title: downstairs parties
author: jessica
mail: thegirlinglasses@illuminatedtext.com
date: november 13, 2002
notes: for the jack, who always asks. and erica, who agreed that napkins are funny.
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There are voices downstairs. There's a party downstairs. Daddy promised to bring up some of the cheese things if I played quietly until bedtime. I tried to be quiet, but it might have got a bit loud when the Lego tower came down.
Papa's busy. He won't be coming up to play tonight. He'll walk around with a glass that he pretends to drink from and tell embarrassing stories about when I was a baby. People will laugh, and then he'll try to buy their companies.
The Lego's all over the floor and I should probably clean it up. Robin's buried under a pile of white pieces but Batman's hiding in the toy box with Aquaman instead of saving his sidekick. He saves Robin every day. I'm letting Batman take a vacation.
I have to sit in my room every time there's a party downstairs. I'm taking a vacation from listening to Daddy.
I open the door and stick my head outside, look both ways, like they do in the movies, like Papa tells me to when crossing the road.
I wait at the top of the stairs. The voices are louder here. I'm wearing pyjamas and Papa's gonna be mad, but I go downstairs anyway.
I know Daddy and Papa have a lot of friends, but I don't see any of them here. Everyone here is fancy. Daddy said Lolo was going to be late and I don't know anyone else in this room.
"Hey there, little guy."
The man is tall, taller than Daddy even. He's blonde and doesn't wear glasses.
He crouches in front of me and takes my nose between two fingers. Then he holds his fist up in front of me with his thumb between the two fingers.
"I got your nose."
"What?"
He narrows his eyes and smiles funny. I think I missed something.
"Nicholas, what are you doing down here?"
Papa lifts me up from behind and I bury myself in him immediately. He strokes my hair, kisses my forehead, but he doesn't feel right.
The man stands up, clears his throat, and sticks his hand out.
"You're Lex Luthor."
Papa nods and waits for the man to realise that with me in his arms, Papa isn't going to shake his hand.
The man chuckles and drops his hand.
"And that would make you Nicholas," he says to me. "I thought so."
His smile is weird. Papa is staring and he looks kind of mad.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," says Papa in the business voice I don't often hear.
"Ronald Fontaine."
He doesn't want to, but Papa puts me down, after kissing my cheek, to shake the man's hand. I look around for Daddy, but the room is too crowded and I don't want to let go of Papa's leg.
"Fontaine? I believe I knew your father."
"Let's not talk about our fathers, Lex." He's still smiling. He keeps looking down at me and I reach up to cover my nose with my hand.
"I'm more interested in talking about LexCorp's interest in my company."
"Have I led you to believe I have an interest in your napkin factory? I'm very sorry."
My class went on a field trip to one of Papa's factories last week. Everyone wanted to sit next to me because of the robots. Daddy says I shouldn't use Papa to make other people like me, just like I'm not supposed to use Superman. I wonder if the tall man has a son and if he tells his friends his dad makes napkins.
"Listen, Lex, I'm not going to be in napkins forever. We're expanding the company: toilet paper, paper towels, maybe even cup and plates. I think you might want to reconsider my offer."
"I think you might want to call me Mr. Luthor."
Papa looks annoyed, but he smiles down at me and picks me up again.
"Come on, Nicky, let's go find your dad."
He turns to walk away but the man stops him with a hand on Papa's arm. Now he looks really mad. I think Superman's been teaching him that face; all the superheroes can do it.
"Wait," the man says, standing in front of us. "I've still got your nose."
He does the thing with his fingers again and this time I like it even less. I push his hand away and Papa pulls me back, putting his own body in front of the man.
"My son doesn't like strangers," Papa tells him. "And nobody does business with me through Nicholas. You might want to do your research before you crash another of my parties."
Papa carries me away, and the man just stares. I watch over Papa's shoulder, stick my tongue out at the man.
"Be nice, Nicky," Papa warns.
"Why? You weren't nice to him."
"That's different."
"It's always different, isn't it, Lex?"
"Daddy!"
I hold my arms out, wrapping them around his neck when Papa lets me go.
"Aren't you supposed to be upstairs, playing quietly?" Daddy asks.
"Batman and me are taking a vacation."
"Well, I guess you and Batman aren't getting any cheese puffs."
Somebody across the room calls Papa's name. He rolls his eyes at Daddy. Papa doesn't look mad this time; I think he's just tired.
"The night isn't over yet," he says.
"You want to play Legos with me instead, Papa?"
He smiles. "I have to work, Nicky. Can we play tomorrow?"
"Okay."
Papa turns his head at his name again.
"Do you need me, Lex?"
"Always."
Daddy laughs and leans over to kiss Papa.
"Say good night, Nicky."
"Night, Papa." He kisses my cheek and waits for me to kiss him back before heading into the voices in the crowd.
Daddy carries me upstairs, tucks me in, and kisses my forehead, before turning the lights out and joining Papa back at the party. I count to sixty, wait a full minute, just to make sure he's gone.
I get out of bed and pull Batman out of the toy box. It doesn't take him long to save Robin. Batman says he's sorry. Robin says it doesn't matter. He knew that Batman was coming.
I put them away, together, in the toy box. And then I can sleep.