Café Americana
Although he only made one appearance on Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Mike Lane has popped up quite a bit in fan fiction. Wouldn’t it have been great if the series writers had decided to make him a semi-regular like Dr. Klein?
This fic takes place in the same universe as my story ‘Stranger in our Midst’. It occurs between the time of Clark’s proposal and their evening garden wedding. A few people suggested that the segment regarding Rhapsody Knits and Café Americana could possibly stand on its own. At the time I was far too busy working on ‘Stranger’ to give it another thought. But in the back of my mind a small story was brewing. What if the owners of these two establishments very much wanted to became more than just friends? How to overcome the obstacles? Somehow Uncle Mike has to do this while planning a rehearsal dinner and catering Lois and Clark’s wedding reception!
There is also mention of a character call Lady Polara Lo, she is Clark’s maternal grandmother and her influence on Clark’s life will be explained in another upcoming fic called, The Globe.
It is not necessary to read ‘Stranger’ in order to enjoy this story, but I won’t try to stop you! 
Oh, since this is taking place in the ‘Stranger’ universe, Lois only dated Lex Luthor to interview him, Dan Scardino never showed up and Mayson Drake is just an Assistant District Attorney.
And now, gentle reader, without further ado…
Most of the characters and some of the dialogue are property of DC Comics and December 3rd Productions. I only borrowed them for a little while and will make nada.
Prelude
Midnight – Lois’ Apartment
“Clark, we have to get this whole mess straightened out immediately! Our wedding is only two weeks away!”
<<Honey, it’s going to be okay. After all we’ve faced since our engagement, this ought to be a piece of cake!>>
Even over the phone line, Lois could hear the smile in her fiancé’s voice and see him running his fingers through that luscious black hair.
The visual made her smile - just a little. “Yeah, compared to the New Kryptonians this is the kind of normal *Earth* problem all engaged couples face when dealing with family and wedding arrangements.”
<<Yeah, it will be over soon and we can get on to more important things.>>
“Like our Honeymoon?” she asked slyly.
<<Exactly! Hawaii awaits!>>
“OK, Farmboy. I’ll take your advice and get some sleep. See you in the morning.” They exchanged goodnights, hung up their respective phones and prepared for bed.
***
But Lois could not sleep.
Hugging close to her chest the stuffed bear Clark had won for her at the Smallville Corn Festival years ago, her mind raced, contemplating how they had tried several attempts to work around this current problem. After all, they were ‘The Hottest Team in Town’. They had endured tougher challenges than this particular situation! Earlier in the day they’d sat hunched over their desks making furtive phone calls, begged, pleaded and cajoled sources for assistance. Over lunch, Lois had asked Diane if any of her social connections could be of assistance. Unfortunately, there had been no help from that quarter. Heck, she even called Seattle and asked Cat for help!
Even Superman, for all his powers, was helpless in this situation.
The couple’s level of frustration had ratcheted up a few notches as time grew shorter. Clark went on more than the usual number of rescues to ease his stress while Lois cleaned, organized and went over her insurance policies.
At the moment her apartment and desk at the Daily Planet were pictures of cleanliness and organization.
“What are we going to do?” She moaned into her pillow. Suddenly a plan fully realized bloomed in her mind. She must ask the one person in Metropolis with the needed connections to handle this problem. Hoping against hope for a solution she finally eased into a light sleep.
***
Part One
Early Morning - Café Americana:
He stood at his habitual spot just outside the café looking across the busy street to Rhapsody Knits glancing at his watch and restlessly awaiting the arrival of the yarn shop’s owner.
“Good morning Mike!” one of his regular customers called out, interrupting his ‘sentry duty’.
“What? Oh, good morning… Sherry,” he replied, wishing the woman would make her order and go away.
“What’s the special muffin today?” she asked.
“Rhubarb and strawberry,” Mike replied over his shoulder in an absent-minded manner. He was anxious to get back to his watching, thus missing the patron’s positive response. Sighing to himself, he walked over to Karen, the café’s hostess, and asked, “How’s the morning till?”
She tossed a long neat braid of red hair over her shoulder and answered cheerfully, “Just fine, Mike. Folks are raving about the new chocolate croissant!”
“Good! My niece suggested we add them to the menu. Her fiancé got the recipe from a little café just outside of Paris.”
The Hostess’s face split into a huge grin. “He’s got great taste in food *and* his choice in a future wife. Say, how many more days until the big event?”
“Less than two weeks and counting!” Mike responded with an equally large grin. The conversation over and the receipts checked, Mike returned to his vigil.
***
Only five paces away in the background, Ryan the head waiter and his assistant Zachary who was swiftly going over breakfast orders, also observed their boss’s behavior.
“She hasn’t gotten in yet?” Zachary asked
“Nope, can’t you tell? He’s all nervous and stuff,” Ryan answered while smoothing his neatly trimmed brown mustache.
“Oh boy! It’s going to be a long morning if she doesn’t show up,” Zachary groaned.
At that precise moment, both men noticed a petite, handsome Asian woman in her mid-fifties wearing a light floral dress walk past the restaurant with quick determined steps. And then cross the street towards Rhapsody Knits.
