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“I’m gonna ask her” Ryan said
“Mmm hmm” Sophie hummed
“I really am. I’m gonna do it.” Ryan said trying to convince Sophie and herself
“If you say so babe.” Sophie responded
Ryan was at Sophie’s getting ready. It has been a couple of months now and Ryan has been staying over at Sophie’s a lot more. Both have been considering moving in together secretly but neither have made the move to ask, nervous of how the other feels.
Today Ryan has been trying to hype herself up to finally ask Jada about her dad. Yep, Ryan wants to know about Papa Wilder. Is he alive, what does he look like, what does he smell like, does she look like…so many questions she want answered. Ryan had originally tried to bring up her dad a month after the Marquis drama and the mess with Solomon Grundy but Jada was very vague and Ryan got the hint she didn’t want to talk about him, so she didn’t push. But now, it’s been almost a full year of Jada being in her life and after 27 years, she wants to know who her dad is. She’s been chickening out but today, today is the day.
Sophie doesn’t believe her.
“Soph, I can, I can do this.” Ryan smiles
Sophie who has been lying in the bed going over files, she’s been Jada’s head of security and intelligence now at Jeturian, has finally looked up at her visibly nervous girlfriend.
“Look, don’t get your hopes up. It is Jada we’re talking about. So if, IF , you do actually ask her, be prepared for the good and/or bad response. Okay?” Sophie said hoping Ryan hears her
“Yes, I hear you baby.” Ryan said as she leaned over the bed to kiss Sophie. “I love you” she whispered as she pulled back.
Oh damn. Neither one of them has said the three words yet and Ryan just said it. Both are hyper aware. Ryan’s brain is practically scrambled and Sophie is speechless, mostly because she didn’t think Ryan would say it first. Actually nobody had faith Ryan would say it first, not even Ryan. But she did.
“I love you too,” Sophie finally replied. Ryan let out a breath of relief that she didn’t even realize she was holding. Now knowing Sophie loved her, Ryan had some confidence.
Time to confront mommy dearest about her baby daddy.
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Jada was at her office working the day away. Ever since Marquis’s Joker phase, Jada has been working overtime to fix her company. It was always funny to Jada that Jeturian was her company , even though she married into it. If she’s honest, Franklin was just the face, she was Jeturian.
Jada is trying to get enough done before Ryan arrives. She offered to take her mother out for lunch. Jada is beyond excited, she and Ryan have been bonding nonstop. Ryan has opened up a new version of Jada. Everyone can see it and everyone appreciates it, especially Jeturian employees and her personal staff. Jada used to be coldhearted and she kept to herself. As popular as Jada was and the many parties she threw, the woman was lonely. The saying is true “money doesn’t buy happiness.” When Ryan took a chance on Jada after they got the buzzer to hea Marquis, she caused Jada to know love again. Ryan may have always needed her mother but Jada also always needed her daughter.
Their bonding has also opened up new revelations. They have learned they are basically twins. Both are hard working, stubborn as hell, still emotionally closed off (but they’re working on it) and deeply hilarious. Sophie is still annoyed by Jada after the Jordan-sicle incident but with Jada being around more and being a lot like Ryan, she can’t help but start to like her. Just a little bit. It also doesn’t help that Jada and Ryan are physically twins. That smile is definitely one of a kind and hereditary. This mother-daughter duo is badass. Badass.
As Jada thinks on all the things that she loves about Ryan, Ryan enters her office. She smiles that huge smile at her mini me.
“Hey baby girl,” Jada smiles
“Hey mommy,” Ryan smiles back.
Ryan wasn’t sure if she wanted to call Jada “mama” or “mom.” Mama was always Cora, no matter what and mom, it just felt cringe to her. She considered saying “Ma” until one day she visited Marquis at Arkham on one of his good days and he joked that Ryan is a “mommy’s girl.” Ryan laughed it off until she unintentionally said it when Jada was doting on her after an injury and she started whining mommy . It caught both of them off guard and it really shocked the hell out of Sophie. After that moment, they just went with it. They still don’t know why but it works for them.
“Are you ready for lunch?” Ryan asked
“Yes baby girl, let me sign these papers and I’m all yours.” Jada said
As Jada signed the papers on her desk, Ryan walked around and noticed that Jada had added new things to her office. Specifically, more pictures. Jada had a huge picture of Batwoman taken by Shutter-Bat, Gotham’s version of Jimmy Olsen. Then there are articles of Gotham’s Hottest CEO, parallel versions with one being about Jada Jet and another about Ryan Wilder. A couple of Marquis’s achievements as well, and even one about Sophie and Jordan that she can’t wait to tell Sophie about. But her favorite ones, are the two on her desk. There is one with her, Jada, and Marquis. They took a selfie after going out for a family outing. Then there is one that means the dearest to her that she also has on her desk. Jimmy Olsen, famed Metropolis photojournalist, Former CatCo CEO, Kelly’s older brother, and semi-retired hero vigilante, came to Gotham with Iris to do a story on Ryan Wilder. Jimmy happened to take a picture of Ryan giving a speech about kids in the system. As she was giving the speech, Jada was to the far left with her full attention on Ryan and an expression of pure joy. You could see how proud Jada was of Ryan and it made her happy.
