Meet Sam Wayne, Part 10
By: C. Leuch
CJ stood in front of the window to his penthouse office, his hands shoved into his pants pockets, his gaze fixed out over the city. Down below, the first protests had started in front of the Wayne Enterprises building, the small band of ARB members gaining scant attention from the average citizen, but still managing to make quite a ruckus. It was almost a shame that such a small number of people could ruin an otherwise pleasant Monday, he thought as he watched the sun rise over a neighboring skyscraper. The mirrored glass on the buildings across the downtown area reflected the rays, sending bright light into area that generally remained under shadow. Gotham City could actually be quite beautiful under the glare of the morning sun, he decided.
With a sigh and a forced smile, CJ turned around and sat in the executive chair at his desk. A copy of the Gotham Gazette sat on top the desk, the headline telling of an amazing discovery made by Superman the night before. After a long weekend of tag-team searching with his son, Superman had finally located a small mechanism deep beneath the ocean along the path of Flight 329. The NTSB had been summoned to actually raise the object, which had quickly been identified as a detonator for an explosive device. Other debris was found in the area, as well – bits of luggage, clues, pieces to a larger puzzle that was beginning to take shape in the public’s eye. The Gazette’s article made it clear that the authorities now considered the demise of Flight 329 to be anything but accidental. It was a start, CJ supposed, but there was still a lot of work to be done, and some of that work sat on his desk right now.
CJ moved the paper aside, revealing personnel files he had borrowed from the Human Resources Department. Batman had taken Friday night off so that Sam Wayne could paint the town red with Jenny, but after the festivities, it was back to the old grind, and his efforts had been fruitful. He’d spent a lot of time at the Batcave computer, trying to find out what had happened to that baggage handler, the friend of Brad Ross. A quick look at the airport payrolls had shown that the baggage handler left his job not long after the crash, and apparently nobody had batted an eyelash. A lot of people in the airline industry had been skittish after Flight 329 went down, and the increased security and scrutiny led to plenty of employee turnover. The baggage handler had taken advantage of the situation to simply disappear.
When the investigation had first started, CJ had done a cursory check into the background of the baggage handler, a man named Simon Armstrong. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary at the time, but with the benefit of hindsight and a healthy dose of newfound skepticism, some of the information started to appear a little odd. CJ had taken the occasion this weekend to look a little closer into Armstrong’s life, and what he found was a man who wasn’t. Simon Armstrong had no medical records and no credit rating. He paid his rent in cash and took public transportation; he talked to his coworkers but never revealed details about his private life. Any of those facts could describe someone who was a bit of an eccentric, but the lack of a past and the shadiness of his existence didn’t instill CJ with any confidence. There were a few pictures and a description of the man available, and they would hopefully be more than enough to help CJ recognize him if they crossed paths again. Something told CJ that would happen, and soon.
From Laura’s notes and conversations overheard through the bugs in Brad Ross’s apartment, it was apparent that something was being planned for Wayne Enterprises, something bigger than a simple protest. Ross and his companions never spoke in specific terms, but they sometimes mentioned “the plan.” It was CJ’s hunch that this plan, whatever it was, required someone inside Wayne Enterprises to implement it, someone like the baggage handler at Metro Air. It was entirely possible that the same man would try to gain employment with the company, although CJ certainly didn’t expect him to use the same name or to even look the same. CJ opened the first folder, glancing at the name on top and sighing again. Resumes and information on potential new employees didn’t come with pictures, so finding Simon Armstrong or any other ARB member trying to infiltrate the company might not be the easiest task. But any potential employee who was serious would have references, and CJ could certainly do his part as a responsible future boss and check to make sure that the applicant was who they said they were.
A tapping on the window drew CJ away from his task. He looked over his shoulder and noticed his sister hovering outside. For the first time that morning, his smile was genuine. “Shouldn’t you be someplace less visible?” he asked, even as she disappeared. He followed her movement upward with his enhanced vision, and saw her land on the roof, not far above where he was.