The waiters knew their boss was also aware of the woman’s approach. They noticed with wry amusement as he ducked hurriedly back into the café and made a beeline for the kitchen.
“Here we go again,” Ryan said with a chuckle.
“This happens every morning,” his companion responded.
“Don’t worry, *one* of these days he’ll open up,” Ryan said.
“Yeah, but when? The busboys are betting he’ll just keep playing sentry duty and suffer in silence,” Zachary grumbled while shaking his nearly bald head.
“Really?” Ryan said in surprise. “I thought the wait staff had it riding on Mike *finally* asking her out by summertime. Oops! Get to your station. Here she comes!”
With studied casualness, the waiters sauntered over to expectant breakfast patrons and ignored the rapidly moving owner of Rhapsody Knits, Grace Chen.
“Good morning, Mrs. Chen. May I help you or is Mike getting your usual order?” Karen asked.
“Oh yes, my usual order of green chai tea and a yogurt parfait.” Her expression was a cacophony of amusement and confusion. “Excuse me; did you say Michael was getting it for me?”
Karen stammered and her face flushed red in a vain quest for the right words. “A…absolutely! Mike always bags up his usual morning customer’s breakfasts. A…all part of the service, you know!”
A shadow of a smile flitted across Grace’s delicate features and she answered in a gentle voice, “Of course it is. I shall wait here by the door until he comes out.”
At that moment, a smiling Mike Lane bustled out of the kitchen holding a crisp white paper bag with the name Café Americana emblazoned across the front. He walked past Karen as if she didn’t exist and went straight for Grace.
“Good morning!” he boomed with more enthusiasm than necessary. “Here’s your fruit parfait and hot water. The chai tea bag is on the side, not in the cup, as per your request.”
“Thank you, Michael, that’s very kind. I’m running a bit late today; my family is town and staying with me in the brownstone. We are attending my niece’s graduation from medical school.”
“You don’t say? Then it’s a big day in your family!”
“Yes, indeed. Lisa is the first doctor in the family. By the way, I know it is the middle of the breakfast rush, but may we speak for a moment?”
“Sure, Grace. Let’s step away from the cashier.” Turning to Karen he said, “Mind the wait staff for a few minutes please.”
Karen complied with a brief businesslike nod of the head. “Sure thing Mike”
The couple walked outside and talked in the same location Mike had stood sentry only ten minutes before.
Grace bowed her head, than looked up at her
friend. “Um… well, Michael, I never got a chance to express my gratitude to you for having Mr. Kent write that lovely article about my shop. Nearly a year later and customers are *still* talking about it. I never mentioned that Metropolis General has sent a few recovering cancer patients over to learn how to knit or crochet. It has done wonders for their morale.”
“Express your gratitude? Aw, c’mon, Grace it was high time the great work you the Rhapsody Knits staff and local artisans do was properly recognized. Besides, Clark was only too happy to write the story. After all, he did win a Merriweather award for it.”
“True, but I want to do something nice for *you*, so why don’t I knit a pair of comfy merino wool and silk socks? If the café can spare its owner for a minute, let me take some measurements to assure a custom fit.”
“Really?” Mike’s hands lay on his chest in surprise. “A pair of socks from the extremely talented owner of Rhapsody Knits? I’m flattered. Sure, I can spare a few minutes.”
Mike tried hard to conceal his sense of utter glee as he and Grace made their way across the street to her quaint yarn shop.
Exactly as she promised, Grace measured his foot and ankle and had him back at the café in no time at all. The breakfast rush was now is full swing. This was his favorite time of the day, when workers from all over Metropolis came in to grab breakfast and then select a sandwich for lunch. Many of these folks were regulars like Grace. He heard several of them call out his name in greeting and he returned the compliment. He was in the very midst of ringing up a large breakfast order when he heard a familiar voice -- in high babble.
Mike looked up to see his beautiful niece Lois running towards him. “Oh! Uncle Mike! There you are! Thank goodness. It’s awful! It’s HORRIBLE!”
“Slow down! Slow down! Where’s the fire?” he inquired while skillfully bagging up the order. He could see his normally unflappable niece was in full panic mode. Especially since she was wearing a crisp plum two piece linen suit – with yellow shoes. He decided it was best not to mention it. Knowing Lois, she had more suitable footgear stashed away in her desk.
“Oh, it’s terrible! Uncle Mike, the rehearsal dinner has been canceled!”
“What? Come again?” he asked.
“Mother and Daddy were *supposed* to work together on getting a restaurant and sending out the invitations to the wedding party and a few close friends.”
Mike closed his eyes and said, “Oh, boy.” He turned to Karen and said, “take over here.” He guided his niece over to his ‘sentry post’ outside, studiously ignoring stares from the customers waiting to pay for their meal.
Patiently, and for the second time that morning had a private conversation with a special woman in his life.
Lois, now far away from listening ears, launched full throttle into babble mode. “Yeah, well, fireworks always start when they get together, but I figured just this *once* for their daughter’s sake they could act like adults. They had picked La Cira, where Cat got engaged, than changed the location to Arabella’s, but Daddy wanted to use their banquet room, while Mother was determined to rent out the *entire* restaurant.”
