Extra Guest

Please note: Even though he’s in plain clothes in this fic, to make it easier to tell him and Dick Malvern apart and to simplify things I’ve (mostly) called Dick Grayson ‘Robin’ in this story. You’ll see what I mean. Blame DC for giving two characters the same name; so inconsiderate. Oh, and I use Kara and Linda interchangeably. Not to worry. I figure he’d know her as both.

 

*   *   *

“But he won’t be any trouble, I promise—you know how much you said you like him and if we don’t let him stay here, he’ll probably just end up all alone eating pizza or something.” She turned the full force of a pleading face to her mother. “Please?”

“…Yes, he’s very sweet, but tell me why he’d be all alone over Thanksgiving if he’s not here. Surely he has other friends, doesn’t he?” Edna Danvers was in the kitchen, peeling sweet potatoes in preparation for tomorrow’s big family dinner. The turkey was in the fridge, the pies would be baked fresh later, the cider was bought and chilling on the back porch and the string beans had been rinsed, ready to be sliced.

Linda was washing the good set of dishes, making sure there was no dust or anything from a year in the cabinet and she spoke above the sound of the water. “Because there’s some big case over in Europe Batman is working on and Alfred has some family problem he has to deal with and Rob isn’t supposed to work because he had some minor surgery on his leg or something so, even if he went he couldn’t do much and he said he’d be bored. Please, Mom?”

“What about his other friends?” Clearly Edna was referring to the Teen Titans.

“It’s kind of awkward with them—I mean they’re all good friends and they’re really nice, well except for Speedy anyway, but it’s sort of complicated…please Mom, can he stay?”

“May he stay.” She wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and actually sighed, signaling Linda she’d given in. “Well, I’ll have to talk to your father about it, but I suppose it will be all right. Your Dad will like having another male to talk to for a few days, I guess—maybe he’ll finally have someone to watch football with, but he’ll have to sleep in the den because I simply can’t ask my parents to sleep on that couch—he won’t mind that, will he?”

Linda hugged her, wet hands and all. “You’re the best, Mom, and I promise he won’t care where he sleeps and he’ll be no trouble at all. Really, you’ll hardly even know he’s here.”

Well, that was a stretch, but she’d deal with it. It was almost a year and a half since Robin had stayed at their house the first time. He and Linda had been working on a case; it had gotten late and she’d put him in the guestroom instead of going all the way back to Gotham at five in the morning and, when he’d appeared in the kitchen for breakfast, had been too sick with pneumonia to leave, ending up staying almost a week while he recovered with the help of special meds Kal-El had brought. In those few days Edna and Fred Danvers had grown fond of the boy, especially after hearing the bare bones of his story; how he was orphaned, how he’d ended up with Batman as a guardian. Edna still bristled when she thought of that poor thing being left to fend for himself at fourteen while sick enough Kal had to be called in to help. Neither Linda nor Robin seemed to find anything unusual or odd about the child being abandoned, but Kal had been quietly furious and Edna still saw red when she thought about it. The boy was so sweet, though, and so grateful for her small kindnesses to him that it almost broke her heart to think about him being neglected. He tried to be so mature and self possessed but a blind man could see how desperately he wanted someone to be a parent to him and how he longed for an adult he could talk to and find approval with. And it was as plain as the nose on his face that he was desperate to have someone be a mother to him. Oh, he’d have denied it, but Edna had seen his expression when she’d push his hair out of his eyes or tell him to put on a warmer shirt and it just about broke her heart.

After he’d gone home, they had received one short letter thanking them for their kindness and at Christmas they’d been surprised with a year’s worth of flowers delivered to the house every month and which Edna exclaimed over—especially when she saw that Robin was the one who had signed the card and not his guardian. It was thoughtful and extravagant and after that she wouldn’t hear a thing against the boy in any way, shape or form and followed any and all press about him to make sure he was all right. Linda and Fred would occasionally be greeted at breakfast with a magazine article and a “Do you think he looks like he’s too thin? Maybe I should send him some cookies or health bars—would he like them?” Or, “He looks tired to me. Linda, is he working too much? I think you should talk to Batman about…”

So on Wednesday afternoon Robin arrived wearing jeans, tee shirt and an oversized sweatshirt over it all, small duffle, a bouquet of two dozen yellow roses in hand and a slight limp from whatever his leg was recovering from. “I wasn’t sure what color you liked, but these were my Mom’s favorite.”

She hugged him tightly, coming dangerously close to crushing the flowers, “They’re beautiful, honey and you’ve no idea how happy we are to have you back with us again. We missed you! Now, Linda, help Robin get settled then you two may see if there’s anything which needs to be picked up around the house. We have to get my parents after dinner and I don’t want them to walk into a mess, all right?” Edna always called him Robin and always would for as long as she knew him—long after he’d given up the name himself.

While the kids were getting Rob arranged in the den, Edna put the flowers in water, delighting in the heady scent, surprised at how strong it was. Usually hothouse flowers, especially hybrids lack scent, but these…

“One time my Mom got flowers and she complained they had no smell, so I asked to make sure these did. Are they okay? I mean, you’re not allergic or anything, are you?” He was beside her, looking worried he’d made a mistake or overstepped somehow, his sweatshirt dropped somewhere.

“They’re perfect.” She put her arm around his waist, kissing his cheek, giving him a small squeeze and happy to see his smile, noticing he’d grown inches since the last time he’d been with them. He was a good half head taller than she was now and noticed that Linda only came up to about his eyebrows. The moment lasted a few more seconds before he pulled away, embarrassed.

“Can I help with anything?”

“How are you at peeling potatoes? I’ve finished the sweet potatoes, but some people like the regular ones better—you know how to do this?”

