Chapter Thirteen
>>>Saturday, 1:15 AM
Standing alone beside the almost-empty drink table, Clark watched the few remaining couples on the dance floor as the Miller band played its last number.
He’d enjoyed the evening. Much of his time had been taken up dancing or socializing with Rebecca. They’d conversed, they’d teased each other lightly, they’d talked briefly about their jobs, but Clark had learned very little personal information about her.
He wanted to learn more. She intrigued him. So just after midnight, he’d been mildly disappointed when Rebecca had politely declined his offer to see her home, saying she would ride the LuthorCorp shuttle.
Then she’d quickly kissed him on the cheek, smiled warmly, and said, “Ask me again next time.”
Before he could take the hint and decide whether or not to ask her about the next time, she’d turned and vanished into the thinning crowd. He’d touched the still-warm imprint of her lips on his face and wondered if he had room in his life for another female friend.
Or even someone who was more than a friend.
Don’t speculate, he’d ordered himself. Just try to do the right thing and let life happen. And remember his father’s admonition to guard his heart.
But now he was speculating on something different. Lex Luthor and Lois Lane were waltzing to “Irene, Good Night” as Glen Miller Junior played his clarinet.
And it bothered Clark that they looked at least as good as he’d felt when he and Lois had waltzed together.
He hoped there was a way to control the link they shared. The feelings he was sensing at the moment were making him a bit – edgy.
The tune finally ended and he joined the few remaining dancers in applauding the band. Glen Junior came to the microphone and said, “Thanks for hanging in until the weary end, folks, but I think our lips are just about blown out. We hope to see you next time, and thank you all for coming. Good night.”
The musicians heaved a collective sigh and began cleaning and packing away their instruments. Two young men and a young woman walked on from the sides of the stage to gather up the sheets of music and the stands.
Glen stepped down from the stage and shook hands with Luthor. Clark didn’t bother to listen in, but he could see that the two men knew each other well and appeared to like each other. Lex introduced Glen to Lois and they also shook hands.
Then, to Clark’s surprise, Luthor turned towards Clark and led Glen in his direction, with Lois holding his arm. “Glen, I’d like you to meet Clark Kent of the Daily Planet. He’s another of their rising young stars, and I expect we’ll hear a lot of good things from him in the years to come.”
Miller took Clark’s hand and shook it with vigor. “Pleased to meet you, Clark. I hope you give us a good review.”
Luthor chuckled. “Mr. Kent is an investigative reporter, Glen, not a music critic. At least, that’s what he is in print.”
Clark smiled. “I like your music, Mr. Miller. I grew up listening to you and your father’s records. In fact, my dad still has some of your dad’s old 78s lying around somewhere in his attic.”
Miller laughed easily. “Wow! Those must be pre-war releases! Where does your father live?”
“My parents live in Kansas, on a farm near a little town called Smallville.”
Miller frowned in thought. “Smallville? About forty or fifty miles southeast of Wichita just off state highway eleven?”
Clark’s forehead wrinkled in surprise. “Wow! You know where Smallville is?”
“Hey, a musician on the road goes through a lot of little towns. I have a knack for remembering them.” He turned to Luthor. “Lex, it’s good to see you again, but I have to get the guys moving.”
“Might we have lunch tomorrow?”
Miller smiled. “What makes you think I’ll be awake by then?”
Luthor smiled back. “I’ll send you a wake-up call at eleven.”
Miller grabbed his chest in mock pain. “Aggh! Eleven o’clock! Does it still come around twice a day?”
The four shared a laugh. Luthor put his hand on Miller’s shoulder. “All right, Glen, we’ll lunch at one. Will a twelve o’clock wake-up kill you?”
“No, we’re usually sneaking out of the hotel about that time anyway.”
Luthor laughed. “Not tomorrow, I hope! You’re playing for that diplomatic reception at five, remember?”
Miller winked. “Of course I do. And thanks again for helping set that up.”
Lois leaned closer to Luthor. “Lex, you didn’t tell me about that. And I didn’t know Mr. Miller was playing again tomorrow afternoon.”
Luthor smiled at her. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention it before, Lois, but it’s a private function, so private that not even I am invited.”
Miller tapped Luthor on the shoulder with one fist. “If you really want to come, I could probably use another roadie.”
Luthor shook his head. “Alas, I fear I’m a bit too old for that job. Being a roadie requires too much heavy lifting.”
