Thanks as always to Nancy and Carol for the great editing skills!
Previously...
“We’ll be friends,” Lois decided. “And you’ll still come by all the time to cook me things and watch TV and help me with story ideas and all that stuff.”
“Yeah. We will.”
“And I won’t bring up the subject again, Kal. I promise,” Lois told him.
“Thank you,” he nodded. “And thank you for understanding.”
Of course, the one thing that Kal didn’t know was that Lois was lying. Because she knew that eventually he would move past the trauma in his life. He would build a new life here on Earth and eventually, if he was pointed in the right direction, he *would* be ready to date someone.
And Lois was planning on being there every step of the way. She would help him along the journey and when he finally was ready to date… Well, she would be there, too.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Who wants eggnog?” Jonathan asked group, coming into the living room with Lois tagging behind, sharing the load of refreshments.
Cups were passed around, and Kal took one. He had gotten to the point of eating and drinking socially, although he still never bothered to consume anything when he was at home.
“How about a toast?” Martha proposed. “To Kal and the successful sale of his first short story.”
Everyone lifted a glass and drank.
“I’m still upset that you didn’t tell me you had been writing anything until you sold the story,” Lois complained. “I could have edited it for you.”
“I was insecure enough about my writing to begin with,” Kal explained sheepishly. “I didn’t want an award winning journalist picking apart my every mistake.”
“Well, although I didn’t get to help, it’s still pretty good,” Lois grumbled.
“Writing about an outsider’s perspective on Christmas was a good story idea,” Martha winked. “Where did you get that idea from?”
“A lot of it was drawn on personal experience,” he admitted. To illustrate his point, Kal hung another glass ball on the dead tree placed in the center of the room, and then stepped back to look at the placement. “When I first came to Earth,” he shared with the group, “I thought that the habit of placing dead flowers in vases on display in the home was strange. This seems completely bizarre.”
“I suppose it might seem strange to someone who hasn’t grown up with it,” Martha agreed. “But to me, the smell of having a real tree in the house is what makes it Christmas.”
“When I was a kid, we would always go out as a family to pick a tree,” Jonathan shared. “It was my favorite tradition.”
“I never counted on my parents for much,” Lois spoke quietly, “but every year Daddy made sure we had a tree. He’d disappear Christmas Eve to who knows where and leave us all alone, but he’d always make sure we had a tree to put our presents under.”
Kal stared at Lois in surprise. She had never shared anything about her family life. It had been a mystery to him ever since the day they had first met. He was so surprised at receiving this information that he couldn’t resist asking a little more.
“You don’t ever go home for Christmas?” he asked Lois.
“My home is here now,” she replied roughly, yanking apart a tangled group of crochet snowflake ornaments.
“So you don’t ever see your parents?” Kal asked, his curiosity growing. “They are still alive, aren’t they?”
“Yes, they’re still alive,” Lois grumbled.
“Then why don’t-”
“Look, Kal, I don’t want to talk about it, okay?’ Lois snapped, dropping her ornaments on the sofa. “I’m going to get some air.” She practically ran out of the room. A moment later, they heard a door close upstairs.
Kal watched her leave, stunned at her reaction. In his curiosity to find out more information he hadn’t paid enough attention to her reaction. He didn’t realize that she was getting so upset.
“It isn’t your fault, Kal,” Martha told him. “Lois is just very sensitive about her family situation.”
“There’s a lot of pain in her past,” Jonathan spoke. “She doesn’t like to dwell on it.”
“Maybe I should go apologize to her,” Kal wondered.
“She would probably appreciate that, Kal,” Martha encouraged. “Just remember that she’s had a hard time.”
Kal found Lois upstairs in her room, sitting on her bed and staring out the window at the snowy landscape. He couldn’t see her face, but the soft sniffle told him what she had been doing.
“I’m sorry I brought up your family,” Kal told her. “I know you don’t like talking about it and I pushed you anyway. I guess I just can’t understand not wanting to see your parents ever again. I would give *anything* to see my parents just one more time.”
