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Part 7

Alfred pushed Dick’s door open, surprised to find the boy sitting at his desk, computer on and clearly engrossed in something. He carried the laundry basket into the large walk in closet, put things away and was about to let himself out when he paused by the side of the desk. After a moment Dick looked up, plainly hiding some annoyance at being disturbed.

“Sorry to interrupt, but do you have plans for the evening or should I plan on you for dinner?”

“Bruce said something about needing me starting about four so probably not.” He turned back to the monitor, dismissing the old man.

“Is everything set for the various matriculation celebrations in a few weeks?”

“Hmmm?…Oh. I guess so. Why do you ask?”

“If we’re expecting a large percentage of your classmates, parents and assorted hangers on for the graduation dance, I’d like to be certain that there are no unexpected flies in that particular ointment.”

“It’s all good, Alf, don’t worry about it. The PTA is doing most of it and it’s being paid for by class dues. All you have to do is open the door when they get here for the setup.”

“That’s reassuring, thank you…I’ll leave you to it, then.” On the way out he caught sight of a snapshot tucked in the mirror frame over a bureau. It was of Dick’s young lady, Marilee. She was sitting on a back yard child’s swing set, laughing and wearing summer clothes, a sleeveless tank top and shorts. She seemed very happy. And she was a very pretty young lady, though no more so than a hundred others who had been through the Manor over the years. He sincerely hoped that the young master wasn’t going down the same emotionally empty road Master Bruce had embraced; it would be so—wrong. Dick needed people; he needed closeness and affection to feel complete and cared deeply about the people who managed to touch him.

This girl seemed to be important to him and Alfred regretted what was likely about to happen. It just seemed like such a waste and he could only hope that Dick would rise above it, as he had so many other things over the years.

And this dance the master had agreed to, normally the school rented a country club or some such for the big dance but this year it was decided that Wayne Manor would be given the honor in an unexpected cost saving attempt. The use of the house and grounds was, of course, donated without charge. A class father who happened to own the most chic catering establishment in the area gave the food, someone knew someone with a band and another was owed a favor by a local photographer.

Over three hundred people were expected and while this was hardly the largest affair they’d hosted, it was still quite a bit of work for everyone involved, despite Dick’s assurances. While the financial savings would likely be considerable, the cost in aggravation may well prove to be exorbitant.

But surprisingly, Master Bruce seemed happy about the massive party, excited that he was able to do this for Dick, let him show off a little instead of hiding under a bushel the way he’d had to as Dick Grayson since Robin was born. This would be the exception to the tightly controlled rules in their lives.

 

* * *
 

Adam came up behind Marilee and Annaclaire in ‘Ridge High’s cafeteria. Marilee had officially broken up with him not long after Christmas, even though it was pretty damn obvious for a long time before she put the nails in the coffin. It’s not like everyone didn’t know she’d practically thrown that rich kid from Brixton over the hood of his fancy car and had at him then and there. Embarrassing? Oh yeah. It’s not like Adam was chopped liver, right? Captain of the football team, good student, one of the class gods who turned heads whenever he walked down the halls and she dumped him? Excuse me?

“So, you’re going to the senior trip after graduation, right?” The kids from Ridgefield were planning an overnight at someone’s shore house as soon as the graduation ceremony was over. It was tradition, everyone went. No one bailed on it.

Marilee knew he was just trying to bait her again. He’d been doing it ever since she’d finally told him the obvious, that she was dating Dick and, while she still liked Adam, she liked Dick. “’Can’t make it, I have other plans.”

“You’re going to the Brixton dance, right? I figured.” He shook his head, as if he pitied her. “You know, that sucks, Mari—you never used to give a rat’s ass about all that crap—money, fancy cars and all that. You’ve become…hell, you know what you’ve become?”

Oh, f’God’ssake. “What’s that, Adam?”

“Available to the highest bidder. Have a good time; ‘seeya.”

Prick.

 

* * *
 

“I swear, I was ready to smack him and no one would have said anything—he was horrible!”

“’It’ll be okay, Mare, after graduation you’ll probably never see him again, let it go.”

“Oh, spare me your Zen, Dick—he was awful! Can you come over—I’d really like to see you. Please?”

Dick sighed. Yes, her ex was a jerk but he was history and—seriously—lighten up. “I have to do a thing with Bruce in a couple of minutes but I’ll see if I can get there tomorrow say, after school? Around three?

“Could you do your whatever with Bruce tomorrow? Please? I’m really upset about this.”

“I know but…look, I’m sorry but I can’t. Tomorrow, Mare. I promise. You’ll be fine. Why don’t you call Anna? She knows you both and she’ll know what’s going on with him; I bet he’s just upset at getting dumped and misses you.”

“I guess, but he was just so obnoxious.” There was a lull on the line while each waited for the other to budge and change their minds—that Dick would ditch Bruce and hop in his car or that Marilee would drop the whole stupid and unimportant argument she’d had. Neither moved an inch.

