Clark and General Lane returned to the house after finishing their talk. The air had cleared somewhat but neither man seemed ready to give the other total trust. What they had was more like an understanding to allow the other an opportunity to earn a place of trust.
As they entered the house General Lane made an excuse that he really didn't have the time to stay but felt he had to come to see Lois about the 'surprise" wedding. Looking at Clark, "Lois must see something in you and perhaps I see some of it now too. I would still like to talk to my daughter though, please tell her to call me."
"Of course, I'll call her in a few minutes and ask her to call you. Goodbye."
Turning to Richard and seeing Jason behind him cautiously peeking out Clark smiled. "You can come out now Jason, he's leaving." Then to Richard, "Seems like all I've done all morning is put fires out." Smiling broadly raising one eyebrow as he spoke, "I think I finally figured out how to handle General Sam Lane."
"Are you telling me that was actually the same General Lane that was here just a few minutes ago? I don't know what you did or said but it definitely seems you learned how to handle him. By the way, what did you do? You didn't tell him, did you?"
"Noooo!, I'm not anywhere near ready for him to know that yet. I just gave him a mirror image of himself back at him. I can be as pompous as the next person if I have to be. It's really not in my nature but he seems to be one of those people who considers arrogance a desirable trait. Eck," he said shaking his head grimacing.
"I need to go to Smallville to make some of the arrangements for the wedding. I thought you, as my best man, and Jason would like to join me. Maybe even spend the rest of the weekend there. I can come back and get Lois and Kala when they're ready. I think the low key atmosphere would be good for Kala."
"That sounds good, how about if I fly the three of us? I was just about to pick up my new seaplane. We can test it out. I got a personal message from my insurance carrier that I was authorized to replace the old one at will. Can you believe that?"
"Wow, that's great."
"Evidently the 'mayor' put in a call on my behalf. Did you have anything to do with that?" Richard asked with a smirk.
"Hmmm, I wish I had thought of it since I did more or less personally destroy your old one. But actually I had nothing to do with it. Face it, you're now a celebrity, I suggest you run and hide." Superman said laughing.
On the way to pick up the seaplane Clark called Lois and filled her in on his talk with her father. She had gasped when he started but felt good with the outcome. She promised Clark she would call him. Then Clark asked what she thought of spending the rest of the weekend in Smallville so they could finalize everything there. She agreed promising to call after the shopping trip was finished.
Just a couple hours later Richard was piloting his new gently used seaplane headed to Smallville. Once in the air he looked over at Clark who was looking out the window intently.
"Have you ever flown a plane?"
As if thinking how to correctly answer Clark finally said in all seriousness, "Well, not from the inside."
Richard burst out laughing. "Want a lesson in flying a plane from the inside, that is?"
"Sure, knowledge is power!" he said smiling. "Besides, you never know when I might need to know how to actually fly a plane using the controls," he said laughing with Richard.
Jason was watching and listening to his two daddies with interest hoping he would get lessons someday on both flying inside and outside a plane.
Clark had called and informed Ben and Martha they were arriving and Ben was waiting in the truck near the lake where they landed. Deciding to first go to town and check out the Woof Lodge they all climbed into the truck. Martha was already in town finalizing the flower and cake orders Lois had placed over the phone.
The Lodge, even with its rustic name, was quite modern and used by most of the families in town for important events. Woof actually stood for Wichita Order of Odd Fellows. The Smallville chapter was actually known as IOOF or Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
The locals just knew it as the Odd Fellows Hall. It was actually a part of the Masons but since most of the men were members and their wives members of the auxiliary, the Rebekahs, the place was more like the town social hall.
Jason was particularly impressed with the hunting pictures in the hallway near the restrooms showing the "olden times".
Coming out of the lodge the three men were talking excitedly with Jason running ahead pointing and jumping around in front of an ice cream parlor. Just before they caught up to the excited boy, Richard who was on the inside, ran smack into a young blond woman coming out of the local cleaners. She had been carrying an armload of freshly cleaned clothes and dropped several of the articles almost loosing her balance before Richard caught her.
The three men hurriedly bent down to help her pick up the dropped items. She looked up in embarrassment and gratitude, "I'm so sorry, I couldn't see where I was…..Clark, is that really you? Egads, I haven't seen you since high school."
"Chloe, wow I didn't expect to see you. Last I heard you were in Afghanistan working as a WCNN correspondent. When did you get back?"
"Just this week. Thus the load of cleaning." Her eyes then caught Richard who was handing her the remaining articles that had dropped. "Well, who do we have here?"
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Chloe, this is Richard White, he's an assistant editor at the Daily Planet. Richard this is Chloe Sullivan an old friend of mind from high school as I guess you've already figured out. Of course you already know Ben, and that young man in front of the ice cream parlor is my son Jason."
Chloe smiled at Jason and then extended her hand to Richard. Clark noticed their hands seemed to linger as did their eyes.
Coming back to the group inpatient "Daddy, can't we get some ice cream, I'm hungry."
Chloe, would you like to join us? I'm sure the others would love to hear about your travels as much as I would love to catch up with you."
"Me? What about you? I just heard the news, evidently congratulations are in order. I would love to join you." She said to Clark while looking provocatively at Richard. Then looking back at Clark she continued, "So where is the lucky girl? I understand she works at the Daily Planet as well. Did I hear correctly, The Lois Lane?"
