2 months before the meteor shower

I hear pure innocent laughter fill my kitchen like the crystal clear chime of bells. And I smile. The sunlight pours in through the windows creating a golden sheen on top of Lana's sable curls. Little lilac barrettes in the form of blossoms hold her hair back from getting in the chocolate chip cookie dough that's already found its way onto her nose.

She giggles at me. And I grin back. I turn to Lana's mother, Laura. Her dark brown hair curved in slightly above her petite shoulders. Her brown eyes sparkled with joy as she looked upon her daughter.

"You are so lucky Laura."

She calmly smiles as she shapes some of her cookies. And then wipes her hands on her apron.

"Any word yet?"

I pause, setting my hands down from my dough.

"No. And to tell you the truth, we've about given up. We don't know how much longer we can go like this."

"Martha, I'm sure whatever you and Jonathan decide, it will be for the best. And Lewis and I will support you in any way we can."

I smile in appreciation. "You've both already done so much. But we've been talking about it and we're very close to stopping."

"Is it the money? Martha, you're our best friends, you don't need to hesitate to ask."

"Well, yes partially, it is the money. But then, you know how Jonathan is about financial concerns. Mostly it's the stress. Did you know I have to take 4 fertility pills a day, plus have Jonathan give me one shot a day, all with no results? And then I get so tired, we just don't have the energy or the effort to enjoy life anymore."

"No one ever said it would be easy."

"I know. Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it. But then I look at your Lana and think - How could it not be? Just to have that little face. Little hands to hold."

Laura nodded knowingly. "It's worth it every bit."

I sigh and start breaking off little chunks of the dough and mold them into balls.

"Lana, your cookies are looking marvelous."

Lana grins up at me, with now additional flour spread across her cheeks. Laura and I laugh.

"Tanks Ms. Kent"

We both giggle at Lana's baby speech.

"Laura, how did you ever get her to be that polite? Compared to most kids her age, she's an angel."

"I know, strange, isn't it? I'm beginning to think she's not even my child. After all, she is being raised out here in the boonies, the middle of nowhere. You'd think she'd have the mannerisms of a cousin-marrying-redneck."

We both laugh. I add, "At least she won't be raised on a farm."

"Ha, that's right. You know if you have a son, our children would be perfect for each other."

"Agreed. As long as Lana likes younger men." Laughing I realize my cookies have become somewhat mis-shaped by my apparent lack of paying attention to them.

"But honestly Martha, I think the world would be in awe of a child raised by you and Jonathan."

I turn to her, surprised, "What?"

"Well, I would have to say that you're both some of the best people in this world."

"Haha, right."

"Martha, come on, even you have to admit that you give and give and give, and never expect anything in return. Plus the Kent morals and standards are pretty high. I can just imagine it now, your slogan, or your motto, or whatever, would be something like, 'Stand for truth, justice, and...oh I don't know, the American way.'"

Laura laughed as I shook my head and went back to my poor forgotten lumps of dough. Her voice took a more serious tone and I looked back at her.

"It's going to get harder as she grows, isn't it?"

"That's what I've heard."

"How do we teach our children the differences between right and wrong? There is no fine line to warm them about."

"I think that we'll best teach them by example. But you can't teach only by example, you can't assume they'll understand everything you want them to. I don't know how any parents really do it.

"Neither do I. Yikes, I'm already three years into an eighteen year plus commitment and I have no idea what I'm doing."

"Laura, you're a wonderful mother. You know that. I don't know what Lana would do without you."

"Well, I don't plan on going anywhere for a while. But, Martha, in case something does happen to Lewis and I, I've been thinking that maybe, I'd want you and Jonathan to be there for her."

"Oh Laura, of course we would be!"

"Well, Lewis and I still have to talk about it, and talk to Nell. I love her Martha, I really do, I just wonder sometimes."

"I know you do. But Nell's a good person Laura, both you and I know that. Plus she'd be Lana's only family if something happened."
Laura turned away, looking out the window for a moment.

"You know Martha, I'm really not kidding about the world looking up to your kid. You're good people. And your child would be a reflection of that. He'll make a difference in the world."

"Lana will too."

Laura smiled. "I know. I know she will."

Lana had finished with her cookies, and held them up for my inspection. We agreed they would be the best cookies in all of Smallville. I placed them in the oven when Laura mumbled something under her breath.

"Hm?"

"Oh...I said not only Lana."

"Not only Lana - what?"

"Not only Lana, but her brother, or sister, too."

"Laura? Are you saying..."

A twinkle showed in her eyes as she looked at me. A small smile appeared on her lips.

"I'm pregnant."

Thrilled, I hugged her.

"Say that again!"

"Ma'am. Ma'am, are you alright?"

Laura's voice suddenly becomes a deep male's voice.

And then I hear the pitter patter of the rain, and feel it on my face. My clothes are soaked, my head is throbbing, and I feel little hands clinging to my blouse.
I open my eyes and slowly look up. A shining light flashes in my eyes for a moment. Running up to us is a police officer with shaggy brown hair and a big nose.