Chapter Fifteen
Clark sat on the front porch, relaxing in the shade. Now that Lara and Ken had gone the farm seemed strangely quiet.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Jonathan asked as he sat on the porch swing. He handed Clark a big glass of cold lemonade and sat back to sip his drink.
“I don’t know if they’re worth that much, Dad. I’m of two minds. I’m glad Lara has found someone who loves her but I’m sad that someone else will be taking care of my little girl.” Clark sighed, his elbows on his knees, his head hanging down.
“I understand, son,” Jonathan said, rubbing Clark’s shoulder. “You’ve taken care of that girl since the day she was born. You’ve kissed her scraped knees and held her when her friends disappointed her. You taught her how to control her powers and become the wonderful woman and superhero she is. We’re all so proud of you and her but it’s hard to let go. I think it’s even harder with a girl. You want to protect them from all the bad things in life but you can’t, not forever. She’s a grown woman and has fallen in love. You’ll always be her dad but it’ll be someone else’s job to take care of her now.”
Clark turned his head so that he could see his dad’s face. “Thanks, Dad, I guess I just needed to hear it again. I know you’re right. And I am happy for her. You know, I think I’ll do a patrol over Metropolis tonight. I haven’t done that in a while.”
“You do that, son, don’t want those criminals to get too cozy, right?” Jonathan chuckled, a knowing expression on his face. “The photograph albums are on the shelf in the den, if you might want them that is.” Jonathan stood, clapped his son on the shoulder then walked into the house.
**********
That evening around 11 o’clock, Clark flew over Metropolis looking for a particular building. He saw that the occupant was home so he swooped down quickly and knocked on the sliding glass doors. Lois Lane turned at the knock and her face lit up with a big smile.
Lois stepped back so that her guest could enter. “Superman! Please, come in.” Superman walked in, glancing around the room.
“Nice place. I see you got new furniture.”
“The place came furnished. All I had to do was move in. Why don’t you sit down? You can ‘change’ if you want, that suit can’t be all that comfortable.” Superman smiled then, and with a quick spin, Clark Kent sat on the couch.
“So what’s in the bag?” Lois asked as she joined him on the couch.
“Later. I came over to tell you that Lara has fallen in love with a very nice man. She brought him to see us today and I thought you would want to know.”
Lois’s jaw dropped with surprise. “She brought him to see you? He… knows?”
Clark sighed sadly, unable to meet her eyes. “Yes. Lara didn’t want to make the same mistake I did. She told him about herself today.”
“Good for her! She’s a smart young woman. Takes after her mother I suspect!” Lois’s grin showed her pride.
Clark shook his head ruefully. “More than you know, Lois, more than you know.”
Silence fell between them and just as the silence became oppressive Lois pointed to the bag.
“So what’s in the bag?” Lois asked again.
“Oh, yeah, I forgot.”
Clark took the albums out and set them on the coffee table. He picked up the first one and set it on his lap.
“I thought since Lara wants to get to know you better that you might like to see some pictures of her growing up. I gave Perry pictures over the years but I don’t know if he ever shared them with you.”
Lois looked over at him, her eyes damp. “He tried, but I didn’t want to see them, not then at least. As the years passed, I felt that she was better off without me and if I saw them, I might have wanted to stick my nose in where it wasn’t wanted.”
“I wish you had, Lois. God, I wish you had. Lara asked about her mother all the time right up to the day she figured it out. I told her the story we agreed on but I know you would have been accepted with open arms if you had wanted to be part of her life.”
“I can see why she was so angry with me that day. I didn’t know she felt like that. I figured I’d be an awful mother and she was better off without me. I’m so sorry, Clark.” The tears she’d been holding back now flowed down her cheeks. Clark passed her his handkerchief which she took, dabbing at her eyes.
“Don’t cry, Lois, please, Lara forgives you. She’s looking forward to Thanksgiving, you know.” Clark handed her the album and smiled. “How about we look at these pictures?”
Lois nodded in agreement and opened the album. The first group of pictures was of Lara and the Kents that first day Clark brought her home.