“One of my specialties.” He sat down with the five-pound bag, peeler and paper bag to drop the peels into. “Alfred won’t let anyone do anything in the kitchen—it’s kinda his turf, but when I first went there I’d keep hanging around and he finally gave up and let me help. And I don’t think he likes peeling potatoes himself, anyway.”

She smiled at him and the picture he painted of a small boy being given a chore to keep him busy. She was curious about his life and how he was able to switch so easily from working as a world acclaimed super hero to just being a normal teenager. She knew, through Linda and Kal that he’d lost his parents to crime when he was quite young and that had been the catalyst for his career, but still, as exceptional as he obviously was—it had to be difficult for him.

“Honey, it’s really none of my business,” she was washing the lettuce in the sink, her back turned to where Robin was sitting at the table, “but don’t you ever miss being, well, more like the other kids in school, like your friends? Doesn’t it ever get lonely for you? I worry so much about you young people, and I know it bothers Linda sometimes—the secrecy and all; does that ever upset you?”

He didn’t look up, his eyes on what he was doing. After a few moments she wondered if he was going to answer her at all, then, “Sometimes. A little. Sometimes I’d like to be able to just hang out after school or join one of the sports teams, maybe make friends with some of the kids in school, but… but it’s part of the job. And I do have friends: Linda, the Titans. I see them a lot.” He shifted the paper bag he was dropping the peels into so they wouldn’t fall on the floor. “I mean after a show, when I was a kid, when my parents were still alive, we all knew that we usually had to do a meet and greet, sign autographs and stuff. You just get used to it but it’s all just surface. You shake hands, sign a program, thank them and never see them again. It’s no big deal. The difference with real friends is that you can talk about real stuff—about how you feel about things and what matters to you. It’s a lot harder, takes more effort. I guess in a way it was a little like being an army brat—you just get used to moving around all the time and you know that any friends you make may not be there next week so you just kind of, I don’t know, I guess you just kind of figure out how to skim along without really touching anything. I mean, I had my parents and the other people in the cast and crew, but the rest sort of came and went. Does that make any sense?”

“Well, yes it does, but it’s usually worth it when you find the right people.”

“I know, but…” He paused, thinking. “The kids in the school I go to have no idea what my life is like or even what it was like before I went to live with Br…”He stopped himself. “I’m sorry. I’m not supposed to talk about that. You know, about the man who took me in.”

“I know. I understand, honey.”

“But everyone at school and in the town we live in thinks he took me in because…” He blushed. “Because, you know—because he likes boys; but it’s not true. Then they see Alfred living there and assume—and it’s all crap. They’re just, you know, they just felt sorry for me and took me in. That’s all.” He stopped, angry at the bad memories then finally looked up, a half smile o his face. “Besides, if anything was going on Kal would have killed him by now, either Kal or someone else in the JLA. They’re pretty protective about the sidekicks.”

Edna laughed a little. Rob was right; Kal wouldn’t tolerate anything like that going on, not for one minute and she was glad to hear the boy acknowledge he had people looking out for him whom he could turn to if need be. Even if he was talking casually about world famous heroes as though they were just a set of nice people from down the block. “So just ignore all of that silly gossip, honey. After all, you know the truth.” She caught his slight nod—this bothered him, though and she wished there were something she could do to help him with it. “So, what have you been up to since we saw you last?”

“I don’t know, the same old stuff.”

“Saving the world, helping little old ladies across the street, ridding Gotham of bad guys?”

This time he laughed for real. “Right—same old.”

“…What about a girlfriend?”

He blushed bright red and kept his head down, a half smile on his face.

“So there is someone! I thought there might be—someone as good looking as you are, you must have the girls running after you all the time.”

He smiled, saying nothing about that. “The potatoes are done, is there anything else?”

“Not right now, but I bet Linda has some ideas of things you two could do. It’s so warm this afternoon I think she was going to get together with some of her school friends. I’m sure you’d like them if you wanted to go along; you could get some fresh air.”

“Sure, sounds good.”

“And when you get back you can tell me about your young lady.” She smiled so he knew she was teasing, even though she wasn’t.

Linda led him to the large park about six blocks away, going slowly so his leg wouldn’t bother him as much. “So, are you going to tell me what happened?” She meant the injury.

“I was shot by one of Two-face’s thugs. The bullet went through without much damage and it’s no big deal. It’s healing, it’s getting better.” He wasn’t using crutches and seemed all right, other the small limp.

“And Bruce didn’t flip out?”

“He would have if he knew but it happened when he was out of town. Alfred was able to bandage it up and make sure it didn’t get infected.”

“And he didn’t say anything? I thought he was unbribeable.”

“He is—mostly, but I have ways around him. Sometimes.” Only because he and Alfred both knew that if Bruce found out what really happened, Robin’s wings would be clipped but good and maybe permanently. Bruce was under the impression Dick skidded on his motorcycle while he was riding around the estate and had—thankfully—learned his lesson about being careful on gravel.

“So how come you really didn’t want to go to Europe with them?”

“Alfred is with his family in England and Bruce is at some boring economic conference for a week—meetings all day and dinners and receptions every night. I mean, just kill me instead. Plus, Garth is back in Atlantis taking his finals, Donna is shopping in New York with Diana, Roy is working some big case with Ollie and Wally is doing the family thing.”

“So here you are.”

“So here I am.” She didn’t say anything about Haley’s and the fact he’d left them out. If he’d wanted to talk about it he would. They got to the park, several blocks long and with the usual playground and baseball diamonds for the local little league and company softball games. A group of teenagers—obviously Linda’s friends, were sitting on and around a picnic table, talking and joking. “So, what’s our story?”

