Missing Lois - TOC Author's Note: Just a reminder Lois has told Sam Lane that she is his other daughter, Lucy Lane, aka Lois Lane's sister. She calls her Clark, Kal, except when writing in her diary, then she calls Alternate Clark, Kal. Everyone else in the alternate dimension thinks she is Lucy El (wife of Kal El), an old college friend of Clark's.
Where we left off in Chapter 2: Part 3...Sam turned and looked at the six foot tall windows that lined her living room. “I don’t like this, Lucy. That man in untrustworthy. You shouldn’t let him into this apartment at all.”
She cut up a banana into a bowl and covered it with yogurt and granola. “I trust him, Daddy. He would do anything to find Lois. And he has my best interest at heart. Look, he brought us food.” She pushed the bowl towards him and started preparing another for herself.
“Anything to find your sister? Like run around in tights? Like marry that blonde woman? Like expose you to that Tempus fellow? I don’t see how we are any closer to finding Lois now, then we were two years ago, when he promised never to give up searching for her.”
Lois nicked her thumb with the knife. “Clark promised you what? When?”
Chapter 2: The Twilight Zone - Part 4 Sam glanced over at Lois. “You cut your thumb, Sweetie.”
She glanced down at her thumb and stuck in her mouth. “It’s nothing, Daddy. What were you saying about Clark?”
He frowned at her. “Where’s your first aid kit?”
Back in her dimension, she had one in every room in her apartment. Human jinx. But here? “Try the bathroom.”
Sam returned a minute later with a bandage. He led her to the kitchen sink and washed her thumb, dried it, and covered it with the band-aid. He then kissed her on the forehead. “There, all better.”
Lois wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. “I missed you, Daddy.”
“And I missed you, pumpkin.”
She sat back down at the bar and finished preparing her breakfast.
“I spoke to Mike, yesterday, after you went back to work.”
Lois froze. She had forgotten about Uncle Mike. “You didn’t tell him about me, did you? The less people who know, the better.”
“Then why did you come looking for me?” Sam asked, digging into his yogurt.
“When Clark told me that you were at the shelter, I couldn’t leave you there.”
He sneered. “That man.”
“OK, Daddy. Enough.” Lois put down her spoon and faced Sam. “Clark is good, decent and hard working, and he also happens to be the most caring person in Metropolis. What exactly do you have against him?”
“He’s a liar.”
Lois laughed. “Not Clark.”
“He gave up on Lois.”
Lois’s heart sunk down to her knees. That was why Clark did not want to get within a mile of her father. He had promised to never give up looking for her and then a part of him had when he agreed to marry Lana. He had not only broken her father’s heart, but also his own. That was why Clark was always telling her that the love of his life was dead; he felt like by giving up on her, he had killed her. Poor Clark. It must have been agony to have her – his Lois’s look-a-like – show up as she had, bringing up all those old emotions.
“He brought me here to help him fish out her killer,” she whispered.
“Don’t excuse his behavior, Sweetie. You know in your heart that it’s true.” Sam covered her hand with his. “And your sister isn’t dead.”
The phone rang and Lois picked it up.
“Tick-Tock,” she heard Clark’s voice on the other end.
“Are you coming to pick me up?”
“No.”“Chicken.”
Sam Lane looked at her with a curious expression. She covered up the mouthpiece and whispered to her father, “Clark asked what we would like for dinner.”
“Liar, liar,” he said on the other end of the phone. She pressed her lips together.
“I’m not eating with that man, Lucy,” Sam Lane replied, completely serious. “I’d rather eat at the shelter.”
“See I told you.” She could hear Clark’s heart breaking.
“This is ridiculous. We’re all on the same side,” she said to both of them.
“Don’t forget your glasses.” Clark hung up.
Lois sighed and hung up the phone. “I’ve got to go.”
“Finish your yogurt.”
She downed her breakfast and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m going to be late for work.”
“Should I eat at the shelter, tonight?” he asked.