“Way ahead of you,” she said. After situating herself, she pulled a paper out of her back pocket and held it up. “Check it out, I’m in the tabloids.”
CJ squinted, zooming in on the small print and slightly blurry picture. He was hoping that their Friday night escapades would go unnoticed, especially since he hadn’t seen any reporters following them around, but it looked like he had been mistaken. He smiled as he caught the headline. “Double date?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
“Yeah, okay, that part is kind of, uh….”
“Let’s not go there,” CJ said with a quick laugh and a shake of the head.
“Consider me far away from there,” she said. “But look, I’m called a knock-out and am praised for being billionaire-worthy.”
“You’re also anonymous, so don’t get too big of a head.”
“Oh, I know,” she said with a wave of the hand. “It’s just, well, cool.”
“See what Dad says about it,” CJ said, giving his signature grin. “I don’t think ‘cool’ will be the word he uses.”
“Phooey on Dad, then,” Laura said, folding the paper in half and shoving it back into her pocket. “So, hey, nice office.”
CJ looked around and shrugged. His office was next to Bruce’s, and it was almost big enough to get lost in. Heavy wood cabinets filled with business-related books lined the walls, and a large, overstuffed couch sat opposite his desk, almost inviting visitors to lie down and take a nap. The office had been decorated by some executive who had since retired, and it obviously reflected an older, stodgier sense of style. But that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, and it certainly conveyed class that CJ was sure he couldn’t duplicate on his own. “It’s an office,” CJ said. “Not my style, but…”
“It makes you look important. Any guy sitting in a place like that must be some kind of big-shot.”
“Surely you’re not talking about me,” CJ said, still in full smirk.
“Well I’m not talking about the engineers in the cubicles a few floors down, that’s for sure,” she said. “So what are you working on?”
“The future of Wayne Enterprises,” CJ said, pointing to the folders on his desk. “Potential employees. Somewhere in this stack of folders may very well be someone who wants to do to this company like they did to Metro Air.”
“One of Brad Ross’s pals?” Laura asked.
CJ nodded. “Have you been keeping track of the people he’s met up with?”
“You said to, didn’t you, boss?” Laura said, reaching for her note pad. “Most of them are downstairs with him. Beside those guys, he doesn’t have many friends.”
“I’m not surprised. Do you have names?”
Laura’s cheeks went a little red as she flipped pages. She looked down at him with an apologetic expression. “Some. Sorry, my attention tends to wander,” she said. CJ didn’t have the heart to look disappointed, if only because he knew how mind numbing it could be to follow someone around for hours on end.
“It’s okay. Do any match the people in the stack?”
Laura looked down at his desk for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t think so, but I don’t know for sure. So many of these guys just use nicknames.” She seemed somewhat frustrated, although it seemed to ease as CJ gave her a smile.
He reached into his jacket, pulling out a sheet of paper with a black and white picture of Simon Armstrong on it, then held it up toward the ceiling. “How about this guy? Have you run into him?”
Laura glanced at the picture, a look of concentration on her face, then sighed. “He doesn’t look familiar,” she said, her eyes diverting downward. It could be demoralizing to put so much effort into a task without anything to show for it. CJ was pretty sure that his sister wouldn’t give up on him, but at the same time, she needed to have some fun, and she needed to taste success. Maybe he could help her on both accounts.
“Well, I guess we keep looking. Tell you what, how about you take a break while Ross protests with his ARB buddies downstairs. I can give you a buzz when they call it a day.”
“Really?” she asked eagerly.
CJ nodded. “Then tonight, maybe you can take a break from the surveillance and help me put some fear into the criminals of Gotham.” He watched as her smile grew, and couldn’t help but laugh lightly as she bounced once.
“I’d hug you if I wasn’t on the roof,” she said, and he had no doubt it was true.
“Maybe later. Now go, before I change my mind,” he said, pointing his thumb toward the city outside his window. Without another word, Laura was gone, leaving CJ to stare at the ceiling, a grin on his face. She didn’t like to admit that she was very green as far as the hero gig went, but it was that greenness, her naivete, that made her fun to be around sometimes.
