Celebration

My name is Harleen Quinzel and I am on cloud nine. Right now, I am sitting in the most extravagant restaurant in Gotham thanks to my employer Bruce Wayne. That is not the reason that I am so happy. I look to my right and I see a vision of loveliness sitting next to me. She used to be known as Poison Ivy, but that woman is long gone now. Now the beauty is simply Pam Isley who is my love, my life, and my wife. The two of us got married just an hour ago at City Hall. Even though there are three guests sitting with us, I can't resist giving my new spouse a quick kiss. Then, I look around at my guests. I see my employer Bruce Wayne who is also the Dark Knight known as Batman. Next to him is my old doctor from Arkham Joan Leland who is now my friend. Our third guest is the redheaded Vicki Vale who took pictures of our wedding. Even though Pam and I had an unconventional wedding, all of our friends accept us which makes me very happy.

After we ordered our food, Bruce gave us a honeymoon trip to Tahiti and Joan gave us a blender. I tried to explain to her that it wasn't necessary for her to give us a present since she paid for half of the engagement ring that I gave to Pam, but Joan said that she was glad to do it. Somehow, the food seems to taste better at a restaurant like this even though it has some French name that I can't pronounce. It must have been the candlelit atmosphere. We have been sipping champagne and even the salad tastes great here. In a fit of adventure, I decided to try the escargot even though I know it is snails. There was a time when I couldn't understand why people didn't leave them on their lawns. However, it tasted surprisingly better than I thought it would even though I wouldn't want to make a habit of eating it. Red wasn't as adventurous as I was and ordered steak. Trying to deduce what my guests were eating was a new education in French. All three of them had ordered a different combination of meat of vegetables that was kind of hard to describe. Red and I really enjoyed our dessert. The waiter brought a gold tray to our table. After, he set it down on the table, he opened the lid causing flames to pop out. I jumped back but Pam didn't seem to be bothered by it at all. Red tried to hide it by covering her mouth with her right hand, but I could still tell by the way her face muscles were moving that she was laughing at me. Even though it made me blush a little, I really must say that I love to hear Red laugh.

"I'd like to show you two the pictures that I have taken so far," Vicki announced after dinner while taking out her Kodak digital camera from her purse.

"Wow! Fancy!" I marveled because I couldn't help staring at all of the bells and whistles on the camera.

"Yeah, it's a present from Bruce," Vicki revealed.

"Maybe I could buy you one someday," Bruce offered.

"Do I look like Peter Parker to you, Bruce?" I joked. "I appreciate the offer, but I prefer painting to photography."

"Harleen has read quite a few comic books," Red explained with a grin. Every time that I see her smile, I feel my heart skip a beat.

Red and I look at Vicki's pictures and we don't see one bad photo in the bunch. There is a photo of everybody standing outside City Hall. There is a picture of Red and I looking back at the camera as we walk down the aisle. There is a picture of the two of us kissing while riding in the back of Bruce's limousine. There is a picture of all of us standing in front of the restaurant. There are separate pictures of me hugging Bruce and Joan. There are pictures of Pam hugging them. Of course the best picture is the one that shows Pam and I kissing to start our married lives.

"These pictures will make a great wedding album for you two," Vicki demonstrated. "I can also print wallet size photos."

"That's nice," Pam agreed.

"Before I put my camera away, are there any pictures that I am missing?" Vicki questions.

Just as Vicki says that, a slow song plays near the dance floor causing Pam to stand up.

"Well, you don't have any pictures of the two of us dancing," Pam answers while holding her hand out to me.

I instantly take Red's hand and we both walk quickly to the dance floor with Vicki behind. Red is clearly the better dancer so she leads. When Pam taught me to dance, her advice to me was for me to close my mind and let the music take control. I follow that advice to the letter as my new wife leads me through a waltz. I don't think about Vicki snapping pictures from outside the dance floor. I don't think about my two guests watching us from the table. I don't think about anyone else in the world. But, this is so much different than all of those other times that I have danced with Red. My heart is pounding. I have never felt so alive. Oh, my gosh! I feel like I am floating! Red is guiding me so many twists and even a dip while I am her willing puppet. The best dance of my life and probably anybody's life ended when Pam reeled me in for a kiss that we held to make sure Vicki could snap it.