Part 3
The next morning Jonathan, Sam, Ellen, Martha and Ellen are in Clark’s house. Sam and Jonathan go into his room. He is still passed out on the bed Sam lays a terry clothe towel on the bed next to Clark and Jonathan gently laid the baby on it. Sam places the baby monitor on the nightstand and a bottle next to the baby. They both leave and sit on the sofa with Martha and Ellen they listen on the monitor. They hare the baby start to fuss and demand attention.
“May I should go and check.” Martha said about to get up Ellen nodded.
“Sit.” Sam said Martha looked at Jonathan who nods so Martha sits down.
***
Clark opened his eyes and stares up at the ceiling. The baby begins to scream Clark looks at her then jumps up.
“Oh boy!” He stared at the baby who continued to scream. He opens the bedroom door. “Mom! Mom!” He yelled. “Oh I get it. We’re playing throw the ball at Clark and see if he drops it. Well it don’t work if Clark don’t play.” He picks up the phone and dials Sam and Ellen’s number but it just rings. “Come on, come on.” He puts it down and looks at the screaming baby.
“Well pick her up.” Lois said from the corner of the room.
“I…I…I can’t.” Clark said backing away. Lois walked over to the bed and sits by the baby.
“She needs you.” Clark just stared at the baby “Clark Jerome Kent be the father I know you can be.” She ordered him and he took a step closer to the bed. “Go on she won’t bite you.” Clark careful picked her up the bottle and offered it to the baby.
“Come on please take it.”
“Relax, she can sense you’re nervous.” Lois watched him her presence and words helping to him to relax and the baby took the bottle teat. “There you go.” Clark smiled in awe.
“There you go.” Clark cooed. “This isn’t so bad.”
***
Hearing that Clark is looking after the baby Sam, Ellen, Jonathan and Martha leave.
“Maybe we should stay just to be sure.” Martha said concerned.
“He’ll be fine.” Jonathan said.
“But what if he gets drunk and hurts hurt?” Ellen said.
“He won’t life goes on she’ll show him that.” Sam told them and they all left.
***
Clark looked down at his daughter and smiled Lois looked at them and smiled too.
“She’s beautiful.” Lois said.
“Just like her mother.” Clark said proudly.
“She has your hair.” The baby have a full head of jet-black hair. “you have to keep going for her. She needs you.”
“It hurts Lois, it hurts so much.” Clark said tears form in his eyes.
“I know but I’m not gone. Not really because I go on in her.”
***
Clark finished feeding the baby and be laid her in his old battered suit case that he has lined with towels. He takes a shower and dresses in blue jeans and a tanned sweater then uses his heat vision to shave. He then holds the baby up and smiles at her.
“So they’ve all decided to gang up on daddy.” Clark smiled “Well that’s just fine. We don’t need them do we? No we don’t.” The baby starts to pee on him. “Oh god! No stop!” He carries her down stairs and turns on the kitchen faucet and tested the temperature with his elbow then put the baby’s bottom under it. He then finds an old bandana lays it on the bed and puts some cotton on it and then lays the baby on it making a diaper. “Piece of cake.” The door bell rang Clark carried the baby down the stairs and opened the door.
“Taxi?” The man said then stared at the baby.
“What’s wrong?” Clark asked the driver just shook his head. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
“I’ll wait in the cab.” The driver goes to his cab while Clark goes upstairs.
“You can’t go out like this you’ll freeze.” He wraps her up in the towel then goes into the drawer and takes out a pair of socks navy blue with the ‘S’ shield he takes one and puts it on her head like a hat “It’s clean I promise.” He then finds an old large envelop padded with bubble wrap and puts her legs in it like a tiny sleeping bag. “There you look fab yes you do.” He takes her downstairs and gets in the cab.
***
Three hours later Clark returns with the baby who is now dressed in a navy and white plaid dress and white woollen tights. The driver brings in a car seat and bags of baby clothes.
“Isn’t she beautiful?” Clark asked proudly while he removed the blue coat then kissed her head.
“Yes she is.” The driver smiled. “What’s her name?” Clark looked at him then the baby and smiled.
“Lois. Her names Lois.”
***
Later that night Clark was pacing the floor with Lois in his arms gently rocking the screaming baby.
“What’s wrong you can’t be hungry and I just fed you and changed you what is it huh?” He spoke softly to her. He then takes her down stairs and turns on the C.D. player and ‘Have I told you lately’ plays. He puts the baby to his shoulder and rubs her back her screams slowly become sobs and eventually she stopped.
Have I told you lately that I love you
Have I told you there's no one else above you
Fill my heart with gladness
take away all my sadness
ease my troubles that's what you do
There's a love that's divine
and it's yours and it's mine like the sun
And at the end of the day
we should give thanks and pray
to the one, to the one
And have I told you lately that I love you
Have I told you there's no one else above you
You fill my heart with gladness
take away my sadness
ease my troubles that's what you do
Take away all my sadness
fill my life with gladness
ease my troubles that's what you do
Take away all my sadness
fill my life with gladness
ease my troubles that's what you do
Clark listened to lyrics and tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Shh honey it’s okay.” Lois had appeared in front of him.
“I miss you so much babe. I don’t think I can do this alone.”