With a shake of his head, CJ cleared away the thoughts of his sister and turned his attention back to the task at hand. He took a deep breath, scanned the top folder, then reached for the phone. It was time to do some real work.
---
At lunchtime, CJ wandered down to the cafeteria much as he had a week earlier, but this time it was hard not to notice the shocked expressions that greeted him. He smiled and did his best to be friendly to everyone, to ease some of the apparent surprise at seeing the boss slumming with the common workers. He was a bit out of place, he supposed, even if he had ditched the tie and the expensive suit jacket before making his way down, but CJ had never been one to fall victim to preconceptions. Even before being the junior billionaire, he had been the nerd sitting at the table with the jocks, and if anything, that was a much scarier prospect.
Although outwardly he was playing the part of the congenial boss, his trip to the cafeteria for lunch had another purpose. In rifling through the personnel files and checking references, it occurred to him to wonder what the vulnerabilities of the company were. Would the ARB, or Brad Ross in particular, have done some homework to see where they could do the most damage? And wouldn’t they want to place their man on the inside in a position to take advantage of the conceived weak spot? CJ had toyed with asking Bruce what areas the ARB might be concerned with, but the fact that Bruce had left town on business the night before made it rather difficult. Besides, CJ had come this far on his own, and he wanted to pursue this lead without help.
Unfortunately, CJ was a long way from knowing all the ins and outs of Wayne Enterprises. Although he knew in a vague sense all the types of business that the company was involved in, he didn’t have any idea about the specifics. He would need the help of someone who had been with the company long enough to be familiar with its inner workings, but who could also be trusted to be discrete and open. The managers of the various departments were probably the most obvious people to talk to in order to get the information that CJ needed, and he was sure that he’d end up speaking with most of them, ostensibly about security concerns due to the protestors. But he’d read enough old Dilbert cartoons to know that it was the engineers and other lower level employees who drove the company, and five minutes with one of them would probably net more information than several hours with one of their superiors. Because of that, and because he was itching to return to his normal guy roots, CJ sought out his buddy Stanley.
CJ made his way through the lunch line, grabbing a plate of Salisbury steak and a sampling of all the side dishes and desserts before working his way into the cafeteria. Stanley, just as before, was sitting happily in a corner with his nose in a book, well away from anyone else. CJ strode over to him and set his tray on the table, causing Stanley to lower his book.
“Oh, Mr. Wayne,” he said with a look of surprise. “How are you?”
“Please, it’s just Sam,” CJ said with one of his easy smiles, watching as Stanley seemed to relax a little at the gesture. “I’ve had my friends call me plenty of things throughout the years, but Mr. Wayne was never one of them.” CJ’s smile widened a bit at the private joke.
“I’m sorry,” Stanley said, his cheeks turning a light shade of red. “I guess it’s still a bit of a shock that you’re, well….”
CJ waved his hand. “I’m just a new employee trying to fit in.” His gaze wandered over the cafeteria, noting several sets of eyes turned his way, eyes that quickly looked elsewhere as soon as they saw him regarding them. “Apparently I’m not succeeding too well.”
Stanley seemed to notice the rest of the room at that moment, and a small smile worked its way across his face as he looked around. “It’s been my experience that fitting in isn’t all it’s cut out to be,” Stanley said with a shrug. “It always feels like you’re having to sacrifice part of your self in order to fill some sort of expectation of normalcy, whatever that is. It’s better to just be who you are, and to heck with people who don’t respect that.”
CJ looked at Stanley with surprise, then nodded slowly. He had to admit, he’d spent a fair amount of time covering up parts of himself in order to hang with the popular crowd. Of course, denying natural abilities in order to fit in was sort of a rite of passage for members of his family. But if he thought about it, the people that were his closest friends, the people he had always been the most comfortable around, were the ones who knew and accepted the real CJ. Stanley was right; there was a reason CJ had befriended him.
