-->> Five months later
Diana sat on the cemetery bench, her hands kneading her purse over and over. She knew what she wanted to do. She even believed she knew what she was supposed to do.
She simply didn’t know if she could do it.
Clark’s proposal – along with a modest but quite beautiful engagement ring – had not surprised her. She had no doubt that he loved her and that his proposal was both sincere and heartfelt. She even believed he had thought through as many of the possible future permutations as he could before broaching the subject. As his knee had touched the ground and his hands had grasped hers, she’d heard him say the words she’d been hoping and praying he would one day say to her.
And instead of a tearful “Yes!” she’d asked for time.
He’d blinked several times, cryptically growled “Again?” at something off to one side, then stood, turned to her face her again, and nodded. “Okay,” he’d said, “I think I’ve learned some patience in the last two decades. Please take all the time you need. I only ask that you give me something to hang on to, some indication of where you’re going with this.”
She had promised that he would be the first one with whom she would share her decision.
He had nodded again, then closed the ring box and handed it to her. “Please. Keep this, and think about it. If you decide to accept, just put the ring on and come show me. If you decide to decline, just give me back the box with the ring in it. I won’t put any pressure on you, and I’ll accept your decision no matter what it is.”
That had been four days before and she had heard nothing from him.
Should she marry him? She wanted to. She loved Clark Kent and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.
Was he ready to marry her? He said he was, and she believed him.
Were the kids in favor of the marriage? Jon and Marta had campaigned for her and to her ever since that first family dinner. And little Ellie had behaved as if Diana were already her mother since that night.
So why was Diana so hesitant to accept?
Simple. It was because of Lois Lane.
Clark and the two older children had filled her with so many stories of how great Lois had been and how driven she’d been to be the best she could be that it had become intimidating. Then she’d made the mistake of relating some of her trepidation to her mother. Yes, Mother, it was foolish for a princess of Themyscira to be intimidated by the memory of a simple human woman. Of course, Mother, the Amazons were superior to mere human women in every way. No, Mother, a normal run-of-the-mill human woman – or even a very special mere human woman – could never be perceived as being superior to the lowest Amazon. Not even the Lois Lane whose life the Amazons still celebrated every year.
Hippolyta had not known Lois Lane-Kent very well at all.
And Diana feared that she’d never live up to such a lofty standard.
A scrape of a shoe on the gravel path alerted her that she was no longer alone. She quickly dried her eyes and inhaled deeply to present the proper royal appearance to whoever was coming.
She stood, straightened herself regally, and turned, only to be tackled around the leg by a preschool tornado. “Mommy D! I’m so glad to see you! When are you coming to live with us? You need to come home and kiss Daddy again ‘cause he’s so sad! He’s not sad when you’re around so you need to come home with us!”
Marta strolled up and grinned. “Hey, Ms. Prince. I see you found Ellie.”
Diana picked up the little girl and kissed her on each cheek. “Hello, little one. Have you been a good girl lately?”
“Yes! I knew you were here so I brought Mart to talk to you. Put me down so I can go sit by Mommy, okay?”
“Of course. Here you go.”
“Thank you. Have a good talk!” And just like that, she turned and sprinted to Lois’ grave and sat beside it.
Diana turned to see Marta already sitting on the bench. “How did your sister know I was here? This – visit was a spur-of-the-moment decision.”
Marta patted the bench beside her. “She reads you like I used to read Mom.”
Diana sat down and frowned at the teen. “She – reads me? I do not understand.”
Marta shrugged. “I don’t either, not really, except that it seems to be from Dad’s side of the family. I just knew when Mom was in trouble or when she needed help or just needed any of us for anything. In fact, I’m the one who made Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Darla take us to the hospital the night Mom died. I think Jon has the same kind of contact with Dad even if he won’t talk about it.”
“I see. And Ellie appears to have this same sympathetic communication with me?”
“Seems to, yeah. She knew you’d be here, so she got dressed and put on her coat and informed me that we were going to see Mommy D and I’d better come quick or Daddy would be mad at me for not watching her good enough.”
Diana chuckled. “That does sound like Ellie.”
“Yeah, it does. But this doesn’t sound like you. What’s going on? Why haven’t you been to the house in the past few days?”
“I – there is – I have a – a decision – oh, bother! Your father has asked me to marry him!”
