Junkyard Batman

Chapter 7

 I don't have a phone, but Selina does and she calls us an Uber. The driver, a short man with a picture of his kids on his dash, weaves through the collected police vehicles gathering in front of Penguin tower to pick us up.

"Denny's" she says to him.

"That rough a night, huh? Denny's is for licking wounds and planning revenge," after that he drives us in silence.

I watch Gotham roll by through the window.

'Just chill...' he said, hands up while panting frantically. He was terrified.

I wipe my knuckles on my pants, ruining them.

Selina stops me with a gentle touch to my arm.

We arrive, she thanks the driver, and holding my arm we enter Denny's. I'm pretty sure she is holding me up.

Finding a booth, a tired waitress brings us coffee and menus, then wanders off to roll silverware.

I'm starving, but I'm spiraling into a shame circle so profound that I can't even look at the menu.

"I'll order you breakfast," Selina says.

I want to say I'm freaked out, that I'm shaky inside from the adrenaline burn. That Gordon could have arrested me for the men in the bathroom, or turned on me and arrested me for the trailer park.

But my throat can't decide if it wants to speak or sob, and she doesn't press.

The waitress comes by and Selina orders for us both. She gets me all the protein a breakfast can permit, in a skillet. And orders herself a milkshake and caesar salad.

In silence we sip our coffee, her eyes gently checking me over.

"I never should have asked for curly fries." I say without realizing it.

"You didn't," she says. "I got you breakfast."

"No, not... not that, uh," I hesitate. Know what? Might as well. "I never should have asked my parents to get me curly friends. We were at the drive in. The Hampton one that closed down? They went into the food booth while I sat in the car, watching the old Zorro movie. And some guy shot them while holding it up. They walked in and surprised him."

Selina doesn't react. Just listens.

"I heard the gunshots, but they just didn't register for me. I thought it was a car backfiring or part of the movie. After a while I got impatient and went to look for my curly fries... and found them surrounded by people."

She slowly reaches a hand out to me. I take it, desperate for a lifeline. I can barely see her beauty through my welling tears.

"Someone had grabbed the guy, and a bunch of people had held him down. And I thought, if I had been there I could have done that. Maybe faster."

She rubs her thumb, the one with the spoon ring, gently across my ravaged knuckles.

"And that's why. I'm just... flailing at... I'm trying..."

That's it, my throat finally changes its mind and decides to go full cry.

She gets up, comes over, and sits next to me. Holding my arm, she rests her head on my shoulder. My god, this feels good. Not just being close to her, but just to cry. I'm always so worried about crying in front of Uncle Lu because he lost a sister and I'm so afraid to cry in front of Al because he lost his best friends.

But I feel so safe, for once.

Sniffling, I compose myself. She hands me a bin of napkins and I nod my gratitude as I unplug the gooey ocean pouring out of my face. I wad up the offending napkins.