“Amen to that,” CJ said, then reached down and stuck his fork into the bowl of potatoes. “I didn’t realize until you said that how much time I spent before I became a Wayne trying to please people.” He took a quick bite of food, realizing that he had probably said too much, and noticed Stanley’s amused expression.
Stanley set his book on the table and regarded CJ. “You weren’t always a Wayne?” he asked.
CJ chewed slowly, thinking of a way to frame his answer and dig himself out of the hole he had made. He didn’t want to say anything that wasn’t part of the official Sam Wayne back story, but he also didn’t want to start embellishing that story with “facts” that he would only forget, or tell lies to this man who was one of Sam Wayne’s few friends. “Not by name, anyway,” he answered, trying to sound nonchalant. “That was a bit of a surprise, let me tell you, but when you have an opportunity to become an instant success simply by embracing your heritage, even if you never knew it was your heritage…”
“Yeah, I’d jump right in, too,” Stanley said. A momentary silence developed between them, one that wasn’t uncomfortable. Stanley reached down and picked up his sandwich, his eyes never leaving CJ. “Still, I bet all your old friends treat you differently now.”
“I don’t see much of them anymore,” CJ said softly, diverting his eyes down to his tray, trying to ignore the uncomfortable stab of sadness that the comment elicited. He took another bite of food, then pushed away the feelings and put a congenial smile on his face. Even if their discussion had wandered into uncomfortable territory, there was still work to be done and important issues to discuss with Stanley. “I guess that makes a few less people that I have to try to impress from now on, huh?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Stanley, who had seemed almost worried at CJ’s initial reaction to his statement, smiled and nodded with relief. “If a few billion dollars doesn’t impress them….” he said, but stopped as CJ shook his head.
“I hate that people find inherited money and a last name impressive. I didn’t do anything to earn either one of those.” CJ paused, thinking of how the statement related to his former life, as well. He was a junior Superman, and he had seen what had happened to his brother when he had embraced that particular name and legacy. People didn’t need to know anything about Crimson Superman or see him do anything heroic on his own to be impressed by him, although the fact that he held special powers probably played into that. Still, neither Jon, CJ, or Laura wanted their accolades to be because of who they were related to or what they had inherited, but from their deeds. Even though Jon was an excellent writer, that didn’t seem to turn many heads. CJ’s science talent was largely ignored or panned, because a football star wasn’t supposed to be smart. Neither was a trust fund baby. But Stanley apparently didn’t play by the same rules as the rest of society. “Now if they found my ability to answer tough engineering problems remarkable, then I wouldn’t mind.”
“Well, I certainly did,” Stanley said, his voice indicating that the statement wasn’t meant to be patronizing. “I’d been stewing over that problem for weeks, and after a half hour conversation, you managed to figure it out.”
“That was the answer, then?” CJ asked, and he couldn’t help but notice the pride that had snuck into his voice. Even after a week of crime fighting, investigating, and moving forward with his personal life, solving that problem still loomed as one of Sam Wayne’s greatest accomplishments.
Stanley was now as animated as CJ had ever seen him. “You were definitely on the right track,”, he said. He then proceeded to tell CJ what had happened when his hypothesis had been tested. This time he didn’t spare any of the technical jargon, and CJ found himself engrossed in the conversation. After a little while, CJ casually mentioned the ARB and their protest at the building entrance, and successfully managed to steer the conversation toward what the ARB might be looking for, and what they intended to do.
“You design plastics and related products,” CJ said as he leaned back in his seat and regarded Stanley. “I imagine those utilize a fairly complicated and possibly dangerous manufacturing process.”
Stanley looked at him thoughtfully, then shrugged. “I design the product, not the manufacturing process. But I do know that they make several things here in town, at a plant that’s made the news once or twice since I’ve worked here.”
“The news?” CJ asked, curious. Manufacturing plants generally didn’t make headlines unless something bad happened, and the inflection in Staley’s voice at the comment made him believe that was the case here.