“You’re an old friend from way back when and we’re thrilled to see each other again. You’re visiting for the holiday because your guardian was called out of town. Okay?”

“Works for me. And we’re just friends, I take it?” She gave him a dirty look. “So we play that one by ear?”

“You behave yourself; my boyfriend is there.” Dick/Robin gave her a ‘you’ve got a boyfriend?’ look. “His name is Dick Malverne and he gets jealous, so be nice, please.”

“I’m always nice. Which one?”

“Green shirt.”

“Flat top? He has a flat top? Kara—Jesus.”

“Behave. And be quiet. And call me Linda, please.”

Introductions were made all around with Dick Malverne giving Robin a close once over before settling Linda next to him with an arm possessively draped over her shoulder.

“So, you live in Gotham? This place must seem pretty boring to you.” Dick M was already starting; he’d noticed how the girls were looking at the new kid, even if he was an old friend of Linda’s and even if he was a year or two younger than most of the crowd. He’d even caught Lena saying something to Susan about ‘in-credible eyes!’ and Sue answering about his ‘killer bod’. This had to be stopped and fast. He was the stud around here.

“Gotham’s okay if you like cities. I live a little ways out in Bristol, though and actually I like it here—or I like Linda’s family, anyway. They’re really all I’ve seen up till now.”

“You and Linda are old friends?”

“She stayed with us—me and my guardian, for a while before she went to that orphanage. I guess that’s where you two met, right? I kept trying to get in touch with her there but the letters were returned; don’t know why.” Robin was so not intimidated by this jerk.

“How come you have a guardian?” Dick M looked like he was going to try to use this for some kind of ammo.

“’Same reason you were adopted—my parents are dead.” The girls made sympathetic noises and one squeezed his arm. “I was eight, it was an accident.”

“That why you’re limping?”

“I twisted my knee throwing a dismount off the high bar.” It sounded believable and made the girls look at the muscles in his arms—and made Linda’s jerk boyfriend steam a little.

“Gymnast?” Dick M countered with “I play football, myself. Gymnastics always seemed a little fairy to me.”

Robin just smiled. “Yeah, some people think that.” A couple of the girls laughed, just looking at the new kid gave lie to that. “And I never really got off on hitting people.” His smile stayed mild, directed at Susan across the table as general conversation started up again and Linda caught the two of them making small talk involving how long he’d be staying and if he had any real plans while he was here. Inside of about ten minutes they had plans to hook up before he left and Dick M was silently fuming about the new kid moving in so easily. They passed an hour or so before the others started drifting off, having to get back home to help with this and that or to finish chores before relatives descended the next day. Besides, it was getting cold sitting there. Walking home after getting a pretty possessive kiss goodbye and a promise he’d call her later, Linda bit her tongue, knowing she’d be grilled by Dick M sooner or later about Robin and not looking forward to it.

“You could have been a little less snarky, you know.”

“I was charming; Sue thought so, anyway. Besides, you can do better.” The look Linda gave him let him know to drop it and fast before they went inside. He took the hint but added, “Well, you know you could.”

“Are you kids all right here while we get my parents at the airport, sweetie? I don’t think there’s room in the car for everyone if they bring that huge suitcase they usually have with them.”

They were in the kitchen, the older Danvers ready to make the pickup, coats in place. “No problem, we’ll be fine.”

The two kids started a simple dinner for everyone to have when they got back from the airport run. “You never told me that you know how to cook.”

Robin was boiling the water for spaghetti, cutting up various things for the sauce and grating cheese for the mozzarella garlic bread. “Alfred.”

“You mean you’re the kitchen help?”

“I mean I get bored sometimes after school and so I help out. He taught me.”

Linda stirred the sauce, gently bubbling. “This smells amazing.”

“The Four Seasons uses this recipe—the owner was over for dinner a couple of years ago and begged Alf to give it to him. I think they call it ‘Marinara ala Alfred’ or something. I think he even gets some money for letting them use it, but he gives it to some charity.”

“So how come you didn’t want to go to Europe? I mean the truth.” Linda was buttering the baguettes and not looking at him cutting the tomatoes and browning the chopped meat. He shrugged a non-answer. “Did you and Bruce have another argument?”

“…He’s on my case about college.”

“Already? But you’re only a sophomore.”

“We wouldn’t want to wait till the last minute, would we?” He drained the grease and dumped the browned meat into the sauce. “He wants me to go to Harvard, Yale or Wharton, major in business then get an MBA from maybe Stanford, though he thinks that Penn State may be marginally acceptable, too. Then I’m supposed to join one of the divisions of his corporation, work my way up—which should take about ten minutes—and take over so he can kick back and be the Bat all day and night.” He lifted a lid to make sure the pasta water was boiling. “And I can still be Robin so long as the company stays in the black.”

Linda stared at him in horror. “You’re serious.”

“Yep.” He took a large handful of spaghetti out of the box, looked at it for a second and added another smaller handful. “He said something about starting to go check out the schools personally. You know how most families get in the car and do road trips to schools on weekends or during vacations? Bruce wants us to have dinner with the deans so we can all get to know one another.” He turned down the flame under the sauce. “I mean, Jesus—can you picture that? Bruce Wayne and his checkbook over dessert? Talk about a nightmare.”

“Robbie, you have to say something.”

“I have, he doesn’t care. He thinks I’m being rebellious or going through a phase or something and that I’ll come to my senses any day now.”

“What about Alfred? He can’t agree with his.”

“Alf tries to stay out of it. I guess he’ll say something if it gets too far, but for now he just kind of pretends it isn’t happening.”

“Well, what are you going to do?”

