Shayne! Yet another wonderful part!
“Did this place used to be a nursery, Mr. Kent?” Lisa asked.
It was the only way Lisa could think of to tell him what was wrong while her mother was watching. Also, she really wanted to know.
“What makes you think so?” he asked.
“The wallpaper,” she said.
“Are you having trouble with your vision?” he asked carefully.
Slowly she nodded.
“I’d wondered if something like that might be happening,” he said. “When Kal El first came to earth and developed his powers, he went through something just like it. We were able to help him.”
So, Lisa has learned to communicate with Clark without being so obvious. I'd say they are developing some sort of relationship.
“What’s wrong with your vision?” her mother asked sharply. The tone of her voice indicated that she wasn’t going to let things go.
Lisa stared at the floor.
“Look at me,” Lois said.
Eye contact had always been very important to her mother.
“I’d rather not,” Lisa said. She sighed. “I see through things.”
“Like what? Walls?”
“Sometimes. Sometimes I see through other things…skin, bones…”
She could almost hear her mother frowning, then the hiss of indrawn breath. “So I look like…”
Lisa nodded. “Sometimes I can’t see what I’m doing because I’m looking through things.”
“How long has this been happening?” her mother’s voice had an odd, strangled quality to it.
“Six or seven months,” Lisa said.
Her mother was silent for a long moment. Lisa glanced up, but couldn’t read the expression on her mother’s skinless face.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought I was like Janice’s brother.” Lisa blinked, trying to ignore the sudden lump in her throat. She’d been afraid for so long of being sent away, of being crazy and never getting better. Her entire life had been a nightmare.
She was startled as she felt herself being gathered into her mother’s embrace. She blinked again as her mother held her tightly and said, “I’m so sorry.”
“I was afraid I’d have to go away,” Lisa said.
Poor Lis. She's opening up a part of herself that she had been holding back even from her mother. Lois hadn't realized how afraid Lisa had been with her developing abilities. I hope Lois doesn't start to feel left out.
“When your father first came to the planet, we had to find a way to deal with his abilities.” He said. “This was one of the things we came up with.”
I hate Clark using third person just to keep his secret from Lois. He is truly trying to be convincing that Superman is another totally different person.
The implications struck her. No more staring at the lunch ladies in the nude. No more floating stomachs or skinless faces around the cafeteria at lunch. No more bumping into things because she was seeing straight through them.
What a visual.
Despite herself, she burst into tears and lunged forward, hugging her father.
Yep, Lisa is going to accidentally give it away. I hope she does!
It had been two years since the last time Lois had seen Lisa cry. In some ways, she’d wondered if it was a sign of distrust between them. Eventually she’d decided it was just her daughter trying to grow up faster than she’d had to.
Clark Kent looked vaguely embarrassed as Lisa hugged him and cried. After a moment though, his hand reached up and he began patting her on the shoulder. His expression of embarrassment changed into something Lois couldn’t interpret.
He’d told Lisa that he hadn’t been able to have children. Lois wondered what it was come face to face with the evidence of everything you’d never have. Would it highlight the emptiness in your own life?
Lois was witnessing a man trying to figure out how to love his daughter. That's what Lois couldn't figure out. Maybe Clark was coming to terms with the fact that he really had his own flesh and blood right there and needed to figure out how to be what she needed. He didn't realize that he had already done so much.
Lois couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for Clark Kent, all alone here in this massive house. He’d lost almost everyone he’d ever loved, and yet here he’d given her daughter the one gift Lois never could have given her.
He’d won her daughter’s heart, not with fancy cars, big houses or cool toys. All it had taken was a pair of glasses.
Her daughter’s sobs were evidence of the long nightmare she’d been through.
“How?” she asked.
“Leaded glass,’ he said. “The vision doesn’t work through lead, so…”
He gave a shy smile, which was unlike the polished facial expressions she’d seen him with in the past. For the first time he seemed open and almost vulnerable.
As he held her daughter, Lois couldn’t help but love him a little too.
Shayne, these few lines are just loaded with emotion and interpretation. Clark Kent was finally starting to heal, open a new chapter in his life. He had made the first step to opening up his true self to Lois and Lisa and didn't even know it.
Shayne, this was awesome! Well worth the wait. I was so enthralled. I just wish you would overwhelm us with more...soon!
~Sheila