Marta lifted her eyebrows. “You say that as if it were a bad thing.”
“It is not! I – I do not feel ready.”
“Ready? To do what, deal with Dad? You’ve been doing that as Wonder Woman for years.”
“No! I am quite comfortable dealing with your father in a professional context. That is not the issue.”
“You’re comfortable with him, huh? I’d think he’d rather you be passionate – or at least pleased – about dealing with him at any time in any way. Maybe it’s Jon, or me?”
Diana’s voice softened. “No, Marta, please do not believe that. You and your brother have done nothing but welcome me into your home and into your family since that first dinner. I assure you, the issue does not involve you, your brother, or your sister.”
“Hmm. Not Dad, not the kids, not the idea of marriage, so is it your family? Maybe they don’t want you throwing your life away raising another woman’s kids. Or being a second wife to some guy, even Superman.”
“I – admit that my mother can be – difficult. And she is less than completely enthusiastic about this proposed union. But that is not the reason I am – oh, what is an appropriate word?”
“Conflicted, hesitant, unsure, cautious, tentative, diffident, undecided—”
Diana laughed ruefully. “Have you chosen a career as a walking thesaurus?”
“Attorney, I think. Gotta know all those big words that take up space and don’t clarify anything.”
They shared a chuckle, then Marta said, “I think we’ve narrowed it down. You’re afraid you won’t measure up to Mom’s standards. Am I right?”
Diana ducked her head and stared at the ground. “Yes. I – must admit the truth of what you are saying.” She lifted her head and looked in Marta’s direction without making eye contact. “Does that not make me a coward?”
“No.” Marta scooted closer and took Diana’s hand in hers. “It makes you thoughtful and humble. And a little uninformed.”
“What? Uninformed?”
“Look, I loved my mother and I’ll defend her against anyone who attacks her, but you have to know she wasn’t perfect. I can’t tell you all the times she missed lunch or dinner or some school function or her publisher’s deadlines because she couldn’t – or wouldn’t – quit sticking her neck out and daring some moron to chop her head off. Dad always swooped in at the last minute to save her, but she made both him and her doctors so mad sometimes you could see steam coming off them. She risked her life and her health to get stories she wasn’t supposed to be chasing so many times I quit counting. And I can’t help but think that – that she stressed her liver with all of that idiocy and maybe even shortened her own life because of it.” She growled deep in her throat and looked beyond Diana. “Sometimes I got so mad that I – I wanted to tell her—”
“Marta, dear, please contain yourself. There is no threat here.”
Marta turned away and wiped her nose on her coat sleeve. “I’m – I’m sorry. I thought I was past all that.”
Diana moved closer and put her arm around the girl. “Your feelings are natural. Do not apologize. I was not here, so I cannot speak to the accuracy of your impressions. But, judging by what I have learned about her and what your family has told me, what you say about your mother’s possible failings is not inconsistent with her character.”
“Boy, you go the long way around Laura’s house to say something, don’t you?”
“I am trying to be diplomatic. After all, I did not know your mother well on a personal level.”
“I know.” Marta turned and looked into Diana’s eyes. “So why did you put her on a pedestal? I’m her daughter and I don’t. Sometimes I even get mad at her for leaving.”
“Please do not do that. Your mother was who she was, and had she been a different person your father would not have loved her as he did. And despite her flaws – which I know of only through you – I think she did some very wonderful things.”
“Yeah, I know, she had Jon and Ellie and me. And she wrote all of those tell-all books with real truth in them. But I’ve never understood why she even talked to Lex Luthor. He was such a snot.”
Diana smiled. “That is what I am given to understand. She also wrote those wonderful Wanda Detroit mysteries.”
Marta turned stunned eyes to Diana. “Wanda Detroit? That’s what you remember about Mom?”
Diana lifted her head and looked around them, then leaned close. “I shall share a secret with you if you will promise not to tell your father.”
“A secret about Mom that Dad doesn’t know but you do? What kind of secret?”
The older woman’s mouth twitched. “It is a mischievous secret.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s the best kind! Tell me, tell me!”
“You must promise first.”
“Oh, I promise. Gimme gimme!”
“My mother—” Diana turned and looked around them again, then quietly said, “My mother owns a hardbound copy of every title in the series, each one personally signed by your mother on the inside cover.”
Marta’s mouth fell open. “No! How’d your mom manage that?”
