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Chapter 8 – Mother Knows Best Jason wiggled in his mother’s arms clearly wanting down. “Daddy Clark took me flying and we went high in the sky and saw the sun. I liked it Mommy, it made me feel all warm and really strong.”
Lois brushed her hand over Jason’s cheek feeling a familiar warmth. She looked back at Clark still standing nearby in the blue suit. “He has a fever.”
Clark shook his head slightly, “No his natural temperature has changed, his cells are energized and restored to what they should be.”
Lois swallowed and looked once again at her son still wiggling in her arms. She finally sat him down. “He really is your son isn’t he?” She looked at Clark only seeing the hero wondering what her, no their child’s life was going to be like this day forward. Then she looked over at Richard who was bending down to feel the youngster’s cheek for himself.
Jason was having none of it pulling away he asked, “Can I go play now?”
Martha stepped in and opened the screen door, “Come on Jason. I think your little tractor is just where you dropped it a few minutes ago.”
“Lois, Richard, nothing has changed except perhaps our son is going to be healthier. Please no more sunscreen and I can’t help but wonder if he needs any of the other medications now that his immune system is not being compromised.”
“I don’t know what to say, except I pray you’re right.” Lois said thoughtfully.
Richard nodded and was struck for the first time with the body language between the two. He had never seen Lois afraid of anyone but she seemed to shrink away from the hero. He recalled the day’s earlier interactions between them.
Lois wasn’t afraid of him, no way, Richard thought,
she was afraid of her feelings for him. It was as clear as the day was long that s
he wasn’t over him by a long shot. Richard continued watching as Superman held the screen door open and she entered the house purposely keeping her distance from the other man. He also saw the resigned look on the hero’s face as he accepted her avoidance but ever the gentleman was still determined to open her doors or offer his hand in support whenever the gesture was called for. Both seemed so caught up in their own form of pain that neither noticed him watching.
Lois joined Martha in the kitchen and once again held up the zipper bag of medicines then looked at Martha shaking her head dropping it back on the table. “I just don’t know anymore. It would be wonderful if he doesn’t need any of this now, but we can’t be sure.”
Martha put her arm around Lois. “Honey, I’ve lived a long time and I’ve raised one child with unknown needs. Sometimes you just have to go with your intuition or lack of that, follow your heart. We’ll figure it out, don’t worry we are all aware of the various possibilities so we’ll be able to sort it all out.”
Lois smiled and nodded, feeling oddly comforted by this remarkable woman. No wonder Clark had wanted her to be the one to keep Jason safe. She couldn’t think of anyone more qualified. “I guess you know better than anyone. How did you ever manage with Clark?”
“Honey, nothing as important as this is, is ever easy. I would have to say that love and faith got Jonathan and I through all the difficulties in our lives. I’m sure it will serve us well through these difficulties as well.”
“I don’t know about that.” Lois sighed. “I wish it was that easy.”
Martha pulled out a chair for Lois at the table then went to the stove to start a pot of water to make tea, everything was better with tea. Then she took a seat herself as she placed her hand over Lois’. “Why don’t you tell me what is really bothering you. It’s obvious to me that it’s a lot more complicated than Jason’s health or safety. You can tell me anything without worry that I’ll repeat anything to Clark.”
Lois looked past Martha into the living room motioning. “How can I be sure he won’t hear me?”
Martha stood up and went to the door a big smile crossed her face seeing Clark clearly fully engaged interacting with his son. Lois joined her and was reassured by the scene that he was paying her no mind. The two women went back to the table and took their seats. Soon they were in a deep conversation, one Lois would have had with her own mother had she still been alive. Lois let it all spill out, occasionally standing up to make sure Clark and Richard were both still otherwise occupied. She confessed that she was in love with both men and felt literally torn in half not sure which way to turn but feeling frozen in place afraid to look too deeply in her heart or make any changes in her current life. She wanted to do what was best for Jason above all but after today she was more confused than ever.
-o-o-o-
Clark finally in his casual jeans, t-shirt and flannel shirt had come in from the porch with Richard and both had joined Jason in the living room and were watching him play with the little tractor.