He smiled. “Run away and join the circus?” Car lights came up the driveway; the Danver’s were home. “I’ll think of something, Kara. I always do. C’mon, help with the luggage.”

There was a flurry of activity as the grandparents arrived, were introduced and their bags taken upstairs, while Edna exclaimed over dinner being ready as soon as the pasta was cooked. Robin was given yet another hug, in fact he was given two, one from Edna and one from her mother—“None of this ‘Mister’ and ‘Missus’ stuff. You call me Dorothy, and this is Charlie. You got that?” He suffered them without complaint, ignoring the smirk on Linda’s face.

A little while, around the crowded kitchen table, Robin was given the third degree. “So Edna tells us you and Linda have been friends ever since…oh dear. I mean you’ve been friends for a long time, isn’t that right?”

“Linda stayed with us for a few weeks before she went to that orphanage…”

“Oh, Linda, sweetheart, I didn’t mean to bring all that unpleasantness up for you—but weren’t you a dear to let her stay, Robin. Or does anyone call you Rob? A strapping young man like you, goodness! You look more like a Robert to me!”

Edna passed the garlic bread in an effort to tone down her mother. “Mom, please. Let the children eat, for heaven’s sake.”

“So, you live in Gotham? Do you really like living in a great big city like that? I’d think you’d rather be out somewhere you could ride you bike or take your girlfriend for a nice long walk in the woods—Edna told me you have a young lady and no wonder! A handsome thing like you wouldn’t have any problem in that area, I wouldn’t think”

“Mom…”

“Well, it’s true. Have you ever seen bluer eyes in your life?”

“Grandma…”

“And where on earth did you get those shoulders? My goodness!”

“Dorothy, you’re embarrassing Robin, just leave him alone for once.”

He managed a straight face, but only because he’d had a lifetime of training. “I actually don’t live in the city, we’re in one of the suburbs about fifteen minutes outside of town. And it’s fine; it’s far enough away it’s pretty quiet, but we can still get in whenever we want really easily. And there’s a lot of stuff to do there, it’s not bad.”

Dorothy clucked her tongue. “Oh, darling, you’re just the bravest, sweetest thing; and after everything you’ve been through!” Thank God she didn’t dab at her eyes. “I’m just glad you have these two who look after you a little bit.” She paused for a second to sip her wine. “And you know, you two aren’t really all that far apart age wise, you know.”

Robin and Linda looked at one another. Oh man, don’t even go there. “Um, Linda has a boyfriend and I’m kind of seeing someone and…”

“Well for now, yes, but I meant later.” She took another bite of the pasta, “And you can even cook, my word. Linda, I just think it would be a crime to let this one get away, that’s all I’m saying and not another word.”

At this point Dick/Robin simply had enough and doubted if he could control his smirk any longer. “If it’s okay, I promised I’d call to let everyone know I’m all right.”

“Of course, dear, use the phone in the study, why don’t you?” Edna could see he’d taken as much of this as he was going to. As soon as he left she spoke her mind. “Really mother—how could you? That poor child was embarrassed!”

“Oh Edna, he was not. He knew I was teasing him, he was enjoying every second of it. Not that I don’t think Linda could do quite a bit worse than handsome, polite, intelligent, charming and didn’t you tell me his guardian has some money as well? He even cooks. He’s perfect, for goodness sake!”

“Mother…”

“Well, he is.” Completely unruffled, she started gathering plates, carrying them out to the kitchen. “You just wait a couple of years and see if I’m right.”

 

*   *   *

“Bruce? No, really, I’m fine. The Danvers are really nice and the grandparents just got here…they’re going to take some getting used to but I think they’ll be okay…oh, c’mon, I just went through this with the grandmother—Linda has a boyfriend…He’s a total hose, but she seems to like him, though your guess is as good as mine why…I was thinking I might mess with his head a little…because it will be fun, that’s why. How’s Alfred doing?…And the ‘job’?…No, my leg is fine, almost completely healed, honest. I’ll see you Monday, okay? I’ll call if anything happens…Of course the grandparents don’t know about my ‘part time job’, I’m not completely stupid, you know…’kay , ‘bye.”

Linda knocked on the opened door as he hung up. “Everything all right?”

He smiled over at her, “Fine. Bruce said to thank all of you for putting up with me and he’ll be back Monday. C’mon, let’s go help with the dishes.”

“House rules: whoever cooks doesn’t clean up. I think Dad was going to try to get you to watch a football game with him and Grandpa; think you can handle it?” Okay, she could tell he was hiding something, but that was just like breathing for Robbie.

“’Piece of cake.”

The rest of the evening was fine, benign and pleasant. Dorothy and Charlie seemed just flat out happy to be around their family and Dick was included easily and without any fuss…until Linda got a call about 8:30.

“Mom? Dick wants to know if I can go see a late movie with him.”

“What about Robin?”

The boy looked over, “I’m fine here. Really.”

“Sweetie, I really think you should include Robin here; it would be rude to just go off and leave him, don’t you think?”

Linda spoke into the phone for a minute. “We’re going to see the new Star Wars movie and Rob can come if he wants.” She mouthed ‘Please come.’

Yeah, great, Malverne would be thrilled with a third wheel cutting in on his date time. Stuck, he knew there was no way to really get out of it other than spending the evening watching whatever game the men were watching or having the grandmother clucking over him. “Sounds good, sure.” So what if he’d already seen the thing. Jar-jar Binks? Please.

“Dick said he’d pick us up in about fifteen minutes and some of the others will meet us there.”

Rob smiled, thinking, ‘Just kill me now.’