“She’s adorable! I never saw her, you know? They took her away as soon as she was born. It’s what I wanted then but… I regret it now.” She shook her head and smiled a watery smile. She flipped page after page, sharing her daughter’s childhood through those pictures. She chuckled at the obligatory picture of a naked Lara, on her belly laying on a towel. Clark narrated each picture. When they’d gone through all four albums Lois set the last one on the table and turned to face Clark.
“Thanks for bringing them, Clark. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Would you like some coffee?” Lois exclaimed. “Oh God, I’m a horrible hostess. I should have offered hours ago!” She jumped off the couch and was halfway to the kitchen when Clark stopped her.
“Thanks, Lois, but no thanks. I really should be going, it’s getting late.”
Clark stood up then and walked to an open area and he spun into the Suit. Superman picked up the albums and put them back in the bag. Then he walked over to the balcony and opened the door.
“Good night, Lois, take care of yourself. I’ll see you at Lucy’s?” he asked.
“I’ll be there. Good night and thanks again for coming.”
Superman smiled and shot into the sky as Lois closed the sliding glass door behind him.
**********
Clark landed near the back porch and spun into his regular clothes. When he entered the living room, he saw his mother looking through a catalog of welding supplies.
“So did Lois like the pictures?” Martha asked.
“Yes, Mom, she did.” Clark sat down opposite her. “She appreciated seeing them.”
“I’m glad. Is she going to Lucy’s for Thanksgiving?”
“Yes, she is. She seemed excited about it and I hope it goes well. I hope Lara will be friendly and not just tolerate her. Even though she said she forgives Lois I’m not sure if she understands what that means,” Clark said, concerned.
“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that. Lara’s a smart woman, she’s forgiven her and I think she wants to get to know Lois better.”
“I hope you’re right, Mom. I want them to, bond, I guess. She’l
l probably never call Lois ‘mom’ but I hope they can at least become friends.”
**********
Lara and Ken took off for Florida from her balcony early Saturday morning. Since it was light out Ken wore a black shirt and pants to make him less visible. Lara also flew high, about 20,000 feet to avoid most air traffic.
Lara covered the 1,000 miles in about five minutes then she landed in a wooded park a few blocks from Ken’s parent’s home in Fort Meyers. After she changed into a summer dress, she took Ken by the hand and minutes later Ken knocked on his parent’s door.
Lydia McCarthy opened the door and ushered the couple into her home. “Ken! And you must be Lara, come in!”
“It’s good to see you, Mom,” Ken said. He hugged his mother and looked around for his father. “Where’s Dad?”
Just then Ken’s father, Charles, entered the living room.
“Hi, Dad! Mom, Dad this is my girlfriend, Lara. Lara this is my mom and dad, Lydia and Charles.”
Lara smiled warmly. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy.”
“Please call us Lydia and Charles.” Lydia opened her arms and the two women kissed each other’s cheek. Charles also hugged Lara, welcoming her into their home.
“Let’s all sit down and get to know each other,” Charles said, gesturing the couple to the living room.
Lara and Ken sat on the couch and held hands. “You have a lovely home, Lydia, I love how you’ve decorated it,” Lara said.
“Thank you, it’s still a work in progress, we’ve only been here a couple of years,” Lydia said.
“If you don’t think we’re being too nosy would you tell us a bit about yourself, Lara?” Charles asked.
“Of course, no problem,” Lara said. “I grew up on a farm in a small Kansas town. I’m an only child but I had a lot of friends growing up so I was never lonely. My dad, grandfather, and grandmother brought me up and were my teachers and role models—”
“Was your mom… not around?” Lydia asked.
Lara looked at Lydia with a sad smile. “No, she wasn’t, her choice.”
Lydia apologized. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s okay, it’s a logical question. I’ll be seeing her on Thanksgiving and I hope we can become friends.”
“I’m sure you will, dear.”
