Perry waited for Clark to say something – anything – after Lois stormed out of the office, but the younger man seemed too shocked to speak. So Perry busied himself by straightening his desk and stacking the loose folders in a neat pile to one side.
Clark finally moved. He turned to his boss and said, “Holy cow.”
Perry couldn’t help the chuckle that sneaked out. “Sorry, son,” he said, “but that was not at all what I expected to hear just then.”
The ghost of a smile played at the corners of Clark’s mouth for a moment, then vanished like dew in the desert. “I knew she was mad at me, Chief, but I didn’t think she was this mad at me.” He did his country-boy-foot-scrape like he’d been caught watching his neighbor’s teenaged daughter bathe in the creek, then said, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before now.”
Perry understood what he meant. “I can’t say I didn’t suspect it, although I never thought I’d get a confirmation this way. And I don’t mind that you kept it secret. Seems to me that you did the smart thing. And the right thing.” He exhaled through his nose. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her that angry.”
“Me neither.” Clark paused, then asked, “You think she was serious?”
“I know she was serious when she said it and when she marched out like Napoleon heading into Russia. I don’t know if she’ll be that serious on Wednesday.”
Clark shook his head. “I don’t think I can risk it. I may have to leave town.”
Perry sat down in his office chair and waved Clark to the sofa opposite his desk. “I get it, Clark, you can’t put the people you know and love in danger. If Luthor were alive and he found out, no telling what he’d do. He’d look at good people and think, ‘Now there’s a convenient lever to control Superman. Let’s see, what’s the most efficient way to kidnap them? How much torture can they take?’ Other bad guys would probably think that way, too, much as I hate to admit it. You have to protect your folks.”
Clark looked down and sighed. “Thank you. But what do I do now?”
Perry rocked for a few moments. “I think you should stay away from Lois. You get around her right now and you’ll only reinforce her anger. Leave her alone and see if it passes, or at least if it eases up a little. I’ll talk to her come Monday morning. Don’t come in before nine-thirty or she might start yelling out something embarrassing in front of the whole staff.” He pushed himself upright and held out his hand. “You’re a valuable asset to the Daily Planet and to me personally, Clark. I really hope you don’t leave town. We’ll do our best to get her settled.”
Clark shook hands with him. “Thanks, Perry. I think I’d better get home. And I appreciate your advice.”
Their hands parted. “You gonna take it?”
That ghostly smile threatened a comeback. “Doing things my way seems to have made things worse, so yeah, I’m taking your advice. My folks told me the same thing, to wait, and I didn’t listen.” The proto-smile vanished again. “Guess being super-smart is a power I don’t have.”
Perry smiled wider than he felt. “You’re a typical man in one very important way, Clark. You don’t understand women.” He waited until Clark’s despair relaxed slightly, then said, “Don’t worry about it right now, son. Things will get better. Like a kidney stone, this too shall pass.”
Clark’s eyebrows lifted. “Yeah, I’ve heard about those. People say they hurt.”
Perry nodded and guided Clark out of the office with one hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “They do, son, they really do. And the worst pain comes just before the end.”
*****
Clark slouched back to his apartment on foot, not trusting Superman to stay away from Lois’ place. He tossed his windbreaker on the couch and left it there. A Mountain Dew from his refrigerator accompanied him back to the couch, where Clark joined the windbreaker.
He sipped at his drink without tasting it, turned on the TV and surfed for a few minutes without seeing or hearing it, then decided to call home again. He didn’t know how he could wait until nine-thirty Monday morning to see Lois again.
The phone rang twice before a vaguely familiar female voice answered. “This is the Kent residence.”
“Uh – hi, this is Clark Kent. I’m calling from Metropolis.” He frowned at the background noise. “Who is this, please?”
The woman’s voice answered, “Oh, Clark, I’m glad you called. This is Lana. A bunch of us are making dinner and dessert for Janey Harris and your mom’s wrangling the herd. She and I are about to take it over to them. Lemme go get her.”
