Halfway there!
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Chapter Five – I’ll Keep You By My Side
“Excuse me. We’re here—“ Lois huffed when the desk clerk raised a finger at her as she tried to speak.
“I know. Jenna told Lisa who told Tammy that Bobby likes me, but nobody knows where Jenna got her information from.”
Lois was fuming as she realized the woman was having a personal call. She reached over the desk and pressed her finger down on the end call button.
“We’re here to see Alberta Jennings about our niece. If you could just let her know we’re here, that would be fantastic.” Lois said firmly.
Clark smiled politely at the young woman before ushering Lois over to some chairs.
It only took a few moments before Alberta showed up to greet them.
“Mr. Kent and…” Alberta said, smiling at them both, lingering on Lois’ face.
“Oh, this is Lois Lane.”
Alberta nodded and gestured for them to follow her into the next room. The room was full of desks occupied by social workers hidden behind mountains of paperwork. It was noisy from all of the phones ringing and the busy chatter. Lois found it comforting as she realizing it was just like the newsroom.
“Please sit.” Alberta said, gesturing to the chairs in front of her desk.
“There’s some paper work for you to fill out. Are you married?”
Lois’ eyes shot open.
“No… no… no we’re… nooo… we’re not married. We’re in a long-term … committed… very much in love … relationship, and we’re the closest thing Jimmy ever had to family aside from his mother, but she’s older. We’re his best friends, very uh, not married, but everything that comes kind of BEFORE that part. Right Clark?”
Clark smiled at Alberta.
“She babbles sometimes. I think it’s cute, but it scares most people.” He said with a smile.
Lois rolled her eyes at him and blushed.
“It’s okay, as long as you’re common law, meaning you live together, we can put both of you down at the baby’s parents.”
Lois and Clark shared a silent agreement and nodded.
“We’re actually in the process of moving Clark’s things to my apartment, but he’s got his lease still, so we thought we’d just use the extra time and do it gradually.” Lois spoke up.
She always was the better bluffer.
Alberta smiled and nodded as she filled information out on some forms. She slid a small stack across the desk toward Lois and Clark.
“Oh, uh, this is for her birth certificate and registration? Does she have a name?” Clark asked, looking up at Alberta.
“We’ve been calling her Baby Jackson because we try to keep it generic until we know what her situation is going to be. I was the on-call worker when she was born, so I filled out a temporary form with all of her birth information. This one is just for you to legally change her name from Baby Jackson.”
Clark looked over to Lois who was listening intently.
“I think we should name her after Jimmy.” Clark said softly.
“Clark, she’s a girl. You can’t name a little girl Jimmy.” Lois protested.
Alberta laughed quietly at the couple’s exchange.
“No, not Jimmy… Jaymee.” Clark said, explaining himself.
“Jaymee still kind of sounds like a boy’s name. What about Jaymee –Lynn?” Lois suggested.
Clark smiled and nodded as he wrote it on the form.
“I think she should have Jimmy’s last name too, or both his and Rachel’s.” Lois said, pointing to the empty line labeled ‘surname’.
Clark shook his head. “Jackson-Olsen? It’s too much.”
Lois nodded. Hearing them together like that did sound a little strange.
“What about Jaymee-Lynn Rachel Olsen?” Lois suggested.
“Perfect. You’re pretty good at this.” Clark said, kissing Lois lightly on the cheek before writing in the rest of the information.
“So, just sign here and again here and here, and I’ll be right back.” Alberta said as she stood up and left the room.
…
Lois and Clark turned when they heard Alberta coming back.
“Jaymee-Lynn, it’s time for you to meet your family.” Alberta said to the small bundle she was carrying in her arms. “Why don’t we let Mama hold you while Daddy and I go get your things?” Alberta spoke in a soothing voice as she handed the baby to Lois.
…
Lois sighed as she pulled out of the parking lot.
“What’s wrong?” Clark asked.
Lois looked at him in the backseat through the rearview mirror.
