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CHAPTER 7
Previously:
"Jimmy?" calling out after him.
He pauses in the doorway. "Yes, Clark?"
"Thanks for coming by," a small smile on his face. "Maybe we could meet for lunch tomorrow?
"I'd like that," smiling back at him. "How about that cafe near the Planet?"
Later that night...
"I'm home, bright eyes," Jimmy calls out to his wife as he locks the door behind him.
She comes out of the kitchen wearing an dark blue apron with a red \S/ embroidered on it. "You're late," she says with a slight frown on her face as she comes out wiping her hands with a dishtowel.
"Traffic was a real b*tch," walking over to her and giving her a kiss on the lips.
"Such language coming out of the mouth of Jimmy Olsen," trying hard not to smile after they pull apart.
"Hey, I only speak the truth," grinning back at her. "What are you baking now?" his finger gliding through the light dusting of flour on her forehead.
"I just finished baking some bread," she replies as she turns to go back into the kitchen.
"It smells good," he remarks as he follows her into the kitchen. "What kind did you make this time?"
"Dark rye," she answers as she opens the oven door and using oven mitts to remove the two pans. "So how did your little talk with Clark go?" she asks as she rests the two pans on a wire rack and takes off the apron.
"I think it went pretty good," pulling up a chair and sitting down at the kitchen table. "He's meeting me for lunch tomorrow," grabbing an apple from the basket in the middle of the table.
"Did he say at all what's bothering him?" she asks as she sits down opposite him and takes out a Clementine orange for herself.
"Well," he pauses.
She notices his hesitation and looks up at him. "What's wrong?" she asks as she puts the orange down.
He puts the apple down without taking a bite. "It was something he said that got me a bit upset."
"What did he say?"
"He said that quote 'How would you feel if Chloe announced right now - at her age no less - that she was pregnant with your third child?' unquote."
She stares at him in disbelief. "He said that?"
"Yeah," he sighs as he sits back in his chair.
"I can't believe he said that," shaking her head.
"I know," sighing again.
"What did you say to that?"
"I said I would be ecstatic, but then he rolled his eyes and that's what really got me upset," pushing the chair backwards as he gets up and walks over to the couch and plops down.
She gets up from her chair and sits down next to him; resting her head on his shoulder. "I understand," she says as she rests her hand lightly on his chest.
"I knew you would," kissing the top of her head. "I told him that he of all people should know why and then I asked him if he had forgotten."
She lifts her head off his shoulder and looks up at him. "What was his response?"
"He apologized," drawing her head back down on his shoulder with his arm around hers. "He felt really bad about it. He even hugged me when I started to get upset."
"Well that's a good sign - isn't it?" she replies.
"I think so," his fingers lightly caressing her upper arm.
"You want to know something else?"
"Always," he replies with a smile in his voice.
She looks up at him again. "I think he still feels guilty for what happened to Myra."
"It's funny you say that because I was thinking the same exact thing. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't get to her in time."
"You know Clark. He always takes it personally."
"I know," he answers with a sigh. They sit there for a little while just enjoying the quiet. "So when can I have a slice of your delicious bread?" his eyes twinkling.
Back at the farm...
Lois parks her car in the driveway and steps out of it. Once she locks the door, she starts to walk towards the house when she hears a noise coming from the barn. She pops the trunk and puts her purse and briefcase inside, then closes it and makes her way over to the barn. The doors are partially open so she steps inside and notices Clark kneeling down next to the tractor with a wrench in his hand.
"Maybe we should just buy a new one?"
He stops what he's doing when he hears her voice. "Working on it helps me think," not turning his head.
"Just like your Dad, huh?" walking over and standing next to it.
"Yeah," He answers with a sigh in his voice.
"So have you been thinking about anything in particular?" she asks as she leans back against the tractor.
He stands up and places the wrench on the tractor seat, then turns around. "I've been thinking about not going back to being Superman."
She stares at him in shock. "Did you just say---"
"Yes," he replies. "I think it's time that Jason took over the family business."
"Our son is not ready yet," she says in response to what he just said. "He hasn't even finished his training yet."
"I've been training him for the last year," he counters.
"One year is not enough," she says. "Besides, he's starting college in a few months and he's not going to have much time to be Superman."
"If I can be a husband, a father, a reporter, a farmer, and handle all my duties as Superman, then our son can handle college and being Superman too," turning back towards the tractor.
"Don't turn your back on me, Clark Joseph Kent," grabbing his arm and forcing him to face her. "We need you to be Superman. The world needs you. I need you. This baby needs you," lightly patting her stomach.
"What about what I need?" throwing her arm off. "Don't my needs count for something?" his voice cracking. "For years I've put the needs of everybody before my own. The world. My family," his eyes beginning to mist up. "I wasn't there when my children took their first steps or said their first words. I've missed birthday parties and first days of school because I was off somewhere being Superman. I don't want that for this baby," briefly touching her stomach. "I want to be there for him or her. I need to be there, Lois."
"I know," resting her hand on his cheek. "Our children understand why you weren't there, Clark. They always have."
"Really," he scoffs as he steps away from her and folds his arms against his chest.
"What the hell happened to you between this afternoon and now?" making an effort to keep her voice steady and calm.
"You mean what happened after Jimmy left? I know it was you that called him," he replies. "You sent him to talk to me, didn't you?"
"Obviously it didn't work as well as I thought."
"Well, next time you talk to him you can just tell him to forget about lunch tomorrow," grabbing the wrench and turning back towards the tractor.
"Why don't you tell him yourself, you coward?" she snaps back at him.
He bristles at what she just said and turns around. "I am not a coward," his fingers clenching the wrench so tightly it shatters into a million pieces.
"Looks like you need a new wrench," chuckling as she turns and walks out the door.
"I have plenty of them," he yells back.
She pauses in the opened doorway. "You are acting like a real a**hole, but I'll still forgive you when you snap out of this mid-life crises of yours. Like it or not, we are going to have a baby," walking back over to him. "You are going back to the Daily Planet and Superman will return to the skies," her finger poking him in the chest.
"Stop poking me," lightly pushing her away.
"If I have to give you a slap upside the head until you snap out of it," then I'll do that too."
"You've been watching N.C.I.S. way too much. Besides, it wouldn't hurt me anyway," he says smugly.
"It would if I used Green Kryptonite," she replies.
He stares at her in shock. "You wouldn't."
"You better believe I would," she counters.
"I'd like to see you try," walking over to the tool bench and grabbing another wrench.
"THAT'S IT!"
He spins around at her outburst. "What?"
"I never thought I'd ever say this to you," pausing to take a deep breath before she speaks.
"I'm leaving you."
TO BE CONTINUED...
Here's the link to Chapter 8
and I wonder what happened with Myra?!
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