Chapter 37 [Half an Hour Later]
Clark inspected himself in the mirror with a careful eye. He smoothed his light blue dress shirt and dark khaki pants. He combed his hair for the second time. He just wanted to do his best and seem the part. He shrugged conceding the point to his nerves. I just want this to go perfectly. He sucked in a heavy breath to compose himself. Then he retraced his steps from earlier and rapped on Lana's door.
She opened the door slowly. Seeing him standing there brightened her face. Her eyes glistened in the off-white lighting. Warmth exuded from her gentle smile. She wore a beige sweater and a pair of dark slacks. She carried an off-white coat over her left arm. "Hi, Clark. Not bad." She nodded in admiration.
He grinned before granting her cheek a chaste kiss. "You definitely look great yourself. Are you feeling better?"
"A little. Jor-El's advice earlier really helped," she noted. "And then there's you too." She kissed him quickly. "I'm so glad we can share the evening together, Clark."
"Me too." His heart started skipping anxiously with excitement. "I still can't believe this is happening. Sorry but…."
She giggled inciting the butterflies to bump around in his stomach yet faster. "It's really okay. I just hope that Mr. Arighatto stays away and that the ghost business does the same."
"Tell me about it. I don't want you to worry, Lana." He drew her into a secure embrace.
"And I don't want you having to think about playing hero tonight either. This should be about us enjoying a night with our friends. This is about Miri celebrating with her aunt and uncle," she declared.
"Not to mention Pete getting a girlfriend? I'll believe it when I see it," he observed incredulously.
She quirked an eyebrow before giving him a gentle slap on the arm. "At least he's trying! Samantha's trying too. I think it's great."
He rolled his eyes. "I didn't say that. I just hope he doesn't hurt her. I've seen how she looks at him."
She smirked rather impishly. "Maybe you should lend her your telescope since you don't need it anymore."
He bowed his head. His cheeks turned scarlet.
"It's okay, Clark. I know why you kept your distance. Maybe we could do some double dates with them?" she suggested.
"Maybe Lex might help with a run to the country store or something? Something simple," Clark supposed.
"Now that's what I was thinking about." She rubbed his shoulder affectionately. "Come on. We have to meet Lex downstairs."
Clark looked around anxiously. I'm with her. I just hope the bad stuff stays away!
[Lobby]
Lex checked his watch and perused the Daily Franklin Times' Features section for any autumnal entertainment going on that weekend. Ashfield has their craft fair this weekend. Old Deerfield's recreating seventeenth century harvest traditions. I'll have to run those by the others. Definitely might have some ideas for the Talon. If for nothing else, Clark and Byron will get some help for their articles.
"Still slumming, Lex? I would've expected you to be partying in Boston perhaps."
Lex chuckled to himself. He glanced up from the Times to see Lionel standing about five feet from him. "Hey, Dad. I'm actually shocked you'd still be here in the sticks. And actually Clark, Lana and I are going to a celebration dinner in Miranda's honor. It's going to be quite the event."
"That is if any of you get through it alive, Lex. Arighatto knows what's going on," Lionel pointed out.
Lex coughed sarcastically. "Actually, Dad, he's already been through the Talon and here. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, right?" He raised an eyebrow at the elder man.
"Son, you have to understand…."
"I have to understand what? Is this where you lay the speech on me about not interfering in the relationships between parents and kids?" Lex snorted. "You've done such a great job in that regard. Look at what Arighatto did up here! He destroyed the Dubois family and kidnapped Miranda. You do know he caused trouble in Smallville and here today. Both times he ran into Dave's resident pit bull."
"I've heard that Dubois lapsed in public. The man is dangerous, Lex!" Lionel countered.
"Oh I agree. If he's pushed, he could be. But again, why would that be? Maybe if you hadn't interfered and stirred up the soup, he'd be normal? You found that land. You opened that can of whoop ass on him. And now the gift seems to be reaching out still further. He "lapsed" as you put it because Arighatto attacked the kids. You should have stuck around to watch him and his wife with Miranda, Clark and Lana today. It's been great. The uncle and family friend, you know?" Lex pointed out.
Lionel coughed sarcastically. "Someday, Son, you'll understand why things are the way they are. Go ahead and play philanthropist. As I've told you before, no matter how hard you try, you're not one of them. Dubois isn't either despite your mother's misconceptions. I'd tell him that myself." He shivered from a sudden chill in the air. He rolled his eyes.
