Part Five
Lois’ Apartment
Late Evening
Ellen and Martha stared at the shimmering silver creation suspended from the dainty pink satin-covered hanger, each woman’s countenance bearing a very different expression.
Martha gazed serenely at the dress, silently approving of her future daughter-in-law’s choice. The garment was nearly an exact copy of the gown worn by Clark’s maternal Grandmother, Lady Polara Lo. The official historian of Krypton was a regal yet tragic figure, one who filled in many of the cultural and historical gaps in Clark’s knowledge of his home planet.
To know Lois would be attired in a similar earthbound version of the gown filled Martha with pride. Her son had chosen well. Here was a woman happily willing to embrace both halves of Clark’s unique heritage. She glanced quickly at the solid gold bracelet on the younger woman’s slender wrist. Since the night of their engagement, neither she nor Clark had been seen without them on.
Ellen, on the other hand, did not agree with her daughter’s choice.
“*This* is what Clark will see you wearing as you walk down the aisle?” she queried.
“Absolutely! I love the design,” her daughter responded with firm resolve.
Turning to Martha, hoping to draw her in as an ally, Ellen asked, “What do you think?”
“Since Lois is the bride; the wedding dress really is her choice,” Martha responded with equal firmness.
“Naturally you agree with her!” She turned away from them both and sat heavily on one of the settees.
Lois looked first at her Mother and then at Martha, helpless to say or do anything. It was just like Ellen Lane to create a scene in order to get her way.
“Talk to her,” Martha mouthed silently, as she began to furtively pick up her jacket and make for the door.
Lois gently laid the dress across the other settee and gazed at it lovingly. Even if Lady Lo had not worn the dress, she probably would have picked something similar, but how to make her Mother understand? Then quickly she came to a decision.
“Mother, neither you nor Martha have *seen* me in the dress completely finished. Why don’t I put it on?”
“Really? But I thought – oh, never mind, yes, put it on!” Ellen sighed as she shook her head.
Lois grinned and carefully, almost reverently picked up the gown. Then with a burst of energy run towards her bedroom. She could hear Martha and Ellen talking in low tones. Oh how she wished for Clark’s superpowers – especially hearing - right now!
***
“This is so exciting watching our children take such a huge step together! I can hardly wait for their wedding day!” Martha said, trying to lighten the gloom which seemed to settle over Ellen like a fog.
“I don’t mean to sound harsh, but you only have a son, whereas I have two headstrong daughters, neither of whom listen to my suggestions.” She turned her head towards the closed door of Lois’ bedroom and sighed even deeper this time. “It’s just that from the moment a woman sees her tiny baby girl for the first time she dreams of seeing that same child all grown up and wearing a fabulous wedding gown. But Lois wanted to do everything regarding the gown on her own, she didn’t even ask my advice about the fabric.”
Martha sat down next to Ellen and patted her on the back. She spoke consolingly, choosing her words with the utmost care. “Perhaps Lois meant to surprise all of us, the gown appears to be perfect – even regal - for her. Its almost as if she were marrying someone of royal blood.” Realizing she had made a slip, she quickly continued, “Not to say my boy is a real prince, but shouldn’t every parent feel that way about their child? Besides, without your help Lucy and Lois might *still* be at the engraver’s trying to pick out invitations!”
Ellen smiled a little at that and said, “Neither one of those girls knows how to deal with a tradesman, but we got the best invitations for the money!”
“See! What did I tell you!” Martha beamed.
“Still,” Ellen sighed, "the dress is the centerpiece of any wedding. Maybe when I see it on…”
Suddenly the sound of a door opening, accompanied by the barest whispers of satin moving sensuously, reached both women’s ears. A vision of loveliness clad in soft glistening silver swept serenely into the room. The off-the-shoulder gown had a formfitting waist which flowed into a full skirt. Although Lois was small-framed, the gown did not overwhelm her. Rather its easy feminine lines enhanced her beauty. She was no longer an Earth woman, but a citizen of Krypton, Lady Lois, fitting consort to Kal-El, First Lord of Krypton.
