Chapter Twenty-One
The Monday after Thanksgiving found Lara in her boss’s office.
“Pam, I’d like to put in for a week’s vacation for Christmas. My boyfriend invited me to his parent’s house for the holiday,” Lara said excitedly.
“I’m sorry, Lara, but I can’t approve that. You had Thanksgiving off and, being the new kid you have to cover at least one holiday and Christmas is yours,” Pam said.
“Oh, okay,” she said disappointedly. “I understand, maybe next year?” Lara’s excited mood fell away as she turned and walked back to her desk. She pulled up the article she’d been working on before Thanksgiving and began to read it through.
George turned around in his chair and called over to Lara. “Hey, kid, I couldn’t help noticing that you went into the boss’s office all excited and now you look like someone has stolen your dog. What’s up?”
“It’s nothing, George. I wanted to take some vacation around Christmas so I could go with my boyfriend to be with his parents. Pam told me that she needed me here because it was my turn to work the holiday. It’s disappointing but I should have expected it, being the rookie and all. I guess I was lucky I got Thanksgiving,” Lara replied with a frown.
“Oh, well, that happens to all of us. Don’t worry about it, kid,” George said. A few moments later he walked into Pam’s office. He was in there for about ten minutes before he returned to his desk. With coffee in hand, he walked over to Lara’s desk and sat down in the chair next to her desk.
“Got a minute?” George said.
Lara looked up to give George her full attention. “Sure, George, what’s up?”
“I was just talking to Pam, going over story ideas, you know? Anyway, we got talking about holiday coverage and I told her I’d cover Christmas if she didn’t mind.” George smiled.
Lara sat, stunned, for a moment then her face lit up with a wide smile.
“George! You mean it?” Lara hopped out of her chair and leaned over to hug him fiercely and she kissed him on the cheek.
“Enough of that, this is a business you know,” George chided, sternly though his eyes were alight with mischief. Lara returned to her chair, though the smile never left her face.
“She said for you to submit your vacation request and she’d approve it, but you’re working New Year’s Day, got that!” he said mock seriously though his grin showed how he felt.
“You bet! You’re the best, George, and I won’t forget this!”
George got up and returned to his desk while Lara quickly filled out the vacation request. She sent it to Pam before anyone changed their mind!
**********
Ken McCarthy picked up his cell phone and dialed a familiar number.
“Hi, Mom!”
“Ken! It’s good to hear from you dear. What’s up?” Lydia said.
“Does something have to be up for me to call my mother?” Ken asked innocently.
“No, of course not. But you don’t usually call during the week, so I repeat, what’s up?” Ken chuckled. There was no fooling his mother when his call was about something important.
“Mom, is Dad there?”
“Yes, he’s right here.”
“Could you put this on speaker? I’d like to talk to you both.”
“Okay, I’m on,” Charles said.
“Mom, Dad, I’m going to ask Lara to marry me when we come down for Christmas!”
“Oh, Ken! That’s wonderful!” Lydia exclaimed.
“Congratulations, Son. Lara’s a wonderful girl!” Charles said.
“Thanks. I’m a lucky guy to have found a woman like her,” Ken replied. “I figured Christmas would be a perfect time, what with the whole family getting together.”
“That’s so thoughtful. I’m sure Grandma and Grandpa will be over the moon,” Lydia said.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Of course, Dave and Ted are going to give me a hard time,” Ken said with a chuckle.
Lydia replied, “Don’t you worry about them. If they start in on you, I’ll turn their wives on them.” The McCarthy’s all laughed at that.
“Have you picked out a ring?” Lydia asked.
“No, not yet.”
“You know… great-grandma Charlene’s ring is available,” Lydia offered. “I know Ted and Dave didn’t want it but it’s a beautiful ring.”
“Hmm, that’s an idea. I haven’t thought about that ring in a long time.”
“I’ve had it ever since she passed and I know she’d be proud to have you give it to your bride,” Lydia said.