He sat in the back of Malverne’s car on the ten-minute ride, ignored by the driver who spoke only to Linda, driving with his arm around her shoulder. Dick M did make a few off hand comments about how gay he thought both gymnastics and people who lived in big cities were and which Robin completely ignored. Hose.

Finally seated in the theater with the other five or six kids, waiting for the lights to go down, Susan sat herself in the seat next to Robin, insisting they share a large bucket of popcorn. Dick M leaned across Linda, “So you do like girls after all, Robin?”

“No, actually I prefer sheep.” Cripes, what a bonehead. “Why, you have a sister you’re looking to fix up?” Linda gave him a dirty look while Susan laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek, much to Dick M’s annoyance and Linda’s amusement. The lights went down, Susan took Robin’s hand and whispered to him through most of the whole movie. Rob was simply glad it was Star Wars and not some make out flick—this was getting a little weird, even for his life. Jeez, it was like sitting between Roy and Donna when they were having another one of their endless arguments, the ones that made Garth take to the pool and sit on the bottom for a few hours.

Sue was leaning her head on his shoulder by half way through the film, “You know, I do gymnastics, too. I’m on the school team and everything—we even went to State last year and placed fourth—it was pretty cool.” She was whispering in his ear and playing with his hair. “Are you on your school’s team? I’d love to see some of your tricks.”

Good God; subtle, y’think? “My school doesn’t have a team, I just kind of work on my own.”

Someone behind them ‘shushed’ them. Dick glanced back, apologetically; Sue smiled an ‘I’ll be quiet’ at him and snuggled closer, holding his bicep with both hands. “I bet you look great in tights.”

Jeez. He could hear Kara giggling a couple of seats over. “I bet you do, too.”

“Maybe we’ll get a chance to trade moves while you’re here, would you like that?” Sue was rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb. It was less than subtle, but he was used to being hit on. Robin seemed to be a chick magnet, even if Dick Grayson wasn’t most of the time. It occurred to him that maybe it was the name itself…The people behind them made another, angrier, request that they either be quiet or take their party elsewhere. Chastised, the rest of the film was sans talking or whispering, but not without handholding.

When the lights finally came up, Robin and Susan headed out one side of the row of seats while Dick M and Linda walked out in the other direction, arriving at Dick’s car just in time to see Rob and Sue exchanging a pretty good couple of kisses.

“Excuse us? Not to interrupt or anything, but does anyone want to get something to eat before we head home?” Dick M was clearly becoming more annoyed with the new kid by the minute but maybe making the kid see how he ruled the local turf would be useful.

“What time is it?” Susan asked the group in general.

Robin took out the gold pocket watch attached to a belt loop by an antique gold chain that Alfred had given him for his last birthday—everyone else had a plastic Swatch, “It’s almost twelve. Is anything still open around here?”

“I think we can find someplace that hasn’t rolled up the sidewalk yet, Junior.” Dick was in full snark mode and Linda gave him a look which went right past the twit.

Seated at a large table in the local Denny’s the other kids seemed to be almost taking sides or waiting to see what was going to happen between Dick M and Linda’s friend. The new guy seemed all right—he really did but he’d rubbed Dick wrong and that usually wasn’t a good thing. Dick M was quarterback of the football team, played first base on the baseball team and anchored the swim team, plus he was president of the class and probably going to Princeton if his parents didn’t make him go to State. He was the most popular guy in the school and used to inspiring awe when he walked down the halls.

The problem was that not only did this new kid seem to think Dick M was a jerk, he didn’t even bother to hide it. In fact, not only didn’t he hide it, he didn’t even bother to engage, as if he wasn’t worth the trouble and that was making Dick even angrier. The new kid, Robin, was it? He was just talking to Sue and laughing at whatever she was saying while answering any questions that came his way. He was smart and funny and really good looking.

This was not good. Dick really didn’t like being blown off.

“So, how long are you going to be around for? Long visit?”

Robin glanced across the table to Dick. “No, not long, just through the weekend.”

Sue went into an immediate pout at the news. “But you’ll come back to see us again, won’t you?”

He gave her that special smile; the one which he was learning to use to his advantage. “Would you like me to?” Oh, no, not at all. She just wanted to run off and elope right this minute.

“Maybe you’ll have a longer visit next time.” She looked like she was thinking of some of the things they could do if he dropped by for a month or two. Lots and lots of things. “And you could always stay with…one of the other kids. I mean, if the Danvers are busy or something, you could always stay with someone else.”

Oh yeah, wouldn’t Bruce be thrilled with that idea? Robin smiled a non-answer and took another look at his watch. “It’s almost one, Linda.” The implication was that they had to be home when, in fact, they had no specific curfew. Robin had enough, was ready to leave and she knew it; besides, there were too many undercurrents going on for her tastes.

“Oh hey, right. We’ve got to get going; you don’t mind, do you, Dick?” Malverne looked like he’d be happier if Robin’s coke was served with ground glass instead of ice, but thankfully kept his mouth shut on that score. Nodding, secretly grateful to end the evening before something happened they’d all regret, Dick M agreed to take them home but not before Susan managed to give Robin a kiss goodnight along with a promise that they’d see each other before he went back to Gotham.

The ride back was uneventful and Robin was tactful enough to go inside so Linda could say good night to Dick without an audience. A few minutes later Robin was in the study spreading the blanket over the couch for the night when Linda knocked on the door. “Everyone’s asleep, already.”

“I figured.” Rob yawned. “Hey, look, I’m sorry about tonight; I guess it didn’t go the way you wanted it to and I wasn’t trying to embarrass you or anything.”

No kidding. “It’s okay. Dick was being a jerk.”

“Yeah, well, so was I. ‘Really sorry, Kara; it won’t happen again.”