Diana grinned. “She had one of her trusted advisers visit your mother’s personal appearances, and she always had your mother inscribe it ‘To Lita, Your Most Ardent Supporter.’ I doubt your mother ever knew that my mother was one of her greatest fans.”
Marta whooped and clapped her hands. “Oh, that’s great! I can’t wait to tell Jon!”
“As long as you do not tell your father!”
“No way, not on your tiara!”
They shared another laugh, then Marta tapped Diana’s purse. “I’m guessing you brought the ring with you. I’m also guessing that you planned to ask Mom what to do.”
“You are most perceptive, young lady. Perhaps too much so.” Diana sighed. “Yes, I had planned to imagine a dialogue between myself and your mother. But I could not. Nothing came to my mind, neither her words nor her image, so I am as much in the dark now as I was yesterday.”
“No, you’re not. You know what to do.”
Diana’s eyes narrowed. “And I suppose you know that it is that I am to do?”
“I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to do the right thing, no matter how difficult it might be. One of the things Mom told us was that the right thing was often the path of most resistance, and that’s why so few people did the right thing when they had a clear choice.”
Diana inhaled deeply. “You are correct. I do know what I am intended to do.” She reached into her purse and brought out the ring box, then looked at Marta again. “You do realize that this entire enterprise will not be easy, do you not?”
“If being my dad’s wife, being the woman who supports Superman at home, who helps raise his children, and who chooses to blend her life with his was easy, any bimbo could do it.” Marta nudged Diana’s shoulder with her open hand. “And you’re no bimbo.”
“Thank you.” Diana took the ring out and looked at it, then smiled and sighed. “I told your father that when I made my decision he would be the first to hear it.”
Through her grin, Marta said, “So don’t say anything to me. Just put it on and come home with us. Dad will be there in a couple of hours and you can tell him then.” The girl nudged the hand holding the ring. “Or, you could just lift your hand and show him your newly decorated finger.”
“Yes,” Diana smiled. “And then, may I kiss him?”
“Oh, I guess so. As long as you don’t get all sloppy and weepy and stuff. I don’t want to cry along with you.”
“Then that is what I shall do. And you must risk the sloppy and weepy stuff, as you call it. And especially the part about crying along with me.”
Diana smiled widely, then slipped the ring onto the third finger of her left hand. As she snapped the box shut, she realized Ellie was standing beside the bench, staring at her.
“It’s ‘bout time, Mommy D.” Then she reached up with both hands and made a pick-me-up motion. “I’m ready to go home now. You need to help me plan my birthday party. I’m gonna be five soon.”
Diana swept the girl into her arms and laughed. “We are all ready to go home, Ellie. And we shall certainly discuss your party. Do you want to walk or shall I carry you?”
“You can carry me part of the way. I’m a little tired. But I’m glad you put on Daddy’s ring. He’ll be happy now.”
Diana stood, holding Ellie against her shoulder, and reached out for Marta’s hand. “I hope we shall always be happy, little one.”
“We will if I have anything to say about it,” muttered Marta.
“I am sorry, Marta, I did not quite hear that.”
“That’s okay. I was talking to myself.”
Diana nodded sagely. “Of course. I must inform my driver and security team where I am going, but that will take only a moment. Do you wish to come? I know that they would be glad to see you.”
Marta grinned. “Yeah, but they’ll be even more glad to tickle Ellie and spoil her a little more. You two go on. I just need a minute or so.”
Diana gazed down at the girl. “Please take all the time you wish, so long as you do not keep your sister out too late.”
“Not a problem.”
Diana hefted Ellie and smiled at her. “Come, little one, we shall discuss quantum physics and Schrödinger’s kitty cat with Dorinda and Frances. They will be more than happy to debate you on the subject.”
“We don’t hafta stick with the Copenhagen interpretation, do we?”
“I am not participating in that discussion. You, however, may argue whichever side of that proposition you support.”
“Yay! Do they got chocolate sticks too?”
Diana laughed. “I believe we can convince them to part with at least one chocolate stick.”
*****
Marta watched the woman she’d hoped would marry her father carry her little sister to the Princess’ limo, then turned and took the few steps which brought her to her mother’s grave. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then began speaking.
“Hey, Mom. Dad’s finally getting married again. Yeah, I know, he waited long enough, didn’t he? But I think he’s getting the right woman. I like to think you’d like her a lot.