“Okay, Lex, then I’ll see you for lunch at one. Usual place?”
“Of course. The staff will be ready for you.”
“Thanks. Good to meet you, Lois, and you too, Clark. Good night.”
Luthor turned to Lois. “Would you like for me to give you a ride home, my dear?”
Lois smiled and shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, but I already told Clark I’d walk him home tonight.”
Luthor turned to Clark, who hid his surprise and shrugged. “I’m afraid of the dark.”
Luthor smiled thinly and nodded. “Of course.” He gently kissed Lois’s hand. “In that case, my dear Lois, I’ll see you on Tuesday at eleven o’clock.”
“Thank you, Lex. I’m looking forward to it.” She linked arms with Clark and said, “Let’s get you safely home, farm boy.”
*****
When Rebecca closed her front door, she smiled softly and headed for her journal. There were a few things on her mind, and she wanted to record them properly.
~~~~~
Dear J, I had a wonderful time at the ball! Yecch, I sound like Cinderella! Anyway, I really did have a good time. I got to talk to Lois for a little while – she’s really pretty cool. You remember her, right? I’m sure I told you about her. She’s very pretty, very smart, and very hard-working. She’s about my age but acts a lot older sometimes, like she’s seen a lot more of life than she should have. And she’s kinda funny about Clark.
Oh! I have to tell you more about Clark! You should see him dance! He’s poetry in motion, and he never rushes his partner or tries to control everything. He’s smart in a way that doesn’t make other people feel dumb – wish I could do that like he does – he’s tall, dark-haired, not at all bad-looking, and the only thing I’d change about him is his glasses. I don’t know why he doesn’t get contacts, or maybe that laser thing to fix his eyes. His lenses aren’t that strong. I looked through one of them when he turned his head, and I didn’t notice very much correction.
But that’s a little thing. Aside from that, so far I think he’s pretty much perfect.
I saw him talking to Lois early on tonight, and they danced together, and I was afraid that they were starting to get close, but then she saw Mr. Luthor up close and wow! She zeroed in on him like a pointer after a game bird. I was kinda glad, because it left Clark free for me to dance with, but I hope she doesn’t expect too much. Mr. Luthor doesn’t date exclusively, and I don’t think he’s looking for anything long-term.
I’m not either, but for Clark I might make an exception.
No I wouldn’t!
Maybe I would.
Anyway, he’s more than cute and he has a terrific smile and he’s built like a big baseball player, all broad-shouldered and slim-waisted but solid as granite. And he’s so agile it’s almost scary. I bet he played sports in school. I’ll have to ask him.
He asked if he could take me home after the dance! It was sweet but too soon. He already knows where I live, of course, but I didn’t want to risk bringing him back here alone this late at night. He might not want to take ‘no’ for an answer, even though I think he’s probably the last gentleman my age left in Metropolis.
Or maybe I wouldn’t want to say ‘no’ to him.
Can’t go there, not yet. I don’t think he’s seeing anyone, but I don’t know. I’ll have to talk to Lois about him.
Or maybe I’ll just do my own research. There’s something between those two, and I can’t figure out what it is. But I will. And I’ll know by then whether or not to let Clark get closer.
He doesn’t know anything about me, not really, not about my history. And I’m actually thinking of telling him. In a few weeks. If things work out. And if he isn’t completely freaked out, maybe we’ll talk about the future.
The future. Oh, that’s a scary subject.
Hey! I almost forgot to tell you how great the whole party was. They had classical music at one end of the building and big band stuff at the other end. They alternated playing until about midnight, when the classical people had to leave. And Morgana played viola with Yo-Yo Ma! She was so excited. When they went on a break, she told me that Yo-Yo Ma is an absolute perfectionist where his own playing is concerned, but very understanding about the people he plays with. The cellist came in two measures early on one section and stepped on his solo, but he just finished the piece and laughed when the cello player tried to apologize. He said Mozart would have enjoyed hearing it played that way, which was doubly funny because it was a Brahams piece. He’s pretty cool. I may borrow one of his CD’s from the library. Maybe I can figure out why Morgana likes that stuff so much.
Glen Miller Junior’s band played at the other end. Everybody liked it, and Lois got to dance with Mr. Luthor. It was like they’d practiced for days! Even Clark thought they were good, and he’s got high standards. I don’t think he likes Lois hanging around with Mr. Luthor, though. I don’t think Clark likes him, and I don’t know why. As far as I know, Mr. Luthor has done nothing but good things for all the people in Metropolis.
