Beautiful.
Clark and Lois had a son, and this son died. But before he died, he had a son of his own, apparently with a Japanese woman. And Clark and Lois never knew.
Apparently however, the mother of Clark's grandson introduced her son to Clark - no, to Superman - but he didn't accept her son as his grandson. Miss Tanaka's assurances that Kenji had superpowers did nothing to convince Clark. Nothing did, until Lois saw a picture of Kenji's smile.
I do still remember when Miss Tanaka and her son came to see me. The pain from losing my only son was raw then, and still is even now. I confess that I despised Miss Tanaka for tainting his memory with her talk of love-children and secret affairs. I also confess that I saw no resemblance between her son and my own.
However, there is a difference between the young boy she introduced to me and the young man in the photograph you sent, and that is that the man in the photo is smiling. I have shown the photo to my wife, and she recognized his smile without any explanations from me about the picture or your letter.
The most recognizable thing about Clark Kal-El Superman Kent is his smile. His son had that smile, and his grandson does, too. It doesn't matter if the grandson does not resemble his father or his grandfather in other ways. His smile makes him their offspring.
When Lois and Clark could see Kenji smile his Clark Kent smile
at them, then he became their grandson in their hearts, and not just in his genetic makeup.
That was so beautiful, Mary.
Ann
