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From Part 26:“If you can teach Clark to love again, and persuade him that you really do love him too - just as he is - you’ll make me very happy, Lois.”
“But... how do you know I...?” Lois was almost lost for words.
“How do I know that you love my son, Lois?” Martha smiled again. “It was there in every word you said about him just a minute ago. It was there in your eyes, too. You’re not going to deny it, are you?”
Shaking her head, Lois said, “No. And... I think - I hope - he’s already learning to love again.”
Martha reached across the table, squeezing Lois’s hand briefly. “I think Clark’s chosen much more wisely this time. Welcome to the family, Lois.”
*********
Now read on...“Hi, Dad.”
Jonathan Kent, busily engaged in repairing a partition, turned to smile at his son. “Clark! It’s good to see you.”
“Want a hand?” Clark moved to stand beside his father, assessing the damage. “What happened?”
He knew only too well that he’d been sent outside primarily to allow his mother the opportunity to get to know Lois without him around, and as such he might as well make himself useful. And in any case, he could do this sort of work far more quickly than his father.
“Had to replace a few supports,” Jonathan explained. “Woodworm.”
“Okay, stand back.” Clark grinned, then took the nails from his father. Two seconds later, all of them had been banged in and the partition was securely in place.
Jonathan grinned in response. “I’ve missed having you around the farm, son!”
Clark embraced him. “I miss being here too. But - ”
“But your life’s not here. I know that. Once we started to discover your talents, I knew you’d never be happy running a small farm in the country,” his father said fondly.
Clark shrugged. “I love the farm, Dad, and it’s nothing to do with these abilities of mine - ”
“Didn’t mean those.” Jonathan started to tidy away his tools. “You’re book-intelligent and college-educated, son. And you love writing. And finding things out - exploring, investigating. You’re not the kind of person who’d be happy living here his whole life. And that’s just fine. You know your mom and I are so proud of you. Working at the Daily Planet and all - and we saw those front-page articles you had the past couple of days with Lois Lane. You’ve shown her that you’re as good as her any day.”
“But I don’t want to compete with Lois, Dad,” Clark said softly. “We’re friends. And we’re partners now, too. I couldn’t be happier about the way things have worked out.”
Jonathan gave Clark a broad smile. “So your mother was right!”
“Huh?”
“After you called us last night, your mom said you’re in love with this Lois.”
Clark returned his father’s grin with a sheepish one of his own. “I can’t hide anything from you guys, can I?”
“Well, the thing you most need to remember is that those eyes in the back of her head we always told you your mom had haven’t gone away just because you grew up,” Jonathan said in deadpan tones.
Clark burst out laughing. “Yeah, I never could fool Mom!” Sobering, he added softly, “And Lois loves me too. That’s what amazes me. She knows everything about me - what I can do, what I might be -”
Jonathan looked up from his tidying. “You told her?” He sounded worried, and Clark nodded, hastening to reassure him.
“I needed to. Don’t worry - she won’t tell anyone. I trust her absolutely. And I’m glad I told her, Dad! She doesn’t have a problem with any of it. In fact, she’s had some pretty terrific ideas.
And, better still, she still loves me, regardless of what I am.”
Having finished tidying, his father straightened. Giving Clark a straight look, he said, in an innocent-sounding tone which didn’t fool Clark for an instant, “And why wouldn’t she?”
“Dad, you know why!” he said, sighing. “Who the heck would really want to be with someone like me? A freak?”
“Clark!” Jonathan interrupted, sounding irritated. “How many times have we told you that you’re
not a freak? I really wish you wouldn’t use that word. You know your mom hates it.”
“Yeah, I know.” Clark smiled. “Don’t worry, Dad; I think I’m finally getting over all that stuff. Lois has a lot to do with that. She doesn’t like me calling myself a freak either.” He grinned. “And she thinks that what I can do is great. She loves flying with me - and she says I’m a great asset as a partner.” He winked. “I think she likes me, too. I mean,” he added, almost shyly, “she
really likes me.”
His father patted him warmly on the back. “Like I said, why wouldn’t she? Anyway, you coming into the house? I bet your mom has fresh coffee made by now.”
She and Lois would probably be on their second cup, Clark thought with an inward grin. He’d had no real qualms about leaving Lois alone with his mother; Lois was well capable of holding her own, and he was confident that his mother would like her.
“Oh, by the way, Lois is here, Dad,” he said as they headed towards the barn door. “She’s in the kitchen with Mom.”
“She’s here?!” Jonathan did a double-take. “And you left her with your mom? You know Martha will have your baby photos out by now, don’t you?”