“Speaking of women, I’m starting to understand what you meant about my teaching Ellie to be one. I hope Diana approves, because I don’t plan to stop.” Marta paused, then continued, “I may slow it down a little, though. Ellie learns so fast, and I don’t want her to grow up too quickly. She’s almost scary now with what she knows and what she understands. Now that I think about it, it’s a little like you were with me. So, yeah, I’m keeping Ellie in the dark about a lot of things as long as I can.
“Jon’s set to graduate this coming May with his pre-med B.A. and a grade-point average of 3.92 out of 4.00. We’ve had three different doctors come to visit us, trying to get him to commit to their schools for his doctoral training. It’s almost like he was a football player and college coaches were showing up trying to recruit him. His grades are so good and his resume is so sharp that I don’t think we’ll have any trouble paying for the rest of his education. They’re gonna throw scholarship money at him like baseballs at a carney bottle knockdown game. He’s going to be a great doctor and save a lot of lives. Just don’t tell him I said that. You’ll ruin my reputation with him.
“I think I’m going to be a lawyer. I’ve set up both my junior and senior years in high school to point in that direction, anyway. And I’ve got the grades to get into a pre-law program. Dad’s been moaning about having to pay for two kids in high-cost college programs, but he’s so proud he’s fit to bust his buttons. And I can’t wait to see how he acts if Ellie follows through on her plans to be a physicist. He’d be able to fly without his powers.”
She stopped and knelt on the soft grass. “I still miss you, Mom. I’ll always miss you. But I know you didn’t really want to go. Oh, I still get a little mad when I think about you going off to investigate stuff when we were little when Dad and Dr. Richards and Dr. Klein all told you it was worse than a really bad idea, but I know why you did it. You wanted to make the world a better place for us to live in, just like Uncle Perry said at your funeral.
“Diana wants that too. And that’s the main reason I think you’d approve of her marrying Dad. Besides, she really loves him. And her servants want her to marry him, and yes, she’s that rich! Hey, I just now realized that maybe Dad won’t have to worry about paying for anyone’s tuition.”
She laughed softly. “I have to go now. Diana just put Dad’s ring on her hand. He asked her to marry him several days ago. I guess he’s attracted to women who don’t know their own minds or what a good deal they’re getting.”
Her hands found the ground and she leaned forward slightly. “I will always love and miss you, Mom, but it’s okay. Diana’s going to pick up where you left off and do great. And one of the big reasons will be because you were so great. Jon and Ellie and I are your legacy, and we’re all going to do our best to live up to your example. You and Dad changed the world for the better, and we’re going to change it even more. You won’t be forgotten.”
Marta closed her eyes and ducked her head. She stayed that way for a long moment, until she felt the feather touch of her little sister’s hug around her neck. “Mart? We gotta go home now, okay? Mommy D has to kiss Daddy and tell him she’s staying with us from now on so he’ll be happy. Don’t you wanna come see?”
Marta brushed the moisture from her eyes and smiled. “Sure I do, Squirt. I wouldn’t miss that for the world.”
Ellie grinned. “I’ll race you back to Mommy D, okay? And this time I’m gonna beat you!”
“In your dreams, Short Stuff. You count the start.”
“Okay. One – two—” Ellie burst out of her sister’s loose hug and began running. “—three!”
“Hey!” Marta lurched to her feet and began running after Ellie. “That’s cheating!”
“Not if I win!”
Diana stood beside the limo’s open back door, and as the two sisters raced toward her she put her arms out to either side. She grabbed Ellie and picked her up with one arm, then snatched Marta off the pavement with the other and let her inertia spin them around. Marta knew that was what was happening because Ellie busy shouting things like “Inertia! Angular momentum! Orbital gravitational attraction!”
All three of them laughed like kindergarteners at recess, and their laughter was echoed by Diana’s servants. At the wheel, Dorinda called out her congratulations, and Frances clasped her hands together and wept with obvious joy. Marta could feel how much Diana – no, she’d get to call her Momma D from now on – thrilled at the contact with the girls and the experience of being close to them. It was as if they were three distinct parts of an indivisible whole. The only thing better would be to pull Dad and Jon into the embrace and complete the family again.
To Marta, it felt like coming home.
# the end #
# and a new beginning #