But Clark’s a reporter. Maybe he knows something I don’t.
Right. Like he’d tell me if I asked him.
Anyway, I need some sleep. The Dangerous Boys are coming by tomorrow afternoon to do some more data mining on that squid project. I swear, if we don’t get some publishable results soon, I’m going to take the data back to Professor Hamilton and tell him to write the master’s thesis himself. It’s taken us two whole nights just to get it all in chronological order and enter it into the program Gandalf and Harry hacked together. I just hope the system doesn’t crash at a critical point, like it did the last time. Boy, those bank thieves almost traced us, and the FBI told us they would have come after us if they’d known who we were. We have to be more careful in the future, or else some of us might not have a future!
Gotta go now. Write to you later!
~~~~~
Clark and Lois walked out the front door, nodded to the doorman, and as they neared the street level, she whispered, “You’re afraid of the dark?”
Clark shook his head. “You took me by surprise. It was the best I could do under the pressure of the moment.”
She laughed lightly. “Pressure of the moment? This from the man who can lift mountains and put out forest fires all by himself?”
He returned her smile. “I actually expected you to accept his offer of a ride home. Why didn’t you?”
“Too soon in the relationship for that, way too soon, assuming there actually is the potential for a relationship. I don’t want any man to view me as being easy or too eager. Besides, I have to maintain some semblance of journalistic objectivity.”
“I see. Well, I guess that makes sense.”
She poked him in the ribs. “Hey! Speaking of journalistic objectivity, what about Rebecca? You two spent a lot of time together tonight. Why didn’t you escort her home?”
He shrugged. “Same reason, I guess. But she did tell me to ask her again some time.”
She bumped him with her hip. “Ooh, next time!” In a childish voice, she sang, “Clarkie’s got a girlfriend, Clarkie’s got a girlfriend!”
“Lo-is! Come on! I don’t know her that well!”
She looked closer as they passed under a streetlight. “Clark?” she cried. “Are you blushing?”
“Come on, Lois, I – “
“Oh! You are! You’re actually blushing!”
He pulled her to a stop. “Okay, you’ve had your fun. Let’s talk about something else, okay?”
She started to say something else, then stopped and withdrew slightly. At a much lower volume, she said, “I’m really sorry, Clark. I – I kind of forgot for a minute. I apologize.”
Then he felt it. She was well and truly sorry, and it came through the link they shared. His irritation with her evaporated almost immediately and he smiled. “It’s okay, Lois, I know you didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Okay. As long as we’re cool.”
He started forward again. “We’re cool.”
She exhaled. “Good. I want us to stay friends.”
“Not a problem.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes, then Clark said, “There is something I’d like to talk to you about, if you don’t mind.”
“Sure. Almost anything.”
Whimsically, he asked, “Almost?”
She offered him a raised eyebrow. “Bodily functions and other very private moments are not on the list of acceptable subjects for conversation.”
He chuckled and she joined him. “Good. Because that’s kind of what I wanted to talk about.”
She lifted her eyebrow. “Oh, really?”
“Yeah. Did you know that I can feel you? In my mind, I mean?”
She stopped. “Really? You too?”
He wrinkled his forehead. “What do you mean, me too?”
“I can feel you. I can sense your emotions, whether you’re under stress or if you’re relaxed, if you’re sad or excited, and if you’re concerned or confident.”
“Whoa. All that?”
“Yes. What did you sense from me? Earlier tonight, I mean?”
He started walking again. “Well, I could tell that you really, really enjoyed being around Lex Luthor tonight. And not because he’s a celebrity or because you have an interview with him. You like him as a man, or at least as a person.”
“Oh.” They took several strides together. “What can you sense now?”
He focused inward for a moment, then shook his head. “I can tell you’re there and that’s about it. I don’t sense anything else.”
“Oh.” She was silent for a moment. “Me, too. Wow.” She was silent for a longer moment. “I wonder just how deep this – this connection goes. Or why it’s there.”
“I don’t know.”
She stopped and turned him to face her. “Do you have any kind of telepathic abilities? Can you read minds? Can you sense anyone else’s emotions?”
He shook his head. “No. I’ve never felt this before with anyone.”
“Not even with Lana?”
The question struck him dumb and he only stared open-mouthed. He’d never even considered that aspect of the link. Lois looked closer and narrowed her eyes at im. “No,” she breathed softly, “you didn’t. She never knew you like this.”