“I know you would,” Lois croaked, her voice raspy from tears. “Things are different for me, Kal. My home life was always something for me to escape from, not something to cling to.”
Kal sat down next to her on the bed, keeping silent. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth he would be shooting her with all types of questions, none of which she needed right now.
“I guess I can start with how things were for us growing up,” Lois spoke again. “Putting the story as simply as possible, Daddy’s only accomplishment as a father and husband was making sure that we had a Christmas tree every year. Most of the time, he was just… absent. Busy working in his lab or at the bar with his buddies or… somewhere else. And even when he was home, it was usually only because he had to explain why the neighbor saw him check into a hotel with a strange woman yesterday. And my mom’s response to all of this was to drink more and more until she couldn’t feel anything. And then dad would rub her face in another affair so she would have to drink even more.”
She had shared all of this with a dry detachment, as if she was used to explaining it to people. She didn’t seem overly upset about it, and Kal decided that this wasn’t the only reason why she didn’t see her family anymore.
“When I met the Kents,” Lois continued, “I saw everything that a family could be. And everything that my family was lacking. Martha and Jonathan supported me in a way that my parents never did and I loved them for that. We grew close. I started to spend most of my holidays with them because Mom and Dad were always too busy caught up in their own drama to care about their adult daughter who was no longer their legal responsibility. But I still kept in touch with my parents. They were still my family after all so I endured some stilted conversations over the phone, and I sent my mom and dad a card for their birthdays and for Christmas. But then I got nominated for my first Kerth.”
“You must have been young,” Kal commented. “I remember seeing the date on the trophy.”
“I was young, thank you,” Lois smiled smugly. “I was the youngest reporter ever to be nominated for a Kerth. And when the time for the awards ceremony came, I had no doubt in my mind who I wanted to take. I invited Martha and Jonathan. They were the ones who cheered me on all through college, and encouraged me when I was working my way up at the Daily Planet. They deserved to celebrate my accomplishment with me.”
Kal nodded in agreement. He had seen how much Martha and Jonathan cared for Lois, and he knew that they must have been honored and touched to be invited.
“My parents thought differently,” Lois spoke coldly.
“They were upset?”
“Now that their daughter was a successful reporter, I guess they suddenly wanted to be back in my life,” Lois explained bitterly. “We had a big fight. They accused me of trying to replace them with the Kents. I accused them of abandoning me for years…” Her voice wobbled, but then she continued on, determined to tell her story. “We were both right, in a way, although we had exaggerated our arguments. In the end, I was told that unless I was willing to stop talking to Martha and Jonathan, I could expect to stop talking to my mom and dad.”
“I’m sorry, Lois.”
“You want to know the really awful part?” Lois asked bluntly. “I still miss them. Even though they haven’t been good parents by any stretch of the imagination, I still want to talk to them and see them. I worry about my mom and I want to make sure that my dad is doing okay.” She sniffled noisily. “I should *hate* them for what they did to me, but all I can do right now is be hurt that they don’t want to talk to me. It’s ridiculous.”
“That’s understandable, Lois. I think it’s pretty admirable that you still love your parents after all they’ve put you through. I honestly can’t imagine what I would do in your situation. People don’t act like that on Krypton. They’re too concerned with holding up their duties.”
“Yeah, well I bet there’s a lot of benefit to that,” Lois commented moodily.
“Maybe, but although there aren’t as many painful experiences, there are a lot fewer intensely good experiences.”
“I guess,” Lois shrugged.
“Have you tried talking to your parents recently?” Kal suggested. “It’s been years now. Maybe they’re even thinking the same things you are.”
“It wouldn’t do any good,” Lois shook her head. “I’m not apologizing for the Kents being better parents than they are. Anyway, I still hear about them indirectly,” Lois shrugged. “My sister, Lucy, talks to them sometimes and I keep in touch with her. Although she had the smarts to move to California, so she doesn’t have to see them very often.”
