Divination (Joker x Batman x OC)

Chapter 162

"Hi!" Arsenio said clearly as Bruce came through the front door.

"His new favorite word," Adriana smiled at Bruce. She and Arsenio were on a large soft rug on the living room floor.

"Wow!" Bruce said, generating enthusiasm. He had heard Arsenio say the word and countless others in the erased future. He was genuinely happy that Adriana was there to see it.

"Hi!" Arsenio said again.

"Hi, baby man," Bruce said and picked him up.

"Hi!" Arsenio said for the third time.

"Good job today," Bruce said. He had heard about Adriana's work in the city that day as Shade.

"Thanks," she smiled. "Where'd you go off to?"

"Oh, uh," Bruce said, realizing that he was about to lie to his wife for the first time since he had come back in time. "Just went to the office."

"Oh..." Adriana said, and then she knew that he was lying. She had just been at his office to speak to Lucius and hadn't seen Bruce there at all. She was told that he was out. "Did you speak to Lucius?"

"Ahh..no," Bruce said. "I didn't." 

Bruce hadn't seen or spoken to Lucius since he had fired him in the erased past. He knew that he would have to see him soon to ask about the Joker's location. He wanted to do it as soon as possible.

"I'll invite him to dinner tonight," Bruce said. "If he's free."

"Well, it's already four," Adriana said. "Whatever I cook will have to be quick. Any ideas?"

"No, dear," Bruce said as Arsenio squealed while Bruce tickled his foot. "I'll let the staff know we'll need a meal prepared. You just relax and maybe you could just call Lucius to make sure he's available."

"Sure," Adriana nodded, trying to forget the fact that she knew Bruce had just lied about where he had just been.

He couldn't tell her that he had just given away the bulk of their cash assets to Madame Twyla.

"You know," Adriana said. "I could invite Sidi too..to thank her for everything."

"Okay," Bruce agreed. "Good idea. We'll have a small dinner party."

.

.

.

"That's interesting," Sidi said to Lucius over the dinner table. 

"Yes," Lucius said to her. "We're projecting Guyana to have the fastest growing economy in the next few years.."

Adriana listened to everyone talk and watched a server pour more champagne into Aymara's glass. Lucius' wife and Aymara were having their own conversation and laughing intermittently.

Adriana couldn't help but sense a bit of coldness from Bruce around Lucius. He was polite and made small talk with him, but Adriana sensed that Bruce was upset with Lucius about something although she couldn't imagine what the problem could be. She was also unsure if Lucius could sense it as well.

She heard Bruce sigh softly beside her as the guests drank and had their conversations. She glanced at him and saw him reaching for her hand on the table. Their eyes met and they smiled at each other.

"Love you," she whispered to him. 

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her.

"Awwwww lovebirds," Aymara said, with a slight tipsy sound in her voice.