He found his voice. “We – she didn’t. We didn’t. Not – not ever. I had no idea this was even possible.”
Wariness crept over her face. “What does this mean, Clark? Are we tied to each other now in some alien way? Are we destined to be together no matter what? Are we going to be forcibly linked for the rest of our lives?”
He put his hands on her arms. “Hey, take it easy. I don’t know any of those answers. I can find out, though.”
“How? Tell me how!” She sounded a little frantic.
“Do you have any plans for Saturday?” She shook her head. “Then let me make a phone call in the morning. I think we can figure this out, but it’ll mean making a trip to Kansas.”
“Kansas?” Lois’s mouth dropped open. “You mean there are farmers who can tell you about this?”
He grinned. “No, but Bob can.”
“Bob? Who’s Bob, the local water witch?”
“Don’t worry, you’ll have a ball when you meet him.”
>>>Saturday, 8:33 AM
“Hello?”
“Mom? It’s Clark.”
“Clark, hello! I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon! How was the party last night?”
“It was a lot of fun, Mom. I met some interesting people and I danced with some very nice ladies and I want to bring Lois out to meet Bob.”
Martha opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She reset herself and asked, “I’m sorry, Clark, but did you just say that you want Lois to meet Bob?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, honey, are you sure that’s a good idea?”
He sighed into the phone. “I think it’s necessary, Mom. We have a very important question we can’t answer, and I think Bob can.”
“Oh. Well, I guess, if you think it’s a good idea, sure. When can we expect you?”
“How about today around lunchtime?”
Now she was surprised. “Lunch? Today?”
“Yes. Today. This is – well, it’s not all that urgent, but it is pretty important.”
“Can you tell me what this is all about?”
He sighed again. “Mom, I’m not sure you’d believe me if I did tell you. I want to get Bob’s input first, then we’ll sit down with you and Dad and tell you everything we know.”
“Okay. Um, Clark? What should I tell your father?”
“About Lois coming to visit?” His mother didn’t respond. “Yeah, that might be a touchy subject. He’s never met Lois and she’s not exactly his favorite person in the world. What’s he doing today?”
“I think he’s planning to go into Wichita to look at some parts for the combine. It’s been cutting funny.”
“You know, it might be best if he didn’t meet Lois just yet.”
“I won’t lie to my husband, Clark.”
“Of course not, Mom. I won’t either and I won’t ask you to. But it might be better if they don’t meet. At least, not right now.”
It was her turn to sigh. “All right, son. I don’t much like it, but I understand why you’d want to do it this way.”
“Thanks, Mom. Where’s Dad now?”
“Over at Wayne Irig’s place. They may head on in to town from there. I’ll call over there to make sure, then call you back.”
“Thanks again, Mom. You’re so great.”
*****
Clark pushed the ‘switch line’ button on his cordless phone, then dialed Lois’s number.
She picked up during the first ring. “Hello!”
“Hi, Lois. It’s Clark.”
“Clark!” She sounded almost frightened. “I – I was expecting your call.”
“Sounds like it. How about I pick you up at a quarter to one today? My mother’s expecting us for lunch.”
He could hear her pacing. “Lunch? Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“Sure. You’ll be hungry and my mother’s a good cook. Besides, Kansas is an hour behind us. It’ll be right at noon by the time we get there.”
The sound of her pacing intensified. “I don’t know about this! I mean, what will your parents think of me? Surely they know about Lana and me and that I got off the boat and she didn’t and won’t they – “ she stopped and her voice shrank to little-girl level “ – don’t they hate me?”
Clark frowned. He had to get her to Bob and find out what to do with their link. He could feel her tension leaking through the knot she was trying to tie around her end of the connection. “I promise, Lois, everything will be fine. My dad won’t even be there today, so you’ll only have to deal with my mother. And she doesn’t blame you for anything, honest.”
He listened to her breathe for a moment, then she said, “Okay. There’s some wishful thinking in there, but I can tell that you’re not really shading the truth on me. I’ll look for you. Wait, do you want to pick me up here?”
“Hmm. Come to think of it, probably not. Why don’t we meet at Centennial Park, right behind the big horse statue? Kids go back there on dates to make out, so we’ll have enough privacy to take off without anyone seeing us.”
“Fair enough. I’ll see you there at twelve-forty-five.”