“Why did you stay in Metropolis?” Kal asked curiously. “It seems to me that you would have had every reason possible to want to leave.”
“I love the city,” Lois shrugged. “And it was my dream to work at the Daily Planet. And who knows, if I didn’t stay in Metropolis, I might not have met you.” She nudged him gently with her elbow.
“I don’t know about that, Lois,” Kal teased. “I think no matter where you would have gone, I think I would have ended up saving your life at least once by now.”
“Probably,” She admitted grudgingly.
“Ha!” he gloated. “You’re finally admitting how useful I am.”
“Okay, fine. So I’ve spilled something really close to me,” Lois told him. “Two things if you count my admission that I need your help. It’s your turn.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, suddenly sober.
“Tell me something about Krypton.” She said it without pressure, but the look on her face told Kal that she was dead serious. “Just like I almost never talk about my family, you almost never talk about Krypton. Talking helps. Start doing it.”
“What do you want to know?” he asked with discomfort.
“Tell me something about your family,” she shrugged. “What were your parents like? What did they do? It sounded like they were pretty important based on that message they left you on the globe.”
“They were scientists,” Kal shared. “They reported their findings directly to Council of Elders. They researched a lot of things over the years. I barely kept track. My father always wanted me to be more interested in his work but I was too busy off practicing my dre fighting or-”
“Dre?” Lois asked.
“The official sport on Krypton,” Kal supplied. “It was a lot more violent than baseball, but not nearly as gimmicky as wrestling. It would be the most similar to fencing, I suppose.”
“Were you any good?”
“The best,” he grinned, happy to be able to talk lightly about these things for what seemed like the first time. “Anyway, it was the main thing that I focused on. And my father kept telling me that a future First Lord should have more interests than just-”
“Wait, First Lord?” Lois asked.
He froze, realizing what he had let slip out.
“I wasn’t planning on telling you that,” he winced.
“You were First Lord of Krypton? Is that similar to the king?” Her eyes were wide in shocked disbelief.
“No,” he protested. “Well, maybe a little similar. But it’s not really that important, Lois. I would have been the head of government if I had taken over my post. I won’t go into all the complicated genealogy, but I was next in line to a relative of mine so I didn’t have any real responsibility at the time. It was mostly just privilege-” He stopped, seeing the corner of her mouth twitch. “Are you laughing at me?” he asked.
“No! Not really,” Lois spoke, smothering a smile. “It’s just… You’re the only person I know who would be embarrassed to admit that he’s nobility.”
Kal groaned. “Not nobility,” he corrected. “Government worked differently on Krypton. My position came with a lot of honor, yes, and I would have held a lot of power, but unless the planet was in serious jeopardy, I would not have had the authority to wield it without others’ support.”
“Kal, I know you’re trying to point out differences, but you’re not really doing a good job.”
“My father was always careful that I wouldn’t let my position go to my head,” Kal shared. “It was a difficult task to accomplish. People were constantly trying to build valuable connections with me to use as leverage when I gained political power, and people were willing to give me a great deal of things if I simply asked for them. But my father always reminded me that I was just a person, and that I was only worth as much as the quality of my character.”
“He did a good job,” Lois told him quietly. “We’re all lucky here that he made sure you understood that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, think about it, Kal. You can do pretty much anything here. With all the abilities you possess, you can take whatever you want and do whatever you want. Who could possibly stop you? Yet you choose to help us out. With whatever silly things we need. Even inhaling all the smoke from my apartment during the last time I tried to make cookies.”
“I told you to set a timer,” Kal chuckled.
“Yeah, you did. But even though you warned me, you were still willing to help me clean up from my mistake. And sure, you teased me, but you didn’t complain at all. Your humility really is one of your best qualities, Kal.”
“Thank you,” he responded softly.
“Thanks for telling me more about Krypton,” Lois replied, even softer than his voice had been.
“Thank you for sharing about your family.”
They had gotten very close, Kal suddenly realized. In fact, if he were to lean in just a little bit further…
Lois suddenly leapt up from the bed.