“Lara’s very family oriented so I’m sure she’d love it. Could you take a picture of it so I can see what it looks like? I’m concerned the setting might be out of date.”
“Of course, dear, but I don’t think that’ll be the case. It’s a diamond solitaire in a very simple setting. I’ll send you the picture then you can let me know, okay?”
“Will do, Mom, thanks. Look, I need to get going. I need to call Clark. I want to do this right so I’m going to ask for his blessing.”
“That’s fine, son, we love you!” Charles said, ending the call.
Ken opened his contacts to the entry for Clark Kent.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Clark.”
“Hi, Ken. What’s up?”
“Clark, if it’s not too much trouble could you come over to my place tonight?”
“Sure, is anything wrong?” Clark asked with concern.
“No, nothing like that. I want to talk to you about something.”
“Oh okay, how about I drop by your place in half an hour? I need to finish something here first.”
“That’s fine, Clark, see you in a half-hour.” Ken ended the call then headed into his kitchen. In the refrigerator, he had a full six-pack of his favorite Chicago craft beer, Half Acre Daisy Cutter. Then he put two beer mugs in his freezer to get them cold before Clark arrived. Thirty minutes later there was a knock on the door and Ken opened it to find a smiling Clark Kent standing there.
“Clark! Thanks for coming,” Ken said as he shook Clark’s hand. “I’ve got some of my favorite craft beer in the fridge, you want to try one?” Ken gestured Clark towards the couch.
“Sure, thanks,” Clark replied and made himself comfortable. Ken returned moments later with two frosty mugs filled with golden frothy beer. He handed one to Clark then he sat at the other end of the couch and took a sip to calm his nerves.
“Umm, this is good!” Clark said and licked his lips.
“Thanks. It’s from Revolution Brewing, one of the more popular craft breweries in the city,” Ken replied. The two men sat there, sipping their beer for a moment when Clark spoke up.
“Ken, as much as I enjoy having a beer with you it seemed as if you had something on your mind when you called. So what can I do for you?”
Ken set his mug on the coffee table then turned to face his future father-in-law, he hoped. “Clark, I love Lara and I know we haven’t been dating that long, but I know she’s the woman for me.” He paused to take a deep breath, then plunged in. “Clark, I want to ask Lara to marry me and I’d like your blessing.” Ken looked at Clark who was, at first, caught off guard then he smiled and the tension Ken felt eased immediately.
“Wow. That’s not what I expected when you called, not at all, but I appreciate you asking me. Yes. I’m honored to give you my blessing.”
Ken’s face lit up in a smile that was almost as radiant as Clark’s megawatt smile and he shook Clark’s hand enthusiastically.
“Thanks, Clark. Thanks very much. I’ll take good care of her, I promise!” Ken sat back against the couch, more relaxed than he’d been since Clark had entered the apartment.
“I know you will. I can tell you love her very much, as she does you. Lara may be invulnerable on the outside but she’s a very sensitive woman. She’ll need your support when a rescue goes badly. She tends to obsess, like me I’ll admit, and she’s going to need you to remind her that what she can do is enough. We can’t save everyone, no matter how much we wish it were so.”
Ken listened to Clark’s advice and took it to heart. While Lara would always be the physically superior being in their marriage, he would play an equally important part. It would be his job to protect her fragile heart and support her in all she did.
“Thanks, Clark, I never realized how a rescue could affect her. She always seems so strong, emotionally I mean. Of course, since we’ve been dating there haven’t been that many rescues for her, at least as far as the news has reported. I’m glad you told me so that I can give her the support she’ll need.”
Ken and Clark chatted for a while longer and they had another beer in the process. Clark even used his super-breath to cool the mugs.
“I should be going, Ken. I need to do a patrol,” Clark said as he rose from the couch a half-hour later. “Thanks for the beer.” They shook hands then Clark headed out. Moments later Ken heard a whoosh as his future father-in-law took off.
