Cruel (A Joker Story) [UNDER REVISION]

31: Charlotte's Lunch Break

It was Charlotte's lunch break. She took off her face mask and washed her hands, yawning before she walked outside of the building and into the small, quiet gardens of the hospital, watching Johnny, a fellow nurse wheel Mrs. Trisha around the planters before wheeling her back in the building. She leaned back, taking her phone out before she planned on going to the cafeteria, but she lost her appetite when she saw two missed calls from Mr. Wenelli. She gulped before clicking on the number, calling him back. He answered after the second ring.

"Hello, Charlotte," the gruff voice greeted. She shifted nervously in her seat.

"Uh, hey, Mr. Wenelli."

"Looks like you visited my daughter in Gotham recently. How is she? Don't tell me she's with that scumbag still."

How did he know that? She was almost afraid to ask. No, scratch that, she was absolutely terrified to ask. "No, they broke up a long time ago."

"Before or after jail?"

Charlotte was silent for a moment. How much did he know? She felt all her hunger dissipate, and now all she wanted to do was puke. "Before," she whispered.

"I can get the charges dropped," the aging man spoke. So there was hope for Lucy.

"W-what?" Charlotte questioned.

"All you have to do is tell me all you know, Charlotte. For your friend's sake."

Charlotte hesitated. "Lucy went to jail after Shaun pinned the accident on her. He forced her to the diver's seat, and left her for a stripper. He ran off, she took the fall, and the judge took pity on her. He probably knew she was innocent. As for now. . . " she bit her lip.

"What is it, Charlotte?"

What was she to say? Was she going to tell him all about The Joker? Was she going to lie?

"Charlotte?"

"Ah, sorry, sir," she spoke. "I was distracted. She, ah, she—. . .Well, couldn't find a job in the medical field because of her crimes. No one wants to hire her."

"Obviously. But where is she staying?"

"I'm not sure, I stayed at a hotel and we only met each other at restaurants. She didn't tell me where she was staying, I'm not sure what she does for a living, but she looks happy now."

Her father hesitated. "I don't care how happy she is, Charlotte, I care about her record. I am going to fix it."

"Maybe she's found a way to live with it," Charlotte spoke. "Maybe—"

"No daughter of mine is going to be a felon. Where is Shaun?"

Dead, she thought grimly.

"I have no idea. He disappeared. I really don't know what happened to him."

The man groaned. She could tell he was pinching his nose bridge right now. She had met him enough times to know he wasn't pleased by the little information she provided him.

"Well, I'm going to have MCPD re-open the case, and Superman is going to find Lucy for me. He's going to save her from whatever life she succumbed to. She's probably some thief or some hooker, with her tarnished record. How else would she be making money?"

"No!" Charlotte spoke quickly, cursing to herself. She just gave away that her friend wasn't in such a great career. "I—I mean, didn't you disown her?"

"God, it's like talking to Lucy herself," Mr. Wenelli spoke before hanging up on Charlotte abruptly. Charlotte quickly dialed the phone, calling Lucy to tell her about the conversation that just happened. She had to warn Lucy. If Superman was getting in on this, he'd find Lucy and rip her from her life. Charlotte loved Lucy and wanted the best for her, but Lucy willingly chose her life, and she had to protect her friend's choice.