“Oh, some environmental group like the one outside argued that just having a plastics manufacturing plant near a large population center meant that some impending disaster was sure to happen, never mind the fact that the plant had all the required safety equipment and an excellent safety record. Still, the TV news covered the story and it caused a bit of an uproar.”
“I’d imagine,” CJ said absently, his mind spinning. The environmentalist group might have unwittingly given an idea to some people with the will to carry it out. He had to go look at that plant, although he could easily do it without having to rely on his alter ego.
Stanley looked at his watch, then turned toward CJ, an apologetic expression on his face. “I’m sorry, but it looks like I need to get going,” he said. CJ forced himself out of his thoughts, and offered his friend a smile.
“Well, it was good talking to you again,” CJ said, extending his hand. “Don’t be a stranger.”
Stanley took the offered hand and nodded once. “The pleasure’s mine. Maybe next time we can do lunch someplace with better food and a nicer view.”
“Good idea.” With that, Stanley stepped away, smiled, and then started for the door. CJ decided that he was probably due back in the executive suites, and after a moment he left, too. He was right to have talked to Stanley, he thought as he braved the stares and made his way out of the cafeteria. The discussion had been very informative, and relaxing, work and pleasure rolled into one. It had also resulted in a promising new lead, one that would be followed up upon just as soon as CJ finished checking references. As he stepped into the elevator, he started to whistle tunelessly, holding his hand up to acknowledge the curious stares as the doors closed in front of him.
---
Jenny caught herself staring out the window of her suburban office, her gaze locked on the Gotham skyline and the Wayne Enterprises building, which stood proudly above the rest. CJ was in there somewhere, probably on one of the upper floors, and she could imagine him standing in front of a window, looking off toward where she was. It was a nice thought, but a junior executive and part time crime fighter such as he probably didn’t have much time for staring out over the city. Even if he did, he probably wouldn’t be able to find her office, hidden amongst the vast expanse of similar, nondescript business parks that made up that particular portion of town. Just looking toward the horizon, knowing he was somewhere in a building that was practically within arms reach was comforting, even if it wasn’t a substitute for seeing him every day. Sometimes she had to take what she could, though, and for now that would have to be enough.
With a sigh, Jenny turned back toward her desk. The proof of the next issue of her magazine was there, waiting to be inspected. Her interview with the Waynes was featured as the prominent story, although Bruce had stipulated that no pictures of him or CJ would be on the cover. The request was undoubtedly rooted in his concern over protecting CJ’s identity, a concern that Jenny shared. Glasses, a new haircut, and a change in wardrobe could do a lot to change a person’s appearance, but CJ had too many friends for her to believe that one of them wouldn’t see the striking similarity between the late CJ Kent and Sam Wayne. The pictures that had made the tabloids hadn’t been too much of a concern, since they tended to be fuzzy and somewhat indistinct, the product of an amateur photographer with a zoom lens and a faraway hiding place. Even the photos that Jenny had included with her article were unclear, utilizing creative lighting or positioning to make CJ less recognizable. Her boss had complained that the article might as well have no pictures at all, but his complaints were rather half-hearted and ended up being for naught. It helped that Bruce was notoriously protective of his privacy, and the boss had understood that any interview with Wayne was a coup, bad pictures or not.
The story would finally be going to print within the next couple of days, which was fortunate considering how word of Jenny’s relationship with Sam Wayne had spread. Lisa, while being a good friend and an interesting person to talk to, did not have a knack for keeping a secret. The entire office knew about Jenny’s date the previous Friday, including her boss, who took a closer look at her article upon hearing the news. Apparently reporting on one’s date was not overly professional, but she made sure to let that be known CJ had only officially become her date as a consequence of the article. In the end, her article was left untouched, but she couldn’t help but think that her standing within the organization took a bit of a hit as a result of her relationship. If that was the consequence of officially meeting her husband again, she supposed she could live with it. Besides, not everyone looked at her differently or tried to exploit her new connection, and a little buzz could sometimes be good for a reporter.
