Author: Maddie
Rating: PG
Spoilers: none
Pairing: none
Archive: Yes, just ask first. I like to know where they go.
Authors notes: Okay, this is not your normal run of the mill Smallville fic, but I had this scene in my head and I wanted to see if I could work it into a story. I also wanted to see if I could write Martha convincingly. So while the first scene might seem wierd to you 'city folk' remember this is a 'day in the country'. Scene two is different. Thanks to Calengrothiel, Ras and Sherry B. for the Beta read.
This is a futurefic.
JUST A DAY IN THE COUNTRY
"Mrs. Kent?"
The voice sounded mildly amused and one thing Martha Kent did not need at this particular moment in time was an amused observer. She risked a glance at the barn door. The tall, slender shadow framed in the bright sunlight could belong to only one person in Smallville.
"Lex." she managed to gasp as her arm was squeezed by another contraction.
"At the risk of sounded incredibly naive, just what are you doing to that cow?" Lex asked as he stepped closer into Martha's field of vision.
She had only a moment to think how out of place he looked here in her barn, his black clothes immaculate, his shoes spotless, hands thrust deep in his pockets. His entire demeanor screamed rich and bored. That was as far as the thought went, because Elsbeth chose that particular time to push backwards against her, the cow's tail smacking her across the side of the head with dizzying force. Martha felt her feet slip in the muck on the floor but she didn't dare release her grip. Elsbeth voiced a plaintive moo. Martha knew the dear old Holstein was tired, and she knew time was running short to perform this particular miracle.
"Mrs. Kent?" Lex repeated a touch of concern in his voice. She felt his slender hand on her elbow, steadying her. "Pardon me, but is there a reason why you have your arm shoved up that cow's as...rear."
Martha grunted, wishing she had a free hand to brush the hair from her face. "Bovine Obstetrics, Mr. Luthor." She felt a sudden rush of excitement. She definitely felt a nose. Now, if she could just hang on to it. "Look, Lex, if you're going to hang around for a while, I could really use some help." As she said it, she almost laughed, imagining immaculate Lex with his perfectly manicured fingers, mucking around inside Elsbeth. She also wondered what brought him to the farm. She hadn't seen him in over two months.
"Uh, obstetrics of any kind aren't exactly my forte."
"Doesn't matter. I just need you to steady her head. Keep her from knocking me over." Martha nodded towards Clark's loft, unused now that he had gone to Metropolis to attend the University there. "There's probably an old pair of Clark's coveralls upstairs and an extra pair of barn boots near the door you came in. Pull them on, you'll need them." Yes, she definitely had a nose, now if she could just turn the head without her obstetric loop, this might all come out all right.
"So, Mrs. Kent, you still haven't told me why your arm is up...the cow." Lex had pulled on Clark's coveralls, slipped past Martha to the head of the stall and positioned himself at Elsbeth's head.
Martha knew the young man was no stranger to large animals, having ridden horseback most of his life, but a horse was a lot different from a pregnant milk cow, in labor and in pain. Besides, she doubted Lex ever did much more than ride, then hand his horse to a professional groom. He took the cow's harness firmly, stroking the animals head. That's it, Lex, Martha thought, you've got the right instinct.
"Calving problems," Martha explained. "She's been in labor far too long with no results. The calf's head is turned backward over its shoulder instead of nose outward. If I can't get the nose forward and the front hooves lined up right, we're going to lose them both." Martha waited quietly for Elsbeth's next contraction. They were becoming weaker and less frequent and Martha was concerned the older animal was tiring. Work with me, Elsbeth, she thought pleadingly.
It was Lex's turn to grunt as the cow tossed her head. "Whoa....easy girl," he murmured soothingly. "So why don't you just call a vet?" he asked Martha.
"Vet's are--"
"--expensive," Lex finished for her. "I suppose that was a real city boy question."
"Rich, city boy question." Martha corrected.