“Oh my,” Ellen said, her voice cracking a tiny fraction. “You *do* look like royalty. The dress *is* perfect.” Tears sprung to Ellen’s eyes. She got up from the settee, excused herself and went in search of a tissue.
“D…did she like it?” Lois asked in a small voice as she smoothed down the fabric with a shaky hand.
“Oh, honey, how could she not help but like it? It’s a gown fit for a queen!”
“I…I overheard some of the conversation between you. Martha, do you mind if I talk to my Mother for awhile?”
Martha was about to say something when Ellen came in, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. Lois gathered her skirt and ran over to her mother, hugging her fiercely. She pulled back and studied Ellen’s tear stained face. By excluding her from helping in the step by step creation of the gown, she had stolen a precious rite of passage. How would she feel if her daughter behaved in a similar fashion?
“Mother, forgive me for the way I’ve acted regarding the dress. It was unfeeling and wrong. Your help in putting together this wedding has been fantastic. Honestly the cake, flowers, Lucy’s gown…”
“Remember the invitations? Wayne and Sally Irig thought they were very unique,” Martha chimed in.
“Thank you both, I feel so much better after seeing it on you rather than the hanger…”
Before Ellen could finish her sentence, the jingle-jangle of keys was heard in the hallway as well as two voices giggling mischievously. A cacophony of harsh metallic clicks assaulted their ears as multiple door locks were swiftly, almost savagely opened.
Lucy burst into the apartment, her head turned toward the hallway talking to her date in a teasing light voice, “Come on in, Jimmy. They won’t be home for at least an hour…maybe more!”
Her older sister stood up, crossed her arms and gave her sister a hard stare. The gracious Kryptonian noblewoman vanished, replaced by a decidedly annoyed Earth woman. “Sorry to disappoint your plans, Luce; we got home early!”
“Oh! I thought you weren’t going to be back until very late.” Lucy’s face flushed with embarrassment.
“Hmm, I’ll just bet you did!” Ellen muttered.
All of a sudden Lucy realized what her sister was wearing and gasped. “Lois the dress is fantastic!”
Jimmy’s mouth hung agape, but he quickly closed it. He had never seen his friend and colleague in so feminine an outfit. Clark was indeed a lucky man. “So, Lois, maybe I shouldn’t see you like this…?”
Lucy turned to see her date then playfully hit him on the shoulder. “Lunkhead! You’re *not* the groom!”
“Yeah, but your sister looks so - well – nice?”
“James Bartholomew Olsen, I’m wearing the most amazing dress ever and the only word that comes to mind is *nice*?” Lois fumed.
Jimmy shrugged and ran his hands through short cropped black hair. “Uh, Lois you’re like my big sister. What else am I supposed to say?”
Mollified, Lois gave a curt nod and said, “OK, I can accept that. But you better not utter a word to Clark. Otherwise Perry is going to be looking for a new staff photographer!”
A sweet grin spread across the young man’s face. He raised his hand and said, “Scout’s honor!” He turned to Lucy, took her hand and said, “I had a great time, are we on for tomorrow?”
“You bet!” Lucy answered with a happy gleam in her eyes.
Martha spoke up at this point and asked, “Jimmy, if you’re driving, can you give me a lift back to Clark’s townhouse?”
“Uh, well, I used the motorcycle this evening.”
“Great!” Martha said, clapping her hands in excitement. “It’s been a couple of weeks since I rode a chopper. Do you have an extra helmet?”
“Yeah…it’s downstairs,” Jimmy responded, trying hard to keep the surprise out of his voice.
“Fine, let’s get going. These ladies need to get their rest.” Martha said her goodnights to everyone and gave Lois a careful hug so as not to crush the gown. Then she and Jimmy exited the apartment.
Ellen shook her head, “Riding a motorcycle? That woman knows no limits!”
Lois and Lucy exchanged looks. That was the reason why Martha Clark Kent was so young at heart, she was always testing her limits, whereas their mother was tightly confined in hers.
“Well!” Ellen said happily, “Now that Martha is gone, we can sit down for a nice Mother/daughters chat! Lucy, can you put on some tea while your sister changes out of that lovely gown?”