“Yes you can you’re a great father. I wish I could really be here for her and you.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” Clark shifted baby Lois into his arms she was now fast asleep.
“I love you too.” He placed a kiss on her forehead she made a snuffling noise but didn’t wake he then looked up but Lois was gone.
***
A week later the health visitor is round at Clarks the baby was on the scales she read out the weight.
“Ten pounds eleven ounces.” She smiled taking the baby of the scales and laying her on the changing mat to dress her.
“Is that alright? I worry that she’s not getting enough or I’m giving her too much.”
“Yes it’s all right it’s a very good weight.”
“You mean she’s fat.”
“I mean she’s fine she’s happy, she’s healthy.” She finished dressing the baby.
“Maybe I should change her milk.” Clark muttered to himself then took the baby when she was handed to him.
“You’re doing a grand job Clark.”
“Told you.” Lois said who had been watching from the corner of the room.
“I couldn’t have done it without you.” Clark said to her with a smile.
“I’m sure you could.” The health visitor said assuming he had spoken to her as she packed her things away. “Right well I’ll be back in a week. Then I won’t need to see you until your three month check.” She smiled at the baby. “Fat indeed. I’ll let myself out.” She left Clark watched her from the window and saw Martha and Ellen stop her at her car.
***
“Excuse me Julia?” Martha said and the Heath visitor smiled at them.
“Mrs. Kent, Mrs Lane.”
“Have you been into see Clark and the baby?” Martha asked.
“Yes she’s ten pounds eleven.”
“Oh that’s a good weight.” Martha smiled.
“I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it are you on your way there now?”
“Yes.” Ellen said.
“No.” Martha corrected. “No we thought best to let him settle with her first.”
“Is he laying her down on her back?” Ellen asked.
“Yes.”
“And making sure she’s warm enough?”
“Yes. Lois is a very happy little baby. Well good bye.” She smiled then got in the car and drove a way. Ellen looked shocked Martha held on to her arm.
“Ellen?” Martha asked concerned.
“I’m Ok it’s lovely. Really, just took me by surprise wasn’t expecting it.”
***
Clark watched as Julia got into the car and drove away he laid the baby in the bassinet.
“Our mothers are outside talking to Julia. Probably checking up on me.”
“You should invite them in.” Lois said leaning over the bassinet and stroking the baby’s head. “I wish I could hold her.” Clark sunk on to the sofa put his head in his hands and sobbed. “Oh shh I didn’t mean to upset you.” Lois joined him on the sofa. “you have to leave this house, step out side that door.”
“I’m not ready to face people. Not yet.”
“I recall you criticising me for not interacting with people once.”
“So?”
“So other than Julia and a cab driver the only other people you have come into contact with is me and Lois.”
“You two are the only ones I want to be with.”
“Yes but she’s three weeks old and I’m dead.” Clark swallowed the lump in the back of his throat and looked at her tears rolling down his face. “It’s time Clark.”
***
Clark parked the Jeep outside Sam and Ellen’s house he looked at Lois asleep in her car seat.
Well sweetie let’s go and see your grandparents.” He got out of the car and walked around to the passengers side and took out the car seat he went up to the door and rang the bell Ellen opened the door.
“Clark?” She said.
“May we come in?”
“Of course. Sam, Martha, Jonathan.” She called and they all came to the door. Clark stood in the hall and smiled at them.
“It’s good to see you son.” Jonathan said and he hugged him, as did Martha. Then Martha and Ellen took Lois while Clark, Sam and Jonathan went into the drawing room.
“How have you been?” Sam asked Clark who just shrugged.
“Sam I’m sorry for the things I said. I didn’t mean them.”
“Yes you did and they were true. I was never much of a father to her and I regret I’ll never be able to make it up to her. Truth is she made me prouder than any son could ever have but I’ll never be able to tell her.” Tears fell down his cheeks. Clark looked over Sam’s shoulder and saw Lois standing there she smiled.
“Tell him I know.” She said Clark nodded.
“She knows Sam.” Clark hugged him.
***
Later Clark was back at home lying on the couch Lois was sound a sleep on his chest. He gently stroked her back and smelled her hair inhaling the sweet baby scent.
“Is she a sleep?” Lois appeared she sat on the end of the couch at his feet.
“Yeah. She likes lying on my she’s asleep in no time.”
“Takes after her mother.” Lois smiled. “You have to stop blaming yourself.”
“I should’ve been there.”
“There was nothing you could’ve done.”
“I miss you babe. I miss you so much.”
“I know.” The doorbell rang Clark looked in the doors direction then back at the end of couch but Lois was gone the doorbell rang again. Clark sighed and got up and answered the door.
“Joseph!” Clark smiled at the vagabond who smiled back and looked the baby.
“So the rumours are true the little princess has returned.” Clark looked down at the sleeping baby. “I thought maybe I could take her for a walk around the park.”
“Oh Joseph that’s just not possible. You know I can’t let you do that.” Clark saw the hurt look on his face and dug his hand into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out $40. “Here take this.” Joseph looks at him and walks away. “Joseph! Damn it.”
TBC
Sorry about addin 'Have I Told You lately' again but hey i'm a Rod Fan
and loved it when he deadicated to his wife on MTV's unplugged and seated very romantic
)