The ringing of the phone drew her out of her thoughts. It was probably a local museum curator returning her call, which was related to her next assignment. She quickly reached for a pen as she picked up the receiver, positioning the notepad in front of her in anticipation of a rather lengthy and informative conversation. The pen was quickly dropped, however, as she heard the angry voice on the other end of the line.
“Jennifer Sears!” her mother said before Jenny even had a chance to say hello.
“Mom?” Jenny replied, taking a look at her watch. She tended to keep a rather strict routine of calling her parents once a week, usually on Sunday afternoon, and this weekend had been no different. If her mother was calling on a weekday, at work no less, it must mean that something was wrong. Usually if there was bad news, though, her mother would sound almost too comforting, and that certainly wasn’t the case here.
“I cannot believe that I would find my own daughter gracing the cover of a supermarket tabloid,” her mom said quickly. “In the arms of a man, no less.”
“Excuse me?” Jenny said. She knew that she should probably be reacting defensively to her mother’s anger, but instead she inexplicably found herself smiling. The thought of CJ made her unable to elicit any other emotion.
“The National Whisper,” her mother continued, unabashed. “Some new celebrity shows up in Gotham City and you run right into his arms?”
Jenny couldn’t stop a pleasant sigh as she visualized the picture that her mom was probably talking about, the one from CJ’s official coming out party. The reaction brought a snort of anger from her mother. Jenny took a deep breath and closed her eyes, deciding that her less than serious attitude was not what her mother needed to hear. As far as her mom knew, Jenny had been a widow for a little over a month, hardly enough time to get over CJ’s death. Of course, if he really was dead, Jenny doubted that she would ever be over him, and her mom was probably well aware of that. She needed to act the part that she was playing, something she knew she had not done very well. “Mom, it’s not what you think.”
“Then it is you?”
Jenny sighed, more resigned this time. “Yes, it is.”
“So what should I think? Your husband’s body is barely cold, you’re carrying his child, yet you’re…socializing with another man.” Her voice was very pointed, accusatory, and it was hard for Jenny not to shrink into her seat a little.
Jenny tightened her grip on the phone, trying to decide what to say. She knew her old friends might end up surprised at her relationship with Sam Wayne, but for all the worrying she had done about what her image would be in the eyes of everyone she had known back in Metropolis, she had never considered how her parents might feel. Maybe she thought that, since they were not the type of people who paid attention to tabloids, they wouldn’t find out. News from the coast pertaining to the rich and famous often went ignored back home, and she supposed that she had assumed she’d be able to tell them on her own terms. That obviously wouldn’t be the case here.
The more Jenny thought about it, the more a certain idea began to assert itself. Maybe it was time for her family to know about CJ. She had a pretty good idea of what her mother thought of her right now, and it wasn’t flattering. Between the grief over CJ’s “death” and the anger over her perceived unfaithfulness, her mother’s health, both physical and mental, was probably starting to suffer. It wasn’t fair to keep her in the dark. Surely CJ would agree.
“Believe me when I say that I love Clark just as much now as I did the day I married him, even if he is gone now. Something that strong just doesn’t go away. But I’m allowed to make new friends, aren’t I?”
Her mother hesitated a moment before answering. “Friends are fine. This picture showed you dancing closely, inappropriately so.”
“He’s very flattering, what can I say?” Jenny said, a blush rising in her cheek. “He is also new to town and doesn’t have many friends. We’re very alike in that respect. Rather than be lonely, we decided to keep each other company. Laura Kent came to town to make sure nothing more happens, if that makes you feel any better.”
Jenny though she could hear her mom give a small sigh of relief. “Yes, it does. But…”
“You’re still worried that there might be more going on than friendship?”
“Yes,” her mother said, her voice gentler. “You can’t look at that picture and honestly say those are platonic friends engaged in that dance. I’ve been around the block a few times, I can spot these things.”
“Well, you may be right. Maybe there is more there.”
“Jennifer!”
“I love my husband, mother, but I can’t grieve over him forever. It might seem like it’s too soon to move on, but sometimes the best things happen when you least expect them.”