“You aren’t homeless anymore, Daddy,” Lois reminded him. “Clark respects you too much to come if you don’t want him here.”
“Good.”
Lois rolled her eyes and went to grab her stuff. When she returned, she found her father washing the breakfast dishes. “You never told me what you and Uncle Mike spoke about.”
“I told him that I moved into an apartment. So, he said I could come by and pick up some clothing, if I wanted to. And no, I didn’t mention you. I thought it would be a great surprise for him.” He sighed. “Maybe some other time.”
“Thank you, Daddy.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Some other time. Definitely. You can tell him that you spoke to me on the phone and that I send my love.” She checked her secret identity in the mirror by the door. “Why didn’t you move in with Uncle Mike when you lost the house?”
“He agreed to hold on to my stuff for me until I sobered up. But you know your Uncle… no, I guess you don’t. Mike expected me to take some responsibility upon myself, before he would agree to help me out. He refused to help someone who wouldn’t help himself.”
Lois nodded and bit her tongue in agreeing with her uncle. The real Lucy Lane hadn’t seen her Uncle Mike in almost twenty years, she wouldn’t remember what he was like.
“Get going, Lucy. You wouldn’t want to be late.” He practically pushed her out the door.
“Bye, Daddy.” She waved, hurrying down the hall.
Clark was waiting for her at the end of the block with a strawberry smoothie.
“Who’s the liar, now?” she asked with a grin, taking the drink from him. “Does this mean you are talking to me again?”
He contemplated that for a minute. “Perhaps.”
“He’s sober. Four months.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“Thanks for the groceries.” She lowered her voice. “I missed you, yesterday.”
“Don’t. Lucy, please,” he asked, looking away. “Any news from Kal?”
She grinned. “Guess who is the new concubine for the leader of the Kryptonians?” She looked at him over the top of her drink.
“Concubine? Get out of here!” He laughed.
“I know. Some civilization you’ve got there, Clark.”
“She’s not going to activate the curse, is she?”
“I hope not.” Lois’s eyes widened. “She better not. Anyway, he’s technically still married to Zara, but it’s just a political sham marriage.”
“So, why have they come back on Earth?”
“Lord Nor has taken Smallville captive.”
“And he is again?” Clark asked. It was almost like she was recounting the details of her favorite TV show that he didn’t follow.
“The big bad guy on New Krypton. The one Zara would have had to marry if Kal-El hadn’t returned with her.”
“I’m sorry. Is everyone all right? Kal’s folks?”
“I don’t know. Martha called yesterday morning, but then the phone died. I have been trying to get a hold of her since.” She took the last sip of her smoothie and then dumped the empty cup in a trash can. “I only found out when Ching made me Kal-El’s concubine.”
Clark shook his head.
“Did I mention, I was on a leash?”
This time, he couldn’t stop himself from laughing.
“I know.” She giggled. “If it wasn’t so horrible, it would be hilarious.”
He stopped laughing. “What’s so horrible?”
“Lord Nor and his men have turned the people of Smallville into slaves. He has them penned up and isn’t feeding them or giving them water. His men are using them as target practice. Kal and I infiltrated the slave community and he built them a well.”
Clark stopped and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, Lucy. I’m so sorry.”
“Nor has threatened to take over Earth, starting with Metropolis. He wants to be a god.”
“I wish you had contacted me.” He looked down, distressed. “I could have taken Kal’s place.”
“That wouldn’t have stopped Lord Nor from wanting to be a god. Kal has everything under control.” She took a deep breath. “When he vanquishes Lord Nor, then we can send the Kryptonians back to New Krypton and Kal and I can go back to our lives. And get married. Then I can worry that we’ll reactivate the curse.”
“I just thought of something, Lucy. Tempus was right.”
This time Lois stopped cold. “Excuse me?”
“The Kryptonians did come and try to take over the Earth. He was right. Not about me, but he was right.”
“Well, Tempus was from the future. A future where Superman is revered for making Earth a wonderful utopia.”