“I’m going to go check and see if Martha needs any help,” she explained in a rush, and scurried from the room.
Kal sighed, and fell back onto the bed. It was for the best, he told himself. This is what it should be like between them. He had already made that decision, and he shouldn’t go back on it now.
* * *
Kal sat back on the sofa, watching as Brian hovered over his wife, making sure she was comfortable and happy. Seeing his friend’s devotion to Marli brought a smile to Kal’s face. It was uncustomary for Kryptonians to show such open affection, but he had grown to appreciate it during his time here on Earth. Their son, Adam, was playing on the floor with toy cars, and it combined together to make a charming domestic scene.
“Do you want some tea?” Brain asked his wife.
“Peppermint,” Marli replied gratefully.
“Clark?”
“Yes, thank you,” Kal replied. Once again, he accepted in order to be polite. Also, it was another way for him to make Clark Kent seem more believable.
“So, Clark, how’s the new apartment?” Marli asked him. “When do we get to see it?”
“Not for a while,” Kal confessed. “It’s in pretty terrible shape, but I managed to get it cheaply, so I’m not really complaining. I’ll just do some research and then get started on repairs. It shouldn’t take me long.”
“Maybe ten minute’s work to renovate the whole thing, top to bottom?” Brain asked him from the kitchen.
“Give or take. I have to let the paint dry,” Kal joked. Adam came over and started using Kal’s shin as a highway for his cars. Kal picked up one of the cars and began driving it on top of his knees.
They deliberately spoke in general terms. Although Adam seemed to be absorbed in his private world, he was constantly surprising Kal with how much he picked up on the conversations around him. Which is also why they referred to Kal as Clark almost all the time, even when Adam was supposed to be asleep in bed.
“Where did you say it was?” Marli asked him.
“Clinton Avenue,” Kal replied.
“Good neighborhood,” she nodded. “Not the most upscale, but definitely interesting, which is much better, anyway.”
“Well, my landlord seems pretty interesting,” Kal agreed. “But that’s all I’ve met so far.”
“Here are the teas,” Brian announced, bringing three mugs into the living room. “Do you want anything else?” he asked Marli.
“I want to be able to see my toes without straining myself,” Marli spoke dryly. “But I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon.”
“Any time now,” Brian encouraged.
“I keep telling myself that. I can’t wait to get this kid out of me,” she explained to Kal.
“Mommy says she’s going crazy,” Adam spoke up solemnly from the floor.
“I’m just getting a little uncomfortable,” she corrected sheepishly. “I don’t like being this immobile.”
“Hey, at least it’s giving you plenty of time to work on your jewelry,” Brian told her. “You should show Clark what you’ve been up to.”
“I’d love to see it,” Kal spoke up. He still struggled to grasp what made for good jewelry on Earth, but he always enjoyed seeing Marli’s designs.
“You’ll have to get it for me, sweetie,” Marli told her husband. “I’m not moving from this spot.”
“I’ll get it,” Brian agreed, getting up and walking down the hall.
“Oh, by the way,” Marli leaned in to speak to Kal. “A friend on mine is a big fan of Clark Kent’s stories. She buys up all the magazines that run them.”
“I had no idea they would be this popular,” Kal confided. “I really just started writing as a way to improve my English. Although I have to say I am glad to have the income.”
“Here it is,” Brian announced, entering the room. “Jeez, this box is heavy, honey.”
“Yeah,” she replied with a wrinkled nose. “It’s what they gave the stones to me in, so I just kept using it.”
“Let’s see what you’ve been doing,” Kal spoke, sitting up straight to get a better view.
“Let me just get the clasp…” Brian fumbled with it for a moment, and then it clicked open. “Here it is!” he announced, opening the case, and displaying the contents.
The only thing Kal was aware of was a flash of green as he felt a hot, sickening pain shoot through his entire body. The floor tilted to the side, and he heard muffled voices speaking although he couldn’t understand them.
Then everything went black.