“Oh, heck,” Clark muttered. “Let’s get in there, then!”
**********
“...and so I made him tell me everything,” Lois finished.
“Well, I did try to come up with more excuses,” Clark added quickly, with a sheepish grin. “But it was clear that Lois wasn’t going to believe them. I can tell you, I was pretty scared that she was going to write about me in the Planet... but I misjudged her there.”
“That’ll teach you to jump to conclusions, Kent.” Lois jabbed her forefinger into his upper arm and grinned at him.
Martha, smiling broadly, watched the interplay between her adopted son and his girlfriend. She’d been waiting for years to see something like this. Clark was in love, and Lois loved him right back. It was just wonderful to see.
For a long time, Martha had worried that Clark would never let his guard down again sufficiently to get close to a woman. She’d been afraid that he would never allow himself to fall in love.
Lana had really done a number on him, all those years ago, she mused. Not that Martha blamed the teenage girl Lana had been. After all, at that age kids often said or did hurtful things without having any idea of the real pain caused as a consequence.
She had no real idea of what had actually transpired between Clark and Lana, but she was pretty sure that Clark hadn’t actually got as far as telling Lana about himself. Lana’s own behaviour, her obvious puzzlement when Clark had begun to withdraw from the relationship, had told Martha that. But it had been equally clear that something Lana had either said or done had given Clark reason to believe that she couldn’t accept him as he really was.
Clark had become withdrawn and reluctant to discuss his abilities. He’d tried to suppress what he could do, to the point of denying that he was discovering the ability to levitate. When he’d had an accident by failing to control his strength, he’d pretended that the mishap had nothing to do with him and that the fact that he was surrounded by shards of ceramic had everything to do with the mug being faulty.
And when he’d graduated from college and set off around the world, Martha had just known that he’d kept people at arms’ length. Oh, he’d made friends - Clark was too good-natured and warm-hearted for that not to be the case - but she knew that he’d never let anyone get close. Not close enough for any kind of intimacy, either emotional or physical.
And now, with the entrance of Lois Lane into Clark’s life, all of that seemed to have changed.
Clark, for the first time in his life, had opened up to someone other than his parents. He’d taken a leap of faith where Lois was concerned, and it had been fully justified; Lois had returned his trust with her own, and with her love.
It didn’t hurt that they looked wonderful together too, Martha thought in satisfaction. They were so sweet, holding hands under the table - and she was very sure that it never occurred to either of them that she or Jonathan knew that was what they were doing. And they kept exchanging secret, meaningful smiles; if they were alone, they’d have been kissing by now.
Actually, she mused, perhaps it was time that she hauled Jonathan out of the kitchen on some pretext for a few minutes; it was hardly fair on the two love-birds to make them be on their best behaviour for this long.
She was about to suggest such an excuse when Clark spoke again.
“Mom, Dad, the other thing we wanted to talk to you about is that Lois has had a terrific idea! She thought of a way I can use my abilities to help people, without giving away who I am.”
“Really?” Martha thought that Jonathan sounded sceptical, and she wasn’t really surprised. If there was a way in which Clark could use the gifts he’d been given to do good, that was wonderful, in her opinion. But she was well aware of the unwanted attention, the suspicion and undoubted danger which would follow if it became known that Clark Kent could do these amazing things. She and Jonathan would be in danger, and Clark would never be able to have the normal life he craved.
“Yeah,” Lois replied. “See, I was thinking... what he needs is a disguise. Some sort of uniform, so that people associate him with the uniform and not... well, himself. You know the way when a traffic cop stops you, all you see is the cop’s uniform - you rarely even notice his face.”
Martha stifled a grin; was Lois frequently stopped by traffic cops, then? But her idea was interesting... in fact, it just might work...
“So, you mean that Clark just needs some sort of eye-catching uniform... What about a mask? Or a hood?”
Lois shook her head adamantly. “No. Nothing like that. If he wears a mask, that tells everyone that there’s someone under the mask. It says there’s a secret that he’s hiding, and everyone will want to know what that is - *who* he is. As long as Clark doesn’t try to hide his face, then no-one will think that he might have something to hide.”
“Interesting...” Martha murmured. And Lois did have a point. But...
“Yeah, but he’d be recognised immediately, wouldn’t he?” Jonathan objected, voicing Martha’s fear.
“Not necessarily,” Lois disagreed. “Look.”
She got to her feet and, standing beside Clark, pulled off his glasses. As she did so, he turned and smiled up at her; that smile made Martha glad that she was sitting down. It was full of love and admiration, and the kind of trust she’d been afraid that Clark would never be able to feel.
