Part 15
“What do you mean he just showed up?” Clark asked as he stood on the porch with Lois.
It had been thirty minutes since her dad had showed up at the Kent farm. Clark arrived twenty-five minutes later, shocked to see him there.
“I’m not sure how or why…but when he heard we were getting married, he rushed right out here,” Lois said as the two of them leaned against the railing on the front porch.
Clark looked over at his parents talking to Sam Lane over by the barn. Jonathan and Martha Kent didn’t have anything in common with the once renowned orthopedic surgeon. He wasn’t sure what type of trouble Sam was in now, but hoped it wouldn’t involve Lois or disrupt their wedding tomorrow.
“The good thing is he didn’t say anything about my mother,” Lois interrupted as she padded Clark on the forearm.
He watched as Lois walked away toward the stairs.
“Where are you going?” Clark asked with one of his eyebrows rising.
“We have to unload the chairs into the barn. I’m not going to worry about my dad right now when WE have a wedding to prepare for,” Lois said with authority as she looked over her shoulder at him.
Clark didn’t hesitate. When Lois gave that look of determination, he learned to follow, no matter what the crazy plan was. Usually it meant they were going to do something where Lois’ life would be put in danger. In the past, before Lois had learned the truth about his other identity, he would just tag along and wait for the right moment to appear for him to save her. Now, she knew that he would be right there next to her, holding her hand through the danger.
Lois climbed up on the back of the old pickup truck and handed the chairs to Clark. He excused himself when he walked past his parents and Sam, and he noticed Sam glance over at Lois.
“Let me help you,” Jonathan said as he walked toward the truck.
“Dad, you helped me at the church. You should rest,” Clark said as he placed the chairs in the barn against the east side wall.
“Clark, how about we put them in the shed? It’s closer to where the ceremony will be and easiest to move in the morning,” Martha suggested while she took Jonathan’s hand. “We will go inside and work on dinner.”
Clark watched his parents head toward the house, and when he looked back at Sam, Clark saw him take off his blazer, unbutton his shirt cuffs, and roll up his sleeves before grabbing a couple of chairs from Lois. Clark looked over at Lois as she shrugged her shoulders. If Sam wanted to help, neither of them were going to stop him.
“Where do these go?” Sam asked, looking over to Clark.
Clark grabbed the chairs back up that he had set down minutes earlier and led Sam to the shed in the back of the house.
Lois stayed on the back of the truck, sitting down on the tailgate. The truck had been pulled up near the barn with the back about twenty feet from the doors.
Clark had to dial the combination on the small lock that kept the shed secure. The shed was the same shade of red as the barn and was twelve by twenty-four. It stood about twenty-five feet or so behind the house. The barn was on the left with the shed about thirty feet away, and the farmhouse on the right. The shed could be seen from the road but only about a quarter of it. Then beyond the shed, almost fifty feet was the pond with the fields surrounding the rest of the land.
As Clark had been putting the chairs in the shed, he had seen the sweat coming off of Sam. Sometimes Clark forgot that everyone else couldn’t handle the heat and sun like he could.
“I’m sorry, Sam. I didn’t think it would be so stuffy in here,” Clark said, wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead. “We should move the truck back here and open up the windows.”
The shed had small windows on each side, since it was a bigger shed that Clark had built for his dad about ten years ago.
“I’m sorry I haven’t contacted Lois before today. I know how much she tries to act independent and strong,” Sam stated, handing the chairs to Clark.
Clark leaned Sam’s chairs against his, then went to the nearest window to open it. He figured Sam would start saying more when he wanted to. It had been two years since Lois had heard from her dad, not since the story broke about her dad replacing severely injured body parts with mechanical limbs.
“I wasn’t just embarrassed, but I lost all credibility. Lois grew up with such criticism about how she could do even better, then I go and cheat the boxing world. I was a disgrace,” Sam confessed, sagging his shoulders and looking at the ground.
“You think that’s what Lois thought about when that happened?” Clark asked, standing in front of the now-open window. He had walked across the space and opened the window. The boxing story was one of the first that Lois and Clark were partnered on. He remembered how Lois was more upset by Allie’s death than her dad’s part in it.
