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Part 6

The charity dinner seemed to open some kind of floodgates as far as Dick and Marilee were concerned. From then on they were as close to inseparable as was feasible for them to be. They lived in different towns, but they both drove and were only ten miles apart. She had her obligations with school and cheering and Dick had school, Batman and Robin and the Titans to deal with.

Despite all this, they managed to see one another at least two or three times a week. Movies, football games, walks, dinners here and there and a road trip to visit Dick’s friend Roy who was doing some work in New York. Slowly, they became comfortable with one another, something the Richards did everything they could to foster—or rather Marykate did. Bob seemed to step back and, while always polite and seeming to genuinely like Dick, was disinclined to get involved as soon as he realized that he really was a nice kid and could be trusted as far as any teenaged boy could be with a teenaged girl.

Early one Saturday morning in December, Marilee was surprised and thrilled when her mother suggested that perhaps, if he didn’t have any other plans, Dick could join them for their annual ski trip out to Utah.

“Ohmigod—are you serious? That would be amazing! He’s a total black run skier and I know he boards, too—that would be awesome!”

Marykate laughed, happy to see Marilee so pleased both with Dick and the idea of going away with him, including him as part of a family tradition. “Well, call him sweetie—see if Bruce will let him go so we can book tickets.” She used the kitchen phone, the Manor’s number memorized weeks ago.

“Hey, that would be great, we were going to his place in Aspen but there’s this merger he has to deal with so it’s off—let me ask Bruce, okay? Can you hold on?”

“Of course—go!” There was silence for a couple of minutes while Dick went to whatever room Bruce was in to ask him.

Finally, “He said it’s okay with him he just wants to know when and where we’re going and all that stuff. God, this is going to be great—I haven’t been able to just cut loose on a decent slope since last year. This is incredibly nice of your parents, Mare—I’ll thank them when I see them, but tell them for me, okay?”

“I will—hey if Bruce is there just put him on and my Mom can give him the details.”

“Just a minute, I’ll transfer you over to the study.” He pushed buttons while she handed her mother the phone.

“Mrs. Richards? I understand that you’ve invited Dick on a vacation? That’s incredibly kind of you; may I ask where and when you’re going?”

“We’re planning a trip to Deer Valley over the holidays, during the kid’s break and will be there nine days, the whole week and then part of both weekends, if that’s all right with you, of course.”

“Do you own a place out there or are you…”

“No, we’ll be staying in a hotel. Normally we just get two rooms but with Dick along we’ll get a suite instead and sort out the arrangements when we get there but Bob and I will keep an eye on the kids.”

“I’m sure you will, yes…if I may, I don’t want to intrude but would you mind using my jet? It would save you plane fares and would make your travel arrangements a little easier. We always have Christmas morning together but if you’d be willing to leave, say around lunchtime—would that work for you?”

Marykate was close to speechless. His plane? His private jet? Sure, no problem, much more convenient, thank you very much, why on earth didn’t she think of it? Someone was talking in the background and a moment later Bruce came back on the line. “Dick just suggested—and I agree— that, if you’d like, you’re all welcome to use my place in Colorado; it’s just sitting empty. Of course, if you’d rather go with your own plans I understand completely…”

Beside herself with excitement, Marykate assured Bruce that Bob wouldn’t mind the change and the plans were made; the Richards and Dick would go out to Bruce’s Aspen chalet but insisted on paying their share for the use of the plane, much to Bruce’s private amusement.

The trip was, no surprise, a complete success and on the flight home, with both Dick and Marilee napping after a final late night on the town. Marykate leaned across the table and, speaking low so as to not disturb the kids, whispered “I’ll never forget this trip—never.”

“Don’t get too used to it, babe, Wayne only did this as a favor to Dick; this isn’t going to turn into an annual jaunt.”

“I know, I know. It was still pretty nice, though.” Glancing towards the back of the plane she watched the kids sleeping, Marilee snuggled against Dick and his arm around her shoulder. ‘But I’d love if it became a way of life for Marilee, though.’

 

* * *
 

A few weeks after the ski trip Marilee and Dick were on the phone, just as they were almost every evening.

“But I thought that we were set for tomorrow night; we were going to double with Annaclaire and Brian for dinner and a movie.”

“I know but something came up and Bruce wants me to do a thing with his work, some meet and greet. He just sprung it on me a few minutes ago.” In fact Batman and Robin were going to stakeout at Harry Winston’s after a lead came in about a possible break in.

“But…”

“I know, I’m sorry, but there’s no way I can get out of it. We’ll do it some other time—you go, okay? ‘No reason for you to sit home because I can’t make it.”

“It won’t be the same.”

“It’ll be fine.”

 

* * *
 

“Master Bruce, Mrs. Richards called this afternoon, asking if you and Master Dick would be good enough to join them for dinner next weekend. I believe that they’d like to thank you yet again for the loan of the Aspen home and your plane to get there.”

Bruce knew that something like this would be coming sooner or later and here it was; the Richard’s woman was trying to suck up to him again and cement the relationship between the two families. “Please send my regrets, if you would. I’ll be in Paris next weekend.”

“As you wish, sir, but I point out that she’ll simply ask what date you might be available to reschedule. What should I tell her?”

He sighed. “I know. Tell her that…tell her that I’ll have to check and will call her about it.”

 

* * *
 

Mid-February the Richards always made the trip to Florida to visit Marykate’s mother down in St. Pete for her birthday, soak up some sun and enjoy the warmth away from the Northeast’s frigid winter. Marykate and Bob were out doing some shopping leaving Marilee and Gram to their own devices. They opted to take advantage of the perfect weather to stroll on the beach, kicking along the sand, looking for shells and talking, catching up.

