Chapter 13

Part I: Martha

Your heart stops when you get the call from the hospital.

You had hoped you would never get those calls again and when time passed and you didn't, you began to feel at ease again. But this time, when you get the call while you are standing at the check in line at the airport for your bimonthly visit to New York, something feels different.

When you hear that voice answer your son's phone, a voice you hadn't heard in quite some time and yet one you could never forget, you understand what your mother's instinct was trying to tell you.

Clark is about to go down the rabbit hole again.

Part II: Diana

You buzz her in, not a lot of words exchanged through the intercom.

You try to warm up your cold hands, nervousness getting the best of you. Luckily, Clark is still asleep, so he won't witness whatever will happen between the two of you.

You open the door on the second knock and you are greeted by a stern face.

"Martha," you offer when she doesn't say thing. "Long time no see."

Unwavering, she asks "May I come in?"

You move to the side and gesture for her to enter the apartment. Your former mother in law, rather, your mother in law, takes in the apartment, the classic decor couldn't be more you.

"Clark?" She asks.

You nod towards the bedroom. "Asleep. The meds knock him out." She nods in understanding. "He's ok, though. He has a hairline fracture on his kneecap but it's not serious. A month with a cast. Doctor said the first week is the worse."

Martha runs a hand on the mantel, as if to check for dusk.

"Were you with him when it happened?"

You shake your head. "No. We went on a date earlier but he dropped me off before going home."

"A date?" Martha spits out.

Nervousness is replaced by anger and you cross your arms over your chest.

"Is there something you want to say to me, Martha?"

She turns to face you, her own arms crossed. "Do you know the mess he was when you left him? How… Destroyed, he was?" You bit your lip. As if you didn't know. "He almost killed himself. He said he didn't do it on purpose, but he nearly did. And today-"

"It was an accident, Martha."

"So now that you are screwing him again, everything is alright?!"

It hurts, to hear her something like that, especially from someone you considered family once. Anger vanishes and it's replaced by sorrow and disappointment. Martha also realizes what she had just said and her face falls.

"I'm sorry, Diana. He's-" She lets out a sob. "He's all I have."

You pull Martha for a hug, your heart breaking for the woman. Clark told you about the circumstances of the loss of his father and how neither he nor Martha could do anything to prevent it. Still, Jonathan Kent died saving people and he became a hero in the town Clark was raised.

Years later, Martha still hadn't found someone else. She'd told you once that Jonathan was the love of her life and she couldn't even imagine being with anyone else. That's exactly how you feel about Kal and perhaps that's what Martha needs to hear.

"He's the love of my life, Martha," you whisper after a beat.

"Didn't you already know that when you left him over a year ago?"

That's a fair question and she does deserve an answer.

"I did but I guess I wasn't fully aware of what it meant. You know what they say you never know what you have till it's gone? Well, I can attest to its veracity."

"I was trying to keep him from getting hurt again," Martha says when you are finished. "It's why I steered you away."

You nod. "I know that, Martha and in a way, I do understand. It hurt, God knows how much but perhaps we needed to go through that to prove what we have is real."

Part III: Clark

You wake up with the sound of the intercom but it takes you way longer than you'd like to get up and head to the living room. Before you do, however, you hear some of the exchange and decide to let them talk it out before you make your presence known.

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life with him?" Your mother asks and that instantly gets your attention.

"I do," Diana says and you know her well enough to be positive she has a smile on her face. "We have just gotten back together so it's too early to talk marriage. We still have a lot to work out, but i do want to spend the rest of my life with him."

You sneak a peek just in time to see the dreamy look on her face as Diana says "Have kids with him." Martha smiles and that puts you more are ease. To your surprise, Diana continues. "I always imagined a little boy, with big blue eyes and that sweet smile, just like his dad's."

You smile too, because you also imagined what your kids would be like, though you mostly picture a little girl, a tiny copy of Diana.

Diana looks down at her fidgeting hands. "I made the mistake of putting my work before Clark once and I will never do that again."

Martha reaches for Diana's hand and squeezes it, surprising both you and Diana.

"Good. Because Clark's not the only one you left, you know?"

"Oh, Martha," Diana croaks before pulling your mother into a hug and even though you know you shouldn't interfere, the scene is too damn beautiful and perfect and you feel so happy, you want them to be happy too.

"My two favorite girls," you say as you limp your way into the living room.

Diana lets go of Martha, who's on her feet in an instant, going for her son.

"Oh, honey," she cries as she hugs you fiercely.

"I'm ok, Ma," you assure the woman who raised you, hugging her back. "It's nothing serious." She checks your face to make sure you are alright, no cuts or bruises. "Di is taking really good care of me."

She looks over her shoulder at Diana, who's smiling at the two of you.

Part IV: Diana

You watch Martha hug Clark again after making sure her baby boy is ok.

It's funny, how parents always think about their children as, well, children. No matter the age, they're always their parents' little ones. You make a mental check to call your parents in Greece, tell them how much you miss them. Living in Paris allowed you to visit them more often, which is probably the only thing you miss about living in Europe.

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" You ask Martha. "I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up."

"Yeah, Ma," Kal smiles. "Stay."

"Well, I do remember Diana makes an excellent… Domatos?"

You smile at her attempt to speak the name of the greek dish.

"Domates Yemistes," you pronounce it, your accent heavier as perfect as it was when you spoke greek everyday.

"Yes, that." Martha looks at Clark. "Those were scrumptious!"

Kal smiles at you and you melt. "My girl's an amazing cook."

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