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this. It sounds so…callous. What would Clark think if he saw that picture? If he heard what you’re saying now?”
Jenny smiled and glanced out the window again. She had a pretty good idea what he’d say, what he had already said on the matter. “Please believe me when I say that there is more going on here than you know. In fact, I’d like to invite you and Dad to town to meet Sam Wayne.”
“No, I don’t think that would be appropriate.”
“If you just got a chance to be in the same room with him, I think you’d change your mind.” Her mother offered no immediate response, so Jenny continued. “Tell you what, if you don’t approve of him after meeting him face-to-face, I promise that I will never see him again.”
Her mother gave a nervous chuckle. “That’s, uh….”
“I’m serious,” Jenny said, her voice making it plain that she was. “If that’s what it takes to set everything straight, then I’ll happily agree to whatever you decide after meeting him.”
After a moment, her mother acquiesced. “Fine. And, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. When we talk this weekend, we can discuss when, but sooner is better.”
They discussed a few more technicalities about the trip, then finished their conversation. The visit would probably take place within the next few weeks, then hopefully all would be right with them. She couldn’t decide whether she was excited or nervous at the prospect of her parents being let in on the secret, but she did know that it would be a relief to not have to deceive them anymore. CJ, of course, would have a say in when and how they were told since it was his secret, after all. Maybe his family would like to be a part of the revelation, as well.
The more she thought about it, the bigger her parents’ trip became. It would be something that would have to be discussed and coordinated with probably a half dozen other people before calling her folks back. Funny, it had seemed a lot less complicated when she learned the secret. The thought prompted a faraway smile and brought back memories from not all that long ago, memories she indulged in for a moment before reaching for the phone again. She paused for a moment to look up the Wayne Enterprises switchboard number, then dialed and asked for Sam Wayne. She had never called him at work before, but if they were an item now, and if everyone seemed to know it, she supposed it was safe.
When he answered the phone, there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice. “You sound surprised to be getting a call,” Jenny said with a teasing tone. “You used to be so popular.”
She could hear an out rush of breath, and knew that he was smiling. “I’m still popular, it’s just that I seem to be the one doing all the calling now, that’s all. Apparently people find the big boss to be intimidating. Figure that out.” He paused for a moment, then spoke again, his voice more serious. “As nice as it is to hear your voice, something tells me that this isn’t a social call.”
“Why does something have to be up for me to call you at work?” Jenny asked as she leaned back in her chair and glanced toward the door of her office, which was slightly open. From beyond, she could hear the constant clacking of keyboards, and the low tones of quiet conversation. She wished that she had thought to close her door before calling him, knowing that it was entirely possible that some of her conversation might be overheard by an unscrupulous coworker. With a quick burst of almost-super breath, one of the many rediscovered abilities being fueled by their child, the door was blown shut decisively, leaving her free to talk candidly without fear of eavesdropping.
“Well, we might officially be considered an item now, but I don’t know if we’re at the all-important calling each other at work phase of the relationship,” he said.
“For all you know, I’m calling you regarding our little interview from a week or so ago,” she said, glancing at her desk again. “And, actually, while I have you on the phone, I should let you know that it turned out pretty well. We publish it on Wednesday.”
“That’s good to know. It’ll be nice to finally have some good press after all those tabloid stories.”
“Don’t tell me you’re getting tired of being branded as a fun-loving playboy already,” she said with a small laugh. He attempted to respond in kind, but she could tell his laugh was a little forced.
“Once they started reporting that I was supposedly dating my sister, it kind of took the fun out of it.” His voice was soft, resigned, and Jenny couldn’t help but laugh. As he sighed, she could visualize a charmingly uncomfortable smile on his face. “As much as I love hearing your amusement at my embarrassment, what’s up, exactly?” He asked after a moment.
“My mom thinks I’m a …fallen woman, that’s what.”
He let out a strangled breath, then laughed lightly. “Okay.”
