What A Husband Should Be...
Previuosly...from part 11
“Lois, honey, you came through surgery fighting in that Lois Lane fashion.” Clark had to smile to himself at that image. “The doctors say that you’re going to be fine. We have a lot of living to do, so hurry and get better. I love you more than you’ll ever know. In sickness and in health…I will be with you through this…you don’t even need to wonder about that.”
Emotions overtook Clark and he put his face down in Lois’ covers, continuing to hold her hand. He silently prayed for a sign that Lois was going to be okay. Almost simultaneously Clark felt Lois squeeze his hand. He looked up in her face. Though her eyes were still closed, they were moving. Then he noted a tear fall from Lois‘ closed eyes. Clark then stood, leaned over and kissed Lois on the lips. Her hand tightened around his as if to ask him not to leave.
“Oh, God…thank you….for my prayer…for answering my prayer,” Clark choked out. “Honey, don’t worry…I’m not going anywhere…I’m not going to leave you.”
Suddenly that little pesky detail of getting back to the US wasn’t so important.
And now...
What A Husband Should Be 12/?
Continued
Lois stayed in the recovery room for about three hours and Clark stayed there with her. He continued to talk to her. He told her stories about his Midwestern small town upbringing. Lois seemed to relax more as Clark talked to her and softly stroked her hand as he held it. Clark also told Lois that the nurse had given him her wedding rings and that he would cherish them until some of her swelling went down. Then he would place them back where they belong; on her finger.
Though Lois stayed asleep the whole time that she was in the recovery room, somehow, Clark knew that she heard him and was aware of his presence.
Finally Lois was transported up to the Neuro Intensive Care Unit. While the nurses transported Lois, Clark took the time to call his parents and Perry to update them on Lois’ progress. Perry was still trying to reach Sam and Ellen Lane. Apparently in their attempt to reconcile, they went on an African Safari trip together. The Kents wanted to fly over, but Clark convinced them to stay in Smallville. He knew that it would be stretching their budget for the two of them to fly from Smallville and besides he needed them to stay put for any unexpected unfolding regarding his passport situation.
After Clark got off of the phone he left the hospital to go home and get changed. He would be right back to be at Lois’ bedside.
When Clark returned, Lois was in her NICU bed. He went and took a seat beside her bed and at first just held her hand. Clark spent a lot of his time willing Lois to wake up and get on one of her babbling crusades. God how he missed that.
At about 2230 the nurse came into Lois’ cubicle to do an assessment. Dr. Hito came in with her. When Dr. Hito realized that Clark was still there he turned and shook his hand again.
“Mr. Kent, I didn’t realize you were still here. Looks like Mrs. Kent is doing remarkably well. Her vitals are normal and so are her labs. Maybe in the morning we can plan on taking out this breathing tube. If she does well after taking out the tube, by Tuesday morning we can move her out of the unit and to the floor,” Dr. Hito explained. “But Mr. Kent you need to go home and get some rest. We’ll call you if needed but I don’t think that’ll be necessary. Lois needs you, well and rested. I understand that you haven’t’ left Lois’ side today except for a few minutes to go home and change clothes. Did you even eat?” Dr. Hito continued.
“Dr. Hito, I just want to be here for her. We just got married. I love her so much,” Clark spoke just above a whisper.
“I understand, but what good will you be to her if you’re not taking care of yourself? You‘re not Superman you know,” Dr. Hito retaliated. “Mr. Kent…”
Clark cringed at that last comment from Dr. Hito…‘You‘re not Superman you know.’
“Clark…please…please call me Clark.”
“Okay, Clark, go home and we’ll see you in the morning. We have your number right here,” Dr. Hito ordered.
Reluctantly, Clark obeyed. Truthfully, he was exhausted and could use some sleep. He just dreaded sleeping alone. That was something that he and Lois hadn’t discussed…sleeping arrangements. Would she have shared a bed with him since they were married? Just for sleep? Though it would have been torturous to lay next to her every night and not be able to touch her, like a husband touches his wife, it would be nice to be able to hold her and let her feel how much he loved her.