“Mama? Clark, I am going to love this child endlessly because she is our family, and she needs us, but I’m not anyone’s Mama. I don’t know that I’m comfortable calling myself her mother.” Lois said in one breath.
Clark nodded and smiled down at the baby in her car seat.
“And I’m not comfortable calling myself Jimmy’s child’s father.” Clark agreed.
Lois sighed a breath of relief.
“So we agree then. We’ll just be Auntie Lois and Uncle Clarkie-Warkie-Bear.” Lois said, smiling at him through the mirror.
Clark rolled his eyes.
“Exactly… and Grandpa Perry!” Clark added with a smirk.
Lois burst into laughter at the idea of Perry being someone’s grandfather.
“So where to? Your place or mine?” Lois asked as she turned another corner.
“Our place, schnookums.” Clark said, raising his eyebrows at her.
“Very cute, Clark.” Lois said as she headed toward her street.
...
Clark entered Lois’ apartment behind her and placed the baby carrier on the coffee table before sitting down in front of her and unbuckling Jaymee-Lynn. He took her out and cradled her in his arms.
“Lois, stop pacing and come sit down.” Clark said over his shoulder.
“Clark, we need to work out a schedule and get her some stuff.” Lois said as she made a mental list of things she assumed babies needed.
“She has some stuff. Look…” Clark said pointing to one of the bags that Alberta had given them.
Lois sat down on the coffee table and looked into the bag.
“Clark, there’s a package of diapers and a stack of letters…” Lois’ voice trailed off as she recognized one of the envelopes. “This is from Jimmy…” Lois said softly as she opened it.
Dear Rachel
I don’t why, but I feel like we were meant to meet that day in the airport. Every time I close my eyes I remember your kiss and your touch and the feel of your skin under my hands. I miss the smell of your hair. Thinking of that day and all you shared with me helps me to be strong enough to stay here even when it starts getting scary or hard to handle. Your words resonate in my mind. You are the reason I didn’t turn around and run home to Metropolis that day. That would have made a lot of people really happy, but it would have killed me. I carry your strength within me.
Jimmy Olsen
Lois folded the letter back up and replaced it into its torn envelope before pulling the next one out.
Dear Rachel
I’m sorry it’s been so long since my first letter, but it’s really hard to get a moment to write, let alone find the time to mail it. I’ve been neglecting my letters to my friends as well, though more so because I’m not sure how to tell them that I’m scared, and I want to come home. I know they’d understand, but I can’t imagine facing them after they told me I’d made them so proud. Lois would probably be happy that I came home. She’s the one I told you about. The big sister I never had. Apart from my mother, she’s the only woman who’s ever been constant in my life. I told you she cried when I said goodbye, right? Lois never cries, at least not in public. The woman’s a rock. They don’t make ‘em like her anymore. When you ask most people who their hero is, they’ll tell you some celebrity or their father or Superman. My hero is Lois Lane. She’s part of the reason I chose Africa. I guess I just wanna prove to her that I’m not just that fresh out of college, green around the gills copy boy she first met. I’m gonna be something, and I’m gonna be it for her. I guess it’s strange that I’m telling all of this to you instead of her, but I don’t know… we have a silent understanding of our relationship, at least I hope she has the same understanding. I guess being that it’s silent, things could go either way, but I like to think that we’ve got this whole thing… I don’t know maybe it’s my head.
I should stop now. I’m pretty sure you just witnessed a patented Lois Lane babble from me. Sorry for that. Most people find it annoying, but it’s basically the archetype of HOME to me.
I hope you’re well, and I hope your brother is still safe in Iraq. I wish there was some way for you to write me back, but for now…
I’ll be home sooner than you know it, Rachel. We’ll have some airport coffee and talk about the good old… four hours we spent together.
Jimmy.
“He’s right you know.” Clark said, pulling Lois from her thoughts. “You are a rock and they don’t make them like you anymore.” He continued, flashing her a winning smile.