**********
Clark Kent walked down the sidewalk from Ken’s apartment to the darkened alley where he’d landed earlier. In the darkness, he scanned the area then he spun into the suit and leaped into the sky. Once above the city lights, he headed east, towards Metropolis. Mere moments later Superman landed on Lois Lane’s balcony and tapped lightly on her door.
“Superman! Please come in,” Lois said. She seemed pleased at his unexpected arrival.
“Thanks, Lois.” Clark spun out of his suit then joined Lois on the couch.
“Would you like some coffee? Do you have time?” Lois said. She was halfway to the kitchen before he had a chance to answer.
“Coffee would be lovely, Lois, thanks.” Clark relaxed on the couch while Lois rattled around her kitchen. She returned with a carafe of coffee, mugs, cream, and sugar on a tray. She set the tray on the table and before she could even sit Clark was handing her a cup made exactly the way she liked it.
“You remembered how I like my coffee after all these years,” she said after she took a sip of the hot, dark brew.
“I remember a lot of things about you, Lois, that’s just one of them,” Clark replied seriously. Their eyes locked for a moment before Lois lowered hers with a sigh.
“Clark, I’m not complaining, quite the contrary. I’m glad you dropped by but I get the feeling this is not a just social call,” Lois said with her mug in her lap.
“There’s no fooling you is there?” Clark said. He gazed at her, thinking how beautiful and smart she was.
“Nope, now spill.”
“You remember Lara talking about her boyfriend, Ken?”
“Yes, from her description he’s a very nice man. Are you here to tell me he’s not?” Lois asked, skeptically.
“No! Nothing like that. Ken called me tonight and asked me to drop by his place.” Clark paused and took another sip of his coffee.
“Sounds interesting,” Lois said.
“He told me he wants to ask Lara to marry him and he asked for my blessing,” Clark said, softly his eyes meeting hers. “I thought you should know and I wanted to tell you myself.” Lois sat back, her eyes grew moist and her lower lip trembled.
“Our baby is getting married,” she said tremulously. Clark reached out and grasp her hand. Lois gazed into his eyes and swallowed to clear her throat. “Thanks for telling me.”
“He’s a good man and I know he loves her. If I had to pick a man for her to marry, I couldn’t have picked a better one. Though if I’m honest I wish she were still my little girl,” Clark said, choking up as well.
They sat there in silence for a few minutes, both lost in thought. Lois squared her shoulders and withdrew her hand from his and settled back into the couch.
“Ugh, my coffee’s gone cold, would you warm it up for me?” Clark smiled and pulled his glasses down his nose. Moments later steam was rising from Lois’s mug and she smiled.
“You know, now that I think of it, I never questioned how my cold coffee was suddenly hot. I wonder if I suspected something, subconsciously, but didn’t want to question it.”
“I can’t argue with that. You were always so perceptive but I wondered why you never called me on all the subconscious clues I gave you.”
“I guess it doesn’t matter now, anyway.” Lois sighed then changed the subject. “Do you know when Ken is going to pop the question?”
“Nope, he didn’t say but if I were a betting man, I’d say it would be over Christmas. Lara told me they were going to spend a few days at Christmas with his parents and they’re having the whole family over. His grandparents are coming in from Arizona as well. I think that would be the perfect time to ask her to marry him.”
“It sounds so romantic. I wish I could be there to see it,” she said wistfully.
“Maybe they’ll have a video going. I’ll have to ask Ken about it,” Clark said as he made a mental note to speak to Ken at his first opportunity.
Clark finished his coffee then he stood up in preparation to leave.
“Well, I should be going, I have to finish my patrol. I’ll let you know more about the wedding when I find out, that is if Lara doesn’t tell you first.” Clark spun into the suit and walked to the sliding doors.
“Thanks for stopping by, have a good patrol.” Lois joined him at the door. Clark glanced around to see that no one was watching then he leaned in and kissed Lois lightly on the cheek.
“Bye, Lois.” Superman rose slowly off the balcony then, in a blue and red streak, disappeared into the night.
