Chapter 4
We sit on the couch and Vin lays between us. I turn on a Disney movie because I know it will entertain the both of them. This is how we spend most of the day, sitting on the couch watching kids movies. Vin doesn’t leave our sides at all during this. If one of us got up to do anything she would cling to the other. If we both got up she stayed with one of us. We would have to work on her abandonment issues eventually. But now was not the time.
I let her cling knowing that was probably the reassurance she needed. She hadn’t had a family and she needed to know we weren’t going to leave her on the street, like the others. She needed to know we loved her. I love her more than anything and I would never hurt her knowingly.
Later I get up to make dinner. Harley had fallen asleep on the couch and I had thought Vin was too. But then I felt two small arms wrapping around my leg and I smile. I look down at her and she smiles back up at me. “You want to help make dinner?” She nods and I pick her up and sit her on the countertop. “We’re gonna make some pizza.” I smile.
“How do I help?” She smiles and looks at me with her big deep blue eyes.
“Well let’s start with the crust.” I says pulling it out of the fridge and placing it on the counter. “Then the sauce.” I say putting the can next to the crust. “Then the cheese. Now we put the sauce on the crust.” I smile and open the can and grab a spoon.
I hand her the spoon and let her put the sauce on the pizza. She does this quite cleanly for her age. I open the cheese and hand it to her. She begins piling the cheese on top and giggling. I help her spread it out and smile.
Harley comes into the kitchen and hugs me from behind. “Hey Red.” She smiles and leans against me. “Hey kiddo.” She smiles at Vin.
I help Vin off the counter and set her down next to us. She stays close to Harley as I put the pizza in the oven. Harley smiles at Vin and picks her up. Vin smiles and lays on Harley's shoulder.
"Kiddo how about tomorrow we go to get ya things for your own room." Harley smiles at her.
"I've never had my own room." Vin says looking at her with excitement and a bit of fear.
"Well let's see we can paint your room any color ya can and ya can pick out a bed and we can get ya a bunch of toys." Harley smiles excitedly
Vin smiles and hugs Harley. I smile leaning against the counter. "Harl, were not made of money." I remind her.
We had some money but if we are going to be keeping Vin here as our daughter we can't be getting thrown in Arkham all the time. Our life of crime was on its way to ending. But that was a conversation I would need to have with Harley later.
"Why don't you guys go watch the movie while I finish getting dinner ready." I smile.
Harley nods and they go back into the living room. I grab out some plates and cups and put them on the table. The timer for the pizza goes off a few minutes later and I take it out of the oven.
I get them big drink and put their pizza on plates and bring them dinner. They both smile up at me and I smile back. They sit up and take their plates. I go and grab my own plate before returning to the couch with them.
We all finish eating within a few minutes and we all lay on the couch for another couple of hours. Then I look at the clock and see that it's close to 10pm.
"Time for bed." I say looking at Harley and Vin.
Harley pouts some and Vin nods sleepily. I get Vin a pillow and blanket and lay her on the couch. "If you need me just come and get me, okay?" I smile
"Okay Mommy." She nods tiredly.
I smile and kiss her forehead. "I love you baby girl."
"I love you too Mommy." She smile and closes her eyes.
I smile and carry Harley into our bedroom smiling. I lay on the bed with her and kiss her. "We have to talk about something baby." I say looking at her seriously.
"What is it Red?" She asks looking up at me.
"We can't keep going on crime spread with Vin here with us. We can't keep going back to Arkham and leaving Vin alone to fend for herself. So starting tonight we are going to stay on the right side of crime."
She nods and smiles at me. "So does that mean one of us has to get a job?"
"You could always be a psychiatrist again. You did love it." I smile
"Alright I'll start looking for a job tomorrow." She smiles in defeat. "What about you?"
"I'm going to homeschool Vin."
"Not fair I wanna homeschool her." She pouts.
"You're cute when you pout." I smile and hold her from behind.
We lay there for a while and we both fall asleep. I wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of crying next to my bed. I turn over and see Vin on the floor. I scoop her up quickly.
"Sweetheart what happened?" I ask holding her close to me and kissing her forehead.
"I don't want him to come back Mommy. He scares me." Vin says clinging to me.
"Who scares you?"
"The man with the green hair and the big smile. He was staring in the window at me."