Three
"What th'
hell you doin'?" The fat man said. Beer and drool dripped slavishly off
his face. Jack didn’t reply, he just stared at the man while holding the half
eaten sandwich like an animal caught in the light. His dirty face and skinny
frame made him look more like an animal then a three year old and his solitary
life has made him the predator of opportunity to meet his needs.
The fat slob had finally nodded off
to sleep, and dropped his sandwich. Jack, who waited and watched, rushed in and
grabbed it before the fat man could wake up. Jack understood so much about his
world. He knew the “Mom” would come home and ignore him. He knew if he got in
the fat man’s way he would be hit. If the fat man was caught hitting him, the
Mom would fly at the fat man and they would fight. He knew the fat man wasn't
going to be here for long because he knew lots of different men.
He remembered the one he liked the
best, the one who was nice to him and touched and hugged and tickled him, every
bit of him. But the Mom must not have wanted anyone to love him so she threw
him out of the house after finding the Man touching Jack under his zipper.
The fat man can't touch Jack
anymore, can’t hit him either because Jack learned how to be fast. So as he drooled
and spat himself awake, Jack ran and hid with the sandwich. He stuff’s the food
into his mouth and, as satisfied as he could be, curls up with the dirty towel
he uses as his blanket.
The flashcards
are held by Daddy as Bruce contorts his face trying to remember the words for
the picture on the card. "Swear" he blurts out. Daddy beams.
"That’s
right, Bruce, it’s a square! You are so smart" Daddy holds up another
card, Bruce doesn't even need the think about it.
"A
cers-ol" he claps in joy at his answer
"Yea! Your
right a circle" Daddy said as he tickles Bruce. He peels in laughter and
delight. He love’s coming to work with his Daddy. The phone rings and Lisa, the
nanny, comes over to collect Bruce.
"Now where is my smart boy?" she says as she grabs
Bruce up quickly and moves into a windowed nursery built adjoining Thomas
Wayne’s business office. Bruce dives for the nosiest toy he can find as his formal
protest to not playing with Daddy. But Lisa is faster, shutting the noise
canceling door. “Do you wanna snack?” she asked him.
Still pouting Bruce plop’s down with a little drum and
whines “My wanns pray wit madaddy”
“I know sweet boy” Lisa says as she sets out the snack
Alfred ordered for him. Carrot slices, cheese, some organic crackers and milk.
“Now, how do you want your milk?” she asked. Pulling out a chocolate sauce out of
her purse. Bruce looks and smiles as he jumps running to the table. “Do you
want a lot or a little?”
“A lot!” he beams. She gives it to him and he chugs it. He
does like Lisa, she was really nice to him, and Mommy and Daddy were always
close by. He finishes his milk “Dat whuz good!” he said. Lisa smiled as Mommy danced
into the nursery carrying clothing bags.
“Who wants to play dress up?” she sings as Bruce runs at his
mommy rubbing his chocolate mustache all over her in hugs
Lisa marveled at the efforts the Wayne’s
took to be close to their little baby. Why even have a nanny she often thought
to herself as she self-pitied her position as more of a baby sitter then a
nanny to the richest family in Gotham. Lisa was hired so Thomas could work when
it was important too, but in between his meetings he would spend all his time,
attention and love on his son. Nancy felt even more useless as Martha Wayne
snuck into the office with bags of new baby clothes that she couldn't wait to
try on her favorite doll.
She smiled at Martha Wayne "Will you
be needing me to help, Mam?" she asked as Bruce peeled in delight
screaming "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!"
"I have
him Lisa, why don't you go get lunch or something"
"Thank
you Mrs. Wayne" she replied. As she walked away she glanced back at the
two snuggling. Lisa smiled, she did love this job though, the Wayne’s paid her
better than most of the nannies in the city, and she hardly had anything to do.
No comments:
Post a Comment