“Why else would she be so upset with me?”
“Allie. Sam, she adored that man. I could tell from the moment I was introduced to him. Lois might act like she is the toughest, strongest and best female reporter, not only in Metropolis but the U.S, but she’s not. I knew even back then she hid her feelings deep within until they came bursting out,” Clark explained with determination and feeling. “She didn’t need Dr. Lane, she wanted her dad. She is probably outside wondering how you found out where we were and about the wedding, but she is probably also thinking it’s nice to see her dad healthy and happy.”
“I am happy. I saw the light after I left Metropolis. I decided to get back to doing what I’d done in the beginning. A friend from medical school contacted me and asked if I could give a lecture on robotics. Next thing I know, I’m at Duke University, helping them with the newest technology for military veterans who have lost a limb during combat,” Sam explained as he looked outside to the farmland and listened to thewhistling of the wind as the cornstalks swayed back and forth. Sounds of nature before him, he wipes the sweat from his brow.
Clark watched the man in front of him. He wasn’t the same man Clark had met two years ago. Clark got that far away look for a moment as his hearing tuned in to the sound of two vehicles moving down the driveway.
His dad’s truck appeared before him, and he watched as Lois jumped out of the driver’s seat. Clark and Sam walked out of the shed.
“While the two of you were chitchatting, I figured moving the truck closer to the shed might make it easier. Your dad said it was okay if I drove in the yard,” Lois said, coming around the front of the truck.
“Yeah, it might be easier for your dad,” Clark replied.
As Lois moved closer to them, Clark took her hand and pulled her closer to him, putting his arm around her shoulder and kissing the side of her head.
“I think Perry and Jimmy are here,” Clark murmured to her without her dad noticing.
Lois pulled away a second later and stepped near her dad.
“You never really told me how you found out we were here?” Lois asked her dad.
“I called him,” Martha announced, emerging from the back porch with Jonathan, Perry, and Jimmy.
Lois and Clark glanced at one another for a moment. Perry took a couple of steps toward them with a stern look on his face.
“After I got off the phone with you, I decided that one of your parents should be here. So I located him and asked Martha to call him,” Perry declared with a no-nonsense voice.
Clark noticed Sam look down at the ground, kicking his feet around. The man had changed, and Lois needed to see that and give her dad a chance. Both Lois and Clark had issues with their dads and needed to give both of the men a chance to make up for their mistakes.
“Lois, I think it's a good thing he came. We will need to call Clarice to reserve another room at the bed and breakfast,” Clark said, taking his fiancee’s hand.
***
Lois didn’t really have issues with her dad being here, but it was odd. He had never come to any of her journalism award ceremonies or other events in her life that mattered. What made him want to attend her wedding to Clark?
“If you want me to leave, Princess, I will,” Sam stated with everyone’s eyes turning to Lois.
She didn’t need to look around to know that everyone was looking at her. Lois knew what she had to do. It would be nice to have somebody in her family at her wedding.
“I’m happy you’re here,” Lois said, turning to look at her dad. It was true, she was happy. Tomorrow she would be marrying Clark. Nothing could ruin their day. “We do need to call to make sure there’s a room for you.”
The rest of the group seemed to release the breaths they had been holding. Lois felt Clark squeeze her hand and noticed his smile.
“How about I call the bed and breakfast while Jimmy helps Lois and Clark with the chairs?” Martha suggested, putting her hand on Jonathan’s shoulder.
Lois knew what Martha was doing. And she loved the woman for it. Martha would always be the mediator and help round up everyone to get them back to the task at hand.
Before Lois knew what was happening, Jimmy stepped off the porch and had already jumped on the back of the truck. Lois turned to her dad, but he was no longer in the last place she had seen him. She turned her head looking for him, when she caught sight of him exiting the shed with his jacket.
Clark had let go of Lois’ hand and went over to Jimmy. The two men had started emptying the truck. Lois needed to do something before she didn’t have the courage to do it later.
As her dad passed her, she grabbed his hand.
“Lois, I should go give Martha my credit card information for the room,” Sam stated, turning to his daughter.