"Depends on your point of view, Uncle Lieonel," Dave cut in from behind them. He leaned up against the white wallpapered wall. "I'd listen to Alex if I was you. Pity that you don't share in Auntie's so-called misconceptions. You were never worthy of her. She and my grandmother should be canonized for putting up with Grandpa's, Dad's and your garbage." He let out a heavy breath before taking a draught from his coffee cup. He considered the glowing scar on his hand. "Now see what you stirred up?"
"What I? You can't control yourself!" Lionel disputed sarcastically.
"Newsflash, Lie Boy, my darker side hasn't had to announce himself publically like that in fifteen years! Yes he's apparently gone off looking for Miranda. Fine. He's maybe hung out in Amherst just like Angie and I do on occasion. Okay. I go and put flowers on the family's graves. But I'm not the one who ripped the cover open on Pandora's Box. Nor is he. That is on YOU, Lionel. You found the house. You and Dad brought me out to Smallville in the first place. You linked us all to the dark past garbage. Auntie tried to warn you. But oooh noooo….you wouldn't listen. Too many deals. Too many people to screw over. Your own personal remake of the Great Gatsby. Et tu, Gatsby?"
"Gatsby?" Lex queried.
"Seems I'm not the only one with a dark skeleton in the closet. Am I?" Dave sipped purposefully on his drink again. "I'll tell you in private later, Alex."
Lionel ground his teeth. How did this bastard find out…? "I too have secrets, Dubois. And I know others' secrets."
"Yeah I can imagine you do." Dave sighed. "I actually have carried certain secrets around with me concerning my friends for decades. I would have thought, Lionel, you'd know that." He motioned up the stairs. "If I'm feeling the vibes, you can bet Lana is too. And all because you had to incite Arighatto further." He shook his head. "This is kind of like what happened at Dad's Christmas party back in '79. You stirred things up there too. Nearly killed Karen Montoya and me with your poison aphrodisiac. All you did was bring Nightmare Annie to the hospital. Same thing at the Talon. That mess this afternoon out there—your doing. Remember my insight to you concerning the giant wasps? As I said back then, don't assume because you're all big and bad that you can just storm into a foreign place and just keep going. The environment could kick back in a very nasty fashion."
"Yes more fairy tales," Lionel deflected.
"Funny how you ignore the victims, Lionel. Instead of bugging us today, you should have been at Center Cemetery. Maybe you should go and see Auntie since your horror show killed her." Dave pressed on before finishing his drink and pitching the cup into the trash with an edge. "Tonight is for celebration and good will. Tonight is not for Lex and me. It is for Miranda, Clark and Lana not to mention their friends. It's in memoria for Auntie, my grandparents, Laura, Lewis, Randy and Terri. I'm praying that everything stays on the straight and narrow tonight. I just want your glee squad to stay away. If they don't, I suspect it could get tres-ugly real fast." He peered into Lionel's eyes and asserted telepathically, And yeah, I know you know about Clark's secret. So do I, Dumb Ass. Touch that kid and you'll deal with me.
Lionel looked at his former partner's son with fear and disgust. "Lex, he just spoke in my head!"
"Funny what exposure does. Isn't it, Dad?" Lex supposed. "I'd leave now if I was you."
"This isn't finished, Dubois," Lionel vowed.
"It never is with you. You're not welcome at the tavern tonight, Lionel. The innkeeper's well aware of your odiousness. I'd go drop in on a brothel or something more on your level," Dave dismissed before heading toward the stairs.
"You let him talk to me like that? Lex, you should know better!" Lionel scolded adamantly.
Lex chortled sarcastically, "Dad, he didn't say anything that isn't true. He's right about the legacy stuff. Mom and Janet Dubois would've wanted this for the kids. I'm behind him one hundred percent. And before you say he isn't family, Mom sure as Hell thought he was. So do I. Have a nice night." With that, he followed the other man toward the stairs.
Lionel scowled and stormed from the inn. For once even he had no words or threats to counter his ouster.
One could hope that would remain the case…..
Lex allowed himself a minute to compose his thoughts and feelings. He exhaled a calming breath. Then he sauntered over in a relaxed fashion to where Dave was speaking with Clark and Lana. "Ready, Guys?"
"Lex, what was going on with your Dad?" Lana queried.
"Nothing worth mentioning, Lana. As Mr. Dubois told Dad, tonight's for you and your folks. Shall we?" Lex assured the teens as they all left for the parking lot.
As they walked out, Clark looked around anxiously. While the growing twilight seemed peaceful enough, something seemed out of place. Now what?
Once more Jor-El's directive came to mind….
Nothing was easy now was it?