“Alright, I’m done.” Jada said as she spooked Ryan out of her thoughts.
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While eating their lunch, Ryan noticed how much respect Jada is shown. Growing up, people that looked like her, especially women, didn’t get this treatment. Regardless of the times, black people were still getting discriminated against. Seeing someone like Jada Jet in magazines and treated like a queen growing up, inspired Ryan to never settle for less.
“You know, I looked up to you growing up,” Ryan said breaking their silence
“Really? Me?” Jada said shocked. Ryan was always catching her off guard with random facts about her or them.
“Yeah, I use to see you on the cover of magazines or watch your interviews. You were so badass to me, still are. I find you a little cooler now that I know your my mom.” Ryan smiled
“A little cooler?” Jada teased
“You still have them corny mom moments mommy,” Ryan laughed
“Wow…I have never heard anyone call me corny. It’s true what they say…” Jada said. Ryan tilts her head, trying to see what she’s getting at. Jada continues
“Children will humble you.” Ryan starts laughing because she knows she will definitely humble Jada.
“So, how’s Miss Moore?” Jada says wiggling her eyebrows
“She’s good, she was working on some of the files you gave her this morning.” Ryan said. She soon mentally chastised herself for that slip up. Dammit.
“This morning?” Jada said with a knowing smile. Yep, there goes the teasing. “No wonder why you seemed extra chipper this morning…and you were limping.”
Ryan's jaw drops at that last part. Her mom did not just say she was limping. Well, Jada didn’t lie, Sophie put it on her, had her legs shaking, and she could barely walk. But to have her mom call her out like that was embarrassing, shout-out to Jada for mom points and points to their bonding but that was definitely embarrassing.
“I am going to ignore that last part,” Ryan said as Jada laughed.
“She is one of the reasons I am so happy this morning. I told her I loved her for the first time and she reciprocated.” Ryan shared.
“Aww Ryan, that’s beautiful.” Jada said
“But there is another reason why I am so chipper. I have a question to ask you that I hope you can answer.” Ryan said nervously. Jada nodded for Ryan to ask away.
“Who’s my dad?” Ryan asked
Jada started choking on her water. There goes Ryan again, catching her off guard. Ryan goes to pat her mom’s back.
“You good mommy?” Ryan asked as she sits back down.
“Yeah, you just…caught me off guard. All the way…off guard.” Jada coughs
“Look, I get it. This may be uncomfortable but I really want to know. Is he alive? What’s he like? Are we similar? I have you and I would like to have him too.” Ryan said with those big brown puppy dog eyes.
Jada knew she couldn’t joke her way out of this. Ryan had a way of charming people. It was like she couldn’t get a “no” from anybody, well except for Luke but still. Sophie jokes that Ryan may be metahuman. Iris even offered to get her metahuman tested. It was uncharacteristically for someone to be so charming and charismatic. So Jada relented. She knew she couldn’t stop the inevitable.
“He’s alive. We actually are still good friends. He knows about you but he doesn’t know that you are his. He left before I found out I was pregnant.” Jada said
Ryan was flabbergasted. Jada actually conceded.
“You know where he is? What’s his life like? How he’s doing?” Ryan said as questions just flowed out of her.
“Yes. He lives in Metropolis. He has different jobs, I never keep up with what he does. He is married and you have two younger half siblings. He’s doing pretty good. He actually came to Gotham months ago and was the reason I found the Joy buzzer.” Jada said
“I don’t know what to say…” Ryan was shocked at the revelation of her questions. She started to have an internal battle on whether or not she should let her dad know about her existence. He has a family and a life. Jada noticed her expression and knew Ryan was in her head overthinking. She put a comforting hand on Ryan’s and Ryan looked up at her. She saw the fear in her daughter’s eyes.
“John will be happy to know about you…” Jada reassured
“John…” Ryan whispered to herself. His name is John.
“I will text him and plan your introduction. I will break the news that he’s your father and then get you two to bond. He’s a great guy and like I said, he knows everything except for the fact you are his blood. Don’t worry. He’s a good guy.” Jada said
“Thanks mommy.” Ryan said
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That night before bed, Jada texted John before she went of to bed
~Jada’s text thread~
Jada: Hey, how fast can you be in Gotham?
John: Soon as tomorrow. Why?
Jada: I got something really important to tell you. And it’s best in person.
John: Alright, I should be there by 9am. Jeturian office?
Jada: Yes. And thank you John
John: Anything for you. Goodnight
Jada: Night.
~End of Jada’s text Thread~
“We’re really doing this…” Jada said to herself