“Just two seconds,” she said before wrapping her arms around her dad’s waist. He was taller than her by a few inches, even taller than Clark. “Thank you, Daddy. I don’t know what happened, but I am glad you’re here.”
“I might not have been around when you were growing up, but that never meant I didn’t love you. I’m very proud of the woman you have become and I know that you and Clark will be a lot better at this marriage thing than your mother and I. The two of you were friends and partners first. I noticed how much he adored you when I first met him.”
Lois couldn’t help but tear up at her dad’s confession. It was true that being partners and friends had worked in her relationships with Clark. They had grown into loving one another and knowing when the other was in danger. Even the lies from the past had been talked about; they respected each other more than anything.
“I love you, Daddy,” Lois responded, putting her head on his chest.
“Now let me go, Princess, so I can help Martha,” he said with a chuckle.
As Lois watched her dad walk into the house, she felt Clark’s arms curl around her midsection. She leaned into him slightly.
“He’s so different from the man, I remember,” Lois said, inhaling the muscular scent of Clark and his soap. He was so lucky that the heat didn’t bother him or the hard labor.
“I know. I’m glad he’s here, Lois. I think both of you deserve this second chance,” Clark said in her ear.
“I know. And I see you and your dad are doing better,” Lois responded, putting her hand over his on her stomach.
“I still don’t like how he kept avoiding the doctor, but he explained to me why. The trip to the church this morning helped. I made sure he rested when I detected his pulse went too high. I told him that I would come over more weekends to help also,” Clark explained.
“I told your mom the same thing earlier,” Lois said with a smile.
“Is anyone going to help me here?” Jimmy interrupted with a sigh.
Lois and Clark pulled apart and turned to Jimmy, who had moved most of the chairs to the tailgate of the truck. Within five minutes, all of the chairs had been moved into the shed. Lois decided she would move the truck back in the driveway while Clark closed up the building.
A few minutes later, Jimmy, Lois, and Clark walked inside just as Martha was putting the baked chicken on the table.
“Dinner’s ready,” Martha said with enthusiasm. “The three of you should wash up. We’ll wait.”
Lois’ mouth began to salivate at the kitchen table. It looked like a feast for an army; Lois took a deep breath, jealous of how much cooking Martha could do in a short time. She would never be a master chef or baker like Martha Kent. It was only recently that she had learned to make a basic breakfast. Yet, Martha had begun to teach Lois some of the easier recipes.
She followed Clark down the hallway where the main restroom was. They stood next to each other in the hall while Jimmy washed up.
“Mom went all out,” Clark stated as they stood next to one another.
Lois felt the electricity of Clark’s hand slightly touching hers. Her body flushed at the intimate touch and couldn’t even look at him. They would be married in less than twenty-four hours. She should be terrified, but those feelings weren’t present. Lois felt enthusiastic at the next chapter of her life — their life.
Jimmy walked by her and Clark, and before she knew it, she was being pulled into the bathroom and pushed against the door as it shut behind her.
“I’m sorry,” Clark said before his hand cupped her cheek.
“Fo—”, Lois began to say before his lips were on hers.
It wasn’t smooth or slow as his tongue licked her lips. She felt dizzy, aroused, and everything in between as Clark’s other hand was at the small of her back pulling her closer. As she turned slightly, he moaned and bit her bottom lip.
She gripped his t-shirt, feeling certain Clark was just as into this as she was. Trying to control herself and catch her breath, Lois slowed the kiss and began to pull away.
“Clark, our family is out there waiting on us. Your mother went all out with dinner — fresh-baked bread, baked chicken, and mashed potatoes. The delicious smell of her baked apple pie is making my mouth water. We need to get cleaned up so we can eat,” Lois said, putting her hands on his chest.
“I have wanted to kiss you like that since we got back from the church,” he responded, hugging her.
“I love you, but we really need to go. I think you may need a cold shower before you go back out there,” she teased, chuckling slightly.
Clark let her go, and Lois went to the sink and washed her hands as he flew out the window, returning as she was finishing and smoothing out her shirt.