Lana dropped the phone on the counter before Clark could take a breath. He waited a few seconds as he thought about just hanging up, then his mother blurted out, “Clark! I’m glad you called, honey. Sorry we’re so busy.”
“That’s okay, Mom. I’m sorry I interrupted. Should I call back later?”
A burst of laughter erupted in the background. “Later? Well, maybe about three o’clock would be good. I’m about to go to the Harris place with Lana and the food we’re fixing. And we haven’t heard anything more about Mark Harris yet.”
“I was about to ask, so thanks for the update.”
She chuckled. “I’ll tell you everything I know when you call back. A couple of the ladies are going to hang around and clean up after I leave.”
“Okay. Tell them not to waylay Dad while you’re gone.”
“Hah! And you object to your father and me having sexy phone talk!”
The background noise disappeared as if switched off. Clark hesitated, then said, “Maybe you were talking a little loud there, Mom.”
Martha seemed to move the phone away from her mouth, then called out, “Lana, who is on the phone?”
Someone snorted, then Clark heard Lana say, “He said he’s your son.”
Another woman chimed in with, “I always said the Kent family was close.”
Laughter erupted in the background again. “Sweetie,” she said sweetly and loudly, “I’m going to have to severely injure someone now. We’ll talk later, okay?”
Clark smiled a little. “Okay, Mom. Just don’t take off any hide where the sheriff can see it. You could get arrested.”
Wryly, Martha replied, “Funny man. Got to go cause pain now, bye!”
Clark hung up and shook his head. There were a few areas in Metropolis where the phenomenon of neighbors coming together to help in times of crisis might still occur, but it was just about guaranteed to happen in Smallville and other similar hamlets and villages and small towns across the world. In Kansas, bad times for anyone produced free food, all fresh-cooked or baked and ready to eat. It was comforting to him that such things still happened.
He could use some comfort right about now.
*****
Rachel pushed her grocery cart down the aisle looking for her father’s favorite brand of peanut butter. It was a local one, made by an older couple coasting on their retirement income and making specialty peanut butter for the surrounding counties just to have something to do together. Her dad always advised her to support local businesses if they provided good service or better products, even if doing so cost a little more money. It built good will and support among the people of the county. And they made some wonderful friends in the doing of it.
She was tired and distracted and staring at her list when she bumped into another cart.
Oh, good, she thought, now I have to apologize and be diplomatic.
As she opened her mouth, someone said, “Rachel? Rachel Suzanne Harris, what are you doing here?”
The slightly scolding tone barely piqued her interest. She lifted her gaze to see Martha Kent staring at her in surprise that bordered on astonishment. “Oh. Howdy, Miz Kent. I’m just pickin’ up some stuff for my mom.”
Martha frowned slightly and shook one index finger at Rachel. “Young lady, you should be at home with your mother or at the hospital with both your parents! I’m surprised at you. I know Mark and Janey raised you better.”
Rachel sighed and leaned against her cart. “That’s where we’re goin’ soon’s I get done here. Mom’s plumb tuckered but she wants to see Daddy.”
“Well, you’re not driving anywhere in the state you’re in! You look and sound worse off than your mother surely is.”
“I know, but I gotta get home. I’ll be fine – just slammed a whole Jolt cola.” She tried to maneuver the cart around Martha. “Just a couple o’ things before—”
“I won’t hear of it! You just give me what’s already in the cart and then your list and I’ll finish for you. I’ll have Lana drive my truck to your house and I’ll take you in your car.”
“Now – now hang on a second—”
“I will not hear of you driving. Give me your keys.”
“Miz Kent, you can’t—”
“Keys,” Martha said imperiously, then held out her hand. “Now.”
Rachel opened her mouth to protest again but Martha cut her off. “I will not say this a third time, young lady. But I will give you a ticket for driving under the influence.”
“Influence of what? I ain’t been drinkin’.”
“Narcolepsy. You’re nearly out on your feet, you young dummy.”
“Hey, you ain’t s’posed to talk to the sheriff that way.”
