Calling Cardinal

A Night To Remember

"Are you sure you have to leave?"

"The ice man will be missing me. I also promised Lee I'd get to her engagement party tonight."

"It's a shame what happened to her and your brother."

"Yeah," I scoff. "I'm sure you're torn up, especially since your boyfriend is what caused it."

He rolls those emerald eyes up to the heavens and back. "It's not like that, yet. We both know the Thompkins-Gordon train was heading out of the station as soon as she announced her pregnancy."

Anger rises in my chest. How dare he? "Harvey Bullock told me you two were made for each other: the psychopath and the sociopath."

"A man can dream, can he not?"

"I'm starting to think he's right."

"Well, I'm sorry that I failed to meet your expectations, Sera."

Sarcasm suits him too well. It gets under my skin, clawing at the delicate nerves.

"Uh-huh. You better hope I never run into him, Oswald."

He straightens his posture, forcing the cane at his side to align his back. "Why is that, pray tell?"

"My brother was a little too forgiving, allowing him to survive in Arkham without real consequences."

"You don't honestly think you could kill someone of your own free will, Sera. I know you better than that."

"This life has made me less merciful. Who knows what I'm capable of now?"

I don't stop running until I reach the factory.

"I thought you died," Victor says, "but you look better than ever."

"You haven't gotten rid of me yet. Why? Did you miss me?"

"No. Actually, I was preparing to rent out your room."

I laugh, giving him a playful shove. "I wouldn't blame you. Listen, I'm going out. I need a dress for Lee's engagement party."

"Lee Thompkins?"

"That's the one. Why do you ask?"

"She cared for Nora." He dips his icy blue head, covered in snow-white hair. "Is she doing okay?"

"She's getting married to Mario Falcone. He's Carmine's son, but quite the opposite of his father. To be honest, I don't know. I— Somewhere deep down I wonder if she still loves Jim. For now, she's happy and that's everything I could wish for her."

"Are you and Penguin ever going to get back together?"

Ah, there's the dreaded question. I crumple in an empty chair.

"It's complicated. It doesn't look like we're getting back together any time soon... if ever."

"Then go have fun tonight. Remember how I keep telling you to enjoy this second chance you've been given?"

I nod.

"Why don't you actually do that?"

"Fine. I don't need my arm twisted to live a little, I guess."

"Good. Get out of here."

Trying on dresses reminds me a little too much of my run-in with Jervis Tetch. Except now, I don't have Oswald to calm me. I don't have anyone to ease the trembling in my hands or ease my worried mind. I have to learn to function alone, which shouldn't be so hard. I was alone for so long, and then we were together for so long. I forgot how loneliness felt.