She stood against the door as he washed his hands. Lois couldn’t help but grin ear to ear as he gazed at her reflection in the mirror.
“Where did you go?” she asked.
“The arctic. I couldn’t take a quick shower with you here. And your dad, Perry, and Jimmy would wonder why my hair was all wet,” Clark explained, wiping his hands dry.
Lois took his hand, and with her other hand, she opened the door, then they exited the bathroom. Both of them giggled as she led him down the hallway. When they walked into the kitchen, the sight of a certain someone standing there wiped the happy look off of both of their faces.
“What are you doing here, Lana?” Clark barked.
Lana stood there with both of her hands on her hips. Lois shook her head at the gall of this woman. She couldn’t take a hint.
“Can I talk to you outside, please?” Lana asked Clark, not even acknowledging Lois’ presence or the rest of the people in the kitchen.
“Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of us, dear,” Martha said, matter of factly.
“Fine, I just thought you would like to know that I’m pregnant,” Lana announced.
“Congratulations, but we both know the baby isn’t Clark’s,” Lois said, squeezing Clark’s hand. “We are getting married tomorrow, so whatever scheme you are doing here, won’t work.”
“I hope you know my father won’t take this new revelation very easily,” Lana stated before turning her heels and leaving angry.
When Lois heard the front door slam, she looked around the room and shrugged her shoulders. She let go of Clark’s hand and stepped toward everyone.
“Who's hungry?” Lois said as she pulled out her chair.
No one said anything as they sat down around the dinner table.
“Dinner looks amazing, Mrs. Kent,” Jimmy said as he reached for the serving spoon in the mashed potatoes.
“Thank you, Jimmy. Why don’t all of us enjoy ourselves and forget about the uninvited guest?” Martha said sternly.
Suddenly, the rest of the family and friends forgot about Lana Lang and began to talk about their lives and what else needed to be accomplished before the festivities tomorrow. All of them enjoyed the home-cooked meal, especially the three new guests who had arrived earlier in the day.
“This is delicious,” Sam stated before buttering his homemade bread. “I haven’t had a home cooked meal in ages. Is this homemade butter?”
“My family have been making their own butter on this farm for three generations,” Clark said with glee. He was proud of the hard work his family had put in to overcome the hard times throughout the years. When he first arrived back at the farm a couple of weeks ago, not only did he feel guilty but angry also. Now that most of the repairs had been completed, new equipment was being used, and help was coming, Clark didn’t need to feel the heaviness anymore. He could move on with his life and soon-to-be wife in Metropolis. When the time came, Clark might talk to his cousins about them taking over the farm to make sure it stayed in the family. Now Clark knew things would be okay. If only he had known that he hadn’t needed to hang on by a thread those first couple of days. All the words that came out wrong. Lois had refused to let him go, and she’d brought him back to life. Tomorrow would be only the beginning of their journey together.
***
Lois woke up early to hear the birds singing outside. The windows had stayed open overnight since the temperatures weren’t going to get below fifty-five. The aroma of the fresh air mixed with a floral scent didn’t overpower the earthy smell of the farm. Oh yes, today was her wedding day. She couldn’t believe it.
And as she started to push the blankets off the bed, there was a soft knock on the door.
“Come in,” Lois said.
The door slightly opened with Martha peeking inside.
“I wasn’t sure if you were awake or not, but I thought you could use a cup of coffee. I made it just how you like it,” Martha replied as she pushed the door farther open.
“Just woke up and was getting ready to start the busy day,” Lois said, reaching out for the coffee.
“Clark is outside already. The florist will be here in an hour. Perry called and said Jimmy, your dad, and he are having breakfast at the inn this morning. After that, they will end up over here,” Martha explained, handing the cup to Lois.
“If you get tired of living on the farm, you could move to Metropolis and become a wedding planner,” Lois responded before taking a sip of the coffee.
Lois took in the aroma of the dark roast coffee and sighed afterward. She loved the feeling of the first sip of coffee in the morning, the hot liquid sending a warming sensation through her body.
“I have a small breakfast ready for you — yogurt parfait with some strawberries and blueberries. I figured since the wedding is early, you wouldn’t want a big breakfast,” Martha said as she stepped back toward the door.