“Where was I? Oh yes. I went to Midwestern State University where I got my degree in journalism. I’d always wanted to travel, to broaden my horizons, so after college, I took a year off and wandered through South America, parts of Africa, and southern Australia. That trip was amazing and I learned a lot about other cultures and customs.
“Once I got back to the U.S. I got a job at the Chicago Tribune. I’ve been there for a few months and I love it. I met Ken when I was covering a fire that he was working on. When I learned that a firefighter was injured, I went to the hospital to interview him. I was looking for a human-interest angle to the story and we just clicked. It was love at first sight, wasn’t it, honey?”
Ken wrapped his arm around Lara's shoulders and hugged her. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “Oh yeah. I fell head over heels for her the minute I saw her.”
“That’s so romantic.” Lydia sighed.
“Thank you, Lara. You’ve led a very interesting life. I’ve always wanted to travel but with marriage and children we never had the time,” Charles said.
“Maybe now that you’re retired you can. I found it educational, seeing how the rest of the world lives,” Lara said.
“Would you like to see some pictures of our family?” Lydia asked, a hopeful expression on her face.
“Mom! Not the baby pictures!” Ken groaned.
“Shush you. You were a lovely baby!” Lydia hopped up and grabbed the albums from the shelf in the hall closet. She sat down between Ken and Lara and she narrated picture after picture.
“Oh, Ken. You had such a cute tooshie on that towel.” Lara said, her eyes sparkled with mischief.
“You just wait.” Ken grinned. “I’m gonna ask Clark to see your baby pictures. I bet there are a couple you don’t want me to see.”
“I don’t know what you mean?” Lara said innocently.
Lara looked over at Lydia and smiled. “You were right, Lydia, Ken was a cute baby! I wonder what happened?” Lara said cheekily as she gazed at her boyfriend.
“He grew into a handsome, sexy firefighter if you must know,” Ken replied, his eyes sparkled with mischief.
“He sure has,” Lara sighed, looking at him behind his mother’s back.
Now that all the albums had been gone through it was time for lunch.
“So who’s hungry? It’s almost noon and Charles and I want to take you to our favorite restaurant.” Everyone raised their hand so the two couples climbed into Charles’s black Acura MDX. They drove about 15 minutes and pulled into the parking lot of Café Brazil Restaurant.
“Oooh, Brazilian! I love Brazilian food. I enjoyed it a lot when I was down there,” Lara said as they climbed out of the car. She took Ken’s hand and followed his parents into the restaurant.
“You told us earlier that you traveled after college so where, besides Brazil, did you visit?” Charles asked once they had their meals.
“I hit just about every country in South America then I went to Africa where I worked with charity organizations bringing fresh drinking water to various villages, especially in Rwanda. Those poor people have nothing. While I was there the village was raided and the well poisoned!” Lara exclaimed; her frustration was still fresh in her mind even after all this time.
“Oh, those poor people!” Lydia said sympathetically.
“I stayed and helped them dig another well but after that, I had to leave. The crushing poverty I found was just too much! I wrote several stories about the conditions there but I doubt they were of much help,” Lara said as she fought back tears.
“You wrote those articles?” Charles said. “I remember reading them in the Daily Planet but I never associated that Lara Kent with you. Your writing touched our hearts such that we sent a contribution for African relief that very day.”
“I’m so glad my article prompted you to help. After that, I needed a complete change so I moved on to Australia. The Outback was beautiful, desolate, and just what I needed. Once I gained some perspective, I traveled southern Australia with some people I met, and, by then, I had been gone a year and it was time to come home and get a job!” Lara said with a grin. “And that was how I met Ken. Superwoman had taken him to the hospital so I interviewed him there and here we are,” Lara said.
“So son, what was it like, flying with Superwoman?” Charles asked.
“I don’t remember much about it, Dad. I was in quite a lot of pain and the flight didn’t take that long. Who knows, maybe I’ll have an opportunity to fly with her again someday!” Ken said. He took a bite of his meal and glanced surreptitiously at Lara.
“Not if it takes getting injured to do so!” Lydia said. “Tell him, Lara.”