Monday morning, Clark was awakened by the phone. He was a little nervous about answering because his first thought was that the hospital was calling. Bracing himself, Clark finally answered the phone after the fourth ring.
“Hello…Clark Kent…”
“Mr. Kent…Clark…this is Christine Sanders. I’m just calling to check on Lois. Is she okay?”
“Yes, she’s recovering. Thanks for asking. I’m going to get dressed now and go back over to the hospital. I didn’t leave until late last night.”
“Well, I wont hold you. One more thing…I got word that your paperwork is almost done and someone from Immigration and Naturalization has to sign it. Once that’s done you get your passport and you can go back home. Probably 7 to 10 days. I know you want to be here with Lois, so whenever she is well enough to travel, you’re home free.”
“Thank you, so much. You don’t realize how helpful you’ve been, mostly outside of the passport situation. I’ll never forget you and Mr. Sanders. Goodbye.”
“Bye, now, Clark.”
Clark turned over and looked at the clock. It was 1000! <I must have really been tired to sleep this long. I’ve got to get up and get to Lois. Nobody has called, so that’s a good thing. Oh, God! Let me hurry!> Clark thought.
By 1030 Clark was en route to the hospital to be with Lois. He arrived just fifteen minutes later.
Clark got to the NICU, passed an empty nurses’ station, heading for the cubicle where Lois had been the night before. When he got to where Lois had been, the housekeeping lady was making the bed and Lois was gone. Clark panicked. He saw a nurse coming from one of the other cubicles and immediately started to ask questions that he wasn’t sure that he wanted to hear the answers to.
“Ma’am, my wife Lois Kent…she was here last night…I left her here…where..”
“It’s okay Mr. Kent. Mrs. Kent is on the floor now with her own room. Shortly after you left last night, we extubated her. She was fighting the vent and her gases were good, so we took out the tube. I don’t know…it seems that after that she just got progressively better. She did so well during the night that we went ahead and moved her to the floor this morning, per Dr. Hito’s orders. Mrs. Kent didn’t want us to call you. She wanted to surprise you. She said that she thought you needed to rest anyway,” The nurse ranted.
A slow and grateful smile came over Clark. God, he loved her so much.
The nurse pointed Clark in Lois’ direction and he proceeded to her room. When he got to Lois’ door, he stopped and got his giddy self together. Then, slowly he opened the door. Lois was sitting up, slightly, on pillows, dozing, peacefully. Clark slowly approached her bedside and for a few minutes, just stood there and looked at Lois. Then he slowly leaned over and placed a gentle, loving kiss on Lois’ lips. At the touch of Clark’s lips to hers, Lois opened her eyes.
“Hey, you…”
“Hey,” Lois said hoarsely. An unsure smile graced Lois’ face. “I guess I ruined your day, huh?”
“Lois, honey, noooo. I’m so happy right now, happy and grateful that you’re alive and looking as beautiful as ever and that you’re my wife. I was just so lost…yesterday…when…” Clark started to choke, as he gently cupped Lois‘ face with his hand. Lois noticed his eyes starting to glaze over.
“Clark, I’m okay, just having a little pain, but I’m fine. What about you? You okay?”
“Yea, now I am. I am so proud of you.”
“Oh, Clark, what happened. Was it Nigel or was I just dreaming?” Lois asked as tears started to run down her cheek.
“It was Nigel. He’s dead now. Luthor had a hit out on you, we suspect…” Clark noticed that Lois was starting to cry, so he put his arm around her and just held her. “Honey, it’s okay…shhh. Let’s talk about that later, okay. Let’s just concentrate on getting you well.”
By the end of the day, Lois was tired and needing pain medicines. Dr. Hito had come by and said that they would cast the femur where the external fixator was on Tuesday morning and hopefully Lois could be discharged from the hospital by the weekend. It was the best news that Clark had heard all day.
Clark decided to go back to the hotel for a while, but assured Lois that he would be back later that night. She’d asked him to bring her back some good Japanese food. Clark promised her that he would.
Clark kissed Lois’ cheek and left.
tbc...
