Home: On the Fourth Day of Christmas 6/6
by Nan Smith
Previously:
"It's not the same," she whispered.
"Isn't it? Did you know that before we married, Lois had my powers for a short time?"
"I didn't know that was possible," Uma said.
"Let's say the situation was unusual. Lois and I were exposed to Red Kryptonite, which hasn't been seen on Earth in nearly a century, and it temporarily transferred my powers to her. Do you know what she discovered?"
Uma shook her head.
"She found that super powers weren't the picnic that she had imagined they would be. She discovered that even a super-powered being can't be everywhere or do everything, and that even Ultra Woman could fail." He met her eyes. "Being super-powered means tremendous responsibility; it means making life and death decisions every day, of sometimes choosing who lives and who dies. You don't have that responsibility, but it doesn't mean you can't someday make as much of a difference to the world as John Olsen -- or Lois Lane. It just means you'll have to do it the normal human way."
Uma wiped her eyes. "You knew all along."
"Well, not all along, but I figured it out pretty quickly," he admitted. "That's one of the advantages to having lived so long. You get so you don't have to be a telepath to know what people are thinking." He smiled at her. "Uma, I'm truly sorry that I can't give you either of the things that you want so badly but I married Lori because I love her, and I always will. Nothing can ever change that."
**********
And now, Part 6
For Artemis's genealogy of the Kent clan, go here:
http://www.zoomway.net/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=002528
Uma sat for some time, absorbing what Clark had said. It was funny, but with all her hopes and dreams crumbling around her, she should have felt worse, and she didn't quite understand why she didn't.
Her grandfather was watching her, and she was struck by his expression -- and his eyes.
His eyes were warm and kind, and for the moment, completely understanding. She wiped away a stray tear on her cheek. "I guess you think I've been pretty stupid," she said.
He smiled. "Now that's a loaded question," he said.
"Don't answer it," she said with a watery laugh. "I don't want to hear the answer."
He chuckled. "Wouldn't dream of it." His expression became serious. "Uma, you aren't stupid. You were disappointed, and rightfully so, when you found out that you didn't have super powers, but there's nothing anyone can do about that. And I can't marry you; I'm your grandfather, admittedly several generations removed, and already married to someone I'm very much in love with. But I don't think you're as disappointed about that as you thought you'd be, are you?"
She sniffed and wiped her eyes, but at the same time, she felt curiously relieved. "How do you do that? You always seem to know."
"Experience. It's the result of years of practice reading expressions and body language. You wouldn't really want a husband who could do that, would you?"
"I guess not," she admitted. "How does Lori stand it?"
"That's the strange thing," he said. "Sometimes I can tell exactly what she's thinking, and other times she's a complete mystery to me."
"I'm glad of that," Uma said. She hesitated. "Do I have to apologize to her?"
"I think," Clark said, "that it would embarrass her."
"Yeah," Uma said. She examined the toes of her shoes. "Should I leave?"
"And leave your report unfinished, after everything you went through for it? Of course not -- although I can't promise that what we do today will be anywhere near as exciting as yesterday."
"I'm just as happy about that," Uma said. She rubbed her throat reminiscently. "I guess I should tell you the truth about ..."
"That the assignment is given in the spring, and not over the Christmas holidays? I think if I have a word with your instructor, he might give you some leeway. After all, you did shadow a team of journalists for two days -- or you will have by this evening -- and you'll have quite a story to tell about it."
"That's for sure," Uma said.
**********
"I take it you had a talk with her," Lori said, a few minutes later. Uma had retreated to the Ladies' Room to repair her makeup.
Clark nodded. "I think she was almost relieved," he said. "I suspect the idea of being married to a man who is able to tell what she's thinking just by looking at her was kind of intimidating."
"Clark Kent!" Lori stifled the urge to giggle. "You let her think that?"
"So I exaggerated a little," Clark said. "It's actually truer than you realize -- except for you."
"Darned good thing," Lori said.
He put an arm around her. "So, did you get enough rest?"
"Close enough, I think," she said. "What are we doing today?"
"Well, first, I have some phone calls to make, and then we're off to interview the Muskrats, and I have to put up with a bunch of young studs ogling my beautiful wife."
She swatted his shoulder. "As if you're worried!"
"Well," he defended, "how am I supposed to know that you won't suddenly be smitten with a younger man?"
"Believe me, no younger man could possibly measure up," she said. "But don't tell Uma that."