“There’s no way I want you getting injured just so you can fly with her. I need you healthy!” Lara exclaimed.
Ken struggled to hold back his grin. “Yes, dear.”
After lunch, Charles and Lydia took them on Lagerhead Cycleboats for a tour of the bay. For dinner, Charles and Ken manned the grill. They cooked steaks, hamburgers, and hot dogs. Lydia and Lara made potato salad, macaroni salad, and a fresh green salad.
“So Lara, do you like to cook?” Lydia asked as they worked.
Lara put the final touches on the potato salad and said, “I love to cook, my grandmother and my dad taught me a lot.”
“I remember cooking with my grandmother, those were some of my happiest times with her.” Lydia sighed.
“Ken told me his grandparents live in Arizona, do you see them often?”
“Not as often as I’d like. They live in a community where they have assisted living if they need it. It makes me feel better but I’d love it if they moved here,” Lydia said.
“I know what you mean. I’m glad my dad lives with my grandparents. The farm work might be getting to be too much. I think someday they’ll lease the land and just have a few animals and their small vegetable garden.” Lara put the completed salad on her tray while Lydia put the remaining items on another tray and the two of them headed outside.
After dinner, Lydia and Lara put the dishes into the dishwasher then joined the men on the deck where the sun was just beginning to set. Lara sat on Ken’s lap and snuggled into his arms, her head on his shoulder. Ken kissed the top of her head and sighed contentedly.
Lara nuzzled Ken’s neck and hugged her boyfriend a little tighter. “What a beautiful sunset.”
“It’s not as beautiful as you,” Ken whispered. He tilted her head up with his finger and kissed her lovingly. Lydia nudged her husband directing his attention to the young lovers. Charles smiled at his wife and leaned down to kiss her in response.
Ken helped Lara off his lap and said, “Mom, Dad, do you mind if Lara and I go for a walk?”
“No, go ahead, honey,” Lydia smiled. “We’re going to sit here and enjoy the evening. Take your time.”
Ken took Lara by the hand and led her through the house and out onto the sidewalk. They turned left and walked down towards the park where they had landed earlier in the day. They walked past the park and continued through the neighborhood where they passed well-kept homes and they waved at the families they saw. At the end of the street, they walked back to the park and sat on a bench.
Lara broke the silence, mischief in her eyes. “So you want to fly with Superwoman, huh?”
Ken played along; his blue eyes darkened as he gazed into her own chocolate brown ones. “Well, yeah, I don’t remember much of that first flight so I’d like the chance to fly with her again.”
Lara whispered, low and sexy, “Mmmm, all you have to do is ask.”
Ken’s arms wrapped around her and drew her close, but before things got too heated Ken drew back his chest heaving.
“Ummm, that was wonderful.” Lara gazed into his eyes, still dark with desire. “Hey, would you like to go for a flight now?”
“Sure! I’m never going to turn down flying with you.”
Lara smiled and got up from the bench. She took his hand and led him deeper into the park where there was a copse of trees. A moment later Superwoman stood there in her black and blue uniform. She waited until he’d wrapped his arm around her shoulders, then, with a glance around, she shot into the sky.
They floated above the Florida coastline at about 10,000 feet then Lara turned Ken so that they were facing each other. She reached up with her right hand and removed her mask where she became a wonderful amalgam of Lara and Superwoman.
“You are so beautiful,” Ken whispered. “It’s too bad you have to wear that mask, having to hide your beauty is a travesty.”
“You know, when my vision powers started to develop Dad suggested I wear glasses like he does,” Lara said.
“Why does he wear glasses anyway? He obviously doesn’t need them.”
“Grandpa had a pair of glasses made with lead crystal lenses so he wouldn’t use his vision powers accidentally. They worked so well that he still wears them. I don’t know if he’s done it around you but he has to pull them down to use his vision powers.”
“No, I hadn’t noticed.” Ken gazed deeply into her eyes and cupped her cheek. “I’m glad you decided not to wear glasses. You have such beautiful eyes it would be a travesty to hide them.”