“Thank you, Martha,” Lois replied before Martha disappeared down the hallway.
Lois figured she’d better start her day before Clark got everything finished. He didn’t use his speed very much these days with everyone showing up at the farm by surprise. She wouldn’t be surprised, though, if he used it today to set up the chairs.
As she made her way outside about twenty minutes later in jeans and red t-shirt, she heard the florist talking to Clark.
“Did you want the calla lilies around the wedding arch also?” the young woman asked him.
“Yes, a mix of the white calla lilies, yellow roses, and red tulips around the arch,” Clark answered.
“Then a small bouquet at the end of each aisle,” Lois said, coming up to Clark and putting her hand on his shoulder.
“I thought you didn’t want to see each other before the ceremony?” Clark said a couple of minutes later after the florist walked away.
“I know, but there is too much to do, and even though this is a large farm, it’s not big enough for us not to see one another. Our relationship wasn’t traditional, neither is this wedding, nor us for that matter,” she said as she moved to stand next to him.
Lois noticed that Clark kept trying not to look over at her, keeping his eyes forward. Now that she had thought about it, they had to see one another beforehand. He had even seen the wedding dress beforehand — in his parents’ wedding pictures.
“How did you sleep?” Lois asked.
“I sleep better with you next to me. I think I woke up floating a couple of times. I have broken way too many beds and couches when I do that,” Clark admitted, quietly leaning closer to her.
“It was just one night. Tonight, we can fly anywhere you want and be together for the rest of our lives,” she said, moving in front of him and putting her hand on his chest. “And by the way, I didn’t sleep great either.”
“Anywhere? Even if it’s to my apartment. I remember a couple of weeks ago, I had found you in my bed, sleeping. It took everything in me to leave that night.”
“You mean after you kissed me when you thought I was sleeping?” she asked. She looked up at him, those deep piercing eyes staring down at her. “I found one of your t-shirts and slept in it. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“I’m sorry I wouldn’t return your calls. I pushed you away again even after I told you I wouldn’t. When we got back together after I broke up with you for what I thought was a good reason, I told you it wouldn’t happen again,” Clark confessed. “I don’t know why I pushed you away, and I can’t promise you I won’t do it again. But I will promise that I will do everything in my power to make sure I keep you and our family safe, to love you, and communicate better.”
“Clark, we have a few more hours until the wedding. You don’t need to make any more promises right now. I know why you pushed me away, and I was giving you the space you needed. Now, let’s finish this stuff up so we can get married.”
Lois and Clark finished setting up the chairs. At first, they weren’t sure how things were going to be arranged, but finally they came to the conclusion that the wedding arch would be placed closest to the fields of wheat and corn. The chairs would be closer to the house. Therefore, the guests wouldn’t see the old farmhouse, but instead the crops that grew and went on to nurture others.
Clark had cleared out the barn, and the caterer had arrived. The food was set up inside when the caterer arrived. The caterer was the owner of the local restaurant Clark had grown up going to. There wouldn’t be that many attendees at the wedding since they were trying to keep it small. After Perry, Sam, and Jimmy arrived, the house was getting full.
Lois kept bumping into people, and Clark had tried to find something to help with. Martha was running around in all her glory in charge of everything like it was just another day on the farm. Perry was trying to keep Jonathan occupied, making sure that he stayed calm and relaxed as his farm was overrun with family and friends.
Lois had finally gone to take a quick shower after getting dirty and hot outside. Even though it was October, the Kansas weather was cooperating, but being outside on the farm could work up a sweat. When her shower was done, she ran into Clark’s bedroom in a large robe, and then she started putting on the dress.
Lois’ mouth opened in shock now that she was finally seeing what Martha had told her earlier and also what Martha had pulled off with the dress’ alterations. The dress was stunning with its satin and lace, with a flattering fit and flare shape. It had a v-neckline with zig-zag points through the bust to the drop waist. The bodice had a rich, floral tulle lace overlay and was trimmed with piping throughout. The very full skirt flared out from there with soft gathers all around. It had an attached tulle netting slip with a ruffle hem.