“...Of course it will. Get some sleep.” A few minutes after she went up to her own room, he slipped out. It was still early for him and he wasn’t ready to sleep yet; wasn’t any point in just staring at the ceiling, was there? He walked around the quiet streets, going over this and that as he strolled past the dark houses. He was a little surprised when he glanced up into a lighted window to see Dick M sitting there, looking out. They saw one another, locked eyes for a few long seconds before Robin moved out of his line of sight.

 

*   *   *

At breakfast the next morning Edna smiled as she handed Robin a glass of orange juice…canned, not the fresh squeezed stuff he would have gotten at home. “What time did you two get back last night; did you have a good time?”

He shrugged with an evasive answer. “The movie was okay, then we got something to eat. I don’t think it was all that late, really.”

Maybe not compared to the hours he was used to keeping with Batman, but for a regular teenager? “I saw that one of you were thoughtful enough to bring in the morning paper for us. Thank you.”

Busted. Linda looked a question at him.

“I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk. Sorry.”

Grandma Dorothy smiled at the poor thing, away from home on a holiday and with his real parents no longer around. No wonder he was a little restless last night and with Linda’s friends being strangers as well, goodness—the darling was behaving like a real trouper. What was it Edna had told them about the boy? He was orphaned eight or ten years ago, he and Linda knew each other from one of those horrid orphanages or had Linda stayed with his adoptive family? Well, whichever; they were old friends and that was nice for both of them, of course. And his new family, there was something about that as well—of course, that was it. He wasn’t living with an actual family; he was living with a single man. How odd. And the man was someone important or rich or…it escaped her right this second but she’d ask Edna later.

The poor thing. He’d had such a difficult life and then to be shuttled off like a pet dog sent to a kennel on a holiday, it just wasn’t right and that’s all there was to it. Well she for one would make sure he had a good time and knew he was welcome here whenever he wanted a place and that was a fact. He was a darling and so good looking! If she were a few decades younger she knew she’d have a crush on the dear thing—those eyes! He looked like Jimmy Dougal, back in Ohio when she was still in high school now that she really had a minute in the light of day to take a good look at him. He was just a beauty and that was a fact and she wouldn’t be surprised if Linda had noticed the same thing. “So you didn’t tell us, Robin, do you have a girlfriend back in Gotham? I bet you have your absolute pick of the girls, don’t you?”

“Mother…”

“Oh Edna, be quiet; I bet Robin does have a nice girl waiting for him, he just doesn’t want to talk about her—isn’t that right?”

Linda saw the look on his face and tried to help. “Actually Susan said she and Robin could get together before he leaves, right, Rob?”

Edna looked up from her eggs. “Susan Hartness, Linda? She’s such a sweet girl. Why I was playing bridge with her mother just last week and Jane was talking about how she wished Sue would meet someone nice and get her mind off that horrible Smith boy—you know the one; he was arrested for breaking into cars a couple of months ago. His parents are beside themselves about him and Jane was so worried about Sue being involved…”

“Mom, please?”

“Well, Rob here would be such an improvement and her parents would be thrilled. Besides, it would give him an excuse to come visit us more often, you know.” She gave his shoulder a squeeze as she walked past on her way to the toaster and he caught Linda’s eye; don’t worry about it.

They were clearing the table, getting the twenty-pound turkey out of the fridge so it could be stuffed and started in the oven when the phone rang. Fred answered. “Hello?…Yes, just a moment, please. Dick? It’s for you. Sue Hartness.”

Taking the receiver, embarrassed as all eyes were on him, he tried to pull the cord around the corner into the dining room. “Yes?”

“Hi, I hope I didn’t interrupt your breakfast or anything but I was wondering if you’re super busy today—I mean besides eating turkey, I mean.”

“Um…I guess…I don’t know. I think I’m supposed to help rake leaves or something and then Mr. Danvers wants to watch a couple of the games and I’m sorta…”

“I know. My father is the same way, but I was thinking that you could maybe get out later after all that stuff. I mean if you want to, that is.”

“Um, yeah, it sounds great, but I heard you have a boyfriend. Are you sure this is cool?” The last thing Robin needed was to get in the middle of something.

“No, I date a couple of people, but nothing serious. Maybe we could take a walk, if you’d like?”

“Sure, sounds good. I’ll call you when I can get away, is that okay?”

“Perfect. Great. See you later.”

“Later.” Rob walked back to the kitchen and hung up the phone, every eye on him. “She just wants to go for a walk after the turkey and the games, that’s all.”

“You have a date with Sue, sweetie? That’s nice.” Edna was just spooning the cornbread stuffing into the huge bird. “Mom? Are the apples peeled for the pie yet?”

“Not yet; how are you at peeling apples, Dick?”

“Better than potatoes.”

 

*   *   *
 

The turkey was in the oven, the Danvers, all generations, were getting ready to head out to see Midvale High play it’s holiday game against their yearly rival, The Ridge Ravens and Edna found Dick quietly sitting in the study. “Everything all right, dear?” He was so much older than he was a year and a half ago when he first came here. Taller, stronger, even better looking but something was on his mind and he seemed serious, and worried about something.

“Sure, just waiting or everyone to go.”

Edna closed the door behind her. “Robin, honey, what’s bothering you? I know you—something’s got you upset and I’d like to help if I can—did Batman do something to upset you?”

“No. Not really.” He looked out the window for a moment. “He’s leaning on me to make up my mind about college. I mean he’s really leaning on me about it.”

“You want to go, don’t you? You’re so smart and all. I’m sure he’s just concerned about your future and all of that.”