“Why? There are only going to be forty people at the wedding and fifteen at the rehearsal dinner, right?”
“Mother feels we ought to have guests at the rehearsal dinner who aren’t invited to the wedding.”
“Uh huh.” Her Uncle said. “Let me guess. Some public relations guys from her publishers to help plug her latest medical mystery?”
Lois stopped in mid-babble and said, “Mother, couldn’t be so crass. Could she? Anyway, let me finish. They got into a huge dust-up with the manager because they couldn’t decide. The poor man had to have an answer, and since they couldn’t give him one he canceled the whole event and refunded their deposit.”
“Ellen strikes again,” Mike disgustedly muttered.
“Never mind that! We have people coming in less than two weeks! Clark and I have called in favors to every high-end restaurant in Metropolis. There’s *absolutely* nothing available for that Friday night!” I thought that maybe you might know someone who could open their place for us. Otherwise I don’t know what we’ll do!” Lois leaned against the wall, her eye filled with unshed tears. Despite her usually tough and professional demeanor, his niece suddenly looked very fragile and young.
Mike’s heart gave a lurch. He placed both of his hands on her shoulders and gave an affectionate squeeze. “Honey, there is one place available: Café Americana!”
“No! Absolutely not! Your staff is already catering the reception. It’s too much!” Lois’ eyes flashed in determination.
“What, are you kidding? Remember, I learned to cook in the army! Fifteen or one hundred and fifteen, it’s all the same to me. Besides, the banquet room ain’t gonna be used Friday night anyhow.” He gave her chin an affectionate tap. “Come on, let your ol’ uncle have a little fun!”
“B…but Uncle Mike,” she replied meekly.
“No. It’s done. This rehearsal dinner will be a smash, just wait and see. Don’t worry about a thing. *I* will handle Ellen.”
***
There were not too many people in this world Lois Lane had utter respect for besides her fiancé. Mike Lane was one of them. She nodded in submissive acquiescence.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lois noticed Grace Chen walking in the restaurant, obviously searching for someone.
“Uh, Uncle Mike, I see Grace is here.” Lois’ voice changed; there was a teasing tone approval in it.
She watched as her uncle’s face grew flush with embarrassment. He absentmindedly patted Lois’ hand and fairly danced away from his niece to speak with Grace. Karen smoothly stepped into his place and manned the register. Lois observed all this with wry amusement. At last, something sweetly unexpected besides a headline story to occupy her mind during all the wedding chaos. <I knew it! Mike’s got a thing for Grace! Wait until I tell Clark!> She was about to leave the café when Mike said. “Lois, don’t leave. I’ll have Ryan pack up a chocolate croissant and a low-fat latte mocha. Grace looks like she wants to ask me something.”
“Good morning, Grace. How are you?” Lois asked.
“Just fine, thank you. How are the wedding plans?”
“They are coming along great, but Clark and I will be *very* glad when it’s over.”
Grace gave a heartwarming smile that reminded Lois of Martha Kent. She said, “Oh, have fun with the plans and excitement! Sooner than you can imagine possible, the first anniversary will have come and gone. Has Michael told you about his socks?”
“Socks?” Lois answered, slightly confused by the change in conversation. “What socks?”
Again, Lois could not miss her Uncle’s face turning an even deeper shade of red.
“It is a thank you present for Michael. After all, he was the one who told your fiancé about my shop. Without that article we might not have gotten as much support for our artisans knitting items for cancer victims.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Grace…” Mike interjected.
“Uncle Mike’s right! What you and the group of knitters are doing is a help to many cancer victims in Metropolis,” Lois said.
“Thank you both. But, since it’s getting busy around here, I simply wanted to ask Michael what color socks he wanted.”
“Oh, uh… brown.”
“Perfect. Brown it is. A pair will be ready by the end of the day tomorrow! Bye Michael! Nice to see you again, Lois.” With those parting words, Grace made her way through the doors and briskly headed back to her shop.
Mike’s eyes gazed after her in loving appreciation. His niece looked on in bemusement and could not help teasing him gently. “So, Uncle Mike, what’s going on with Grace?”
“Nothing,” he murmured.
“Really? That’s not what I’m seeing.”
“Hey, kiddo, turn off those reporter’s instincts. There’s no story here!”
“Uh huh.” Her brown eyes glittered merrily, a complete change from the panicked bride who had stormed in mere moments before.
He was about to say more, but at that moment, several hungry customers came into the café, Ryan arrived with Lois’ breakfast, and one of the cooks was signaling him. “Uh… Lois, I would love to continue this conversation, but I have to get back to my job as owner/manager of this establishment. Now, remember about the rehearsal dinner. There’s plenty of room for fifteen guests. Bring everyone over around 7:00 p.m. Oh yeah, tell Dr. Pete Ross I don’t want him eating me out of house and restaurant! The last time he and his buddies from the hospital were here the kitchen ran out of flapjack mix!” With those words he handed the bag over to his niece, kissed her on the cheek and moved towards the kitchen.
“Thanks, Uncle Mike!” she called after him and quickly left the restaurant.