“Nice.” Clark grinned, looking around. There were still too many people walking the streets with guns; less than during the election, but still more than there ought to be. “Something to look forward to.”
“Sorry, my dimension. I don’t know your dimension’s future. Anyway, Tempus probably knew all about this New Krypton invasion and how Kal stopped it. The guns he sold wouldn’t have done much good against an army of Kryptonians, would they?”
“True.” They had reached the
Daily Planet building. “Good intel, by the way, on the Beckworth School. I turned in my story to Ralph last night. Detective Henderson is coming by today to discuss the details of an arrest warrant. Let’s hope we can stop Dr. Carlton before any more kids are hurt. I’m sorry about Amy Valdez. Did you know her?”
Lois nodded as they stepped into the elevator. “She was a good kid. Reminded me a bit of me. I had been hoping in this dimension, her mother wouldn’t have had to give her and her sister up.”
“I don’t think my world is the one with the silver linings.” Before the doors opened, Clark continued, “Stop by my desk after you drop off your stuff and I’ll give you a short list of my current story ideas in case I have to dash. We’ll make it an everyday occurrence, okay?”
“Thanks.” They stepped off the elevator and Lois caught his arm. “Clark, a world with a Superman always has hope.”
Clark cupped her jaw in his hand and smiled, then walked to his desk. She released a breath she hadn’t know she had been holding and she grabbed hold of the railing. Her body ached to her core. He needed to stop touching her like he was her Clark.
***
After the morning meeting, Lois and Clark were sitting at his desk discussing the next name to check out on their lists, when Clark leaned back in his chair. “So, am I bringing chicken for dinner?”
“No.” Lois pouted with a sigh. “You were right.”
Clark’s eyes glowed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t quite catch that.”
She pressed her lips together. “You were right. I was wrong. Happy, now?”
His smile spread a little wider as he laced his fingers behind his head. “Slightly.”
“He doesn’t want you there. We’ll have to make do with my cooking.”
“I hear Lucy El is a gourmet cook.” He winked at her.
“Not in my dimension,” she murmured. “I can burn water.”
“Ouch.”
“I eat a lot of take out and microwave meals,” she said, standing up and grabbing her notepad.
“Tsk-tsk,” Clark said with a shake of his head. “You should really learn to cook. It’s healthier.”
She glared at him. “I’ll add it to my to-do list. Maybe I can learn by osmosis.” She turned away to return to her desk, when she noticed a blonde woman in a dark suit stepping out of the elevator. She gasped as her face went white and her knees changed to jelly.
“Whoa, there, Lucy,” Clark said, catching her. “You okay? You look like you saw a ghost.”
Lois raised her arm and pointed. “Mayson Drake.”
Clark set her down in his chair and returned a moment later with a cup of water.
“She’s dead.” Lois took a sip of water.
He glanced over his shoulder at Mayson standing just outside the elevator staring at them. “No, she’s not.”
“I saw her car blow up. She died right in front of Clark and me.”
“Calm down, Lucy,” he whispered. “In this world, she’s still alive.”
Lois took another sip of water and a deep breath. “I’m okay, now. It was just a shock. It happened right after our first…” She took a gulp of water and her eyes lit up. Turning to look Clark straight in the eyes, she said, “I just thought of who you should ask out.” She nodded toward Mayson.
“No. Lucy. No.” Clark shook his head. “Remember our conversation, yesterday. A big bridge jumper.”
Lois stuck her index finger into her mouth and lightly bit it. “Really? The Mayson Drake I knew couldn’t care less about Superman.”
“What?!” He glanced between Lois and Mayson, who was coming nearer by the second.
“But she was ga-ga over Clark Kent,” Lois murmured, standing up and hitting him in the chest with her notebook. “Think about it.” She walked back to her desk with a grin.
“No. Absolutely, not,” he stuttered.
“Everything all right?” Mayson asked, suddenly right next to him.
“Ah, fine.” Clark swallowed. Lucy had completely knocked him off balance. “Hi, Detective Drake.”
