Chapter four
Two days later was the registration for pre-season. Casey knew she didn't even have to play that day, but the idea of meeting the girls and the coaches still freaked her out. She was almost finished with her chores when the alarm on her watch went off. It was 12:15. 45 minutes until registration, it was time to go. She headed inside and looked for Martha.
Dave was inside getting a glass of lemonade.
"Hey you." She smiled "You seen my grandmother?"
"Oh your dad took her into town to pick up some things." Dave said.
"What?" She asked, "She's supposed to take me to register for soccer! I need to go!"
"Calm down." He said finishing his drink. "I'll take you over to the school."
"Dave!" Jonathan spotted them as they left the house. "There you are. I need you to finish the south field."
"Yes sir. I'll get to it right after I take Case over to the high school to register for soccer."
"The field needs to be finished as soon as possible." Jonathan told him a bit more sternly.
"Grandpa." Casey said "We'll be back in an hour at the most."
" Casey I'm sorry but Dave needs to get his work done. You should have made plans earlier to get to this registration." Jonathan sighed.
"I did. Grandma said she'd take me, but she went into town with Dad. And by the time they get back it might be to late. Besides it's no big deal."
"Actually it is a big deal. As much as you want this to be our own personal playground, this farm keeps food on the table and I intend to keep it running. So unless YOU want to take over Cassandra, I suggest you leave it to me."
Casey's heart sank to the pit of her stomach. She'd never, EVER heard her grandfather talk to anyone, especially her, that way. She wasn't sure what she should do or say. She felt her body turn around and quickly move into the house. She sat down at the kitchen counter.
"Hey bugger." Ryan said coming in from the barn. " I saw what happened out there. You okay?" She looked up at him. "Of course you're not. Stupid question. Look, if you want me to, I can drive you to the registration."
"Its not about the stupid registration." Casey sighed putting her head on his shoulder.
"I know." He said, comforting her. "But it still might help to get you off of the farm. It'll give both you and Grandpa time for your tempers to cool off."
"GRANDPA is the one with the temper. I don't have a temper." She said folding her arms.
"Clearly." Ryan responded sarcastically. Casey wanted to slug him in the shoulder, but she couldn't help chuckle when she saw the smile on her brothers face.
Later that night
Clark noticed when Casey and Ryan returned from the registration that Casey and his father weren't in their usual comfortable mood. At dinner it was obvious they were avoiding eye contact. When Ryan knocked on Clarks door, he was more than ready to hear what was going on.
"Dad?" Ryan said going into the room.
"Yeah Ry."
"Well… I need to tell you something…well, I mean, its not like I'm telling on Grandpa or trying to rat out Casey…but they kinda had a fight today and I think you should fix it. See Casey had to go to the soccer registration and Grandpa just went off and… "
It was clear to Clark what had occurred. Now he just needed to figure out how to handle it.
Clark found Jonathan sitting in front of a pile of papers. "Dad, can I talk to you for a sec?"
"Can it wait, Son. I have so much to do before tomorrow morning." Jon explained.
"Dad its kind of important. Its about what happened this afternoon with you and Casey." Jonathan stopped shuffling through the papers, but didn't look up as Clark continued. "Dad I know you want to protect her and you think she'll hurt somebody, but we gotta let Casey do this soccer thing."
"Clark, I told you I would help you and that's all I'm trying to do. I've been through this before. The missed play dates and team sports and the disappointment that comes with sacrifice. They say there's no manual on how to raise a child. Well trust me, I wouldn't change any part of you, but finding instructions on how to raise a child who has super powers is even more rare. "
Clark sighed. "Dad, you and Mom were- are great parents. That's why I know you gave me enough good sense to make the right decision here. Casey has been… well she's been through a lot lately. A lot more than any kid her age should have to handle. And I want to protect her as much as you do. But I know her and I can tell… she's on the brink right now. She's so close to being happy- so close to being almost whole again. Right now she needs to know that I trust her…that we trust her. And as much as I value your opinion and appreciate all you've done for us, I cant watch my daughter fall apart because we're too afraid to see her try."
Jonathan nodded. He clapped his son, who was now a man, on the back and headed up to talk with his granddaughter.