“Sure thing Mom.” Lucy replied and quickly made herself busy kitchen, opening cupboards and pulling out cups, teabags, honey and a tin of shortbread cookies. She opened the tin and breathed in the scent of freshly baked cookies. “Hey, Sis!” she shouted. “Where did you get these? They smell delicious!”
Lois emerged from her bedroom wearing a Kansas State University t-shirt and black sweats. “Oh, Clark got them from a little teashop...” Lois eyed the tin nervously; the ‘little teashop’ was in Edinburgh, Scotland.
“Wow! He finds the best stuff! I wonder if he can share his contacts with me? After all, he’s family now.”
Ellen came over, took the tin out of Lucy’s hands and began arranging the golden brown cookies on a plain white plate. “Honestly, Lucy, there are plenty of stores in Metropolis. Bothering Lois and Clark every time you need something is impolite and annoying. Now, let’s all sit down and enjoy ourselves. It’s been a long time since I spent a quiet evening at home with my girls.”
Once the tea and cookies were set down on the coffee table, Lois and Lucy made themselves comfortable on one settee while Ellen ensconced herself on the other. At first conversation was slightly stilted, the younger Lane women rarely had a quiet evening with their Mother. Once Sam Lane ripped himself away from their lives Ellen had had to work hard as a night nurse in Metropolis General’s ER. The position was brutal in both physical and emotional trauma, yet somehow Ellen managed to provide for them.
Lois remembered her Mother’s only escape – reading trashy detective novels. One particular day Ellen decided she could write a better story than the ones she read. Over the course of a year, the insistent clack of typewriter keys was heard in the Lane kitchen. It took another year to pitch the manuscript around publishing houses until finally a small struggling firm took a chance and printed her novel.
The critics were lukewarm at best to Ellen’s efforts, but the general public enjoyed reading her detective story set in the corridors of a major research hospital.
The Lane family was in a better position financially, but the years of neglect on Sam’s part and Ellen’s pursuit of her next novel had estranged both parents from their children.
Lois had escaped by moving out at eighteen and attending New Troy University on a journalism scholarship. Without her sister’s attention and guidance, Lucy had become a party girl until she had the misfortune of Johnny – a two bit thug and sponger who eventually became the madman Metallo.
After Johnny’s death Lucy taken a seriously look at her life and decided she desperately needed direction in her life. With her parents blessing and not a little financial assistance she had gone back to school on the west coast. Upon graduation, she returned to Metropolis and seriously pursued her career in sports medicine.
So now the three women sat in Lois’ apartment, determined to make up for lost time and be a family once more.
“So, how did the sample tasting go?” Lucy chirped.
“Surprising well,” Ellen said. “Even if your uncle thinks rosemary biscuits go with filet mignon.”
“Mother, the menu is fine.” Lois turned to Lucy and in a conspiratory whisper said. “Uncle Mike may just have a girlfriend!”
The heavy ceramic mug hit the coffee table. “Excuse me. *What* girlfriend? When did this happen? Mike hasn’t so much as *looked* at another woman since Aunt Rita passed away!”
“Oh, your sister’s just embellishing the event.” Ellen rubbed her chin and continued, “Although I must say he did look very relieved when he discovered Raymond was her brother and *not* a boyfriend.”
“See, there is something going on between him and Grace!” Lois crowed in triumph.
“No, he’s still in love with Rita,” Ellen snapped back.
“Mother, how can anyone have missed the exchange between them? And you call yourself a writer?” Lois responded.
Lucy watched as her sister and mother engaged in a lively verbal tennis match until Lucy shouted, “Enough!”
Lois and Ellen looked at Lucy as if seeing her for the first time. “Oh, I guess we should fill her in. But young lady, this is what happens when you don’t attend family functions…”
Lucy swallowed her comments. Her mother was right, but the chance of spending time with Jimmy Olsen was not to be missed!
Ellen smiled, sipped her tea and began, “Now, as I was saying, It all started when Mike offered those hor d’oeuvres…”