“Oh, there’s another one.” Lois said, pulling it out of the pile.
Rachel,
Things are getting pretty bad here. I wish I could come home. Last night a group of soldiers raided our camp and took a group of boys. Apparently this happens a lot. They train them to be soldiers. Boys as young as six were taken, Rach. I can’t even wrap my head around it. I don’t want you to be afraid, but I need to tell someone outside of this crazy little world I’m in right now, and I know if I told my family in Metropolis they’d find some way to get me home. I can’t let them do that. I thought I was going to die last night. They had all of us, all of the Americans kneeling in a line with our hands behind our heads. They shot three people in the back of the head. I was fourth in line. My friend’s blood was on my skin. I thought I was next, but the soldier just clubbed me in the back of the head with the butt of his gun and left with the boys. I should have done something to help them. I should have saved them. I feel like a coward. CK would have done something.
Jimmy
“Why didn’t he tell us this?” Lois asked, wiping a tear from her eye. “I can’t read these right now.” She said, tossing them into the bag. “Are you hungry? I think we have some leftover pizza in here.” Lois said as she walked into the kitchen. “Oh! Actually! There’s that lasagna in my freezer that your mother couldn’t fit into yours.” She continued rambling, pulling the thickly wrapped tin tray out of the freezer.
“Clark?” Lois said, turning around when she realized he hadn’t responded to her in a while.
“I gotta go…” Clark said, a far-away look on his face.
“No, Clark. Don’t you dare…” Lois said as Clark gently handed her the baby. “Clark, you can’t leave me here alone with the baby. Clark…”
Clark gave Lois an apologetic look before spinning into the Superman suit.
“No! Clark Kent if you do this, I will make you pay. I’m not good with kids.”
Clark smiled at her.
“You’ll be fine. She’s sleeping.” Clark said before taking off out the window.
“Clark Kent!!!” Lois shouted.
“Oh. Hi, sorry I woke you.” She said looking down at the pair of green eyes staring up at her.
“Why are you making that face?” Lois asked, confused by the scrunched expression the baby was giving her.
“Oh no! Please. Auntie Lois didn’t mean to wake you up.” Lois said soothingly as the baby started to whine.
“Obviously something is upsetting you. Why don’t you calm down, so I can figure it out?” Lois said, trying to speak over the baby’s screaming.
The screaming continued.
“Are you hungry? Do you want a drink?” Lois asked, before mentally kicking herself.
‘Babies can’t talk.’ She scolded herself.
“Shhh… it’ll be okay. Uncle Clark will be back soon. He has tons of cousins. He knows exactly what to do.” Lois said in a soothing tone.
Lois looked down at one of the bags Alberta had given them.
“Oh look! A book!” She said reaching down and picking it up carefully.
Lois finished the book for a third time and looked around.
“You know,” She said in the same soothing voice that she had read the book in that got Jaymee-Lynn to calm down. “This story is kind of a lie. In reality, if three bears came home to find a little girl sleeping in their house, they’d devour her in seconds. You wanna hear a good story? I’ll read something with substance.” Lois continued as she reached over and picked up the morning edition of The Daily Planet. Lois placed the paper on the couch in front of her and crossed her legs under her.
“Serial Killer Caught, Trial Beginning Next Week, by Lois Lane.” Lois started, maintaining the soothing voice.
“You’ll like this. It’s got everything, crime, bad guys, a heroine, and it’s real. None of this bears watching an intruder running away from their house. Three bears could have easily caught her… anyway, onto the story.” Lois interjected making eye contact with the baby resting in the crook of her arm.
…
“All of the victims were found headless and posed on bus benches—“
“What on earth are you reading to her?” Clark asked as he stepped down from the window ledge.
“The truth, Clark. I tried reading her book to her, but I don’t want her growing up believing that she can break into a bear’s house, eat his lunch, sleep in his bed and then take off. The bear will eat her, damnit!”