“I know.” He stopped, unsure if he wanted to go on and then it came out in a rush. “But I don’t want to go. I know I don’t—no one in my family ever went and they did just fine and it’s not like I’d never find a job or anything.” He searched her face for a second, hoping she’d understand. “I’m just so sick of going to school.”

“Sweetheart, is that why you didn’t go to Europe with him?”

He nodded. “I couldn’t take a week of him nagging at me about applications and SAT’s.”

“But you have to know that college opens doors—all right, I suppose you have plenty of doors already opened for you, but you know it has advantages.”

“Yeah, sure, but…I just don’t want to go. Not right after I graduate, anyway.”

She sat on the corner of the couch, close to his knee. “Well then what would you like to do? You must have given it some thought.”

He nodded. “Sure I have. I’d like to maybe work for the circus again—I still have a lot of friends there and the Wallenda’s said I could join them any time I wanted. And I’d like to really spend some time concentrating on getting the Titans even in better shape than they are now. I mean, we’re good and we usually do pretty well against the bad guys, but I think that we can be a lot better. I’d like to make that happen.”

“Those both sound like good things to do, honey. What does Batman say, though?”

“I haven’t said anything to him yet. He’s set on the whole college thing.” His voice had dropped several decibels. Clearly this wasn’t something he looked forward to dealing with.

They heard sounds out in the hall and a knock at the study door. “You two ready to see the game? You know how the stands fill up Thanksgiving, Edna”

“We’re just coming, Fred.” She patted Robin’s knee. This will work out, sweetheart, you’ll see. You know you’ll have to tell him how you feel, but as soon as you do that and make him understand, you’ll see.” He nodded, unconvinced but he stood and grabbed his jacket, ready to watch the game. Besides, Sue was meeting him there.

 

*   *   *
 

The game went well, with Robin disappearing up into the upper stands to sit with Sue (and later disappearing under the bleachers for a while). Linda sat with her parents and grandparents and left a few times to base the turkey. Dick, the Midvale High School quarterback, made a couple of mistakes, which he blamed on poor interference from the defense but they still ended up winning by a field goal so all wasn’t lost. As soon as the game was over Dick reappeared, Sue holding his hand.

“Would you mind very much if Dick comes over to my house after dinner today? My parents would love to meet him, if it’s okay with you.” She turned puppy eyes on Edna, who managed to repress a laugh. The young lady wasn’t subtle, but it all seemed harmless enough. It wasn’t like Robin would be missing out on his own family, after all.

“That would be just fine, dear. Make sure to call us if you need a ride home. But right now we’d better be getting back so we can put dinner on the table.”

“Mom?” Linda met them all in the crowded parking lot.” Is it okay with you if Dick comes over for dinner, too? We have plenty and his parents had to go to Center City—his grandfather is sick or something.”

Edna gave it a half-second’s thought. “I suppose so, but you make sure to tell him we’re eating in one hour and I want to start on time or the turkey will be ruined.”

 

*   *   *
 

“Really, Edna—I just don’t see how anyone could be mean to a young man as sweet as that Robin. He’s a charmer; good looking and smart as a whip. I simply don’t understand it for one minute.”

“Oh, I don’t think his guardian is actually trying to be cruel, Mom—I think it’s more a case of just not being sure how to raise a child, especially one who’s been through what that boy has. He just needs someone to love him and let him know he matters, that’s all.”

“I suppose, but I swear there are some thing in this world I’ll never understand.”

“Shh. The kids are coming in, he’ll hear you.”

“Linda, would you two get your hands washed and then make sure that the table is set? Thank you.” If Linda had head anything, she kept it to herself.

The dinner went well, with everyone eating too much and going into the expected turkey coma for a while afterwards. By about eight in the evening they had started back to life (though Fred and Charlie were asleep in front of some football game) and Robin took off for Sue’s house. Linda declined to join him saying that Dick M was coming over in a little while and she’d talk to him either later or at breakfast.

The adults settled in for a quiet few hours, Edna knitting while she chatted with her mother and Linda in the family room with Dick, watching a movie. Everything seemed fine until about ten when there was knock at the front door.

“Mrs. Danvers, forgive me interrupting on a holiday like this, but I’m looking for, um, Robin. I understand that he’s staying with you folks this weekend?”

“Goodness! Clark, please come in. Well, yes, he’s staying with us but he’s not here right this moment.” Clark Kent came in, dressed casually in slacks and a sweater, glasses in place. “Mom, this is Clark Kent, he’s Linda’s cousin and a friend of Robin’s, as well. Is something wrong, is there a problem?”

“No, nothing’s wrong, it’s just that his guardian is back earlier than he expected and would like the boy home. That’s all.”

There was something very odd about this and no one could miss the tension in the man. Clearly, something was, indeed, going on and it was probably not something good.

“Let me call over to where he is and get him back. This won’t take long. May I offer you a cup of coffee or a piece of pie? It’s homemade.”

He smiled, “That’s not necessary, but thank you. I’m sure he’ll be here quickly. In fact, I think I’ll just go pick him up myself.” He nodded to the women, and left rather abruptly. By morning Dick’s clothing and belongings disappeared from the study where he’d been using the couch as a bed and Edna assumed Kal picked them up at some point as well.

Yes, very odd.

It was three days later that they finally heard from Robin. Linda had been dealing with Dick M’s snide comments about how he was obviously on a short leash and someone called him to heel and Sue asked her a least a dozen times if Robbie was all right and when he might be back for another visit. She was clearly smitten, much to the annoyance of a good number of the boys in the class.

Linda, finally at the end of her rope as far as Dick M was concerned, gave n to her feelings and gave him what Edna would have called ‘what for’. The argument lasted for two hours and ended with her throwing him out of the house, It was two months before she agreed to go to a movie with him and he was properly put in his place. For now. Edna was thrilled and disappointed when the boy started coming around again.