“Clark, I’ve told you. You can call me Mayson.” She smiled at him. “Henderson’s knee was bothering him. I hope you don’t mind that I came to discuss the Beckworth School with you instead.”
His voice got caught in his throat. “I don’t mind.”
“Who’s that?” Mayson asked, glancing over toward Lois. “She looked quite sick.”
“That’s…uh… Lucy. Lucy El, my new research associate. An old friend from college.” Clark offered Mayson the seat just vacated by Lois and sat down in the other seat. “You reminded her of someone she used to know.”
“Old friend, huh?”
“Just friends.” Clark couldn’t believe those words came out of his mouth. He wanted to bite his tongue.
Mayson gave him a large smile. “Really?”
Was there some truth to what Lois said? He couldn’t ask Mayson out. He was in love with Lois. Not the Lois that had just left his desk, but the one who had disappeared three years earlier. And Mayson was one of the largest Superman fans, he knew. Wasn’t she?
They had been thrown together a half dozen times in the last six months, since she had become Henderson’s partner. She had always been friendly with him, but three months ago, she had seriously starting hitting on him. After he became Superman. But also after he had removed the photo of Lana from his desk. Was Lois right? Did Mayson like Clark Kent better than Superman? Intriguing. He realized he was staring at her when her large smile became even larger.
“Sorry.” He shook his head. “Here’s the information I have on the Beckworth School and most importantly, Dr. Alfred Carlton.” He pulled the file off the top of a pile on his desk, when he suddenly heard the radio across the room.
We have received reports of an airplane that has lost contact with ground control just outside of Cleveland, Ohio.He stood up and grabbed his tie. “Mayson, I’m sorry. I’ve got to fly.”
She looked concerned. “What’s the matter?”
“Missing airplane outside of Cleveland.”
“Oh.” She looked more disappointed than excited about the prospect of him becoming Superman.
“Can you come by later and we can discuss it in more detail over dinner?” Had he just made dinner plans with Mayson Drake? What was the matter with him? It was Lois. She made him do it. How could she turn his world upside down so quickly? How could he do this to the Beckworth School students? “You can talk to Lucy, too. She knows everything I do.”
“Go!” Mayson shooed him off with a grin. “I’ll see you tonight.”
***
Clark walked Mayson to his front door. He wasn’t quite sure what to do at this part of the evening. “Should I walk you home?”
Placing her hand on his chest, Mayson smiled. “I drove.”
“Oh.”
She leaned towards him and lightly placed a kiss on his lips. “Thank you for dinner.” She kissed him, again. It was nice.
“Thanks for giving me the heads up on the arrest this afternoon.”
“Thanks for the information on Carlton. We like to keep scum like that away from kids.” She opened the door. “See, you don’t need a blue suit to be a hero.” She stepped through the door with a wave.
“Bye.” Clark stood in the door for a moment and watched her leave. She thought he was a hero. Clark Kent. He smiled and shut the door. Then, from a distance, he heard a scream.
Duty called. He stepped into his bedroom and was back a moment later dressed in blue. But he wasn’t only Clark Kent, anymore. He flew through the living room window and was gone.
Deep into the night, he returned. He had saved the high school girl from that man in the alley behind the cinema. Stopped the jewelry store robbers before they had gotten any further than breaking the window. Prevented the drug dealers from picking up that shipment at the docks. Saved four people from the grease fire at the diner. Helped that woman who tripped crossing the street from almost getting hit by a car. And caught the drunk who fell off his high rise balcony. He hated Friday nights. He took off the blue suit and climbed into a hot shower.
After changing into his boxers and t-shirt for bed, he washed his blue suit. With a little zap-zap of heat vision it was dry and ready to be put away. He went to hang up the suit in the secret compartment. The cape slipped off the hanger and as he bent down to retrieve it, he found the plastic bag with Lois Lane’s pale pink pant suit. He took the soft fabric out of the bag and sniffed. Should he wash it? He held it up to his nose and smelled.