Casey always loved it when both of her brothers were nice to her at the same time. They were never "mean" to her, but Will sometimes picked on her and often, as the oldest, Ryan was really bossy. Then there were the mixed times when she and Will were joined at the hip doing stupid, silly things and Ryan was "too cool" to hang out with them. And then moments when she was Ryan's pet and they'd read or have long significant talks and Will knew his energy would only disrupt them. But then every once in a while they all got along. She noticed that this was one of those times. They were arranged on her floor listening to music and playing "I Spy." She should have been cheerful, but she wasn't. This moment was fake. Her brothers were there out of obligation. It was their duty to protect her. Take her mind off being sad. She appreciated it, but it didn't change the facts.
Her Grandfather was mad at her and she was mad at him. Mad and confused. Mad, confused and guilty. But most of all, she was hurt. What had she done? She didn't mean to do anything. And even if she did do something, what gave him the right to snap at her like that? These thoughts raced through her head as she searched the room for the something blue that Will spied.
There was a knock on the door and Jonathan poked his head in. "Hey kids." He said a bit uncomfortably.
"Hi Grandpa." Will said.
"Erm, boys, can I talk to your sister…alone." Jonathan said.
"Oh um, yes sir." Ryan complied. Both boys looked to Casey as they walked into the hall.
Jonathan stood uncomfortably in the front of Casey's bed and said "Your room is always so much neater than the guys room." He was stalling.
"I try to clean it up every morning." So was she.
Jonathan caved. "So about earlier today… I just want you to know… Casey I want to protect you and today… I didn't mean to lash out at you. Its just that I love you so much and I want you to know, I only have your best interest at heart Honey Bear." Casey smiled when he called her that. She remembered how Jonathan used to hide small jars of honey around the kitchen when they would visit, and she as his Honey Bear would find them. She saw her grandfather's face and knew he meant what he'd said. Casey stood up on her bed so that she was a little taller than Jonathan. She went over and gave him a hug.
'Now get some rest." Jonathan said. "Tomorrow's your first official practice as a crow. I'll drive you in bright and early."
She got up early the next day and found the brand new shin guards, ball and cleats with a note from Clark on them:
Casey
I hope these help you play your heart out, my baby.
Love Always,
Daddy
Martha had already made her her own breakfast and a bag lunch.
Jonathan wished her luck and kissed her on the cheek before she went into the building that would be her new school in a week.
Back at the farm, the Kent boys and Dave were busy working on their chores.
"So Dave," Ryan said, "You excited for school to start?"
"I'd be if I were him." Will cut in. "You only have to work like this in the summer right?"
"Not really. I mean, I don't work here during the school year, but I do work at my family's farm."
"You have a farm too?" Will asked. "Why don't you work there during the summer?
"Well kids come from Met U. willing to work and my Dad doesn't need me there so I work here."
"Dude, if college guys wanted to work here, I wouldn't go looking for another job. I mean you started here when you were what 14. " Ryan said.
"13." Dave corrected. "And its not that bad. The Kents have always been really nice to me. Plus, its not like I have a choice. My dad's kinda strict. He said I had to work because he says jobs build character." The boys went back to their work. About an hour later they were called into lunch. A little after they were done the phone rang.
"Kent residence." Clark said. "Hi sweetheart. It's Casey," he said to the rest of the room. Then returned to the phone. "So how was it? That's great. Did you like the other girls? Oh that's nice. Alright, I'll see you then." Clark had on his trademark smile as he turned to the rest of the room. "She did great!" He beamed heading out the door. "She made the first and second cuts for varsity."
Casey spent the whole car ride home talking about what she had learned, how she was planning to improve and how great she thought the team was going to be. When she got home, she entertained the rest of the family with the same stories. She was at the end of her story about her first goal of the day when she noticed Dave wasn't in the room. She found him in the barn, moving bales of hay.
"What're you doing in here?" She asked.
"Just finishing up the days work. I heard you were awesome today."
"Well you know, what can I say." She went to give him a hug but he backed away.
"I'm all sweaty." He explained.
"So am I, besides when has being sweaty ever been a bad thing?" She asked, half joking, half confused. "Are you okay?"
"Yes…Yes I'm fine." He assured her, but Casey didn't trust it.
"Are you positive?"
"Yes. I'm fine. In fact with you here…" He kissed her " I'm more than fine."