The Danvers, both Fred and Edna and the grandparents were upset and concerned they’d somehow contributed to the boy’s recall when he seemed to be having a good and relaxing time. Susan even came over to explain to Edna that they really, really hadn’t done anything wrong. Honest. She blushingly admitted to a few kisses, but swore that was all that happened and that Robin had been a complete gentleman. He had perfect manners and hadn’t done anything he shouldn’t. He really, really hadn’t.

And he was so cute…did Mrs. Danvers have his address, by any chance? She just wanted to write him and, you know…

Robin’s letter of thanks for having him and allowing him to stay was in their mailbox with in a week, and though he apologized for his sudden disappearance, he didn’t explain it. He also had large bouquets of flowers delivered to both Edna and her mother, both women completely charmed by both his thoughtfulness and his maturity in thinking of such an extravagant gesture.

However, having met Robin’s guardian and having heard too many stories about the man, Edna imagined the worst and was close to giving Batman another piece of her mind when she rethought the idea and called Kal instead, demanding an explanation.

“I know that this may well be none of my business—wait a minute; of course it’s part of my business! That child was a guest in my home, again, because he was left to fend for himself again. I’m sorry, Kal, but I think I’m owed an explanation as to what on earth was going on and why he was pulled out of here without so much as a ‘by your leave’. Who does that man think he is? Does he know—or even care that Robin found himself a girlfriend while he was here? Does he?”

“Edna, I know you’re upset and I don’t blame you, but…”

“But what? What could have justified what happened here?”

“Well, Batman was in Europe and finished up what he was doing a few days early so he…”

“He decided that he would deign to take the boy back, let him go home like the feudal lord allowing a serf to sleep in the manor house instead of camping in a mud field. Very big of him, I must say!”

“Now, Edna, it’s really not quite like that…”

“Oh really? Then how is it? Robin was having a good time here; he was making new friends and he was relaxed and enjoying himself. And, frankly, I think he needs a mother figure in his life and I seem to be the one he’s chosen, at least for now. That man! I could just…” She suddenly stopped talking when it dawned on her that she was speaking like this about Batman to Superman and in defense of Robin, for goodness sake. She was giving Superman what for!

Oh dear.

These men—and the boy—were world famous heroes and had experiences and adventures she couldn’t even begin to understand. Their lives weren’t what anyone could consider normal by any standards and here she was…

No!

The way Batman treated that sweet child was unacceptable and that’s all there was to it. Yes, Kal and the rest of the Justice League seemed to look after the youngsters but clearly there were times when he just seemed to slip through the cracks. He needed attention and not just from fans and the world press. He needed someone to look after him and listen to how his day went and what he cared about. He needed a, well—he needed a mother and his wasn’t around to do the job anymore. The poor thing. Linda had told her that Robin was an orphan, the darling and he simply needed someone to care about him and not as a superhero or a teen heartthrob. He needed normalcy and a nice young lady like Susan (even though she was a bit fast for Edna’s taste, but not so much that Edna would put the brakes on the budding romance). He needed, well, he just needed someone to fuss over him now and then and to listen to what he had to say without issuing orders and edicts to offset the obsession and darkness of Batman.

That’s what he needed.

“Edna, Batman called Robin home so that they could have Thanksgiving together, even if it was a day or so late. He felt badly and wanted to make it up to the boy. I explained this to D…Rob and he was thrilled. Honestly, he was. He was tremendously grateful to you and Fred but he wanted to be in his own home.” He paused a moment. “You understand, don’t you?”

“Well. Of course I do but that doesn’t change the fact that poor boy was shipped off like a dog being sent to board in a kennel, does it?”

“No, I suppose it doesn’t.” And if it hadn’t been for Alfred giving Bruce Holy Hell, Dick would still be crashing on the Danver’s couch, but Kal declined to say anything about this small fact. “He, Batman did say that Rob could come back any time he wanted, so long as you’d have him. I think he does understand that you fill a need the boy has and—honestly—Di…Robin’s best interest really is important to him. I know he thinks of the boy as his son.”

She gave Kal a hard look, as though she thought he was trying to just placate her but then, after a long moment, softened a bit. “Robin said something to me while we were getting dinner ready. He was peeling potatoes and he said that he knows most people don’t understand the relationship and the connection between him and Batman but he doesn’t care. He looked at me with those blue eyes of his and said it works, no matter what anyone thinks.” She smiled. “Well, he said it works most of the time, anyway.” Her expression became a cross between sad and melancholy. “He’s such a sweet boy, Kal, and he’s still so young no matter what all he’s done and accomplished.”

“I know that. That’s why we keep an eye on him and the rest of the kids who do this. No one wants anything bad to happen to them—they’re all so extraordinary.”

“She looked out the window for a few longs seconds. “You swear that Batman really is kind to him, that he genuinely cares about Robin? That he’s good for him?”

“If I didn’t think so, he wouldn’t be living there.”

“Is that the truth?”

Kal tried to hide his smile. He was Superman, for the love of God; Truth, Justice and the American Way and all of that. “It’s the truth.”

She was slightly mollified, though she still had serious doubts about Batman and always would as far as Robin was concerned. “You make sure that boy knows he’s welcomed here any time at all, whether he needs to get away or if he just wants a change of scene for a few days.” Kal nodded. “I mean that—you’ll see to it that he knows that?”

“He knows, Edna. I promise you—he knows.” And if Bruce didn’t know, Kal, Alfred, Dick and the entire Justice League would make sure he did.

5/11/08
 

Return to Friends and Lovers