“…Do you want to get dinner Saturday? Maybe try that new Chinese place? ‘Catch a movie?”

“You’re changing the subject, aren’t you?”

“I’m trying. Is it working?”

Oh, the hell with it—at least she had Dick and he usually wasn’t a jerk, besides, nothing to be gained by pouting, “Yes. Saturday would be good and—oh crap, I forgot, I have a meeting tomorrow after school but it should be over around four so why don’t you just swing by the school and I’ll meet you out front?”

“Four out front. Okay, I’ll see you then.”

 

* * *
 

The next evening as Marykate was working on dinner Marilee passed through the kitchen on her way to drop some stuff in the laundry room.

“We’re leaving in about twenty minutes.” They were going to a meeting of the graduation dance planning committee.

“Okay.”

“Sweetie, how are you and Dick getting along, everything all right?”

“Yeah, sure. He’s great.”

“…Do I hear a ‘but’?”

“He’s always so busy but I haven’t really figured out what it is he’s so busy doing. I mean, I know he has school but that’s about done with and I know that Bruce makes him do a lot of stuff with his company and do a lot of social things—which he hates and it’s not like it’s every day or anything. He doesn’t seem to have any friends—he never mentions any and I’ve never met any, he doesn’t compete in any sports, he doesn’t seem to really have any real hobbies and…I don’t know, Maybe he’s two-timing me or is getting bored with me or something.”

“I doubt that, honey. I think he’s just busy, like you said. I’m sure that’s all it is.” She put the roast in the oven. “And maybe he just likes to be alone to read or whatever. He certainly pays you enough attention when you’re together, sweetie.”

“Maybe…”

“You know, I was thinking; you could wear your Vera dress again at that big dance they’re having.”

“I guess—sure.” She picked up the car keys. “I just wish he’d tell me what he does all the time when he’s so busy.”

 

* * *
 

Marykate couldn’t sleep. The thing between Marilee and Dick seemed to be on autopilot and that wasn’t good for a couple of hormone laden teenagers. Maybe the relationship had run its course, maybe they were going through an adjustment after the ‘honeymoon’ period. Maybe they just both had things on their respective minds with summer coming up and then both off to college. But when they’d all been skiing Dick couldn’t have been more attentive; of course, that was five months ago, but still…

Was it possible that he’d been listening to Bruce too much? Heaven knew Wayne wasn’t what anyone would call a ‘stay at home, one woman man type’ and if that was what Dick had been raised with, well, he could have absorbed that lesson a little too well.

Or maybe he really was just busy interning at Wayne Corp to get his feet on the ladder.

Or he might have gotten tired of Marilee, except last weekend Bob had walked in on them watching some movie in the den and he’d practically had to throw a bucket of cold water on the two of them.

Maybe he was just busy.

Oh, dammit—she was going to the stupid dance as a chaperone and she could see for herself how the thing went. If Dick had decided to move on, maybe she could do something to fan the flames and if he really was just busy, well, maybe she could think of a reason for the poor boy to relax with them when they went out to Martha’s Vineyard in July.

This wasn’t over, not by a long shot; not if she had anything to say about it.

 

* * *
 

Dick walked through the large white tent set up on the lower lawn, the chairs set up by the pool with piles of towels ready to be grabbed, the tables with soft drinks and glasses ready for the students to make their entrances. The party rental people had set up the marquee, set up the tables. The caterer was starting the prep work for the late diner and even later breakfast that would follow, the band was getting its equipment ready for the sound check. Hundred and hundreds of balloons were inflated and in place along with the flowers, lighting and other decorations, all in Brixton Academy blue and gold.

Wayne Manor hosted at least a half dozen large parties a year; this was just another day at the office around here.

“Thanks for letting us do this, Bruce.”

“My pleasure. ‘You about ready to get to the school?”

“Um-hmm.”

“When is Marilee getting here?”

“I’m picking her up when her own ceremony is over. It’s at three for some reason so I’ll bring her over and she can change upstairs then we’ll all go over to my graduation then just come back together.”

Bruce scanned the expansive lawn, the hubbub of the party arrangements and the many workers doing their various jobs. “Are you two still solid?”

“For now, I guess, sure. I don’t know what’s going to happen in September, though; we’ll see.” Dick went back inside to get his shoes on while Bruce quietly smiled to himself.

 

* * *
 

“Bob, are you coming or aren’t you?”

“Marykate, you know I told you that I wouldn’t be there last week and I told you again last night, now, please…” Marilee’s graduation ceremony was over, she’d made them proud and was finished with her obligations to ‘Ridge. Her friends had already left for the shore and she was over at Wayne’s place so she could get ready without bother Dick for a ride or having to drive herself. “And could you explain to me why she couldn’t just ride over there with you instead of taking two cars?”

