Huge thanks to Nancy and Carol, as always.
And just a reminder, for those who forgot:
***FLASHBACKS***
PART FOUR
*~Jay~*
***
I had lost track of the number of laps I had done a long time ago. Not that it really mattered with my dad. I just kept running until he told me to stop. Every step jarred me, and I struggled to keep breathing. Finally, he spoke the words that I had been waiting for.
“That’s enough for now. Take five and catch your breath.”
I wheezed gratefully, but refrained from collapsing on the ground like I really wanted to. There was no way I would show my dad that he had managed to make me that tired. Instead, I lowered myself as gracefully as I could, and wiped the sweat from my face.
“You’re not improving at the rate that I had hoped,” Dad told me.
“I’ve gotten…” I panted. “Thirty percent faster since-”
“That’s still not good enough if you want to be an agent,” he snapped. “We only have room for the very best. And you’re not there yet.”
“I will be,” I promised him. “You’ll see. I’ve got almost a year before I have to take the entrance test. And I’ll be ready by then.”
“You only have a few months. And if you want to be ready, you’ll work harder,” Dad told me. He shook his head, glancing over the stats he had meticulously recorded. “We’re done for today. Come back to the car when you’re ready.”
Damn it, I cursed myself. I had thought I was almost there. I stayed sitting for a moment. There was nothing I wanted more than to be an NIA agent. And Dad was just preparing me for that. Like he said, you have to be the very best to even be considered. And if that’s what I needed to be, then that’s what I would become. I hauled myself up to my feet, ignoring my protesting muscles. Twisting side to side, I relieved my aching back. Then, pushing off with more force than I knew I had, I started a fresh lap.
***
* * *
I took my time lacing up my shoes before I stepped onto the basketball court to join Clark and Jon. Why had I agreed to do this again?
Right. Ellie. Every Saturday, Clark, Jon, Ellie, and Jim Olsen met together for a game of basketball. When Ellie was unable to make this week’s game due to a shopping appointment with Kaylie, she volunteered me to go in her place. Wonderful.
Although the Kents were much too nice to be openly hostile towards me, I knew they were far from comfortable with the fact that I was privy to the family secret. And dating Ellie didn’t really help me to portray myself as a non-threat, especially to her father. Ellie insisted that Clark just needed to get to know me better, and that this would be a perfect opportunity to do that. But somehow, I wasn’t too keen at competing against my girlfriend’s father, especially when he happened to be a part-time superhero.
I was triple checking my shoes as a stalling tactic when Jon and Clark came off the court towards me. “Jim called and said he’s going to be a little late,” Jon informed me. “He got tied up at work.”
“Oh. Okay.” That meant that I had to sit here with these two for an indeterminate amount of time. What on earth was I supposed to talk to them about?
“So, Jay,” Clark began. “Ellie mentioned that you had a job interview a few days ago. How was it?”
Oh, yes. In addition to barging in on biggest secret ever, I was also unemployed. Yeah, I was a real catch. I could see why Clark would be thrilled to have me dating his daughter.
“Not very well,” I replied reluctantly. “I don’t think I would’ve been happy there in the long run.” I didn’t really feel like dwelling on that awful interview any more than I had to.
“Hmm,” Clark murmured sternly.
“But I’m still looking,” I assured him. “I’m just waiting for the right opportunity. And until then, I do have compensation, so I’m not about to be kicked out on the streets or anything.” But it wasn’t enough money to provide for a family, I added to myself. And I’m sure Clark had thought the same thing, as he didn’t take his eyes off me.
Thankfully, Jon stepped in and distracted Clark. “Hey, Dad, how’s the campus paper doing?”
“It’s doing well, Jon. We started running a series about…” Thankfully, I was able to duck out of the rest of the conversation until Jim showed up. Although I had never really met the guy before, there was a definite likeness between him and his father, Jack. But he had an easy-going manner that Jack didn’t, and he smiled readily.
“So how do we want to split teams up this time?” Jim asked us all. “I’m thinking Clark and I can give the younger ones a run for their money.”
“Sure,” I shrugged.
“Don’t let him get away with that,” Jon admonished. “The only reason he’s doing it is because I’m the worst player out of everyone.”
“Really?” I asked in surprise. “I would’ve thought you could skate by pretty easily.”
“Ground rules,” Jim explained me. “Nothing beyond the limits of the average man.”
“Although Supernova would be able beat out any competition, it’s another thing entirely to be good at a sport while observing the proper rules and playing within human limitations,” Clark elaborated. “And Jon was never really that into sports.”
“That was more Ellie’s thing,” Jon admitted. “I was into Chess Club and stuff. I only started playing basketball when these guys needed someone else to round out the numbers.”
“I was the same way,” Jim added, dribbling the ball experimentally. “But I did start getting into sports later in life. How about you, Jay?” He passed the ball to me.
