Through Lana's Eyes
Part 2 Chapter 7
Lineage
That day at school she was looking for Chloe, because she had decided to find out more about the pictures she had found. When she finally found Chloe she was walking through the halls.
"Chloe. Hey, I've been looking for you everywhere." Chloe turned around, and she looked like she was either about to cry or she had been crying. "What's wrong?"
"Clark and I just had a massive blowout."
"About what?"
"Secrets, privacy, my pathological inability to curb my curiosity. How are you?"
"Hey, we can talk about it later."
"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to dump on you."
"If you can't dump on your friends. . ." 'Who can you?'
"Exactly. So what did you want to talk about?" She took the picture out of the book she was carrying.
"His name's Henry Small."
"As in the Smallville Smalls?"
"Our very own first family."
"Well, who's the hottie hanging all over him?"
"My mom."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Lana."
"It's okay, you didn't know. I think he may be my biological father."
"Wow, are you okay?"
"I think so. I want to find out everything there is to know about him. I thought maybe you could help. But if you don't' feel comfortable, it's . . ."
"Actually, I'm flattered. It's nice that someone trusts me enough with their big family secret."
"Then you'll do it?"
"You know, I could tell you where he went to college how many outstanding parking tickets he has I can even pull up his dental records and tell you if he flosses regularly. But if you really want to know who he is I would suggest using the high-tech research device called the doorbell."
"Well, that would work."
"If you really want to know what he's like that's what you should do."
"You're probably right." She turned and walked off to the computer lab to find Mr. Small's address. After school she went to find the his house. When she got there the door was ajar and she could hear someone yelling inside.
"No. They're dumping there. Oh, come on. What do you mean, that's it?" She knocked on the door before walking inside. She saw the man from the picture in his living room yelling into a phone. "I don't care what Lowell County Water and Power says they are illegally dumping, and I'm not gonna sit here. . . Hello? Hello!" He slammed the phone down on a bookshelf.
"Mr. Small?"
"What? I'm sorry. I'm not taking on any more law students right now."
"No, no, I'm not a law student."
"Wait, I know you."
"You do?"
"Yeah, you run the coffee place in town."
"Yeah, yeah, the Talon. I don't' think I've seen you there."
"And you never will. I boycott it." 'What's wrong with a coffee house?'
"Do you have a thing against coffee?"
"No, I've got a thing against Luthors."
"Lex Luthor's just a silent partner."
"That's what the Vichy said about the Nazis. Look what happened to France. I didn't catch you name."
"Lana Lang." She took the picture out of her bag. "You knew my mother." She handed it to him.
"Where did you get this?"
"I found it. Did you love her?"
"What do you want me to say? It's ancient history. It doesn't matter."
"Henry, can you stop saving the world for one minute and give me a hand, please?" a woman called from another room.
"Okay, honey, I'll be right there. Look, Lana. . ." 'If I'm gonna say it, I'd better say it now.'
"I think you might be my father."
"Honey, are you coming?" the woman asked.
"Yeah, I'll be in in one second. Look, Lana, you've made a mistake." 'No, I don't think I did.' "I have a family now. Please, don't bother me again." He turned and walked away. She turned around holding back tears. She went home to find Nell having dinner with Dean, so she went over to see Clark. When she got there he was looking at pictures, so she decided to look through them with him. He was showing her pictures from fishing trips. In the picture they were looking at Clark was holing up a fish that was almost as big as he was, but he was only five or six at the time.
"Wow, that is quite a catch."
"Took all my strength to pull that one in. My dad even had to help me land it."
"You're lucky you've got such a great father. I heard you and Chloe had a big fight." He got up and walked away. "Don't worry, she didn't give me any details." She followed him. "I assume that this is shrouded in the usual Kent cloak of secrecy."
"Chloe promised not to look into my adoption, and then she did. Now I've got a woman in town claiming to be my mother." 'That's sort of exciting. If she really is his mother that would be great.'
"Is there any chance?"
"No, not in a million years."
"So she just showed up out of the blue."
"She ambushed me at school. 'Hi, Clark, I'm your mother.' I mean, who does that?" 'I did that with Mr. Small. It didn't go so well.' She raised her hand.
"Do you remember that guy in the photo with my mom? I kind of found out who he was. His name's Henry Small. I went to his house."
"How'd it go?" 'Horrible is an understatement.'
"Well, he hates the Talon, hates the Luthors, compared me to the Nazis and told me never to come back again."
"That good, huh?"Shegave him a look."I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I have done pretty well without a father this long I don't know why I thought I needed one now."
"I do. Lana, we're different. We don't get to see our biological parents every day and see a little piece of who we are or who we may become. If I had a chance to get to know my birth parents I wouldn't give up just because the first meeting didn't go the way I hoped."
"What should I do?"
"That's up to you, but I'd suggest something like e-mail or a phone call this time." She laughed
"I think I'll go do it now before I loose my nerve." 'I think a letter would be the best idea, that way he'll definitely get it.' The next morning she mailed the letter and didn't expect to hear anything for a day or too, but while she was working he came in.
"Cute place, very colorful."
"Mr. Small." 'I never would have expect to hear from him again, let alone have him come here.'
"Call me Henry."
"Can I get you a coffee? Of course, you wouldn't want a coffee." She walked back to the counterto refillthe coffee pot she was carrying away.
"Regular coffee would be great. I got your letter. And yes, you did ambush me. But from the way you describe yourself, it might just be a habit you got from me." 'Is he saying that he's my father?'
"So you are my father?"
"I don't know. But I'm willing to find out."
"Thanks Mr. Sm, I mean Henry."
"I'm happy to do it, Lana."
"There's the coffee." She set it down on the counter. He took his wallet out of his pocket. "Oh, don't worry about it. It's on the house." 'Free coffee for my dad. Dad, I like the way that sounds.' She smiled to herself as he walked out the door.