Clark smiled seeing his son enjoying one of his favorite toys from years gone by, “I see you like my old tractor. Did you see the tiller?”
“Huh, what’s a tiller?” The little boy looked up at him questioningly.
Clark disappeared but reappeared almost instantly smiling, “This is a tiller.” He arched his eyebrows, “it fits on the back of the tractor and plows or digs a trench to make planting a crop easier. See it fits like this.”
He kneeled down joining Jason at the coffee table attaching the tiller onto the back of the little tractor. Richard stood nearby with his hands in his pockets watching the two interact. A couple minutes later Clark again blurred only to return with a shoe box of similar toys and soon the two men were scrunched up sitting on their legs at the small table with the little boy. Clark was explaining what each miniature farm vehicle did and both Richard and Jason were listening intently. He blurred one final time and this time returned with a board covered with a rug with a farm setting that closely resembled the Kent farm on it complete with a farmhouse, barn, grain silo, little corn fields and an area ready for plowing. Richard and Jason hurriedly moved everything out of the way as Clark set the board on top of the coffee table.
“My Dad and I made this when I was just a couple years older than you are now.” he said smiling at the little boy. “I will always cherish that time we spent together. That I can now share it with my own son makes it even more special to me.”
Soon all three were busy adding the little toys to the setting and so intent on their play that they were completely oblivious to the two women in the nearby kitchen having a heart to heart talk about them and what the future might hold.
-o-o-o-
Martha listened quietly as the young woman spoke never interrupting or trying to interject any opinion or advice. Instead she just let her spill her heart out till she finally stopped nearly in tears. She reached for a nearby tissue box and placed it on the table. “Lois, you don’t have to make any decision about this right now. Just concentrate on one problem at a time. Everything else will be apparent soon enough.”
Lois reached for a tissue and wiped her eyes as the older woman smiled consolingly then continued, “You just have to listen to your heart in the quiet moments of the night when you are all alone in your thoughts with no pressures and no timetables.”
Lois nodded listening closely appreciating the older woman’s advice. “The way I see it you have two men who would do anything for you and your son. It appears my son is trying to step back to give you and Richard all the time and room you need to make a good marriage.”
Lois looked downcast then spoke up, “He has, but it’s so hard just being near him. I can see the love in his eyes every time he looks at me.”
Martha sighed clearly torn. “Don’t worry about how it might affect him he’ll be fine and perhaps a little wiser. Honey, Clark doesn’t blame you for going on with your life he blames himself for leaving you when you needed him most.”
Lois looked up at the older woman again wiping away a stray tear as she listened.
“Seeing Richard with you today it appears to me that he loves you every bit as much as Clark, but in the end this is your decision and you have to do what is best for you because that will also be what is best for that little boy out there. Children are quick to pick up on a parent’s unhappiness or resentment from not following their hearts or their true calling in life.”
Lois broke into a slow half smile, shaking her head in wonder. “How did you ever get to be so wise?”
Martha smiled back as she took Lois’ right hand in her own. “Honey it took years and years and turned my hair from dark brown to white, although Clark will try to tell you it’s silver. Anyway, I learned a long time ago that God truly does work in strange and wondrous ways. Just look how he has answered my prayers over the years. You just have to trust that all will be revealed in time. Give your heart time and you will know where it leads.”
Placing her free hand over Martha’s Lois smiled back, “I can see why such an amazing and special child was entrusted to your care. No way was it a random accident. I’m so glad you’re going to be here to help me with my own amazing child.”
“Nothing would be dearer to my heart nothing and your choices now or in the future will not change in any way how I feel about you and that precious little boy.”
The two women sat for several seconds just holding hands quietly then Lois smiled warmly realizing a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, she didn’t have to decide right now. Feeling so much better she looked again into the living room at the boys still playing with their toys. She couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.
Martha turned to follow her gaze laughing too she pulled her bottom hand out of Lois’ and patted the younger woman’s hands as she stood up. “Watch this.” She called out. “Clark, we saved you some peach cobbler. Would you like it now?”