"And I suppose she's one of your favorites."
"One of Clark's actually." Martha repositioned her feet so she could get the proper leverage.
"So where's your husband?"
"Took a tractor to Emlenton for repairs." Martha spoke between grunted efforts to turn the unborn calf's head into the proper position. "Won't be back until late this evening."
"And that leaves you with the cow."
"I'd be stuck with the cow anyway, Lex." Martha's tone was more impatient than she had intended. "One of the obligations of being the smallest person on a farm raising animals is that you automatically become the midwife. Little arms fit inside cows better than large arms."
Elsbeth mooed again, tossing her head and shifting her legs. Martha hung on for dear life and with one final effort managed to turn the calf. It was as though Elsbeth sensed the change. She responded by pushing. Martha pulled at the same time and in a few minutes found herself sitting hard on the barn floor, covered with amniotic fluid and blood, a good sized calf right on top of her. She quickly sat up before Elsbeth took exception to her being there and gave her a kick. Martha used her fingers to scoop the mucus from the calf's nose and mouth and as she did so, the newborn did as healthy newborns do, and bawled lustily for its mother. Martha took one quick look to determine the animals sex, then slid back laughing. "Lex, you can let her go now. Elsbeth, you have a beautiful new daughter."
"Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder," Lex said sarcastically looking from Martha still sitting on the barn floor to the slippery, wet calf. Martha knew she was a mess covered in straw and more, but didn't care. Lex moved quickly to Martha and helped her to her feet as Elsbeth began cleaning her wobbly newborn. "So, Mrs. Kent, is this a daily occurrence around the Kent farm?"
"No, thank God. Most of them are born without any help from me at all. But Elsbeth is older, and a favorite. We don't want anything to happen to her. Now we need to get her a big bucket of warm water, some bran mash, and a healthy dose of penicillin." Martha could not help grinning from ear to ear. She loved newborns of all kinds and for her, personally, each new arrival was a victory. She rejoiced in the ones born healthy and mourned the ones they lost. Jonathan teased her unmercifully, saying she was giving birth vicariously with every calf that was born or chick that was hatched, but she knew she just enjoyed bringing new life into the world. Had she been able, she would have had a dozen children of her own. Instead she had just one special one. One she found she missed terribly now that he had left for college. Empty Nest Syndrome had hit hard even though she still had many real nests to tend that were far from empty.
Martha took that moment to look at Lex closely for the first time since he had arrived. He seemed thinner, and if possible, more pale than she remembered. He also looked ridiculous in Clark's overalls which were easily three sizes too long and broad for the smaller man. She was surprised to see a complete absence of cynicism on his face. Instead, a soft smile had touched his lip as he watched Elsbeth and her calf. The smile suited him, Martha thought, far better than his customary smirk. It had been a long time since she had seen anything but the smirk on Lex's face, as though bitterness were his only remaining emotion. She hesitated to break the peaceful satisfaction of the moment, but she was a mess and needed a shower. She touched Lex lightly on the arm. "We both need to get cleaned up." She reminded him. "And Elsbeth needs time alone to bond with her baby."
Lex glanced back at her. "I'm no expert on dairy cows, but I thought you took the calves away at birth. To control milk production."
"Normally, we do, but Elsbeth is going into retirement. This is her last calf and I want her to enjoy it."
"Doesn't sound very wise for business."
"Life isn't all business, Lex."
Lex did not answer.
"Come on," Martha said. "Dump those coveralls near the door. Come up to the house for a cup of coffee and you can tell me what really brought you to the Kent Farm this morning."
****
Twenty minutes later Martha emerged from the steamy bathroom, showered and dressed in clean clothes. She had left Lex in the kitchen with a full pot of fresh coffee. She had to admit she was curious about Lex's unannounced visit. Now that Clark was gone, she hadn't expected to see much of the young Luthor. Jogging down the steps to the first floor she found Lex staring at the book case in the living room. "The family shrine" Clark had dubbed it with some embarrassment, where she kept personal mementos, photos and trinkets. She did not have a case full of trophies like many parents of athletic high school boys. Her trophies consisted of certificates of excellence for his work on The Torch, academic awards, and newspaper clippings, carefully matted and framed. And of course photographs.