"No other *woman* could possibly measure up to you, sweetheart," he said, leaning down to kiss her lightly on the lips.
"Hey," Andrea Waltham's voice said. "Floor show!"
There was a cheer and several catcalls from the other staffers. Clark straightened up with a slight grin on his face and Lori felt herself blushing.
Andrea patted her on the head as she continued on by. "Nice going, honey." Lori's face turned from pink to red and she heard Andrea chuckle. Clark lifted her hand and kissed the back of it, prompting another ripple of applause.
The door to the Ladies' Room opened and Uma emerged. Clark gave Lori's hand a squeeze. "Well, here we go," he said. "Let me just get those calls out of the way, and we'll head over to the Lexor to see the Mighty Muskrats ..."
**********
"Thanks for everything." Uma's father shook Clark's hand and turned to Lori. "And thank *you*, Lori. Uma told me that you figured out the clue to the killer's identity. You saved my little girl's life."
"Well, she had something to do with it, too," Lori said. "She got away from him, long enough for Clark and the others to get to her."
"I know. But if it hadn't been for you, they might not have." Vernon Kent turned to Uma. "Are you ready to go home?"
Uma hugged Clark, took a deep breath and faced Lori. "Thanks," she said.
"You're welcome," Lori said.
"And ... congratulations," Uma added, after a second's hesitation.
"Thanks," Clark said. "I guess we'll see you at the Christmas party, next year."
"Or at the baby shower," Uma said. Her smile wavered slightly, and then steadied. "You take good care of my grandfather, Lori. And don't be nice if anybody tries to hurt him, okay?"
"Count on it," Lori said.
Vernon picked Uma up in his arms and together they rose toward the skylight of the Kent apartment. A moment later, they were gone.
There was a moment of silence and in the background, the lights of the live Christmas tree twinkled merrily, then Clark raised an eyebrow at his wife. "That was a cryptic comment," he observed. "Do you have any idea what she was talking about?"
"Not a clue," Lori said. "You know, Uma isn't so bad once she lets go of the chip on her shoulder."
"She was a charming little girl," Clark said. "She still has some growing up to do, but I think she'll be okay."
"So do I," Lori said. "I think she's on the way to it, anyhow. Once she finds the right guy, and gets over her crush on you, Superman, she'll be fine."
"I'm glad you agree," Clark said, sliding his arms around her waist. "Anyway, I don't want to talk about Uma, anymore. This is the first time I've been able to get you alone and awake at the same time for nearly two days."
Lori grinned, holding him off with one hand. "Down, boy! I guess our news is out, huh?"
"Yeah. You were three-quarters asleep last night when I flew you home, or I'd have mentioned it then. I passed the word to Lara and CJ, and the others, on the way to the Precinct, and I'm sure they passed it to Annie and Jon."
"So, by now the whole family knows," Lori said, sounding a little resigned. "Oh well. I'm going to call Marilyn tomorrow. I haven't forgotten John's offer, if she's willing to help."
"I think she will be," Clark said. "How are you feeling, by the way?"
"Okay. A little queasy in the morning, but nothing I can't handle. Actually, I was wondering about dinner."
Clark glanced at the clock. "It's only seven. Would you like to go out or eat here?"
"Would you believe I've been thinking about one of your pasta creations for the last two hours?"
"Say no more, my lady," Clark said. "Pasta it is. And then we can open our long-delayed Christmas presents!"
Lori glanced at the tree and the small treasure-trove of unopened packages under its tinseled branches. "I think you did it this way on purpose," she informed him, darkly.
"Would I do that?" Clark said, striving to maintain an innocent expression. "We spent a great Christmas holiday skiing in Aspen, and now we get the additional fun of opening our presents."
His wife eyed him suspiciously, but he saw that she was trying hard not to grin. Lori, like Lois before her, had little tolerance for the suspense of waiting to open her Christmas gifts. He had made a point of setting the one that he had selected for her prominently under the tree as soon as they had finished decorating it, nearly three weeks ago, and had watched her shake it, heft it, sniff it and feel it numerous times since, whenever she thought he wasn't looking.
He slipped an arm around her waist and hugged her. "I get too much fun out of watching you," he informed her. "We can open them right after dinner."
"Good," she said. "I have a special one for you, too."
"Oh?" he said.
Lori nodded. "I still have to wrap it up nicely for you ... and it won't be under the tree."
He raised both his eyebrows suggestively. "I'm counting on it."
The End