>>>Saturday, 12:47 PM
Lois glanced nervously at her watch. Clark was never late unless there was a Superman emergency, and given the seriousness of the appointment they were planning to keep, it had to be something urgent.
She checked her watch again and found that time moved much more slowly when you were scared half out of your wits. She had no idea who Bob was or what relationship he had with Clark, since Clark had refused to answer any and all questions about him. All she could do was wait, and waiting was one of the few skills she hadn’t bothered to master.
A sudden noise behind her made her spin around and assume a fighting stance, but she relaxed when she saw Clark standing there in the Superman suit. “You took your sweet time getting here.”
“Sorry. There was a traffic accident downtown.”
“And you just had to take care of it, didn’t you?”
His face hardened slightly. “I know how important this is to both of us, Lois. You don’t have to bust me over being three minutes late.”
She forced herself to relax. “Sorry. So how are we going to do this? The last flight I took with you didn’t have a very pleasant outcome.”
He quirked one eyebrow. “I promise not to throw you over my shoulder like a sack of fertilizer.”
“Good. So how do you plan to get me there?”
He lifted his arms in front of him. “You can either sit here and put your arms around my neck or stand next to me with my arm around you.”
“Okay.” She hesitated. “How did Lana fly with you?”
He started. “We – we didn’t fly that often.” He hesitated. “She usually stood next to me and – and wrapped her arms around my neck.”
Lois nodded. “Then you can carry me in your arms. Just don’t go so fast that I can’t breathe.”
“Promise.” He squinted slightly and looked quickly all around them, then nodded. “Let’s go.”
*****
Martha was watching out the back door as Superman landed gently at the tree line behind the house. As she’d expected, he carried a female passenger, whom he set gently down on the ground before spinning into his Clark clothes.
Martha took the time to evaluate the young woman. Medium height, short dark brown hair, slender but not unhealthy, very pretty but at the moment she was frowning in either concentration or anticipation. She wore jeans, running shoes, a long-sleeved casual shirt, and a denim jacket, all new and clean. She walked with athletic confidence across the lawn.
This could only be Lois Lane. She strode beside Clark without touching him, close enough to be comfortable but not close enough to be possessive. She obviously trusted Clark enough to fly with him, and she wondered what she thought about meeting Bob for the first time.
As the pair stepped close to the house, Martha opened the door and smiled. “Clark, I’m glad you were on time. You must be Lois. I’m Martha Kent, Clark’s mother.” She stepped back to let them pass. “I hope you had a smooth flight.”
“Except for having to dodge the usual air traffic around Cleveland and Chicago, it was fine, Mom. Thanks.”
Hesitantly, Lois offered, “Thank you, Mrs. Kent.”
Martha smiled. “Please, call me Martha. ‘Mrs. Kent’ sounds like my mother-in-law.”
Lois smiled back, at least a little. “Okay – Martha. But only if you call me Lois.”
Martha took Lois’s hand in hers and squeezed it. “I’d already planned to, dear.” She waved them into the dining room. “Please, have a seat. I didn’t know what you liked, or if you were on some kind of restrictive diet, so I put out a selection of deli-type stuff. I hope you can find something you like.”
Lois stopped in the doorway and gaped at the food covering the table. “Wow. Everything looks fabulous. I’d have to work hard to find something I didn’t like.”
Martha knew it was partly flattery, but she appreciated Lois’s comment all the same. “Well, then, let’s sit down and get this lunch started. I don’t know how hungry you kids are, but I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”
*****
“Would you like a piece of cake, Lois?”
Lois grinned and pressed her hand to her stomach. “Please, no more. I’ll have to spend an extra hour at the dojo just to burn off what I’ve already eaten.”
“Okay. What about you, Clark?”
“Sure, Mom, I’ll take some cake.”
Martha happily cut an extra-large slice for her son and let it flop onto a clean plate. “Make sure you finish everything on your plate, son.”
“Yes, Mother. May I have my cake now?”
She laughed and handed it to him. “Does he eat like this in the office, Lois?”
“Not usually. Although we have increased our morning doughnut order since he came back to work.”
Clark gulped down a forkful of cake. “Hey! I happen to like the maple topping with sprinkles.”
“Son, you’ve always had a sweet tooth.”
Lois tilted her head. “Just one sweet tooth?”
“Yes. Right in the middle of his mouth.”
Clark joined in the ladies’ laughter. Martha stood and asked, “Would anyone like something else to drink?”
“Oh, Martha, let me get it. You’ve been waiting on us since we got here.”