Clark shook his head, spinning into his street clothes as he walked toward Lois and Jaymee-Lynn.
“How’s my girl?” Clark asked as he moved her blanket too look at her face.
“I’m just fine. Thanks for asking.” Lois said sarcastically.
“How my other girl?” Clark asked, cupping Lois’ face and kissing her softly on the lips.
“Much better now that Uncle Clarkie-Poo is home.” Lois said as she offered him the baby.
“You seem to have done just fine, Lois.” Clark said as he took the baby and cradled her in his arms.
“Yea, after she screamed in my face for twenty minutes.” Lois said, folding up the paper and tossing it on the table.
“It’ll get easier. We’re all getting to know each other still.” Clark said as he gently did the patented jiggle-rock.
“What are you doing there?” Lois asked, wondering why he was being so restless.
“Oh, it keeps the baby calm. You just jiggle your arms a little and rock your upper body.”
Lois tilted her head, her face curious as she contemplated the logistics of the motion.
“I guess…” She said, shrugging.
…
“Oh no! What happened?” Lois asked as she held the baby out from her body. “What’s all over your back?” She asked, turning her gently in her extended hands to look.
“Is that… Oh god! Is that… CLARK!!” Lois called, realizing that Jaymee-Lynn had just had a case of explosive diarrhea while Clark was out patrolling the city.
“SUPERMAN!! HELP!!” Lois called, trying not to yell in the baby’s face.
“Oh… we need to hose you off or something…” Lois said walking toward the bathroom.
“What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” Clark asked, rushing toward Lois from the open window.
“Look!” Lois said turning toward Clark, the baby still extended from her arms.
“Lo-is! Did you really scream ‘help Superman’ because the baby made a mess?”
Lois bit her lip and nodded walking closer to Clark.
Clark sighed and took the baby from her.
“Come on. Let me show you how to do this.” He said as he walked into the kitchen.
“Turn the water on. Not too hot.” Clark instructed as he held the baby close to his body.
“Like this?” Clark stuck his free hand into the water and nodded.
“Lay out that dish towel.” He said, nodding at the towel hanging from Lois’ fridge door. “Perfect.” He said as he gently placed the baby on it and started removing her clothes.
“Uh… get a plastic bag for the dirty clothes and another one for the diaper.” He said as Lois watched him, her eyes big with shock.
“How on earth did she make such a big mess? She only drank one small bottle.” Lois said as Clark dropped the dirty diaper into the bag she held out.
Clark held the baby in his hands over the sink.
“Okay, hose her back down.” He said, nodding at the removable tap handle.
Lois picked it up and hesitantly brought the soft stream of water closer to the baby, rinsing the mess off of her back and bottom.
…
“What are you laughing at?” Clark asked, when he heard Lois stifle a giggle for a third time.
“It’s just… if the world could see you right now. Superman, bathing a baby in the kitchen sink.” Lois said, unsuccessfully suppressing another laugh.
Clark looked down at himself and realized he was still wearing his Superman suit and laughed.
“If they only knew…” He said, rolling his eyes.
…
“Clark…”
“No, it’s your turn.”
“I swear I got up the last time.”
“No that was the time before. I got up with her last.”
“Uhhhhh….” Lois moaned as she crawled out of bed and left the room.
…
“Turn off the alarm.” Clark grumbled as the sound screeched in his ears.
“It can’t be morning. I haven’t slept yet.” Lois said as she blindly smacked around at the alarm until it stopped beeping.
“Come on. Perry said we can bring Jaymee-Lynn in to work with us. We’ve just got meetings all day anyways.” Clark said as he climbed out of the bed.
…
“She looks just like Jimmy.” Perry said as he cradled the baby in his arms.
“Sure does.” One of the female interns said, smiling down at the baby.
Another young woman laughed.
“Jimmy would say the baby was a chick magnet.” She said, looking around at all of the women crowding Perry to get a good look at the tiny bundle in his arms.
…
TBC