A knock at the door broke her concentration on remembering the last time she had stood in front of the mirror in a wedding gown. Nope, she wouldn’t ever go back to being that weak woman who was naive to believe a man like Lex, who had tried to kill her and Clark more than once. No, Lois was strong, independent, and in love with her hero, her best friend, and her partner.
“Lois, can I come in?” Sam asked, knocking on the door again.
“I’ll be right there,” Lois answered. She had remembered that her dad would be walking her down the aisle. Although, at first, she had wanted Perry to stand with her, but once her dad had arrived and shown how much he had changed and how helpful he was the past sixteen hours, Lois had changed her mind.
She unlocked the door, and when it opened, there stood her dad, all six-feet-four of him in a gray suit.
“Wow! Princess, you look stunning. Just like I knew you would on your wedding day. I can’t believe this moment is here, my princess is getting married,” Sam said, wiping away a tear.
“Thank you, daddy,” Lois said. It wasn’t until then, she had realized what this moment meant to both of them. He was the only family she had at her wedding. The only one that understood the compassion, the hard-work, and the determination she had in her professional career and now in her personal.
“Clark is darn lucky to be marrying my princess,” Sam said as Lois hugged him.
“Thank you, Daddy, for being here. You don’t know how much I appreciate it,” Lois said.
“Let’s get moving before the groom gets more impatient. He kept pacing and asking everyone if there was anything else to do,” Sam said, pulling away from Lois.
As Lois had stepped outside onto the path that Clark and Martha had created with a yellow runner and a few petals of red tulips and white calla lilies. Not many people would understand the meaning of the yellow or why, instead of red roses, they used yellow. When discussing flowers, Lois had instantly said yellow roses just like the roses Clark had given her a year earlier when she was being stalked by Kyle Griffin. She had thrown away the yellow roses before she had understood that yellow roses stood for friends — exactly what Lois and Clark had been at the time.
The music began as Lois held onto her dad’s arm. She looked down the aisle to see her groom standing there in a charcoal suit and a yellow tie. Lois chuckled for a moment, remembering their first date when he showed up in a charcoal suit. She had gone with a simple little black dress that night. Their discussion earlier in the day had talked about expectations on a first date, and she hadn’t wanted to conform to the burgundy dress he thought she would show up in. Yet he had told her she looked amazing that night.
As she and her dad began walking down the aisle, all of those little moments with Clark flashed through her memory. She was making the right choice this time. Her best friend and partner was becoming her husband. Neither of them were going to have anyone standing up with them. No, it was meant to be — just the two of them. Anyway, it wasn’t as if Jimmy could be Maid of Honor and Best Man.
***
Lois took his breath away as she walked closer to him. A superhero, a man from another planet, was nothing compared to the beauty walking toward him. For the rest of his life, Lois Lane would be Superman’s kryptonite and his wife. He would do everything and anything to be by her side.
When she stepped next to him, he took her hands in his and turned to the man who would be marrying them. At one point, they had been thinking of Perry marrying them, which would have been ironic, since he was the one that had put the Hottest Team in Town together.
Nope. Instead, Martha had asked Pastor Tom Lockwood to marry the couple. The Kent’s had been members of his church for decades. As it was, Jonathan’s parents were some of the first members of the church when it had opened over seventy-five years ago. Through the years, though, Jonathan and Martha didn’t attend as much, and Clark would attend with them on holidays when he was in town.
The pastor was a new addition to the church. He graduated from the seminary only a year ago. Thomas Lockwood had graduated high school with Clark. Martha had asked the young man to marry Lois and Clark since his grandfather had married Jonathan and Martha over thirty-five years ago. Pastor Lockwood had agreed to perform the ceremony after he had met with Lois and Clark a couple of days ago when he had visited the farm to discuss what they wanted for their wedding.
Lois and Clark stood before their friends and family as the pastor spoke about marriage. He mentioned a couple of verses in the Bible about marriage and then he went on to the vows. They had been going to write their own vows, but at the last minute they had thought better of it. If they took the time to say everything they loved about each and what made them better with the other by their side, it would take them all day.