Martha pulled her cart back and moved to Rachel’s side. “Honey, you’re not just the sheriff right now, you’re a young woman who’s scared for her father and trying to support her frightened mother, and you’re doing such a good job of taking care of everyone else that you’ve almost exhausted yourself. We all love you and want your dad to get better, but he can’t do that if he’s worried about his little girl, and especially not if she gets hurt driving when she shouldn’t. Give me your keys and I’ll take you home.”
Martha’s paired logic and compassion came through. Rachel fished her keys out of her purse and handed her grocery list to the kindly older woman, then picked up the three items in her cart to transfer them to Martha’s.
“You keep track o’ them parcels and I’ll pay you back next payday.”
Martha looked almost horrified. “You’ll do no such thing. I’ll take care of all of it. You just go tell Lana what’s going on.”
Rachel sighed. Lana. It had to be Lana Lang. They’d never really been friends, especially since Rachel had gone to Clark’s senior prom instead of Lana. Even though Lana had abruptly broken up with Clark three weeks earlier, she’d fumed at Rachel for being what Lana had called Clark’s “pity date.” Clark had never indicated a strong romantic preference for either of them, but in Lana’s mind Rachel had stolen Clark away from her. The two of them going to separate colleges had dulled their rivalry, but it had never gone away. Since Lana had come back to Smallville, they’d been polite but a little cool toward each other, and Rachel had avoided Lana if at all possible. And now they were joining in a mercy mission for Rachel’s mother.
Sometimes life threw more than one pitch at a time, and they were all screwballs.
Rachel plodded to the passenger window of Martha’s truck and tapped on it. Lana, who’d apparently been dozing, jerked upright and gasped. Then she saw Rachel and rolled down the window.
“Hey, Lana, Miz Kent asked me to ask you to take her truck over—”
“Step back, Rachel.”
Lana’s imperious command startled the sheriff and she obeyed, wondering what was going through that empty blonde skull. Lana opened the door and stepped out, then gently embraced the taller woman and said, “I’m so sorry.”
Shocked, Rachel hesitated, then slowly returned the embrace. Lana held it a moment longer than Rachel had thought she should, then she let go and stepped back but held one of Rachel’s hands. “I really, really hope your father gets better really fast. And I think you’re holding up very well.”
“Uh – thank you?”
Lana frowned. It made her tired eyes look baggier. “I’m sorry that I haven’t been a good friend to you. I’ve been pretty mean and I know it. But my childish feelings are way less important than your father’s health. I want him to get lots better real fast, and I can’t do anything to make that happen but I’m going to help make sure you and your mom have plenty to eat. So what did Martha want you to tell me?”
“Um – she said she was gonna drive me in my car and wanted you to take her truck to my folks’ house. Here’s the keys.”
Lana smiled brightly and, as far as Rachel could tell, sincerely. “No problem. You go have a seat in your car and wait, unless it’s locked and you don’t have a spare.”
“Naw, it’s unlocked. Nobody ‘round here gonna boost my car, not with them lights and markings on it.”
“True. You go sit down and rest before you fall down. We’ll make sure both you and the groceries get there safely.”
The other girl’s solicitude touched Rachel. “Thanks. And I mean it. I’ll see you there.”
Rachel turned to go as Lana said, “That’s fine. And you’re not carrying anything inside so don’t even think about it!”
Rachel grinned over her shoulder and nodded, then continued her plod to the passenger side of her cruiser. She made sure the rear doors were unlocked, then sat in the passenger seat and put her head back. Sleep quickly wove its web over her mind and she almost forgot to buckle her seat belt.
She barely noticed Martha putting the groceries in the truck. By the time Martha cranked up the cruiser to head for the Harris home, Rachel was out cold.
*****
Martha and Lana carried boxes and bags into the Harris kitchen, then Martha sat Janey down in a chair and let her direct them as they put away the contents. Rachel shook her head and laughed silently. They’d been invaded by a superior force and their defenses had been reduced almost immediately. Now they were held captive in their own home. Good thing their conquerors were mostly benign, Rachel mused.