With one hand, Lois swept Clark’s hair back from his forehead. “If Clark slicks his hair back, like this, and without his glasses... well, what do you think?”
Clark looked directly at his parents, his expression becoming authoritative - mimicking the way he would behave when in his uniform? And Lois was right: he looked so unlike her son that Martha was amazed.
“You could be a completely different person, son,” Jonathan said slowly. “You know, this could just work...”
“It
will work,” Lois insisted. “And don’t forget, I can help to make sure it does. We both can. Clark and I are reporters. We work for the Daily Planet - one of the best papers in the country, if not the best. And if we write about Superman as if we have no idea who he is and that being Superman is all that he is, that’ll set the tone for other coverage.”
“Superman?” Martha queried. She noticed that Clark had rolled his eyes at the name.
“Well, that’s what I came up with as a name,” Lois explained. “He needs a name - and I can’t really see Clark coming up with anything for himself. Sorry, Clark,” she added, patting his arm, a gesture which made Martha smile.
“Yes, I could!” Clark objected.
Martha stood up, deciding not to let the two of them continue the argument. “Well, if you need some sort of costume, or uniform... I guess you want me to get my sewing machine out?”
“Thanks, Mom,” Clark said gratefully. “I was thinking something tasteful in maybe dark blue?”
*********
Clark looked ruefully down at the clingy electric-blue Spandex in which he was now clad.
This was tasteful?
Well, he had to agree with his mother and Lois that there was little chance that anyone would be looking at his face. It was exactly where they’d be looking instead which worried him.
Superman.
That was who he was now.
He still didn’t care for the name; it sounded far too egotistical for his liking. But Lois liked it, and his mom seemed to agree. And once she’d brought out that odd stylised S-emblem from his baby blanket, it had been settled. He was Superman.
The clinginess of the costume embarrassed him, and the cape felt weird. But both his parents and Lois had exclaimed in delight over it, so he supposed it must be okay.
“You really think I won’t be recognised?” he asked again, still worried about that aspect.
“Not a chance, Clark,” Lois insisted. “You don’t look anything like Clark Kent, reporter for the Daily Planet. Or even Clark Kent of Smallville, I guess. You look... well, it’s strange, but dressed like this you look taller, more commanding... distant, as if you could be very intimidating. Yeah, especially when you look at me like that,” she added, laughing as he frowned in her direction.
“Okay, I guess the major test will be the first time I use the outfit,” he said wryly. “I just hope it works!”
“It will,” Lois said confidently. “Trust me!”
“It’ll work, son,” his father said. “Lois is right - you don’t look anything like yourself.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Clark went to his mother and hugged her warmly. “I really appreciate all the trouble you’ve gone to.”
Martha shrugged. “I enjoyed doing it! And I can’t wait to see Superman in action.”
“Me too,” Lois said, grinning; Clark stretched out one arm and hooked it around her shoulders, drawing her close to him.
“Thanks, Lois. I’d never have thought of this without you.”
She gave his shoulder a gentle head-butt. “Hey, there’s self-interest at work here too - I’m going to get a great story out of you!”
“
We are going to get a great story out of me,” he reminded her.
She smiled. “You bet, partner! You didn’t think I’d try to cut you out, did you?”
He smiled back. “Naah. Not now.”
“And don’t you forget it.” She leaned up and pressed a swift kiss to his cheek. Even with that brief touch, Clark felt his heart do flip-flops.
Over supper, his mom asked, “How’s the apartment-hunting going?”
“Apartment-hunting?” Lois interrupted before Clark could answer.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Come on - you didn’t think I’d stay in that flea-pit indefinitely, did you? Once I knew I’d be staying, I started looking, but finding anything in Metropolis to rent that’s both decent
and affordable isn’t easy. And I’ve been pretty busy over the past couple of days,” he added, directing his comment to his parents. “So I haven’t really had time to get out and look at anything.”
“Should’ve told me,” Lois said calmly. “I could’ve found something for you in no time.”
“Really?”
“Of course!” She gave him a look as if to say that he should have known that. “Have you seen my contacts list, Clark? I know guys who know guys... and let’s say that some of these guys owe me favours. Look, I’ll make a few calls tomorrow and see what happens, but I bet you’ll end up with a great apartment in less than two days. Deal?!
Clark shook his head. “I know better than to bet against you! Thanks, Lois. I appreciate it.”
She grinned. “Hey, I get something out of it, too. You imagine I want to keep risking my car wheels picking you up from the Apollo?”
*********
...tbc