"You must miss him," Lex asked casually.
"Terribly," Martha blurted without thinking how maudlin it might sound.
A deafening silence hung between them with Martha waiting for Lex to speak and he waiting for her. After several seconds Martha broke the silence. "And what brings you here this morning."
"Dinner party this weekend. The cook needed additional produce."
"Anton normally phones in his order."
"Last minute order. And he did try to call. No answer."
Martha nodded. "I was a bit occupied and no phone in the barn."
"I noticed," Lex said with a small grin. "I thought I would risk Jonathan's wrath and deliver Anton's order in person."
Martha sensed there was more behind the words and that produce was just an excuse for the visit. "Your weekend guest must be quite important to risk the infamous Kent Wrath," Martha said jokingly as she moved to the kitchen counter and poured herself a cup of coffee. Lex followed, standing next to the kitchen table looking out of place and uncomfortable.
"Just dear old dad." Lex's voice was soft, but he could never quite hide the bitterness that edged his tone when he spoke of his father.
Suddenly it seemed extremely odd to have Lex Luthor here, in her home, without Clark. She had always thought of him as 'Clark's friend,' not as a family friend, or, by her husband's standards, even a welcome guest. Martha suspected 'dear old dad' had already arrived, and that Lex has taken the first opportunity to absent himself from the mansion and Lionel's presence. Apparently the Wrath of Kent was no where near as intimidating as Lionel Luthor. Martha had always felt sorry for Lex. Despite his outward calm and suave, professional demeanor, he was the proverbial, cliched rich kid. Everything money could buy was his to have, yet she had always known in her heart that what he wanted most money could not buy, and that hidden desire was anything that approached a normal family life. Why else would a billionaire's son spend time with a farm boy from Kansas?
Martha had to admit her maternal instincts were taking over and her heart went out to Lex. Nothing her family had to offer could change his fate. He had been expected to rise to impossibly high standards, to perform to his father's satisfaction, yet she doubted he had ever received so much as a pat on the back from Lionel. He had grown up too fast, aged beyond his years and now seemed trapped in neve-ending exile in Smallville, caught in the machinations of his own and his father's business dealings. Part of her ached for him. Careful, Martha Kent, she said to herself, you can't go filling your empty nest with every lost and forlorn billionaire's son who walks into your barn just because you miss your own.'
"Mrs. Kent."
Martha started, almost spilling her coffee as she did.
"Welcome back."
Martha gave Lex a quizzical stare and he laughed, a genuine laugh.
"You were pretty far out of it. Must be bovine obstetrics high or something."
It was Martha's turn to laugh. "So what kind of vegies does Anton need," she asked getting back to business.
Lex pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to her.
Martha glanced quickly at the list. "No problem. I'll run this order over Friday evening--"
"That's okay," Lex said quickly. "If you don't mind, I think I'll just pick the stuff up."
"Oh," Martha said teasingly, "Is this your new role, Lex Luthor, billionaire delivery boy?"
Lex smiled again.
Two genuine smiles in one afternoon, a new record, Martha thought. "Don't tell me," Martha continued. "Any excuse to get out of the house."
Lex nodded.
"Some boys never grow up." Martha found herself smiling as she refilled both their coffee cups. If Lex Luthor needed to occasionally escape the reality of his life, and could find some comfort in the normalcy of her own, then she wasn't going to stop him from visiting. He was, after all, Clark's friend. And maybe having him visit on occasion, would help her escape as well, both the pain of missing her son, and the sometimes mundane sameness of her own daily life. Besides, she still had three more cows due to calve. She might make a barnyard vet out of him yet.
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