"Yes, news does travel fast in small towns, doesn't' it?" Taking Jason's hand they all headed inside the old fashioned ice cream parlor. Martha had been across the street and seeing them crossed the street to join them inside just as they were taking a large booth in the corner.
Since it was almost lunch time they decided to order lunch first then have desert. Jason insisted he wasn't hungry.
"Jason, just five minutes ago you were hungry, now you're not?" Clark tried to be serious.
In a small voice, "I'm just hungry enough for ice cream."
"We'll just order you a small lunch, then you can have ice cream. You want to grow up to be big and strong don't you?"
Jason nodded but seemed to pout just a little.
Martha smiled and looked at her son "And just what kind of breakfast did you have this morning, you do know breakfast is the most important meal?"
Clark though to himself, oh no, caught again, she must know I was in California putting out that fire and didn't take time for breakfast…think fast Kent...I had something hot …no I don't think smoke is a food … deciding to just admit the truth, "Well, I didn't actually have time for breakfast this morning."
"Just as I thought, well you had better have a good lunch. I keep telling him he needs to take better care of himself. Hmmmp, fine example you're sitting for Jason. And what's this I hear about a little girl Kala is it?"
"I had pancakes for breakfast. And bacon too. So can I just have the ice cream now?"
Everyone laughed and Richard replied, "No, Jason we'll all have a good lunch and then ice cream."
Chloe was surprised Richard had replied to Jason rather than Clark but she dismissed it.
Richard, totally intrigued by Chloe asked, "So what brings you back to Smallville after working for WCNN no less?"
"I was really just one of the underlings and after 9 months over in Afghanistan I had just had enough. I came home to regroup so to speak. I was actually thinking about applying at the Daily Planet. I figured if Clark could make his mark there maybe I could too. I really enjoy investigative journalism."
"Chloe was editor of the paper at our High School. In fact she practically ran the whole paper by herself. I worked with her for a while. She's responsible for my getting the bug so to speak."
"Yeah, those were the days, have you seen Lana yet? Clark had the biggest crush on her all during high school. Little did he know I had a big crush on him the whole time."
"What? You what? No way!"
"See what I mean. Yes you big lug. I can't believe you didn't notice but then you only had eyes for Lana didn't you? Oh, I saw her this morning out jogging. She's getting ready to do some big run, a 2K or maybe a 5K. Whatever, she looks great. I'm sure you'll be seeing her around town. Is she invited to the wedding?"
"Actually I think Mom has just about opened it up to everybody in town. I would love to have you there. Can you make it?"
"Looking at Richard, "Will you be there?"
"I'm the Best Man, so yes without a doubt I'll be there, may I escort you, I hate to go stag to things like this?"
"Hmmm, I thought you would never ask."
Clark smiled and looked from Martha to Ben, saying, "Well if everyone is finished we should get out of here. There's a lot more we need to do. Chloe, why don't you show Richard around town. We can meet back up later at the farm?"
Richard's eyes got big but Chloe grabbed his hand before he could object and led him out the door.
Exiting themselves, Clark got a call from Lois saying she and Kala were ready to join them in Smallville. Ben and Martha took Jason home while Clark headed to Metropolis to collect the rest of the family.
"So what was Clark like in high school?" Richard asked as they walked down the street.
"What, a girl grabs you and you want her to talk about another guy, what gives?"
"Well, I guess I've never been grabbed by a girl like that before and I'm not sure how to react."
"Well, I don't really want to talk about Clark. I got over him a long time ago. As a matter of fact he's the very reason I grabbed you like that. After high school, pining after Clark all those years while he pined after Lana I figured If I was interested in a guy I should do something about it. Unfortunately you're the first guy I really felt that way about." Chloe looked directly into his eyes, "Do I surprise you? Being so direct that is, I mean we just met."
"No… well yes, but I think I like it."
Arriving at Richard's house, Superman entered though Jason's window as Lois had suggested when she called then instantly changed to Clark.
"Are you really going to fly us all the way to Smallville? Kala said excited. "To meet your family. I can't believe you want me to meet your family." She was sitting on the edge of Lois's bed.
"Kala, as far as we're concerned you are part of our family. As a matter of fact we're going to do everything we can to make it legal. What do you think of that?" Clark said softly looking from Kala to Lois.
"Do you really mean it? You want me to be part of your family."
"Of course Kala and as soon as it can be done legally," Lois said sitting next to her putting her arms around the young girl.
Clark who was still standing a few feet from the bed smiled at the scene before him. He thought they looked so natural together. He hated breaking up the scene but finally after several seconds he said, "Hey, lonely over here."
Lois and Kala both laughed and getting up from the bed Lois went to Clark and gave him a big hug and kissed him warmly. Then she helped Kala finish putting away the many things they had just purchased. They gathered a few things and Clark had the idea that he could transport them in the car. Lois got behind the wheel and Clark squeezed himself into the passenger seat with Kala buckled up in the back. Once out of town and out of sight from any prying eyes Clark got out and changing to Superman flew the car to Smallville not only providing them with transport but also a car while there.
Arriving at the farm Clark, Lois and Kala went inside. At first Kala hung back behind the two adults she had bonded with still fearful in new situations and strange people. Sensing the little girl needed time Martha and Ben didn't push.
Jason came bounding down the stairs almost immediately running up to her. "They're here, oh boy Kala's here. We are going to have so much fun. Did you know I can juggle?"
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I wish to thank my Beta reader SHADOLibrarian once again for her valuable input and editing
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Please be nice and review