“So you’re a senior, missy—do you know yet where you’ll be next year? Any college choices?”

“I have to wait for acceptances but so far it looks like maybe Radcliffe as my first choice and Boston U as back up. I’m not completely sure, though; we’ll see.”

“Your dad says you’re looking at pre-law.”

“He’s excited about it and I think it sounds interesting.”

“You don’t sound like you’re all that interested.” Gram turned to look at her, stopping along a driftwood log. She took a seat, facing the Gulf of Mexico a few yards away. “Your mother thinks you’re going to marry this young man you’ve been seeing, that true?”

“Ohmigod—did she say that?”

Gram nodded, “I know you probably don’t want to hear this but you’re too young for that—you both are if he’s anywhere near your age.”

“Well, God—I know that! My mother is insane.”

“No plans to elope?”

“Gram—no! God. What has she been saying?”

“Just what it sounds like—that you and this boy are all hot and heavy and will be running off any minute now. I’m glad to hear you have more sense than that—you do, don’t you? You’re not just saying what an old lady wants to here, are you?”

Marilee shook her head in disbelief. “I swear to God that I’m jot eloping with Dick or anyone else in the foreseeable future. We’ve never talked about it, he hasn’t proposed, he hasn’t told me he loves me, I haven’t told him and no one is picking out drapes or paint swatches. There is no ring on this finger.” She held up her bare hand. “And I’m not pregnant, either, nor do I have any plans on becoming so any time soon. Happy?”

“That will do for now, yes thank you.”

“I swear, I’m going to kill my mother.”

Gram watched a seagull floating above the surf. “Why is she so intent on this particular boy?”

“Because he has a lot of money; or his guardian does, anyway. You know mom—‘It’s just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as a poor one.’”

“That sounds like her, all right. You’re too young.”

“I know, don’t worry about it.”

“How rich?”

“Very.”

“It’s stupid not to consider that, you know, just don’t base a decision on it.”

Marilee really wished this conversation wasn’t happening; it was obnoxious. She was seventeen, f’God’ssake. “No one’s getting married.” And she was really pissed at her mother.

 

* * *
 

At Wayne Manor Alfred was bemused by the lack of change in the young master’s demeanor while his young lady was away. Perhaps it was just that he was taking Master Bruce’s lack of overt emotion as a guide, perhaps he was simply busy and preoccupied with his various responsibilities and perhaps he simply didn’t miss the girl as much as she seemed to miss him. Judging by the amount of time his private phone had rung this week she was calling almost every day. The calls, however, didn’t seem to last more than a few minutes.

Dick hadn’t said anything other than that Marilee would be home late Sunday from visiting her grandmother and hadn’t, in any way, indicated that he was lonely or missing her. Hopefully, he had the good sense to not let on to the girl or her friends, one of whom, an Annaclaire, seemed to have the chore of ‘looking after’ him.

Without meaning to eavesdrop, he’s heard Dick tell the friend, Anna, that he was fine and there was no need for her to drive over to make sure for herself. No, he wasn’t seeing anyone else, he wasn’t cheating; he was just busy with midterms and he’d see her when they all went out in a couple of weeks.

The next afternoon Dick wandered into the kitchen when he got back from school as he always did to let Alfred know he was home. The cookies were fresh from the oven and the milk cold so he slung his backpack onto the floor and pulled a chair out from the table so he could eat.

After some small talk Alfred cut to what he and Bruce were actually concerned about. “Everything all right so far as your tests, Master Dick?”

“Yes, sure. No problem. And the Titans are fine, that embezzlement case is pretty much wrapped up and my sprained wrist is healing—anything else, Alf?” Dick laughed while said all this, knowing Alfred would worry about him, no matter how old he was. He handled it, like he seemed to handle everything, easily.

“Very funny. But, I can’t help but wondering if you’ve made a final choice regarding a university or not, time is quickly passing and you’ve received seven acceptance letters.” He and Bruce were concerned that Dick or Marilee would base their decision where the other was going, rather than on their own needs and desires.

“Not yet, I’m leaning towards Hudson, though—we’ll see. I have two more weeks before I have to let them all know.”

“Has Miss Marilee decided yet?”

“I think so, she said something about Radcliffe and how much she liked the place. I think her mother went there or something, so she’s a legacy. ‘Shouldn’t have any trouble getting in.”

Good. New Carthage was a good three-hour drive from Cambridge. Whilst distance may make the heart grow fonder, it can also break up teenaged couples, especially when they were each surrounded by thousands of other young people on a daily basis.

He and the Master had nothing whatsoever against Marilee who seemed like a pleasant and intelligent enough young lady, however, seventeen was young and Master Dick had far too many things in his life to his far too overscheduled existence.

An hour later with Dick upstairs studying, Alfred found Bruce in his study. “Yes?”

“I though you might like to know that I spoke to Master Dick this afternoon. I strongly suspect that the situation will resolve itself in fairly short order. The young lady seems to have decided on Radcliffe.”

Bruce gave a curt nod. “Thank you.” Alfred silent withdrew and Bruce revolved his chair so that he could look out the glass French doors to the garden, just starting to bloom. It was for the best, really. He certainly had nothing against Dick having some fun with the girl but her family was impossible and the mother—Bruce had enough experience with gold digging to be able to smell it from a distance.

One of these days, in a few years—maybe ten or fifteen—Dick would be ready to settle down with a wife and all the rest. Not now and not this girl.

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