Jonathan
had always thought of Martha as a city girl. He'd met her in the
city, married her in the city, they had only gone back to Smallville
once or twice before they were married. They'd met their freshman
year of college and married on graduation, against Martha's
father's complaints. Martha had stood by him without even seeing
the house she would live in if she married him. It was an affirming
thing, but he'd still been nervous when he took her home, really
home for the duration. Till I die and all of that. Jonathan was
pretty sure it wouldn't be any trouble from his end, but Martha,
she loved him he knew, but the farm? Could she be a farmers wife,
city fresh with low black pumps that cut quick steps and legs that
curved like a violin, meant for a dance floor and a woman's
suit-skirt not jeans with ripped knees and men's cast off shirts.
But she set too with a gusto he knew couldn't' be entirely faked.
She helped him clean the house to her liking and stood beside him to
sew the first crop of the year. But Jonathan was still unsure, that
was until she met the tractor. Martha had never seen a tractor up
close and personal before. Jonathan had been working with tractors
his whole life and didn't see the old thing as particularly
fascinating. He could still remember the look on her face when she
came out of the house, a jug of sweet tea hanging from her fingers as
he plowed a furrow back across the field towards her. Her eyes lit up
like a house at Christmas and her laugh was that of a young girl. She
swung herself up behind him like she'd been born a farmers wife,
reaching around to snuggle up against him and breathing in deep
against his neck.
"I love you." She'd said and they'd
plowed the rest of the field together right like that. Then Jonathan
knew it was forever.
They sat later that evening, up in the
barn that would one day belong to their adopted son. Then it was
their hide away, like a honeymoon because he couldn't take one from
the farm. He'd apologized for that, but for Martha the farm was new
and interesting enough to be a honeymoon. She seemed interested in
every new revelation, laughing at how white his shoulders were
compared to his arms and teasing him about how "sexy" he looked
in his generic white t-shirts. Apparently the farmers tan look was in
with Martha Kent. Martha Kent, he was sure the last name still felt a
little awkward to both of them, but every time he called her those
two words together she beamed like a lighthouse and Jonathan loved
that smile. He loved her like nothing he'd ever felt before. Up in
the loft of the barn then they'd talked about the future. He
couldn't offer her much on the farm, but she didn't want more
than that. Just their little farm and a yard full of kids, she
laughed and leaned against his shoulder resting up against the hay.
"And to be able to ride with you on your tractor till heaven
comes to collect me. Jonathan Kent you've got yourself a farmers
wife." She teased and kissed him on the nose.
Jonathan had done the best he could to give all that to her, the farm, but the kid part wasn't working. They'd resigned themselves to that, Jonathan knew he wasn't god, but wished he could somehow change things. He decided to take the old tractor in for a tune up, and Martha came with him. When they stopped at the flower shop he knew what he wished when Nell's niece waved her 'magic' wand. All he could do was fix the tractor and keep the roof over their heads, but some how he hoped that wand did hold a little magic. And then Clark was the miracle that pulled it all together. They'd never been happier. They didn't use that tractor as much when Clark was little but on their anniversary or when they had a fight Jonathan would feel the need to pull out the old tractor, and Martha would always wind up tight in beside him as they bumped over the fields.
Clark in
his younger teen years scoffed at his sappy, silly parents. He wanted
a truck that would impress girls. But Jonathan just shook his head
and smiled conspiratorially at Martha. She didn't like cars or pick
up trucks, Martha Kent was of the opinions that tractors, and her
husband was sexy. Clark of course didn't need to hear that
particular piece of information and so Jonathan walked around the
table and kissed his wife Clark rolled his eyes and grabbed his
backpack, bound for school.
"Don't miss the buss again honey.
Be careful." Martha called after him.
"You know I was thinking
about seeing a man about a tractor." Jonathan offered. "The old
one's getting a little run down these days." Martha grinned up at
him.
"You wouldn't get rid of it, but having something new
and shiny isn't always bad, can we afford it?"
"Well, I've
been saving a little, Clark wants a truck I know. He'll get it
eventually, once he's old enough to drive I'm sure it'd be
worth it, but…" Jonathan gave Martha a pointed look and she
giggled just like she had all those years ago. Jonathan left to tend
the farm humming under his breath. "She think's my tractor's
sexy…."
