“We want to get married again as soon as possible, right?”
“Yes, of course we do...”
“But if we tried to get married in Metropolis, there would be a several month waiting period. Smallville, on the other hand...”
“Are you sure they'd let you book so soon?”
“Honey, it's a small country town. The church always keeps a spot open for, ahem, shotgun weddings.” Lois couldn't help but laugh.
Shotgun weddings! I can't help laughing either.
Two people were sitting at her kitchen table, deep in conversation. One of them was Clark, but the woman with him was a total stranger. A total stranger who looked like she'd been the victim of a very recent beating.
They hadn't seen her yet, so she decided to keep watching. There seemed to be something subtly different about Clark. Was he sitting up straighter? The last time she'd seen him, he'd been hopeful about his future, but unsure. Now, well...it was as if he'd not only found his niche, but also gotten totally comfortable with it.
What *wasn't* subtle was that he was utterly, happily in love. She'd wondered, from time to time, whether she'd ever see Clark with that look on his face. She couldn't help smiling.
But what about the woman he was in love with? Martha studied the stranger in her kitchen. Would this woman be worthy of her son's attention? She seemed very...intense. Every inch a professional city girl. Yet...when she looked at Clark...it all seemed to soften, just a bit. She also seemed vaguely familiar, although Martha couldn't think why. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
A fragment of conversation drifted out to her. “We need to do something about those frozen Nazis,” the woman said, pointing at a page of the scrapbook that was lying on the table between them.
Then again, maybe it would.
Ah! I
love Martha watching and contemplating her son, his obvious happiness, and the weird woman he is with!
“It's like Chutes & Ladders,” Lois added. “He and I have done this before. We met, and slowly became partners, and friends, and went through a *lot* before we finally got married, so it was like in the game, moving up one box at a time. But then one day...”
“Everything changed.” Clark shrugged helplessly. “And suddenly we were back here.”
“We hit a really long chute,” Lois explained. As if that actually made sense. “And we slid way back down the board. So, even though it seems we only met four days ago...”
“It's really been four years.”
Eeeek! I've never heard of Chutes & Ladders, and that stuff about hitting a really long chute - yep, if I'd been Martha, I'd have thought they were certifiably insane!
“We need to go over Mr. Irig's field with a fine tooth-combed comb -- and when I say "we' Clark, I mean "me'.”
Stop! Stop! Lois, aren't you pregnant? With a half-Kryptonian daughter? What is she going to say if you drag her out onto a Kryptonite-strewn field?
“Yes, dear. At least you won't lie about that "like a brother' stuff again.”
“I wasn't lying,” Lois said with dignity. There was a pause, and then she continued. “I was just deluded.”
“I did this for *you*, Lex,” she answered. Such sweet sentiment.
“And you've been paid very well,” Lex said, not wanting such sentiment from Antoinette. “In fact, your final instalment is waiting for you in the helicopter. Proceed as planned. I promise there will be no loose ends."
Ah
gaaaahhhh! There is something about having 20/20 hindsight!
Are you going to let Clark and Lois do everything all over again? Dealing with Luthor, Miranda, Deter and the rest? Wow! Well, forewarned is forearmed... but will it always be enough?
And I'm so eager to find out how long it will be until Lois starts to show. But before that you'll have to get them a shotgun wedding(!) and an apartment. You'll have your work cut out for you, Sammy!
Ann