“She wanted to spend some time with Dick before the crowd arrived.” She had thought he wasn’t serious, how could he miss this? It was a rite of passage, their daughter’s graduation party, one of the last things she’d be doing as a ‘child’ before she left for college and he was being flat out pig headed about it, as usual.

“Mary, please. You know you’re just going to keep an eye on those two and you also know that there will be plenty of people there and there’s no reason to worry. Bruce Wayne will be there, f’God’ssake. Just relax, will you? Sit down, read a book, watch a movie or have a drink and leave them alone.”

“I can’t believe you, I really can’t. You just don’t understand, you don’t care; you just don’t.”

He turned back to his newspaper, wondering if she had any plans to really cement things between the kids and thinking there wasn’t much he’d put past her. Part of him suspected that if their daughter turned up pregnant this summer Marykate would start knitting booties the second after she made sure the trip to the Justice of the Peace was arranged for. He shook his head to himself; this wasn’t what he wanted to Mari and never had been what her mother wanted, either. Sure, Dick was a nice kid, smart and all of that but rich wasn’t the be all and end all of everything and he didn’t understand why his wife was so obsessed with the whole thing.

It just wasn’t right.

 

* * *
 

The students started arriving at nine for the party, dressed in a mix of tuxes, sports jackets, gowns and a goodly number in jeans and tees.

Marilee had almost cried when she came out of the guest bedroom to find Dick in an old and comfortable pair of jeans and a class tee with the names of every kid in the class printed on the back. Overdressed and embarrassed by her formal, she immediately washed off her makeup, took down her hair and downgraded to the cut-offs and halter she’d worn for her ride to the Manor.

“Hey, don’t worry about it, you look great in anything and no one cares—they really don’t. This is supposed to just be fun; it’s the mothers who insisted on the tent and all that bull. C’mon, let’s take a tour before it gets to crowded and trashed.”

She managed a smile, relieved that he didn’t laugh at her or anything. She kissed his cheek, slid her arms around him and moved to his mouth and likely would have maneuvered the two of them into the guestroom if Alfred, his radar pinging, hadn’t walked down the hall at just that moment.

Within an hour the party was in full swing.

The atmosphere was relaxed, happy, informal and helped by the fact that the lighting was perfect, as was the weather, the food ad non-alcoholic drinks were plentiful and the band was good. A good number of the parents and chaperones had been to the Manor before, or at least seen pictures of it in the society pages or Architectural Digest, but they still gaped when faced with the real thing all dressed up for a good time.

Appetizers were followed by dancing till about midnight when the band took a break, the diner buffet came out for an hour and was followed by a hundred kids or so changing into bathing suits—or not— and hitting the outdoor pool, including Dick and Marilee.

Splashing, chicken fights, races and a few kids hanging on the sides talking, the chaperones keeping as close a watch as they could. There were over five hundred mostly darkened acres available but they seemed to have things under control with the expected couple of kids quietly busted for beer and some pot. The plus was that there were no neighbors within any possible earshot to complain about the excessive noise, a good thing when the illegal fireworks started. The band, having fulfilled it’s contract, left to be replaced by a state of the art sound system hooked up to a rented juke box.

By three in the morning Alfred was going through the premises distributing blankets and pillows for the kids who lacked stamina and were curled up on couches, lounge chairs and the lawn.

By four a number of the students had faded and gone home, signing themselves out and there were just a few clumps of students around the two fire pits softly talking, cuddling with respective paramours and savoring the day. The cleaning crews tried not to disturb while they made their way through the area picking up glasses, plates, wet towels and general rubble as they set things back to order.

At seven the catering crew was setting up the breakfast buffet, omelets made to order, pancakes, bagels, fresh fruit and juices along with tea and coffee and kept food coming until nine.

“Mr. Wayne? Thank you so much—that was awesome, totally awesome. Maybe we could come back and do this again next year?”

“…”

“Or maybe not, okay.”

“Dick, dude, amazing party, I owe you, man, we all do—talk about the other half.”

“’S’okay, Steve, any time.”

“Yeah, like tell Jeeves that.”

“…Alfred. His name is Alfred.”

“Yeah, whatever. ‘Scares the shit outta me.”

They were standing in the main driveway by the front steps, seeing people off, Bruce surrounded by a group of the chaperones and the kids mostly thanking Dick as they found their cars and went home to sleep.

The party was a success.

Marykate finally found her daughter asleep in the guest room she’d used before, her Vera Wang, unused, neatly hanging on the back of a closet door. Gently touching her shoulder, she gave her a hug, “Sweetheart? Time to go home honey. Time to get up.”

Marilee groggily complied, half falling out of the bed. Marykate pulled the covers up to semi-make the bed, assuming it would be stripped and the linens washed then paused, frowning at a lump under the spread and reached in to see what was there. Pulling out the tee shirt Dick had been wearing during the party, she hid a smile.
 

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