The short nap in the cruiser had done her some good. She still needed a full night of horizontalness, but at least now she could go until bedtime without the danger of falling asleep on her feet. Lana took a small bag of Double-Stuff Oreos out of the grocery bag she was emptying and put it on the table between Rachel and her mother.
“You two need a sugar rush. Down a couple of those and you’ll feel better.”
Rachel smiled at her mother, who grinned back. “Leave it to Lana Lang to take the wheel and hit the accelerator,” her mom stage-whispered.
Rachel pulled back the tab on the bag. “As long as she signals when she turns, I don’t mind too much.”
“Ha and ha,” snarked Lana. “I’m sorry we can’t stay too long, but I’ll heat up some of that meatloaf from Mrs. Emerson if you want a bite now. Won’t take ten minutes. I haven’t tasted it, but I did take a sniff and it smells terrific.”
“Thank you, Lana,” Janey answered. “Any chance anyone sent some iced tea?”
Lana’s profile all but blurred as she readied the electric oven, put a small portion of the meatloaf in to warm, and snatched open the refrigerator. She pulled out a plastic pitcher and waved her hand in front of it. “Abracadabra! The tea is conjured, madame. Would my lovely assistant Rachel please point to the cabinet where the drinking glasses are stored?”
Rachel returned the smile and indicated the door over the counter behind Lana. In rapid fashion, each of the four women had a medium-sized glass of country-sweet iced tea before her. Lana sipped hers and sighed contentedly. “Ah, that’s really good. Y’all just make yourselves to home, y’hear?”
The other three chuckled. Martha leaned on the table and exhaled. “Wow. I don’t remember working quite that hard loading the truck at the store.”
“Don’t rest too long, Martha. Remember, you have to be back home to get that call from Clark at three.”
“Right, right. We’ve got some time yet.”
“Martha, dear, is Clark’s call something private or can you share it with us?”
“You sure you want in this, too, Janey? I’d think you already have a full plate as things are now.”
Janey sighed. “Maybe I could use a little distraction. As long as you don’t say something Clark wouldn’t want you to let out.”
Martha frowned at the Oreo in her hand, then pulled it apart and ate it like a seven-year-old. First she chewed and swallowed the cookie half without the white stuff, then she scraped the cream filling off with her front teeth, then she ate the other half. She washed it down with her tea, then said, “Maybe I should. Maybe one of you could give me some advice to give to him.”
Martha played with her glass for a long moment, grabbed two more Oreos and put them on her napkin, then sat back and nodded. “Okay, here’s what I know so far. Clark has a lady friend in Metropolis who he says he loves. Jonathan and I have met her and she’s a nice young woman. He thinks she loves him too but she hasn’t actually said it to him, at not least to my knowledge. Last night they went on a date, ate a really nice dinner and took a walk afterward and then Clark told her that – he told her a secret from his past and she got really angry and walked away. He said that now she won’t listen to him, won’t let him explain himself, and he doesn’t know how to handle the situation.”
Lana lifted one eyebrow. “You mean he doesn’t know how to handle her, don’t you?”
Martha shrugged. “That might be true. All I know is that she’s really mad.” She looked around. “Any of you have any suggestions?” As Lana leaned forward, Martha lifted her hand and added, “Any constructive suggestions for Clark to use in fixing this situation?”
Lana settled back and appeared to chew on whatever she’d almost said. Janey tilted her head and said, “I’m going to assume that whatever this ‘thing’ is that he told her isn’t illegal or immoral.”
“Or fattening,” Lana snarked.
Rachel snorted lightly. “You know, Lana, that mouth filter in your head don’t work so good when you’re tired.”
Lana shot a sharp look at Rachel, then sighed and sat back. “I’m sorry. Sometimes my mouth runs when my brain’s not engaged. I didn’t mean to make light of Clark or his situation.’
Rachel frowned for a moment. “Did Clark tell you exactly what she did when he told her this mysterious secret?”
“He said she slapped him.”