“The tabloids made it to the Thrifty Mart in Saint Joseph, and my Mom just happened to see me on the cover. Apparently I’m not very good at hiding my affection for you, even when you’re not you and my picture is slightly out of focus.” She smiled slightly, then shook her head. “I guess I’m not the actor I thought I was. Somehow, I thought this whole thing would be a lot easier.”
“That makes two of us,” he said. “There have been a couple of mornings when I’ve woken up and wondered how long it will take before the jig is up. I’m a fairly public figure, you know? Sooner or later, you would think that someone would see my picture…would see us together, and that would be it. That, or I’ll be walking down the street and pass by one of my old teammates….” She was surprised to hear a twinge of fear in his voice, and wished more than anything that she could be by his side at that moment to ease his fears. But she would be lying if she didn’t admit to having the same worries. It was better to not think about it, to just follow the plan they had laid out, because the alternative was just not acceptable. To separate herself from him for the rest of time, to never be seen in public together for fear of discovery, would make for an existence that she didn’t want to even consider. Living in fear was not living. They would have to depend on either the blindness or the discretion of the people who had known them to carry them through.
“My mother didn’t recognize you, if that says anything,” Jenny said after a moment. “Of course, it made for a rather awkward conversation, and I felt like dirt for keeping her and Dad in the dark about you.”
“So why don’t you invite them out here, and let them see the truth for themselves?” he said, his fear of a moment ago gone. He was now attempting to comfort her, a fact that brought a smile to her face and made her thank her lucky stars for having him all for herself.
“It’s funny you should say that,” she said. “Because that’s exactly what I did.”
“Then why do I sense that you aren’t entirely comfortable with it?” he asked, subtle humor back in his voice.
Jenny sighed and slumped lower in her chair. “I just have this creepy feeling that they’re going to hate me for keeping this from them. I’d hate me for keeping a secret this big.”
“Hey, you’re talking to someone who found out that his father was an alien only after knowing him for fourteen years. I can give a dissertation on what having secrets in a family can do, believe me. But I don’t hate my parents for keeping things from me, because I understand why they did. I think your parents will feel the same way. Or we can hope so, anyway.”
“Yeah. But part of me was hoping that it would never come to this. It was probably pretty naive, but I guess I thought that maybe, if I avoided it long enough, I’d never have to tell them.”
“Barring some sort of Earth-shattering catastrophe, you and I are going to be together for the rest of our lives,” he said, his voice very even yet very impassioned at the same time. “You can’t realistically expect that, in all that time, I’d somehow find a way to avoid meeting your parents. Then, given all the tabloid pictures and other stories that are out there now and will probably be published in the future, you’d have to believe their curiosity about their son-in-law would cause them to take a closer look at me, at my picture, and recognize me immediately.” He paused for a moment, then continued, his voice gentler. “Face it, they were going to find out eventually, so why not spare them the hurt feelings?”
Jenny opened her mouth to speak, then gave a pained smile. She’d never admitted to herself why she’d hoped to keep them away, but faced with the question, the answer became obvious. “Maybe because part of me wants to keep your family’s secret safe, keep you safe, no matter what the cost. If that means keeping my parents in the dark on certain things, or staying away from them for your sake, than so be it.”
“I’d never ask you to do that, and you know it,” he said gently. “Besides, I like your family too much to keep them away.”
“I thought guys weren’t supposed to like their in-laws,” she said.
“I don’t think I need to tell you that I’m not like other guys,” he answered with a chuckle.
“You’ve got that right,” she said. They spent a few moments working out logistics, when he would be available to see her parents and how he could provide for their transportation. After getting everything in order, he agreed to contact his parents and arrange for them to be there during the big revelation. A few moments later they said their goodbyes, and she hung up the phone.
Jenny leaned back and looked up at the ceiling, a smile spreading across her face. All it took was a conversation with him to lift her spirits, recharge her batteries, and help her face the real world again. Even though she knew they shouldn’t rush their relationship, if only for the sake of appearances, she couldn’t wait until they could be officially together again. It would happen soon enough, she told herself as she sat up again. Until then, he was just a phone call away.