“High school jock,” I told them, spinning the ball absently in my hands. “I was actually on the school’s basketball team for most of high school.” Until senior year, when I was preparing for other things.
To my surprise, Clark nodded his approval. “I played football in high school and college. I made some life-long friends that way.”
“We moved around a lot, especially in high school,” I shared. “It was nice to be able to join a team and find some people with common interests. Hey, Jon, you should get Kaylie to tutor you in basketball sometime. She even played a bit when she was in college.”
“You know, now I’m tempted to change up our teams,” Jim told us. “You seem to have a good background, Jay.”
I shrugged. “I haven’t played in years. I never really got much chance to.”
“Well, I guess now is your opportunity,” Jon told me. “But we’re sticking with the original teams. I think I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
I quickly learned that Jon had not been underestimating his playing ability. And although Jim wasn’t bad, I could’ve easily taken him one on one. But Clark was a very good player, probably as a result of his early interest in sports. He gave me enough of a challenge to make me work hard for every shot, but I found I was able to get a few baskets past him. I was glad to find out that although Clark put a great deal of effort into the game, he wasn’t overly competitive, and didn’t begrudge my extra points. Jim was the first one to request a break.
“I was hoping that if you came to play with us today that I wouldn’t be the only one left panting for breath,” he told me ruefully. “But I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything different from you with what I know about my dad.” Although I was breathing heavily, I didn’t feel nearly as worked up as Jim looked. Jon and Clark, of course, hadn’t even broken a sweat.
“Exercise is therapeutic for me,” I explained, taking a pause to sip more water. “And of course, physical fitness was kind of a life or death kind of thing for me before.”
“Not to mention you’ve got a few years on him, Jimmy,” Clark teased his friend gently. “But you’re not doing so bad for a guy your age.”
“Thanks, CK,” Jim said sarcastically.
I heard my phone ring from the benches, so I excused myself, and jogged over to answer it. It was Ellie, of course.
“How’s it going?” she whispered.
“Not too bad,” I replied. “Why are you whispering?”
“Kaylie’s changing into a different dress right now. I don’t want her to hear me and think that I was so bored with shopping that I had to resort to calling you.”
“So why did you call?”
“I… was so bored with shopping that I had to resort to calling you,” she confessed.
“I see.” I was glad that she wasn’t able to see the involuntary grin that I was wearing.
“I mean, it’s not like I don’t want to spend time with her,” Ellie hastened to clarify. “It’s just that after the twentieth dress or so, I tend to loose focus.”
“Well, they say that the dress is the most important thing for a bride. And to be fair, you did sign up for the responsibility when you agreed to be Maid of Honor.”
“Yeah, I know,” she grumbled. “All in all, I guess it’s not too bad. So things are really going okay over there?”
“Well, so far your dad has refrained from hauling me up into the sky and demanding to know my intentions with his daughter,” I replied, dropping my own voice somewhat.
“He’s not going to do that, Jay. He doesn’t hate you.”
“Well, he doesn’t really seem to like me either.”
“That’s because he hasn’t- Wait, Kaylie’s coming. I have to go now.” She hung up abruptly, leaving me with my silent phone pressed to my ear. Having nothing else to keep me away, I had no choice but to return to the basketball game waiting for me.
* * *
*~Ellie~*
Shopping. Although some women seemed to view it as a type of independent therapy, I had never really taken much pleasure in it. I just bought what I needed and got out of there. But I couldn’t really blame Kaylie for taking her time with this purchase. I imagine even I would take some time in picking out my wedding dress, whenever that might be. I was waiting on the bench when she stepped out with her newest choice. Although the dress didn’t really look any different from all the other ones when it was on the hanger, Kaylie gave it the grace and elegance it needed to look like a real wedding dress.
“That’s the one,” I told her. And I really meant it, too. It wasn’t just a clever ploy to get out of the store
“Do you think so?” she asked. She wrinkled her nose in the mirror, and twisted to get a better view of her back in the mirror.
“Definitely. I really like the neckline on you. And the pattern on the fabric is terrific.”
“But it laces up in the back, and I can’t get it done by myself,” she complained. Her hand was clutching the back of the dress, holding the bodice together. But despite her lukewarm response, I could tell she liked the dress too. She stood taller in front of the mirror and lifted her chin confidently.
“Here,” I offered, checking to make sure the saleswoman wasn’t looking our way. I quickly laced the gown for her, faster than anyone else could’ve done it.
“Thanks,” she said. “You better be prepared to do that on the day of the wedding too.”
“That’s what I’m there for,” I replied, pulling the front of the dress tight. It was just a sample model, so, of course, it was too big for her.
“How are we doing with this one?” the saleswoman asked, coming over to see us. “I see you managed to get it laced up pretty quickly. That’s one Maid of Honor you want to hold onto.”
