Part 3
Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, it's what you are expected to give -- which is everything.
In the beautiful city of Argo, a piercing squall of a newborn infant tore through the pristine calmness of an extravagant mansion. It was the home of one of the most prestigious members of the Supreme Council of Krypton, and that day was to be celebrated by the aging man because it was the fulfillment of his long-awaited dream. On that stormy night in the home he had built from his grandest fantasies was born the child he had wished for for so long.
Gab-rel stepped into the large master's bedroom and watched the physician lift a tiny infant out of the covers of the canopy bed and present it over to him. He took the child in his arms and raised it high.
"A daughter, Gab-rel," the physician informed him.
Beaming with pride, Gab-rel pronounced, "Caelie Gab-rel. She will be the most fortunate girl in all of Krypton." He took the child himself to the washing area and bathed the blood off the baby. Then, carrying the child still he proceeded to the canopy bed. At his approach, the curtains were parted to reveal his wife, propped up on eight white pillows. "Thank you," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. Caelie, Gab-rel knew, would be his one and only child. "I am grateful."
"Take her away," was the only response.
In her father's arms, the newborn Caelie whimpered, as if she understood the meaning of such cold voice from her mother. In very few seconds Caelie started to softly cry.
"You will need to feed her."
"I have already given you what you wanted, Gab-rel. You will not have me feeding your child."
His eyes fell on the front of her gown, where the cloth had darkened on spots with the overflow of the milk she would not share. "Would you then rather waste it than give it to Caelie?"
The woman on the bed looked at the restless child, then at her husband. "You know I had not wanted this. I had lost no chance to say it. You cannot claim I had led you to believe otherwise. I do not wish to see the child."
Gab-rel held on to the baby firmly, because Caelie's cries had increased in intensity. For years he had fought to get through to his wife, but it became so evident that she would not change. In the face of a child that desperately needed to eat, his wife could so deny her breast for hatred of her husband. There would be no reaching his wife. His luck would be better with those outside his home.
Gab-rel had taken the child to his study, where he had had a crib installed. He had no trust in his wife, nor in any other member of his household, when it came to Caelie. She had finally arrived, after years of dreaming of his own child. Caelie's care would never depend on the help. Gab-rel would leave his seat in Krypton's Supreme Council so he could take care of Caelie until she grew.
"You have a mother who does not want you," he spoke softly to the little girl, whose first hour on Krypton was so full of sadness. "But rest assured, my darling girl, that your father has enough love for you that you will never notice the lack of a mother."
A rapid knock on his door made him start. For a second his heart had stopped in the false hope that his wife had changed his mind. Only when Lion-ar, a strong supporter and a famed entrepreneur in Argo City, stepped inside, did Gab-rel bade him entrance. Reluctantly, Gab-rel straightened up from the crib.
"Old friend," Lion-ar greeted. "She has come."
The reminder of that desire to have a child that he had long expressed to his friend brought a smile to Gab-rel worried face. It was then that he noticed the little boy tugging at his father's tailcoats. "Yes, Lion-ar. Caelie has come to me. A blessing far beyond the worth of Krypton." Gab-rel nodded at the little boy.
The gesture of welcome seemed to be enough for the boy. He stepped out of his father's shadow and wandered into the room. He moved past the two men and over to the crib.
"Servants tongues move fast, Gab-rel. Word of your dilemma has reached the club."
"I swear she will be fine," Gab-rel vowed. "I had sent for help, for a wet nurse."
Lion-ar drew from his jacket a vial and handed it to Gab-rel. "A gift from Zor-el."
Gab-rel reached for the vial at once. He knew its worth, without being told. Zor-el was one of the most respected scientists in Argo City, a descendant of the House of El, whose contributions created Kryptonian civilization. As a member of Krypton's Supreme Council, Gab-rel had depended much on the help of the planet's scientists. He had not known that one of them would do as much as save his daughter's life.
"All that your child will need is in that vial. Pour it into water and you shall have enough to sustain Caelie until your nurse arrives."
Immediately, Gab-rel moved to action. He had called for warm water and turned to the crib. He stopped at the sight of Lion-ar's young son who had miraculously, at age five, dislodged one side of the crib and managed to haul himself up onto it. There he was, sitting beside Caelie, who had fallen asleep crying hunger.
"Lex-ar!" Lion-ar exclaimed, quickly stalking forward to claim his son.
Gab-rel held up his hand to stay Lion-ar. "Let him," advised Gab-rel. "He is doing nothing wrong."
As a servant arrived to pour the contents of the vial into warm water, the two fathers watched their children in the crib. Caelie was still asleep, and Lex-ar merely stared at her. As Gab-rel approached to try to get his daughter to take some of the milk, Lex-ar looked up at him. "Father," he said to Lion-ar, "it is boring to watch Mr. El's daughter. She's lazy."
Lion-ar winced at the words. Gab-rel merely smiled and waited for the boy to climb down. Despite his claim to boredom though, Lex-ar remained in the crib watching the baby. Caelie's eyes then opened and met Lex-ar's. Gab-rel gently prodded his daughter's lips with the milk bottle's nipple. When she latched on to it, Lex-ar took the bottle in both of his hands and held it up, leaving Gab-rel to let it go.
It took the hungry child a long time to finish half the bottle before she drifted off to sleep again. Lex-ar put the bottle down and yawned himself. Then, he laid down beside the child and closed his eyes.