“No, Lois, you sit right down there and enjoy this. I only wait on people the first time they come to visit. After that, you’re counted as family and you have to fend for yourself.”
Lois chuckled and relaxed. “Okay, if you say so. I could stand another glass of tea.”
“Coming up. Clark, if you want some more milk, you know where the refrigerator is.”
Clark turned to Lois and sighed. “See? She wasn’t kidding.”
Lois nodded to him. “I’ll be sure to remember that, farm boy.”
Martha smiled to herself as she listened to the byplay between Clark and Lois. It was the kind of verbal sparring two good friends would engage in, and it warmed her heart to see that both of them had apparently put the tragedy with Lana in their pasts. As much as Martha missed Lana, she knew that the girl would eventually fade in her memory as the pain of her loss also faded, leaving warm and misty memories of good times and laughter and love.
And it appeared that Clark was coming to grips with his new life as a single man, something that Lois apparently was at least partly responsible for. That one fact would have made Martha appreciate Lois, even if she hadn’t turned out to be a level-headed and fairly mature young lady.
As she put Lois’s refilled tea glass on the table, she asked, “So, what do you think of Kansas?”
Lois lifted her eyebrows as she reached both for her glass and for a suitable response. “It’s – not as crowded as Metropolis.”
Martha laughed easily. “That’s certainly true. And it’s one of the reasons Jonathan and I like it so much.”
Lois swallowed a mouthful of tea. “Isn’t farm work really hard?”
“Oh, being successful at anything is hard work, dear. You know that. At least farmers don’t have to deal with the kinds of surprises that reporters do. We might face drought or flood or blizzard, but we can deal with them, and they don’t usually take us by surprise. About the only things we can’t face without help are serious illness or locusts.”
“I see.” Lois put her glass down. “Speaking of surprises, did Clark bother to tell you why he brought me all the way to Smallville?”
“Not specifically. All he said was that the two of you had a question you had to ask Bob.”
“I see. So you don’t know about – “ she let her statement hang in the air.
Martha waited for a long moment, and when Lois didn’t continue, she said, “No. I don’t know anything about whatever it is that you thought I already knew about. I assume that if Clark wants me to know, he’ll tell me.”
“I see.” Lois began playing with her half-empty glass. “What did Bob say about it?”
“What?”
“What did Bob say? Where is he, anyway?”
It was Martha’s turn to look surprised. She almost asked Lois what she knew about Bob, but then she thought it through and realized that Lois knew nothing about Bob’s true nature. She turned to her son and accused, “You didn’t tell her, did you?”
He had the grace to look sheepish. “I wasn’t sure she’d come if she knew.”
Lois’s eyebrows went up. “What are you two talking about?”
“Bob,” muttered Clark.
“Okay, we’re talking about Bob. Where is he? When will I meet him? And how come you think he’ll be able to tell me anything about this – this connection you and I have?”
Martha’s surprise morphed into astonishment. “Connection?”
Lois looked almost sheepish. “Yes. Clark and I have some kind of mental link between us. He thinks Bob can explain it and maybe help us understand it better.” She glanced at Clark. “I hope he can tell us how to control it. There are times when I’d like some privacy.”
“Ah. Yes. And you think Bob can tell you what you need to know.”
Lois shrugged. “Clark does. I’m willing to play along for now.”
Martha sat back and crossed her arms. “You have to tell her, Clark.”
Lois almost slapped the table, but controlled herself at the last minute. “Tell me what? I can feel how upset you are, Clark. And there’s also – embarrassment?” She sat back, puzzled. “You’re embarrassed? Why?”
“Well – because Bob isn’t exactly a he.”
“Bob’s not a he?” Clark nodded to her. “So, Bob is really Roberta?”
“Uh. No, not really.”
Lois glanced at Martha, who sat resolutely waiting for Clark to come clean. “Okay. Bob isn’t a he and Bob isn’t Roberta. Is Bob a hermaphrodite or just a cross-dresser?”
Clark sputtered. “N-no! Bob isn’t – maybe I should just show you.”
“That would work.” She turned to Clark’s mother. “Martha, are you coming?”
“No, thanks. I’ve already seen Bob.”
Lois hesitated. “Look, I probably shouldn’t be nervous about this, but I’d really like another woman’s company there.”
Martha unbent immediately. “Oh, Lois, dear, of course! I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. I’m just glad you’re coming.” She turned to her co-worker. “If you’ll let me visit the little reporter’s powder room, I’ll be right with you.”