Suddenly, his mind transported him back into the clouds over the
Daily Planet building and Lois was kissing him. These weren’t the soft, gentle kisses of Mayson, but the passionate, nerve ending exploding kisses of Lois. He dropped the suit and found himself floating above his living room. He exhaled and floated back to the floor. He picked up Lois’s suit and hung it up in his closet. He would think about washing it another day. His mind and heartbeat were racing with thoughts of Lois. It was as if she were part of his bloodstream. He could even hear her calling his name.
“Clark! Where are you? I need you. Clark!” She was calling to him and she was crying.
***
Dressed in his black Kryptonian uniform, Clark stepped into the gold cage. “They’ll kill you if I escape.” He stood there stoically as the executioner turned the knob and he faded into gold dots. Lois screamed.“No, Clark!” She was awake, tears streaming down her face. Clark was being disintegrated. “Clark!” she called. She needed him. “Clark! Where are you? I need you! Clark!”
A wind blew through her apartment and a moment later, Superman was holding her. “I’m here.”
She pulled him closer. “They executed Clark.” She choked back a sob. “They separated his molecules and spread them over several galaxies.” Tears poured out of her eyes, dampening his blue suit. Neither of them noticed. “Hold me,” she whispered.
“I am holding you, Lois.”
She shivered. “I can’t feel you. I’m so cold.”
He held her tighter, running his fingers through her hair.
Lois grabbed his cape and draped it over herself. “He’s gone. Just like that. He’s gone.” She glanced up into Clark’s eyes. This Clark was here. He was warm, caring, and he loved her. He wanted her, she could see it in his eyes. “Clark,” she moaned pressing her lips to his.
For a moment he allowed the kiss. “No, Lois.” His voice broke.
She pushed him away, but he didn’t move.
“You don’t want me.” He swallowed, choking out the words. “You want him.”
“So?” she murmured, kissing down his neck. He tensed for a moment and then melted.
He took a deep breath. “You’ll regret it in the morning.”
Lois didn’t care about the morning, she just wanted to feel something other than this pain. She started crying again. “Don’t leave me. Stay with me tonight. I don’t want to be alone.”
“Of course,” he said, running his fingers through her hair once more. She placed her head on his “S” and cried herself to sleep. He continued to hold her all night.
***
“What’s going on here?” Sam Lane’s voice crashed through Clark beautiful dream, waking him. He was still in bed with Lois. Her arms were wrapped around him, her head still on his chest.
Clark placed a finger to his lips and he gently moved her head to the pillow. He stepped off the bed and covered her with a blanket. He walked out of the room and shut the door.
“What are you doing with my daughter?”
“Lucy had a nightmare and called me,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. He was never going to earn this man’s trust this way.
“I can’t talk to you in that getup,” Sam said, waving a hand at the blue suit.
Clark had forgotten he was still dressed as Superman. It was becoming like a second skin to him. He stepped into the front hall closet and returned dressed in slacks, a t-shirt, and glasses. “Better?”
Sam Lane pointed a finger in Clark’s face. “I don’t want you anywhere near her. Leave us alone.”
Clark stood his ground. “I’m sorry, Sir. I can’t do that.”
“Why in the blazes not?”
“Because I made a promise to keep her safe,” Clark answered. “And I don’t break my promises.”
Sam scoffed. “To whom did you make this promise?”
Clark hesitated. “How much about her life did Lucy tell you?”
Sam’s face grew red. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Well, that answered that question. “I promised Kal that I would watch over her.”
“Who is Kal?”
“Her husband,” Clark stated.
Sam Lane staggered backwards and sat down. “She’s married? How long?”
“Not long.” Not at all, actually. But he knew that Lois would rather be thought of as a widow than an unwed mother. “She called me last night, because she had a nightmare about Kal being blown up and didn’t want to be alone.”
“Where is this husband of hers? Why isn’t he watching over her?” Sam’s world view was crumbling.