Lana’s mouth dropped open and she blinked slowly. “Wow. That’s not the Clark I remember. There’s no way he’d do something that would upset his girlfriend that much.”
Janey shrugged. “I don’t have anything right now, Martha, but I’ll let my mind turn it over while we’re doing other things. Maybe I’ll come up with something by tomorrow after I’ve had some sleep.”
Martha patted Janey’s arm. “Thank you. Thank you all. Oh, Rachel, you haven’t said anything yet. Do you have any ideas?”
“Is Lois Lane, this girlfriend of Clark’s, she the one who was here last summer investigatin’ that fake Federal guy?”
“You mean the one you—”
“Lana.” Martha’s abrupt interjection startled Rachel. At least Lana didn’t say it out loud – the one she’d killed. Because of that association, Rachel almost hadn’t mentioned Lois. But she’d had some quality therapy and some really good support from her friends and family and had mostly gotten past the reflexive guilt.
It still stung, though. Probably would for the rest of her life.
Rachel took a breath and said, “I was just gonna mention that she seemed real scared for Clark when that guy tried to shoot him, and not scared like for a friend. She held onto him like she thought he was gonna just melt away. I’d’a swore she was real close to bein’ in love with him then. And I’m with Lana, I can’t imagine Clark doing anything so bad that she’d hate him for it. But I really hope they can work this out. I thought they made a nice couple.”
Martha sighed. “Okay, I’ll wait for his call and tell him my friends and his have no idea what to tell him. Maybe Jonathan can think of something.”
This time Janey patted Martha’s arm. “Dear, your husband is a wonderful man and he has all my respect. He’s a terrific farmer, a rock of a friend, and someone to count on in bad times. In fact, he’s coming over later today to work on that stone walkway to the barn Mark started putting in. I think some friends of his are coming, too, and I’d guess they’ll be done before dark. But Jonathan is not an expert on women. He knows you and loves you, of course, but as for understanding women in general?” Janey flipped both hands in the air. “He’s a terrific friend.”
They all laughed. After a moment, Lana gathered the dishes and put them in the sink. A quick question to Rachel revealed the dish soap’s hideaway, and the young blonde whistled as she finished the cleanup. Rachel took one more Oreo and chewed it slowly.
Rachel silently wondered if the secret Clark had shared was that he was Superman. If that was it, and Lois had blown up over it, the problem was Lois’, not Clark’s. Of course, Rachel didn’t know why Lois might have slapped Clark over that secret, so maybe it was something else.
Somehow she didn’t think so. She wondered how he’d deal with the situation.
She hoped it would turn out for the best for him, however it happened.
A moment later, Lana sidled up to Rachel and whispered, “I’m sorry about the – you know. I promise I won’t mention it again.”
Rachel looked up and nodded. “Thanks.”
Lana smiled. “Got to go. They mayor has a bee in his bonnet about some highway repair project and he wants me to go with him to a meeting with the county commission. I’d tell you all about it except nothing’s been decided yet.”
“Thanks for all your help, Lana. Go knock ‘em dead.”
Lana gave Rachel a lifted eyebrow, then reached into the cookie bag and took an Oreo. “One for the road.”
“You mean for the highway, don’t ya?”
“Of course. Which reminds me, I’ll have to brush my teeth before I meet the mayor. He doesn’t need to know that I occasionally indulge in high-calorie snacks.”
“He hitting on you?”
“Nothing like that. He just – we – he’s been very nice since I told him that you and I were friends.” Lana paused, then added, “I hope I wasn’t being presumptuous.”
Rachel smiled wider. “Naw. You been great about my daddy and taking care of me and Momma. I got your back, girl.”
Lana’s smile was somehow more genuine this time. “Thank you. Your dad will be fine, I just know it.” With that little bit of assurance, Lana breezed out the door and drove away.
The old saying that it was an ill wind that blew no good floated into Rachel’s mind. If nothing else, this near-disaster had given her a friend, one she hadn’t expected to make. Rachel decided to make sure this new friendship was a long-term one.
She needed all the friends she could keep.
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