ToC, for those for whom it\'s been so long they are now hopelessly lost ----------------------------------
From Part 14b: “All right, Superman, I’ll do it! Bring her into my office first thing Saturday, and I’ll see what I can do for her.”
“Thanks, Dr. Klein!” Superman smiled.
“But can you promise me one thing?”
“What’s that?”
“Whatever happens, Don’t let her hit me!”
**********
And Now, Part 16: It felt like at least 3 months had passed by the time Saturday finally arrived. Lois had spent the night at Clark's appartment in order to avoid her sister Lucy, who fortunately had made up with her boyfriend and flown back to LA the next day. Naturally, Lois had gotten the bed, and Clark had slept a foot above the couch. The next day had not been a picnic either, since that was the day he explained the situation to Ellen.
He'd thought it'd be better to get it over with as soon as possible---rip the bandaid off, so to speak. That way, Ellen could get over the shock and they could all get on with their lives that much sooner. Little did he know how *wrong* he was.
To say Ellen had thrown a fit would be an understatement----Clark could now see where Lois got her temper. Worse still, Ellen's pot was *still* boiling (Lois' ability to hold grudges was obviously genetic as well). Clark had managed to be as calm and understanding as superhumanly possible, but the whole ordeal had left him ragged. To top that off, since she was a registered nurse, as well as Lois' mother, Ellen had decided to help take care of Lois herself, and since Clark was at Lois' beck and call as far as anything involving the baby was concerned, he was given the job of fending Ellen off, which only made the woman madder!
They'd agreed to say that *Clark* was the father, rather than Superman, for obvious reasons. Lois had taken time off work to avoid being seen floating, even though she'd been spending some quality time with the ground these past few days. Perry wasn't too happy about it, but since Lois hadn't used her vacation days in a long time, he didn't raise too much of a fuss.
Clark shifted Lois in his arms as they neared STAR Labs.
"Clark?"
"Yes, Lois?"
"Would you get me a corn dog?"
Clark raised an eyebrow. "Um, now?"
"Yes. Now."
He eyed the fast-approaching science building. "Um, Lois, we're almost at STAR Labs, and we're already running late for your appointment anyway. I really don't think this is a good time..."
"Oh, of course not!" Lois snapped, "Silly me, I forgot: everything has to be on *your* time-table, doesn't it?! When I get a corn dog, when I find out that the father of my baby is really my best friend and partner---"
"All right! All right!" Clark pleaded, "I'll get you a corn dog as soon as we land, okay?"
She snorted, apparently mollified for the time being.
Clark touched down in front of the building and set lois on her feet. He put a hand on her back to guide her inside, but she stayed in place, clearing her throat. Clark sighed and disappeared in a blur, reappearing seconds later with a corn dog. He handed it to Lois.
"Got ketchup?"
Another whoosh, and Clark was back with several kecthup packets. "Here! Can we go in now?"
Lois opened one of the packets and squirted ketchup on her corn dog.
Clark tapped his foot impatiently.
Lois emptied the first packet, then opened a second and proceeded to empty it as well. Finally, she took a large bite of her corn dog, then nodded and allowed Clark to lead her into the building.
Dr. Klein was sitting in a chair reading a magazine when they walked into his office. He put the magazine down and looked up. "Ah, Superman, there you----oh my goodness, Lois Lane!"
Lois picked a crumb off of the empty corn-dog stick and threw the stick into a waste basket under Klein's desk. "Yeah, that's me."
Klein stood. "Huh. When Superman said his friend's name was Lois, it didn't dawn on me he meant you. So, go ahead and have a seat on that table." He waved her over to an examaning table near the middle of the room.
Lois walked over to the table and hopped onto it while Klein double-checked his tools and fished for a fresh box of latex gloves.
"So who did you go to for the artificial insemination procedure?"
"Oh----um, well----uh..." they replied.
Klein turned around and, seeing their beet red faces, promptly fell over. He caught himself on the table and managed to return to a standing position. "Okay, nevermind. Let's just get off--I mean get on with it." He gestured to Superman. "Do you want him here, or do you want him to leave?"
"He can stay," Lois said.
"Right. I guess it's nothing he hasn't seen before, anyway."
They both turned a little pink.
After taking her vitals, Klein had Lois lift her shirt slightly so he could examine her belly. "Hmm, I see you're starting to show already. We'd better check for rapid fetal development. You know, I once read this sci-fi story where a woman had triplets, and the babies developed in about a third of the time! It was really fascinating; they had to put her in this chamber..."
Lois put a hand over her stomach. "Oh, no---There is *no* way I'm having triplets! Don't even mention that word!"
Superman grinned. "Well, Lois," he teased, "you're the one who wanted the 'full motherhood experience'. How much fuller can you get than that?"
"Well, there's always quadruplets..." Klein offered.
"Dr. Klein!" his patient protested.
"Oh! Sorry. Um, I doubt that'll happen here. Triplets and quadruplets are very rare."
Lois relaxed a little.
"...Although, my aunt had a set of quintuplets..."
Lois stiffled a scream.
Superman gave him a pleading look. "Dr, Klein?"
"Oh. Right. Sorry." He continued the checkup without comment, feeling Lois' stomach, listening to the fetal heartbeat, and scribbling thorough notes every step of the way. He even took blood samples (as well as another sample that Lois was less thrilled about). Finally, he bagan putting on a pair of gloves. "Okay now, miss Lane, if you'll just lie back abit and spread your legs---"
Superman's eyes shot open. "Uh, I just remembered I have to, uh---that is, I think I hear a---that is---I think I'm needed somewhere! I'll be right back, bye!" In a whoosh he was gone.
"Huh." Klein shrugged. "You'd think he of all people wouldn't be squeamish."
**********
TBC