**********
Soon after Lara and Ken had declared their love, she’d found a website that allowed her to hear Cook County police and fire department calls. She had an old laptop of her dad’s set up to run in the background with the volume so low she needed her superhearing to hear it. Lara had vowed to protect Ken as much as she could so having this option worked well for her. It also made it easier for her to react to local emergencies quicker.
One evening when Ken was out with his brother Lara was lounging around after work. She was just about to head to bed when a call came in on the fire department frequency. There was a house fire in the Back of the Yards neighborhood that was already fully engulfed. Lara spun into her suit and was in the air headed for the location. She saw the telltale glow and heard the sirens as they made their way to the site. She arrived to find a single-story home ablaze with flames licking out of all the windows. Lara landed beside the fire chief.
“What can I do to help, sir?”
“Superwoman! There may be a child still in the building. Can you check, please?” Lara nodded and rose into the sky over the home, scanning carefully for any sign of a child. The flames were so intense that they interfered with her x-ray vision to such a degree that she had to move closer to the building as the flames licked all around her. Just when she was about to start her third scan, she saw a child. Lara flew into the window closest to the child who turned out to be a boy between ten and twelve years old. The boy was hiding in a closet near, from what she could determine, the source of the fire. The remains of a mattress with a cigarette lighter near it was on the floor. Lara scooped him up in her arms as carefully as she could since she could see that he had burns to his right hand, chest, and both legs. She wrapped him in her cape then she zipped out the window then she landed next to a Chicago Fire Department ambulance that was standing at the ready.
“He has burns to his right hand, chest, and both legs,” Superwoman said to the EMT’s as she laid him on the gurney. The EMT’s sprang into action, put an oxygen mask on the boy, and got fluids started. The doors closed and the ambulance roared away, leaving Superwoman standing alone. Now that the boy was on the way to the hospital Lara turned to assist the firefighters in their efforts. She used her freezing breath to extinguish the flames although the home itself was a total loss so Lara and the firefighters worked tirelessly to protect the homes on either side of the building they were working on.
Even with Superwoman’s help, there was damage to both homes on either side and the subject home was a total loss. Everyone was exhausted and dismayed that the outcome hadn’t been more positive.
With a heavy heart, Lara said, “Excuse me, Chief? Could you tell me what hospital that little boy is in? I’d like to check up on him.”
“He was taken to Children’s Hospital, at least that’s what I was told.”
“Thanks. If there’s nothing else?”
“Nope, you’ve been a great help, Superwoman.” He clapped her on the shoulder in support. “Take care, huh, you did your best you know.” With a nod of her head, she lifted off and turned east. The hospital was near the site of the fire so Lara landed at the entrance seconds later. The Emergency Room doors opened and she walked over to the admitting desk. People in the room looked agog at the famous superhero in their hospital.
“Hello, Superwoman, how may I help you?” Cathy, the nurse at the front desk asked politely.
“I’m looking for a young boy who was brought here for burn treatment. I… I found him in the fire and I was wondering how he’s doing?” Lara asked, her voice trembling. She looked and sounded nothing like a superhero.
“Ummm, I’m sorry, Superwoman, unless you are family, I can’t release any information,” Cathy replied kindly but regretfully.
“Please? I just want to know how he’s doing. I don’t want any personal information. I just need to know if he’s okay,” Lara begged, her eyes pleading. Her body language screamed despair and concern for the little boy she’d saved.
“All right. I’m sure the hospital can make an exception for you. The boy is resting comfortably but his condition is listed as critical,” she said. Lara’s face fell and tears slipped from the edge of her mask.
“Oh, that poor boy,” Lara gasped. She shook her head to regain some composure and swallowed noisily. “Thank you, Cathy, thank you very much.” Lara turned and walked out of the Emergency Room with her shoulders slumped. She took off toward her apartment and landed on her balcony. The empty apartment offered no comfort so she knew that she’d have to seek comfort elsewhere. Flannel pajamas and some clean underwear were all she’d need so she stuffed them into a gym bag. She exited the bedroom and locked the door behind her. In moments she landed next to Ken’s apartment building, spun into her regular clothes and walked slowly into the building to knock on his door.