“He’s protecting the innocent caught in a civil war.”
Sam looked up at him from the sofa. “Berkistan?”
Berkistan was nowhere near Smallville, but it was still on Earth. It would do. “Yes.”
“Why does Lucy need looking after?”
“Because I’m pregnant,” Lois answered from behind them.
Sam crossed over to her and wrapped his arms around her. “Sweetie, why didn’t you tell me?”
Lois looked at Clark over her father’s shoulder and mouthed a ‘thank you’ to him. “Well, Daddy. It was a lot of information for one day. I didn’t know how much you could handle.”
“I’m sorry, I should have been available for you. I’ve been selfish.”
“We’re all guilty of being selfish, Daddy.” She sighed with a quivering voice.
“How far along are you?”
“Six weeks.”
“That’s pretty early. Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Do you have a good doctor?”
Clark went into the kitchen to make coffee. He wanted to leave, but he couldn’t with last night unresolved.
“Do you remember me mentioning that everyone is selfish?”
Clark grinned. At least, she was being honest for once. He looked through her cabinets and fridge. They really did need more food. He snuck out the front door. Ten minutes later, he returned with an armful of food.
Lois and her father were still talking in the living room. He put the croissants in the oven to warm. He plucked a couple of bananas off the bunch and diced them up with the fresh berries.
“I still don’t understand, Lucy. Why would Kal want to involve him?”
Clark sighed. Still the bad guy in this scenario.
“Kal would do anything to keep me safe. Even call in a favor to a stranger,” Lois tried to explain. She sounded tired. It must be hard for her to talk about her Clark after learning he was strewn across the universe.
“Yes, but that’s what I don’t understand, Sweetie. What are you to this man? What kind of hold does Kal have over him? Can we trust him?”
“One hundred percent, Daddy. Clark is helping me out for one reason and one reason only. Lois. He would do anything for her. He told me that much after he returned me home after the election. The whole impersonating Lois idea was mine. Not his. I showed up without his knowledge. I broke up his relationship with Lana. I convinced him to use his superpowers for good. And to put on the blue suit as a secret identity. Me. Me. Me.” She sat down next to her father. “I’m the one who ruined Clark’s life; yet, he still promised me that if ever I needed anything, anything at all, I was to call on him. He loves Lois that much. So, after Kal left on his assignment and I found out I was pregnant and alone, I called. Clark dropped everything. He got me a job and this apartment. He makes sure I have enough to eat and that I’m taking care of myself.” Lois was in tears. “Kal doesn’t even know I’m pregnant, Daddy. I can’t contact him.”
“Oh, Sweetie.”
“So, when I had that nightmare last night about Kal dying, I called the one person I trust more than any other to come and hold me and tell me it was just a bad dream. Someone I knew I could depend on to always do the right thing.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “Last night when it felt like Kal had died, I couldn’t cope. Today, by the light of the day, I know Kal’s still alive. That we will be together again, someday.” She glanced over her shoulder to Clark.
A chill shivered down his spine. So, her Clark wasn’t dead after all. Everything she had just told Sam was true. He wanted to go and hold her, comfort her, but knew he couldn’t do that. Not anymore. This Lois belonged to Kal-El. She would always belong to him. And his Lois was gone, long gone. He gazed out the kitchen window, not being able to look at them anymore.
Sam lowered his voice and leaned toward his daughter. “No offense, Lucy, but it sounds like he has a crush on you, not Lois.”
Clark rolled his eyes; he could not catch a break with that man.
“Don’t be silly, Daddy. He knows I love Kal.”
“Don’t you find it a little creepy, Lucy, that he’s in love with someone he’s never met?”
Great. A creepy stalker in blue tights. His standing with Sam Lane was going downhill fast.
“I think it’s romantic.” Lois smiled with a sigh. “He was assigned by the paper to investigate her disappearance. The more he learned about her, the more he wanted to know. Until one day, he realized that our tough as nails Lois was the one person in the world that could make him feel whole. So, he dedicated his life to finding her. When we find Lois and bring her back home, I just know he’s going to sweep her off her feet. You know what an incurable romantic Lois is. She’s going to love him at first sight.”
