Previously from part 7...
“Lois, don’t do this to yourself. The problem lies with them, not you. I think you’re the most beautiful thing in the world. When you love someone it’s not just about sex…it’s the emotions that go with it,” Clark assured Lois.
“Oh Clark…”
“So, what do you say…about getting married? To me?” Clark asked hopefully.
And now....
What A Husband Should Be…8/?
Continued
“Clark…I don’t know what to say. I’m just so confused…I…”
“That’s okay Lois…I shouldn’t have…I’m sorry, just forget I asked…” Clark responded defeated. “I had no right to just zoom in on you like a buzzard on a carcass…”
“No, Clark, listen to me. I’m confused because I can’t believe that you still want to be with me after all I put you through. I don’t know that I’ll ever truly be in love with anyone. Superman was just an infatuation because he was unobtainable. But, if there was ever a doubt about you being in love with me it’s gone now. Either you really are in love with me or you have a psychiatric diagnosis somewhere,“ Lois ended half jokingly. “I do love you Clark, but I’m not in love with you…”
“Lois, just forget it…I shouldn’t have set myself up for this. I just don’t think I can handle another rejection, so just…”
“No, Clark…please let me finish! You are my best friend. I’ve shared more with you than I have anyone else including my sister. I cannot imagine living my life without you…”
“Nor me without you,” Clark interjected.
“…so, yes Clark,” Lois said smiling from ear to ear. “But, please, Clark, you have to promise that you won’t leave me when something else comes along. I couldn’t handle it,” Lois said sadly.
“You don’t have to worry about that, Lois." With uncertainty, Clark pierced Lois’ eyes with that loving look that he only had for her. “Are you saying yes, you’ll marry me?”
“If that’s what you’re asking,” Lois replied smiling.
“I am asking,” Clark responded in a more serious tone. He then got down off of the bed, on one knee and very gently grasped both of Lois’ petite hands with his much larger ones and asked with all the love imaginable in his voice, “Lois, will you marry me, be my wife, spend the rest of our lives together?”
“Yes, Clark. I will marry you,” Lois replied with a yearning that she didn’t know she possessed.
For the lack of knowing what better to do, Clark slowly stood, then gently pulled Lois to a standing position and hugged her like he’d never get the chance to hug her again. Clark then slowly tilted Lois’ chin up, so that she could resist if she wanted to, and lowered his lips to meet hers and experienced the most earth shattering kiss of his life. There was no pretense or ruse. This one was real. Most of all, Clark felt Lois responding…with emotion? If Lois was really feeling something, it would be a dream come true. If she had any feelings for him at all beyond friendship, it would be a good start.
“Oh God, Clark,” Lois whispered. “Where did you learn to kiss like that?”
“I love you Lois. That’s the only inspiration I can claim,” Clark responded sincerely.
Throughout a good part of the rest of the night Clark and Lois talked, about getting married and getting Clark back to the US. They decided to get married on Sunday, so as not to have the same intended wedding date as Lois would have had with Lex. Their plan was to meet with Ms. Sanders on Saturday if they could reach her and to tell her their decision. A little after 0300, Lois was starting to doze off. Clark grabbed a pillow and went towards the closet for a blanket to make a bed on the couch.
“Clark, where are you going?”
“To, the couch. You can have the bed. I’ve done nothing but sleep for the past few days. You need to be comfortable,” Clark responded.
“Clark, you can…there’s enough room,” Lois said waving her hand towards the empty side of the bed and pulling back the covers.
“I…I…we don’t have to sleep together…I mean in the same bed if you don’t want to. Like I said, I’m not going to force you into something that you’re not ready for,” Clark said reassuringly.
“I know, Clark. I…I just wanted…I just miss curling up in your arms,” Lois shyly related.
“Clark just smiled and simply said, “Okay.” He then climbed in next to Lois. Clark got comfortable, then stretched out his arm towards Lois. She responded by adjusting to lay in Clark’s outstretched arm. He snuggled Lois Close and they both went off to a very peaceful sleep.
Martha and Jonathan went over to see the ailing Judge Andy Lakin. At this point they had not been able to get around producing a birth certificate for Clark. Judge Lakin would remember drawing up and finalizing the adoption papers for Martha and Jonathan back in 1966. The then elderly judge verbalized over the years as Clark grew up that he couldn’t understand why no one came back to claim such a handsome boy, that someone would just leave a baby on some stranger’s doorstep. He had sort of done a rushed and abbreviated job for the Kents. Martha had later cared for Judge Lakin’s wife as she laid ailing and soon after died from cancer. The judge would never forget them for that.