Clark forced himself not to grin. “Down the hallway, last door to the right.”
“Thank you.”
*****
Lois looked around nervously. “We’re in the barn, Clark.”
“I know.”
“So now you’re going to tell me Bob is a cow?”
He sighed. “No, Lois.”
Martha chuckled. “I don’t blame you, dear. I’m not sure I would’ve come this far without knowing who or what I was going to see.”
Lois lowered her voice. “If you hadn’t gotten so upset with Clark, I might still be sitting at the table, trying to convince myself not to steal his cake.”
“Heard that,” Clark called out.
Lois wasn’t the least bit fazed. “Are we there yet, farm boy?”
He stopped beside an upright post near the middle of the barn. “Almost. Please come stand beside me.”
She felt his trepidation leaking through their link. “Why, so I can hold your hand?”
The trepidation turned to irritation, and she decided to cut him some slack. “Okay, Clark, I’m coming.”
As Lois watched, he opened a hidden box set inside the upright beam and pressed his palm against it. A low hum of machinery filled her ears, and the floor opened up in front of her. Lights flickered on below and a wooden staircase came into focus below.
She looked at Clark. “I take it we’re going down there?”
“Yep.”
She took a deep breath. “Then let’s get going.” He inclined his head at her, but she shook her head ‘no’ and said, “Uh-uh. You first this time.”
The corner of his mouth twitched and he stepped down onto the first step.
Lois followed him and Martha trailed her. As Lois reached the floor of the underground chamber – she idly noted that the floor was made of close-set thick wooden beams – Clark flicked a switch and light filled the next room.
She gasped in awe. Lana had told her that Superman wasn’t from Earth, and she’d printed it in the story she’d sold at the beginning of the year – was it that recent? – but the reality of seeing the ship he’d traveled in made it so much more real.
The ship was small, almost tiny, and what appeared to be the canopy was correspondingly small. It was far too small for a man Clark’s size to fit in it. In fact, Lois couldn’t have contorted herself to fit into it.
She stared at the craft and said, “That’s not big enough for you.”
His voice was almost sheepish in tone. “No, it isn’t.”
She turned and frowned at Clark. “You came to Earth as a baby, didn’t you? Didn’t you?”
He crossed his arms and hardened his expression. “Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Or Lana? Why didn’t she tell me?”
She could feel him calm himself. The effect spilled over the link to her and smoothed out her anger. “Because you would have printed it. How long do you think some genius would have taken to link Clark Kent to Superman if everyone knew I’d come here as an infant?”
Lois glowered at him, but she saw the logic of his statement, so she switched her focus. “Okay. Now I’ve met Bob. Funny, I don’t feel enlightened.”
“The ship doesn’t have a name. That globe on the pedestal is Bob.”
“What?” She turned to face him. “That’s Bob? You’re kidding me, right?”
“No. Assuming Bob will talk to you, all you have to do is put your hands underneath – “
Her eyes flashed and she shoved his shoulder from the side. “Are you nuts? You flew me halfway across the country on my day off and scared the crap out of me with all this jazz about talking to Bob the Kansas mystic just so I could consult some alien Magic 8-ball?”
“Lois, please, this – “
She put her finger in his face. “You’d better have something a lot better than this or I’m so out of here right now!”
“Okay!” he shouted. “You want to leave, leave! I won’t stop you!”
“Fine!”
“Fine!”
“Well fine!”
She stood before him, staring angrily and breathing deeply. He put his hands on his hips and glared back at her. “Well? Are you leaving or staying?”
Lois took one last deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m staying.”
“Good.” He leaned back slightly. “Are you going to try talking to Bob?”
She looked at the basketball-sized sphere and nodded. “I might as well. After all, I did spend all that money on airfare.” Martha stifled a giggle. She moved closer to it. “Why do you call this thing Bob, anyway?”
“Lana named it Bob. I never did understand why.”
“Oh.” She relaxed and stood in front of it. “So how do I do this?”
Clark also visibly relaxed. “Put your hands under the globe. If it decides to talk to you, you’ll hear it in your mind.”
“What if Bob doesn’t want to talk to me?”
“Then you’ll hear the sound of one hand clapping.”
“The sound of – oh. Maybe nothing will happen?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. We won’t know until we try.”
She steeled herself and took a deep breath. “Then let’s run it up the flagpole and see who salutes.”