Sam shook his head. “You might not want to build up so rosy a future in his mind, Lucy. She might not like him.”
Lois laughed. “Daddy, everybody likes Clark.”
Her father stood firm. “I don’t.”
“Of course, you don’t like him. He’s in love with your little girl. No man would be good enough for you. For heaven’s sake, Daddy, he’s Superman. You’re not going to find a better man than that for Lois.”
“What about this Kal fellow? Would I like him?”
“Kal is my Superman. He’s such a good man, he gave up his honeymoon to stop a civil war. But let’s not talk about Kal or I’ll be crying all over the place.” She patted Sam on the leg. “Let’s have breakfast. It smells like Clark has fixed us up something tasty.” She grabbed hold of Sam’s arm and whispered. “Now, be nice.”
Sam looked at her with a sour expression. “How about this, Lucy. I’ll be nice, if you promise to call
me the next time you have a nightmare.”
Lois glanced at Clark and saw him nod. “Agreed.”
They entered the dining room.
“Clark,” Sam said tersely.
“Sir.”
“I’m just going to wash up; excuse me,” said Sam, leaving the room.
“Sorry, Clark. He promised to be nice.”
“Trust me. He was.” Clark placed a smile on his face. “So, Kal’s back in one piece.”
Lois sighed. “For the moment. He got a reprieve. He has a one-on-one battle with Lord Nor at noon today. Winner takes all.” She sat down.
“I’m sure Kal will be victorious.”
“He better be. I don’t think I could go through that again.”
“Neither can I,” Clark whispered.
Lois winced and looked up at him leaning against the kitchen counter. “I’m sorry, Clark. Please, forgive me.”
He held up his hand. “Just don’t let it happen again.”
“I promise, if you do.”
“I do,” Clark replied.
They each stared at the other and glanced away, awkwardly.
Lois noticed the bananas on the counter behind Clark. “Wow! Clark, are we expecting King Kong?”
“I needed some air.”
“Oooh, croissants. Are they from that boulangerie in Paris you love?” She grabbed one and put it on her plate.
Wrong Clark. He had never brought her croissants before. She didn’t even realize her faux pas. “Yes. I needed lots of air.”
“How was your date with Mayson last night?” she asked casually as if she were asking about the weather.
He looked down the hall with his x-ray vision. Sam Lane still hadn’t returned. “None of your business.”
“Is that good or bad?” She took a bite of her croissant.
“I’m not going to talk to you about Mayson,” he whispered.
“So, are you going to ask her out again?”
Clark dropped into his chair and covered his face with his hands with a shake of his head.
Sam returned and after taking one look at Clark, turned to Lois. “Lucy, Sweetie, are you channeling your sister?”
“Huh?”
Clark sat up, pretending that she had not just been torturing him.
“Lois used to drive her boyfriends crazy with her incessant questions. I know the look.”
Clark grinned. “I guess ‘investigative reporter’ is something some people cannot turn on and off.”
Lois glared at him and when Sam turned to fill his coffee mug, she stuck her tongue out at him. Clark smiled.
Sam sat down and filled his plate. “So, Sweetie. We need to get you a good Ob/Gyn.”
She placed her hand over his. “Daddy, I told you I don’t want just any doctor. I want you.”
“I haven’t practiced medicine in years and my specialty was Sports Medicine. I haven’t dealt with many pregnancies in that line of work.”
“Still…” She smiled at him with a bat of her eyelashes.
“I guess, I could speak with your Uncle Mike and see if he held onto my microscopes, stethoscope, blood pressure monitor, and ultrasound machine.”
Lois reached over and hugged him. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“But if we discover any complications, promise me you’ll see an expert.”
Lois and Clark shared a look over the table. “Sure, Daddy. An expert.”
*** End of Part 4 *** Comments Chapter 2: Part 5/8