Clark looked up at her answering excitedly, “What, you saved me some cobbler? Of course I want some.”
Martha looked back at Lois winking. “Richard there’s plenty if you would like another serving.”
Richard patted his stomach, “Phew, I’m afraid that if I stayed here with Jason for even a couple days I would gain a ton.” Then smiling mischievously he countered, “But since we’re just here this afternoon, I would love some more.”
Soon the adults were all seated around the table once again talking quietly about their plans for the next couple days. Jason continued playing happily in the living room with the miniature farm toys.
“Mom, this is even better than I remember.”
“Well you know if you would just come home a little more often you wouldn’t have to just remember how it tastes.”
Clark smiled swallowing, “Maybe I will just have to visit a lot more often.” They all laughed. “Seriously though, until I find Luthor I need to spend as much time as possible searching for him and his men. So far everything has just been a dead end. Even the connections with the Vanderworth properties and vast fortune he supposedly inherited have come up cold.”
Lois nodded, “Yeah that was the first place I started looking too. You’re positive they got off New Krypton?”
Clark sighed closing his eyes as he shook his head sadly, “Ugh, I
really hate that name.”
Richard looked up from his cobbler, “Well you can thank Norm for that.”
“In answer to your question, Lois I heard the helicopter in the air somewhere nearby when I was lifting that mass but I was too focused on that task to pay them any mind whatsoever. I do believe they all got off though and I’m very concerned that they still have the rest of the crystals.”
Lois inhaled deeply. “I completely forgot about the other crystals, he definitely had them on the yacht. You don’t think…surely he wouldn’t…”
Richard interrupted her, “We’re talking about Luthor I wouldn’t put
anything past that man.”
The four exchanged glances, “Neither would I, all the more reason why I have to find him before he has time to implement another plan.”
Clark finished his desert then wiping his mouth with his napkin he got up from the table. “Mom, that was wonderful. I would love to stay longer but I need to get to work. Lois, Richard I’ll see you at the office tomorrow. Mom, I’ll try to make it back here before Jason goes to bed but I can’t promise.” He bent down to kiss her cheek.
Martha nodded in understanding then pulled his shirt to draw him back down so she could kiss his cheek in return. “Be careful remember that man may have more Kryptonite.”
Hearing his Daddy Clark say he was leaving Jason grabbed something from his little bag still in the living room and came running into the kitchen. “I brought my Incredibles movie. You said you wanted to see it with me, aren’t you gonna come back so we can watch it together?”
Martha seeing the DVD box looked worried, “Oh dear, I don’t have a DVD player.” Jason looked flabbergasted, he never heard of anyone not having a DVD player. He looked about ready to cry.
Clark stooped down and picked the little boy up. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world Jason. I can rig my laptop to the TV and I bet even Grandma will enjoy seeing it with us.”
Jason's face brightened immediately as he hugged his Daddy. “I love you Daddy.”
“I love you too Jason.” He said hugging the little boy back. Then remembering the others he smiled at Richard placing the little boy in his other daddy’s lap. “We all love you. Now you be good for your grandma. I’ll see you tonight.” He then addressed all of them, “If any of you need me, all you have to do is call my name. I’ll be listening.”
The little boy quickly nodded then waved as his Daddy Clark disappeared. Turning around he changed his position so he could reach up to hug Richard like he had just hugged Clark. “Are you and Mommy leaving too Daddy? I don’t want you to go too.” His lips began quivering as he hugged tighter.
Lois got up placing her hand on her son’s back to reassure him. “Honey we need to go back to work, this is your vacation remember? You’re staying here with your Grandma for a couple days but you can call us as much as you want and just think, your Daddy Clark will be here part of the time too.”
Lois looked over at Martha. “We’ve never left him with anyone for more than a day before.”
Martha nodded understanding, “You don’t have to leave right away do you? It might be easier for him if you stay a couple more hours so you aren’t all leaving him at once?”
Lois smiled and looked at Richard. Yes, she was really growing to love this woman.
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All That Matters 8/? (Read 1472 times)
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