After the vows were said and the rings exchanged, Clark gave Lois the biggest grin as the pastor stated that he could now kiss his bride. Lois had never been happier. Clark had covered her cheek with his palm like he had done so many times before. Then he leaned down and kissed her. The kiss started simple until she put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. When Clark heard a couple of people hum slightly, he pulled away before sweeping a piece of her hair behind her ear.
Thirty minutes later, after the congratulations, the hugs, and handshakes, the reception started — a simple lunch inside the house with some tables set up outside in the front yard.
Clark held Lois’ hand as he introduced her to some of the attendees she didn’t know. With only thirty-five people, it was easy to meet and greet with everyone in a short time. After a few minutes, Lois noticed a familiar face within the crowd on the front porch. Lois dragged Clark over to their dear friend and the Sheriff of Smallville — Rachel Harris.
“I’m so happy for the two of you,” Rachel said as she hugged Lois. There was a man with Rachel who Lois had not met yet.
“Chris, it’s great to see you again,” Clark said, shaking the hand of the blond-haired man with Rachel. “Chris was a grade higher than, us and his dad had been appointed sheriff the year we graduated high school.”
“I thought you said you weren’t seeing anyone, Rachel,” Lois stated as she leaned to one side.
“Yeah, well, what I didn’t tell you was Chris and I have been seeing each other on the sly. I didn’t want my mother to start asking when we were going to get married or have grandchildren. So, I just never told my mom. I let her think I was just concentrating on my career. It wasn’t until I heard that the two of you were getting married here that I told her the truth,” Rachel admitted with a grin. “After high school I wasn’t sure what I really wanted to do until his dad, Christopher Sr., pulled me over for speeding one time. We had started talking, and after a week I started coming in to talk about a career in law enforcement. I would shadow him. Chris and I got to know each other during that time. We lost track of each other when he moved away to go to college. During his dad’s funeral last year, we caught up and he ended up moving back to help with his mom,” Rachel told Lois and Clark.
“Beautiful wedding,” Chris said with a smile, taking Rachel’s hand. “I love the idea of having it outside, especially on this farm your family has been on for generations.”
“I know, right? After helping Clark the past couple of weeks out here, I couldn’t think of a better place to have the wedding. The view overlooking the fields is breathtaking,” Lois admitted, squeezing Clark’s hand.
“When I first met you, Lois, the last place I thought you would have gotten married is the Kent Farm. I mean, I could tell the two of you had the hots for each other,” Rachel commented with a chuckle.
Lois and Clark looked at each other and smiled, then Lois put her head on his shoulder.
“I’m glad you knew, because I fought the attraction for a year,” Lois admitted, putting her hand up to her forehead. “When he first admitted he was in love with me — I ran away. I was so angry.”
Clark remembered that moment well in the park. He would have done anything to protect her from Lex. If he had had the chance, he might have even have interrupted the wedding, but she had come through by stopping it herself.
“It took us awhile to get here, but we made it, Lois,” Clark said, looking down at her then kissing the top of her head. He knew the road had been full of obstacles between them. Clark had broken her heart a couple of times by being a lunkhead and not thinking of what she wanted. Now he knew to communicate with her before he made rash decisions. Clark Kent had almost lost those closest to him by being a stubborn man who thought he needed to save everyone. He had to remember he didn’t need to put the weight of the world on his shoulders. Clark could be there for those he loved, and save those he could. He couldn’t save everyone, but those he saved were just as important.
“If you only knew,” Lois told Rachel. “The road to relationships may have twists and turns, and even forks in the road, but it’s where you end up that matters.”
When it came to it, Lois and Clark might have started their trip to Smallville at different times and wavelengths. He had come to the farm angry about who he hadn’t been able to save, yet as time had passed, Lois made him see that he didn’t need to do everything. He could be like everyone else and have a life. His parents’ problems were not his to worry about, although he could offer to help. Both Jonathan and Clark had to ask for help when they were overwhelmed. Neither of them could do everything on their own, because they had their wives to guide them the right direction. It took the love of a great woman to make an even better man.
The End
