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Neither Jason nor Tim could remember what actually gotten them in this situation anymore. All they knew is they were in whatever it was way too deep.
“What do you want for dinner tonight, guys?” Jason asked, from somewhere deep in the kitchen of the house. Their house, Tim had to remind himself.
A couple of months ago, Tim and Jason were put deep undercover by the Big Bad Bat himself and the only cover story they could come up with on short notice was newlyweds. Why one of them couldn’t have been Barbara, Cassandra, Stephanie or any of the other numerous girls they knew, Tim didn’t understand. It seemed a little hard to believe that two men like Jason and Tim would be happily married to each other. But it wasn’t only Bruce who thought it was a good idea; even Alfred seemed to think it was a good opportunity for the two to mend their relationship.
Tim was in their living room, playing Dora the Explorer Discovers Dinosaurs with the little girl they had agreed to babysit nights before, wondering exactly which choices he made in life lead him here while Jason was left with sorting out dinner.
“Mac’n’cheese!” Charlie squealed, jumping in her spot and startling Tim in the process. “Mac’n’cheese!”
Tim smiled at the little girl and fondly tugged at her golden pigtail. “Macaroni and cheese it is,” he said, “You hear that, Ennis?”
“Loud and clear,” Jason responded. Pots and pans were clanking about as Jason began to gather the things he needed to cook.
Tim laughed a little to himself. The names they had chosen for their undercover characters were hilarious and totally chosen on a dare because, in Tim’s honest opinion, Jack and Ennis were too obvious.
It wasn’t long before Jason was calling Tim and Charlie to the dinner table, but before anyone could eat they had to pick up the toys (Tim’s rule) and wash up (also Tim’s rule). Charlie and Jason made light, in-good-humor jokes behind Tim’s back, to which Tim pretended to be offended.
Once all cleaned up and settled at the table, Jason served the macaroni with sides of apple slices and dinosaur chicken nuggets.
“Mr. Ennis?” Charlie asked, watching Jason make Tim’s plate.
“What’s up, Char-bar?” Jason handed Tim the plate and gave him a smile before fixing one more plate.
“Do you love Mr. Jack?”
Jason froze where he stood and Tim choked on a bite of chicken nugget. Before trying to find the words to answer Charlie, he went to Tim’s aid. Tim waved him off however, turning red from both of embarrassment and a slight shortness of breath, and reached for his glass of water.
Jason returned to his seat calmly and took a deep, calming breath. “Why do you ask, Char?” Maybe her mother hadn’t yet explained to Charlie that they were married. It however left them in the awkward position of possibly having to explain how two men can marry like her mom and dad could.
Charlie shrugged her little shoulders and shoved a large spoonful of macaroni into her mouth. “I dunno,” she hummed, then slurping down some water. “You guys are always together. Mommy and me –“ (“and I” Tim corrected, despite himself) “see you guys in the store together, and at the park and when I asked mommy, she says people who love each other do everything together.”
“We don’t…” Jason began stupidly, “… do everything together.”
Charlie shrugs again and informs them, “Mommy also says people who love each other don’t have to do everything together.”
Jason and Tim exchanged glances. The rosy color in Tim’s cheeks left over from his episode with the chicken piece hadn’t yet gone away and he looked remarkably clueless in their situation. Jason wanted to laugh but he knew if he did, Charlie would be convinced. For such a young girl, she had brains about her and notices everything.
Tim licked his lips and turned to the toe-headed little girl. “Charlie, dear,” he started, “Ennis and I…”
Charlie looked up at Tim with large eyes and Tim was stupefied yet again. Who knew children were so complicated?
Answering the little girl’s question should be simple because they were supposed to be in love. It’s their characters. They were undercover. It should be easy to play along with it, especially with a child of all people.
But something changed.
“Ennis and I,” Tim tried again, before finally saying, “Yes, sweetie, we are in love. Ennis and I are married.”
Charlie seemed satisfied with the answer and beamed up at Tim. Tim returned with a smile, one he hoped didn’t look as stiff as he felt. He leaned back in his seat and dared a quick look to see what Jason thought of all this.
Jason’s head was down, focusing on his food when Tim gathered the courage to look and he wasn’t sure why his heart sunk a little. But Tim had an eye for detail, no matter how small; he’s a detective after all, is he not? And when he finally noticed that the tips of Jason’s ears were red, Tim found it hard to breathe.
Turning back to his food, the food cooked and served by Jason, Tim wondered when it all became so complicated.