“You say the most wonderful things.” Lara leaned in to kiss his neck, then up further to his earlobe which she nipped with her teeth. Ken growled deep in his throat and held her body a little tighter to his own. Ken lowered his head and claimed her lips in a soul-searing kiss. Their hands roamed over each other’s back as their passions rose. Lara turned so that Ken was on his back so she could lie atop him with her head on his chest.
Ken, amazed at their new position, asked, “How do you do that?”
“My aura allows me to do a lot of things. You’re weightless while we touch so I can lay on you even though I’m technically supporting you.” Lara raised her head, her eyes twinkled. “Is talking what you want to do up here?”
“No. I suppose not.” Ken replied. “We could look at the stars.”
“Oh, you!” She smacked him lightly on the shoulder. They floated in silence with Lara’s head on Ken’s chest, his arms around her tightly. They drifted where the air currents moved them with the silent, starry night around them.
Sometime later Ken glanced at his watch. “Uh, Lara? It’s getting late. We should probably be heading back.” Lara reluctantly resumed their upright position, his arm around her shoulders with hers around his waist. She saw that they had floated a few miles out over the Gulf of Mexico so she turned towards Ft. Meyers. She flew slowly until they reached the park then she zipped down to land behind the trees. Once back into her regular clothes and they joined hands and walked back towards the house.
Ken called out as they entered the living room. “Hi, Mom, Dad, we’re back!”
“You were gone quite a while; did you have a good time?” Charles set his newspaper down.
Ken looked at Lara with a grin. “Yes. We walked around the block then we sat at the park and looked at the stars.”
“So that’s what they call it now, we used to call it necking,” Lydia said with a grin.
“There was some of that, but we did look at the stars,” Ken said. ‘We just did it at 10,000 feet!’
“I’ve got Lara set up in the bedroom next to ours and you can have the other one across the hall unless you’re…” Lydia looked at her son with an impish grin.
“No! No, we’re not,” Ken replied nervously. “The room assignments are just fine, Mom.”
“So is anyone up for a game of Trivial Pursuit?” Charles asked.
Around midnight the game broke up. The team of Lara and Ken won three matches and Lydia and Charles won two.
“Here you go, Lara,” Lydia said. “There are extra blankets and pillows in the closet and the bathroom is right down there.”
“Thanks, Lydia but I’ll be fine.”
Lydia walked to her room which left Ken and Lara alone in the hallway.
“Well, I guess I’ll say goodnight,” Ken whispered as he cupped Lara’s cheek.
“Goodnight.” Lara leaned into his hand and wrapped her arms around his neck and their lips met. They reluctantly broke the kiss and turned to their rooms and closed the doors.
Lara opened her overnight bag and took out her sleep set of shorts and a sleeveless cotton top. She went to the bathroom where she washed her face. Back in her room she put on her pajamas and climbed into bed. She found Ken’s heartbeat and the sound soothed her so that she fell into a deep sleep.
**********
The next morning Lara pulled on her red satin bathrobe. She listened and determined the bathroom was open so she got clean underwear from her bag and took a quick, at a human pace, shower. After she dried her hair she returned to her bedroom and put on a light blue sleeveless cotton blouse with a pair of dark blue cotton shorts. Her sneakers completed the outfit then she walked to the kitchen where she found Lydia making breakfast preparations.
“Good morning, Lydia.” Lara smiled. She took a mug from the counter and filled it with the hot, dark brew from the coffee maker. Lara took a sip and sighed contentedly.
“Good morning, dear, did you sleep well?”
“Like a baby. It’s so peaceful here, not like Chicago.” Lara said and took another sip. Just then Ken wandered in wearing just his sleep pants, his broad, muscular chest on display.
Lara’s eyes devouring her boyfriend. “Oooh, doesn’t someone look sexy this morning!”
“Good morning to you too, honey,” Ken replied with a yawn as he gave Lara an appraising glance. He gave Lara a quick kiss then it was on to the coffee pot.
“Well!” Lara said mock insulted, “Now I know where I stand.”