**********
“Lara? Honey, what’s the matter?” Ken asked as he took in the dejected body language of his girlfriend. He ushered her into the living room and drew her into his arms.
“Oh, Ken, it’s so sad. That poor little boy!” Lara cried. She dropped her bag on the floor and buried her face in his strong, welcoming chest.
“What little boy? What happened, honey?” Ken said softly as he hugged her tightly.
“There… there was a fire, in a house… everyone got out except for a little boy about ten or so. I… I found him… hiding in a closet… it looked like he may have been playing with a lighter and accidentally set the house on fire. His right hand, both legs, and his chest were burned and… and… he’s in critical condition!” Lara cried, sobbing uncontrollably.
Ken led her to his couch where he drew her onto his lap and guided her head into the crook of his neck. He lay supportive kisses on top of her head and held her while she cried and cried, for the little boy and for her inability to save him. Clark’s words from a few weeks ago came to him as he held her tightly. Lara’s body may be invulnerable but her heart certainly was not.
“Honey, I know you want to save everyone but you can’t. You’re just one person, a very strong, very fast person, but even so, you can only do so much. I love that you care about people and that you care when they get hurt but I’m sure you did everything you could, right?”
“Y-y-yes,” she sobbed, “but it wasn’t enough! I wasn’t enough!” Lara wailed, setting off another round of sobbing. Ken held her tightly, kissed the top of her head, and rubbed her back supportively. This experience had affected her very deeply, probably because the person was an innocent child. Ken’s heart ached for her and her fragile heart. While he couldn’t take away her pain, he could provide the love and support she needed to deal with this and future incidents where she considered herself a failure.
“Lara, baby, you are the best person I know. Your caring heart is what makes me love you even more. But, honey, you can’t take the blame for this child’s injuries. Your efforts probably saved his life! If not for you that child might have died tonight. Yes, he’s going to have a long road back to health but I’m very sure that his parents are grateful to you for saving their boy.” Ken hoped his words would get through to her but he knew that his sensitive girlfriend would always take the weight of the world onto her shoulders.
They held each other for untold minutes until Lara’s sobs finally abated. She raised her face to his, her eyes red from crying, her nose was running as well. Ken reached into his pocket and handed her his handkerchief. Lara wiped her eyes and blew her nose then she looked into his eyes.
“Can I stay here tonight?” Lara asked pitifully.
“Of course! You know you’re welcome any time. Let me get some bedding and you can take my bed and I’ll sleep here,” Ken said. He was pleased to see that she seemed to be feeling better.
“Umm, would it be okay if I slept with you? I… ummm want you to hold me,” Lara said softly, her eyes locked with his.
“If that’s what you need, sure, come on. It’s late and both of us could use some sleep.” Lara climbed off Ken’s lap and grabbed her bag. He led her into his bedroom and directed her to his bathroom.
“Why don’t you get changed?”
Lara took her bag and entered the bathroom. Ken pulled the covers down then grabbed some pajama bottoms from his drawer. He usually slept in his underwear but tonight he’d wear pajamas. The door opened and Lara entered the room. She wore a pair of flannel pajamas and looked for all the world like a little girl who had just woken up from a nightmare.
“You climb into bed and I’ll be right back.” Ken quickly washed his face, brushed his teeth, and threw on his pajama bottoms. He opened the door to find Lara already in bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. He drew back the covers and slid into bed next to her.
Ken drew her into his arms and snuggled up to her spoon fashion. Lara made one loud sigh and almost immediately fell asleep. Ken listened to her soft steady breathing while she slept. He sighed to himself, pleased that, even under the circumstances, he was able to fall asleep with the woman he loved in his arms.
**********
Continued in Chapter Twenty-Two
