When Churches Come Crashing Down
Folc4evernaday
Part 18
Lois sat in the corner of the room, rocking back and forth in the rocking chair next to the window. He carefully took a seat across from her on the window sill. She had yet to have acknowledged his presence, concentrating on the carpet below her feet instead.
He placed a hand on her knee, “Hey, are you still mad at me?”
“No.” She snapped angrily, looking up at him sharply. “I’m not mad. I’m hurt.”
“Honey…”
“You just left. You were gone for hours. I didn’t know where you were. I’m over here trying to make sense out of what Dr. Klein told us about Jordan and you just leave. Do you have any idea how much that hurt?”
“I’m sorry.” He said, kneeling down in front of her. He wrapped an arm around her. She glared at him for a moment, half debating whether she was going to allow him to touch her or not. She seemed to relax against him, allowing him to hold her. “I never meant to hurt you. I just…I don’t know. I guess I just wasn’t thinking.” His hand rested against her abdomen. He felt a lump begin to form in his throat.
He felt like he was falling apart. He wasn’t sure what was true anymore. Everything they’d been told about Jordan had been a lie. When Jesse had become the center of the media he’d been positive the only explanation for his powers was him being Jordan, but he’d been wrong. He now had two mysteries on his hand. How had Jesse gotten his powers and where was his son?
Lois seemed to sense his emotional withdrawal. She reached up to stroke his cheek. “It hurts like hell, doesn’t it?”
He just nodded, wrapping his arms more securely around her as he hungrily sought out her lips. She squealed in laughter against his lips as he lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist as he deepened their embrace. He held her securely in his arms as he stood up. He slowly broke off the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. He let out a sigh of relief, holding her close. “I love you so much.”
“Clark….” She gasped in pleasure when she felt his lips brush against the nape of her neck, “Oh, right there.” His hand slipped in between their bodies, expertly popping the button to her jeans open as he slipped his hand inside. “You know you…you can’t just….” She gasped in surprise when she felt the solid form of the wall brush against her back. His arms wrapped around her and he pulled her towards him; “Oh, what the hell…” She moaned in pleasure, raking her hands through his dark silky hair.
***
An elderly man stood on the corner of the Daily Planet, looking up into the night sky at the globe that stood above him. He would never understand how a symbol so simple could arise such anger from him. He lifted a round object in his arm, throwing it into the globe. Glass shattered everywhere, eliciting the echoes of the alarms at the Planet to go off.
The doors opened and the security officer stepped outside to survey the scene. By that time the elderly man was gone. Inside the Planet a small round object lay unnoticed, emitting a reddish glow throughout the newsroom.
***
That evening, Bibbo Bigowski sat at the front desk of his bar, listening in detail to the sorrowful plea a young man made to him. He grew quiet for a moment before responding. “So, you want me to hire a rabbit like you to do what exactly?” Bibbo asked, eying Jack suspiciously.
“I need a job. I can work. I’ll do anything. I gotta take care of my little brother. I promised.” Jack answered emotionally. He stared back at Bibbo earnestly. Would he hire him? Mr. and Mrs. White had taken him and hadn’t set a time limit on his staying with them, but he knew his time would come eventually. He had to be prepared for the inevitable.
Bibbo sighed, nodding his understanding. “I’ll tell you what kid. I’ll start you out as a bus boy and we’ll go from there.”
“Cool.” Jack nodded. He smiled warmly back at Bibbo before he whispered, “This isn’t a cover for a criminal organization of some sort, is it?”
Bibbo just laughed. “Do I look like a criminal?” With that, he handed Jack a dusty old black bin and an apron. “You’ll be needing these.”
***
Jimmy trudged through the newsroom the next morning, dejected as he went about his normal routine. Lucy Lane seemed to be the only thing that remained at the forefront of his mind. He wasn’t sure what to do. His childhood was a perfect example of why a child needed his or her father around, but how would he do that if Lucy didn’t want him around? She resented the fact that he saw more in their relationship than she did.
He was going to be a father.
He was going to be responsible for bringing a child into this world.
A tiny, innocent child.
He sat dejectedly at his desk and began sifting through the files on his desk. Research assignments, to-do lists, and notes from his colleagues were scattered over his desk. He moved the files to the side as he tried to make sense of the clutter, revealing an unfamiliar, glowing red object along with small shards of glass.
He looked at the unfamiliar object, lifting it up suspiciously. “What in the world?” He looked up at the window of the Planet where a maintenance crew stood, repairing the broken window. He should probably show this object to someone…
“Hey, Jimmy,” Lucy said, approaching him quietly.
Surprised, Jimmy’s head shot up, knocking over the files on his desk. “Lu..Lucy! Hi, I…I wasn’t expecting to…to..see you…uh, here.”
“I thought we should talk after last night.” Lucy began.
Jimmy’s tightened his lips, nodding understanding. She wanted to remind him of how she wanted him to have nothing to do with the baby or her. His fist tightened over the red object as his anger coursed through his veins. “Yeah.” He opened his desk drawer and placed the object inside, turning his attention back to Lucy. “So, what weren’t you clear about; the part where you want nothing to do with me or the fact that you want me to abandon my child?”
“It's for the best.” Lucy began.
“No, it’s NOT!!” He slammed the drawer closed as he stood up angrily. “Did you ever think that maybe this happened for a reason? Maybe just maybe there’s a reason for everything? I love…”
“Would you stop it?” Lucy hissed back angrily.
“Why, what? ? I love…”
Lucy hissed back angrily. “You-you-you-you! That’s all I hear from you! I’m the one that has to take care of this baby. I’m the one that has to explain why ….”
“Why, what? Why you made the decision for our baby not to have a chance at a normal family?” Jimmy pressed.
“How is it normal to watch your parents bickering nonstop? How is it normal to have a family when your parents aren’t even together? Do you have any idea how much that messes with a kid’s head?”
“We aren’t your parents,” Jimmy said calmly. He was seething on the inside, but he tried to portray a calm he didn’t feel.
“Not yet.” Lucy whispered, “But one day we could be and I just can’t let that happen.” With that, she got up and headed for the elevator. He didn’t follow.
TBC...
