.

He squeezed her shoulder lightly, as if he needed support, but then let go of her, hesitantly taking one step ahead.

"Alfred."

"Master Wayne. It is very good to see you again," Alfred replied in a contained voice.

Bruce stepped in further and grabbed Alfred's hand shaking it, but realized a second later how stupid that had felt, so he pulled him in a tight hug. The man held him right back, holding back tears and letting go of his invariably impenetrable and flawless composure for that moment.

"I'm sorry I didn't reach out sooner, Alfred. I tried, but..."

"Nonsense, Master. I'm just happy to see you alive and well. Very well, if I must say...", he said, taking notice of Selina's presence from over his shoulder. Bruce let him go, and motioned to Selina, as if to introduce her, "Miss Kyle, glad to finally officially make you acquaintance," Alfred said before he could speak, "Thank you for contacting me. Master Bruce has certainly been lucky to have found you."

"That he has," she said, walking to him and shaking his hand, "Pleased to meet you too, Alfred. I'm glad I finally get to meet the man who raised this goody-goody. If he's a pain in the ass nowadays I can't imagine how he must have been like as a kid."

"Oh, he wasn't always the easiest fella to deal with, but his stubbornness grew with time, along with him," Alfred joked and looked at Bruce.

"Don't stop on my account, I'm glad you two are bonding over mocking me. You should get a coffee sometime to discuss the many ways I get on your nerves," Bruce said sarcastically.