“She’s got a few special talents that I’m planning on making the most of,” Kaylie replied, winking in my direction. I managed a weak smile. Sure I could use my abilities to do up Kaylie’s dress, but somehow I was still incapable of controlling myself around my boyfriend. Lately, I had made an extra effort to make sure things didn’t escalate between us to the point where Jay could be in danger, but that only seemed to put added strain on the time we spent together. “I think I need more time to think this over,” Kaylie was telling the saleswoman.
“If you give us your contact information, we can put it aside for you for up to a week,” she told Kaylie.
“How about I give it to her while you’re getting changed?” I volunteered, anxious to get out of the store. I unlaced Kaylie at a normal speed this time, and then followed the woman to the front counter where I rattled off Kaylie’s necessary information. Kaylie was quick to join us there.
“I was just thinking that we can look at some dresses for you here if you want,” she told me. One look from me was enough for her to amend her offer. “Or how about I take you out for coffee instead?”
“That sounds good,” I told her gratefully.
“Thanks for putting up with all that,” she said as we crossed the street on the way to the coffee shop down the block.
“Just part of the job. But maybe it might be best if we spread out the shopping as much as possible.”
“I can live with that,” Kaylie agreed. “I’m still just so happy that this is happening. And only nine months away!” Her obvious joy buoyed my spirits. I was happy for her and Jon. They seemed to work so well together.
I caught myself giving Kaylie a sideways glance. I had never really dwelled on certain aspects of their relationship before. After all, the thought of my brother doing… you know, wasn’t exactly stuff that occupied my mind. But they were engaged, so it would be safe to assume that they had at least done something together.
Kaylie seemed fine to me. Her gait was relaxed, and she moved with effortless grace. It was unlikely that she had any injuries that were causing her pain. So did that mean that whatever was going on with me wasn’t a problem with them? Or did they just learn to deal with it? I forced myself to stop thinking about the subject. Honestly, things had gotten pretty bad if I was starting to imagine my brother’s sex life.
“Ellie, are you okay?” Kaylie asked me. “You seem kind of distracted.”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied, and absently gave my order to the girl behind the counter at the coffee shop. “I’m just… thinking about a research project I have going on at the lab.”
“You know, I kind of wanted to ask you about that,” Kaylie told me. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, but I hoping you could come and talk to some of my older students sometime this year. They would really benefit from what you have to say.”
“Really? As… you know, me?” I knew Jon had come to Kaylie’s school as Supernova before, but that had celebrity appeal. I had yet to make any kind of mark in the general scientific community.
“Yeah, as you,” she replied. “You’re a female in a field that has been largely dominated by males in the past, and still struggles with gender equality. You could be a real inspiration to some of the girls I teach.”
“I have had a few obstacles,” I admitted. “Why is it always like that?” I asked Kaylie. “I’m no different than any other scientist. Why does there always have to be a gender division?”
“It’s the way society’s built,” she shrugged. “I don’t notice it as much as a teacher, but when I’m doing um, *other* things, being female makes a difference. Do you know how many nightclubs I’ve worked in over the years?” She rolled her eyes illustratively. We had managed to get a table that was tucked away from the rest of the patrons, so I decided it wouldn’t be too risky to discuss this kind of thing.
“I’ve noticed some of that when I’m… you know.” I made the well known swoop with my hand.
“Really? I always thought the public respected you as well as Jon and Clark.”
“Well, they respect me, but they still don’t really know how to treat me,” I told Kaylie. “I don’t look nearly as powerful as Jon and Dad do, and that can be kind of misleading. I’ve ran into a couple guys who seem to almost resent having to accept my help. But no one’s really come out and said anything to me.” I stirred my drink absently. “And I guess I adapt what I do in order to make things go smoothly. For instance, I don’t carry people in my arms unless they’re really hurt. Usually, I just wrap my arm around their waist and go from there. I can imagine a few people who wouldn’t enjoy being carried the traditional way.”
“I can’t believe someone would resent you for helping out!” Kaylie exclaimed. “You have an ability that they don’t, so why shouldn’t you?”
“Male ego?” I suggested. “I guess they feel a little put out that I can do something that they can’t even though I’m half their size.” Did Jay resent me for that? I couldn’t help wondering about it. He was in excellent shape, yet there was no way he could ever come close to what I was able to do naturally. I had never really noticed if he did, but then again, was he likely to say anything about it? And of course it wouldn’t really help if my differences were the reason why we couldn’t have a normal relationship. Well, that just meant that I had to put more effort into finding a solution. Realizing I had dropped out of the conversation, I returned my focus to Kaylie.
“But I’d love to talk with some of your students,” I told her. “You should bring them by the lab if you get a chance. We’ve got some really cool stuff gong on there.” Including, I hoped, an answer to my problem.