“I never thought you’d be jealous of a cup of coffee,” Ken chuckled after he took his first sip of the hot, steamy brew.
“I’m not jealous, it’s just that now I know where your priorities lie.”
Lara sauntered over to him and ran her finger down his chest. He shivered in reaction to her touch.
“I’ll give you a month to stop that,” Ken hissed. He set his mug down and drew Lara into his arms and kissed her thoroughly.
Lydia coughed into her hand to get their attention. “All right you two.”
Ken blushed. “Sorry, Mom.”
“Yes, Lydia, I’m sorry too.” Lara stepped out of Ken’s embrace but she looked anything but sorry.
Charles walked into the kitchen and immediately picked up on the tension in the room.
Charles grabbed some coffee for himself and asked, “What did I miss?”
“Nothing, dear, just young love on display.” Lydia grinned conspiratorially. “So who’s hungry!
Lara and Lydia made eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns while Ken left to shower and dress. By the time the food was ready Ken had returned. He now wore a bright yellow golf shirt and jeans. Everyone ate the delicious meal chatting amiably. After breakfast, they went to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates where they saw the winter residences of famous inventors Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Besides the residences, there were historical buildings, award-winning gardens, the Edison Botanic Research Lab, and the Inventions Museum containing hundreds of inventions, artifacts, and special exhibits.
They ate a late lunch at a small café near the museum and, by then, it was time for Lara and Ken to return to Chicago.
“Are you sure we can’t give you a ride?” Charles asked.
“No, thanks, Dad we’ve got it covered.” Ken hugged his mom and dad as did Lara. He picked up their bags and they walked down the sidewalk.
“Hmm, I wonder why they didn’t have the cab pick them up here?” Lydia mused as she watched the couple walk down the sidewalk.
“There’s no figuring kids these days,” Charles said sagely. “Why don’t we sit outside and enjoy this beautiful weather?”
**********
Lara and Ken walked down to the park where they planned to take off. Luckily there no one was around so they ducked into the trees. Ken picked up their bags with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her shoulder. With an excited grin, Lara shot into the sky. At 20,000 feet she leveled off, headed for Chicago. When her apartment came into view she sped up and landed on the balcony where she unlocked the door. Lara spun back into her blouse and shorts then she took her bag from Ken’s hand and tossed it on her bed. They plopped themselves on her couch and Lara drew one leg under her so she could sit facing him.
“I like your parents; they are so friendly and welcoming.”
“I’m glad. I love them a lot and it’s nice to know you do too.”
“I’d love to meet your brothers sometime.”
“How about Christmas? We were all planning on getting together at Mom and Dad’s this year.”
“I think I’d like that. We can spend a few days there and then go to Smallville for the weekend, sound good?”
“Yeah, it does. Hey, what are you doing Thanksgiving?”
“My Aunt Lucy invited us to her house in San Diego… Lois is going to be there,” Lara said the last part softly.
“That sounds… good?” Ken replied, unsure of how to respond.
“It will be… I hope. It will be the first time I’ll spend more than a few minutes with her but I want it to work,” Lara said sincerely.
“I can’t see how it wouldn’t. You’re a wonderful person and I know you’ll do whatever it takes to make her like you.”
“There’s a lot of baggage there. I know I’ve forgiven her for not being there for me growing up but… I don’t know. I guess I’m just nervous that’s all.”
“That’s understandable, but I know you’ll do great.” Ken smiled and stretched out his hand. Lara took it and the tingle she always felt when they touched flowed through her. She crawled across the couch then she sat on his lap, wrapped her arms around his waist, and laid her head on his chest. Ken held her tightly and neither of them said a word. They were so comfortable they dozed off to awaken a few hours later.
Ken stretching his arms out and yawned. “Wow, I guess I was more tired than I thought. I should be going. It’s getting late.” Lara walked Ken to the door where he picked up his bag and kissed her.
“I love you, Lara. Thanks for everything. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Lara kissed him again hugging him tightly.
“Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
**********
Continued in Chapter 16