They went up to the loft of the barn. "Case…." Dave said softly trying not moan out of pleasure as she felt under his shirt. "Casey," He repeated "We can't do this here." She ignored Dave, straddling him over his legs. "Somebody's in a good mood." He joked before coming back to his senses. "Case, your father will kill me if he catches us like this and if he doesn't your grandparents will have me hung. Your grandpa has massive muscles."
Casey got off of him him. "Davey, for future reference, nothing kills the mood like mentioning a girls grandparents when she's all hot and bothered."
He kissed her on the forehead, smiled and said "Sorry, but I'd rather kill the mood than have your family kill me."
The Kent kids went to the Tallon that night after dinner. "So Case, why didn't your boy toy join us tonight?" Will asked when Ryan went up to get their drinks.
"His father wanted him to go home early or something." Then she spotted the girl with the dyed hair. "Hey Will look who it is." She said.
"Shut up Case." Will whispered.
"What, did you not tell Ry about your lover? But you constantly tell him about all of your other little lady friends."
"Not when he likes her too."
"Oh!" Casey laughed out loud. "So the plot thickens."
"Casey, you tell Ryan about me and her and I swear our deal about Dave and the baby stories and photos is terminated."
"No way." She argued. "We shook. You cant just change a deal."
"DO NOT tell him Casey."
"Since when have you had the right to tell me what to do?" Casey complained.
"Um I don't know, SINCE YOU WERE BORN."
"Fine, Mr. Crabby. Mums the word." She said as Ryan walked over.
"Hey do you see who's sitting over by the counter?" Ryan asked.
"Erm…No who?" Will lied.
"That girl Lisa from last week. I thought we hit it off last time. I'm gunna go talk to her."
"That sounds like a great idea." Casey said smiling as big as she could.
Will pinched her elbow. "I don't know man," he said. "She's not THAT great and…um…I heard she has a peg leg!"
"A peg leg?" Both Ryan and Casey asked.
"Who told you she has a peg leg?" Ryan asked.
"I dunno." Will said kicking himself for coming up with such a bad lie. "I just heard it around. It's a small town you know."
"Well I'm still gunna go talk to her, peg leg and all." Ryan said and he went over to her.
"A peg leg?" Casey repeated. "That's classic. 'I heard it around,' you are SO lame."
Will looked over at the girl with the dyed hair, who'd spotted and said hi to Ryan. Everything seemed fine. "They're just talking." He said to Casey. "Maybe she wont tell him anything." Suddenly the expression on Ryan's face changed. He looked directly at his siblings and Will sighed. "Or maybe I'm a dead man."
"What the hell, Will?" Ryan said as they drove home from the talon. Ryan gripped the steering wheel tightly with a curious Casey sitting next to him in the passenger seat for the first time in weeks (usually Will either called or said he called 'shotgun' way before she did, but that night he felt more comfortable in the back away from Ryan).
"Dude, don't overreact." Will said.
"I should kick your ass." Ryan said. "I mean first of all, you knew I liked her and went after her anyway. But more than that you lied to me."
"I did not lie." Will opposed
"I asked you if you wanted to go for Lisa and you said no. THAT'S a lie."
"Well, I mean I didn't want to go for Lisa at the time. And then I did." Will sighed. Ryan reached to the back seat and slugged his younger brother in the shoulder not noticing he was also running a red light. The sirens wailed.
"Unbelievable! Could this night get ANY better" Ryan yelled. He turned to his brother and sister and whispered, "Do not say a word." They nodded as he turned to greet the cop. "Hi, how are you tonight?"
The five foot two cop with black hair nodded. "I was alright until you came speeding by that light. Are you aware of what the red light means?"
"Um, stop." Ryan answered.
"Correct. And are you aware of the color of the light you just passed?"
"Yes ma'am. It was red, but…"
"Well now we're getting somewhere." She said. "License and registration."
"I-I know I should have stopped, but see I…"
"License and registration." She repeated, more firmly this time.
"Yes ma'am." He complied.
She looked at the license. "Kent? As in Clark Kent, Jonathan and Martha's son?"
"Yep. He's our father." Casey said from the backseat, which earned her a glare from Ryan.
"Well I'll be." The cop sighed. "How long are y'all visiting for?"
"We've actually been living here now for just about a month now."
" I used to know your dad. I just moved back into town myself." She sighed. "Hmmm. Tell you what I'll let you off with a warning if you promise to tell your dad I said hello."
"Sure!" Ryan eagerly agreed. "What's your name?"
"Lana. Lana Lang."