Jonathan pulled the old pick up truck to the driveway of Judge Lakin’s home. Hesitantly, he and Martha got out and went to the door and knocked. After what seemed like an eternity, the elderly judge cracked the door of his home.
“Yes…who’s there?”
“The Kents. We’d like to talk to you,” Jonathan stated.
With that the judge opened the door and stood aside to allow the Kents in. He looked so feeble with oxygen going in his nose. He hugged Martha and shook Jonathan’s hand. He gestured for them to take a seat on the couch and then took the seat across from them. They chatted for what seemed like hours about different things. The Kents were informed that the judge, too had been diagnosed with end stage heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and that he had no energy or reserve. Then the Kents decided to shorten their visit and cut right to the chase.
“Judge, remember when you drew up those adoption papers for Clark? Well, we never had a birth certificate and you said that it wouldn’t be a problem, then. But now…” Jonathan proceeded to tell the judge of the events of Clarks retention in Tokyo and why he now needed a birth certificate.
“Remind me, Jonathan, why didn’t we draw up a birth certificate?”
“Well, within that 90 days, no one showed up within 200 miles who had had a baby and abandoned it. We weren’t sure of Clark’s birthday so we estimated his age and came up with February 28, 1966,” Jonathan replied.
“Yes, and I remember the neighbors making speculations and that’s when you asked that I’d just rush the paperwork so that you could leave Smallville. Except you didn’t. I’ll never forget how you and Martha took care of my ailing Jean,” the judge said reminiscing.
“Please, is it possible that you could draw one up now, a birth certificate, so that we can get our boy home?” Martha pleaded.
“Already done. I did it anyway, back in 1966. I knew that with things changing, eventually they would be required, so I just kept it. You never asked for it, but I wanted to be sure that in the event that I…I…well, you would be able to obtain it. But, before I will give it to you, there is something I must ask of you.”
“Sure…anything…” the Kents replied.
“I witnessed some strange phenomenon around your farm as Clark grew up, like tractors being lifted, things being done faster than the laws of gravity would allow, and so forth. Where did Clark really come from? Is he the now Superman?”
“The Kents looked at each other. They had no idea that anyone was aware of any of Clark’s special abilities. Thinking along the same lines, and communicating through their eyes, the Kents decided to be honest with the judge, especially since he was dying and hopefully he would take it to the grave sooner than he could tell anyone.
“He is,“ Jonathan simply said.
The judges eyes got big.
“But he no longer has those abilities. That’s why he can’t get back home,” Martha finished.
“I see.” The judge thought for a few minutes, then breathlessly said, “The birth certificate is on my dresser under the edge of the scarf. I guess I figured you or Clark would be coming for it soon. Martha, if you would…”
“Sure…and thank you so much.”
“Glad I could help. Now, it’s been wonderful to see you once more, but I’m tired now. I’m gonna go and lay down,” Judge Lakin replied.
“Sure, sir,” Jonathan said as he stood. Martha was returning from the judges room with the sealed piece of paper. “If we can do anything…to make you comfortable…”
“Thank you Jonathan and my dearest Martha.”
Then the Kents left.
Perry had thought of running a series in the Daily Planet about Luthor being behind the demise of Superman and the retention of one of his star reporters, Clark Kent, in Tokyo, but decided against that idea. He didn’t want Luthor to know that anyone was on to him.
“Mr. Luthor, Sir, my sources in Tokyo tell me that Ms. Lane landed there Friday night and has been with Kent since. The wedding is in four hours, sir. What’s the next step?” Nigel expressed to Lex.
“No one…I mean no one…makes a fool of Lex Luthor! I’ll just call a press conference, call off the wedding, publicly, and state that I discovered some inconsistencies concerning Ms. Lane and that it would not be fruitful to my professional life to be associated with her,” Lex snarled. “Then have your contact…have him…kill that hussy and her lover Kent. Wait, on second thought, spare Kent. It would be much more fun to see him mourn since he loves her so much. Oh and be sure that Kent witnesses the whole thing. We can do away with your contact later.”
“Done, sir,” Nigel responded.
“RRRing”
“Hello…yes…he’s here…just a moment…Mr. Luthor, a Judge Lakin for you. Says he’s calling from Smallville, Kansas.”
“Yes…Lex Luthor here…”
“Mr. Luthor, the Kents came by and I did as you instructed. Clark Kent is NOT Superman. But I know who…uh…”
“Lakin…don’t you do this…who?” Lex demanded. But the judge had had his last bout with his heart on the other end of the phone line.
tbc
