"I blame you for this!"
Circa July 2018.
Fiddling with his cufflinks once more, Clark waited in the kitchen. He'd been adjusting and readjusting the lapels of his tux, his shirt cuffs and his black bow tie again and again, glancing over at his watch every couple of minutes. Since they were all dressed up for a night out, they'd be taking the truck to Metropolis rather than super-speeding, but that meant having to leave much earlier hence Clark's growing impatience. Lois had already spent an uncomfortable hour at the hair salon on Smallville's Main Street, wanting her hair to be just right. Feeling self-conscious, she had ignored Clark's comments about how beautiful her hair already was, deciding it needed jazzing up to convey the right level of tasteful elegance. The truth was, she didn't like being cooped up in the house and yearned to get out more but in her condition, being cooped up inside for hours on end was becoming a frequent occurrence. She was at 38 weeks.
The Kent farmhouse had had several licks of paint and updates to the décor over the years but by and large, it still resembled the house he had grown up in. It had never lost its old-fashioned charm. The farm had almost been sold in 2011 but the buyer panicked after the cataclysmic events caused by Darkseid and Apokolips and failed to close on the deal. Clark had kept hold of the property and when Martha's term of office had ended a year later, she'd returned to Smallville and chosen to live at the farmhouse once more. The majority of the land had been sold off in instalments in the intervening years but the farmhouse, the barn and a couple of other outbuildings remained under the Kent name. Though Martha lived alone, Clark and Lois would spend at least one weekend every month back in Smallville, and Clark could whizz by as often as he wished, especially if his mom needed some help. Martha had taken Clark's old room which still had plenty of space for her, so that the larger main bedroom could be shared by husband and wife as intended. The arrangement suited everybody.
Clark called out from downstairs. "Lois, are you ready yet?"
"Coming," was the short reply from the bedroom. He tuned into his super-hearing and caught Lois muttering to herself, "God, gimme a minute!"
To Clark's surprise, he heard the bedroom door open within the allotted minute, and then heard Lois stepping across the landing to the top of the stairs. She hadn't allowed him see her outfit because she was afraid he might compare it to a hot air balloon. If she chose to look at it reasonably, of course he would never think such a thing much less verbalise it, but still she let those doubts settle in her head on account of her size. The only thing she'd let Clark do before kicking him out of the room was to help put her pendant necklace on - a gift he'd bought prior to their originally intended wedding. He'd gotten dressed in the downstairs front room that nobody used.
"It's so itchy under here, and I can't scratch it."
Clark looked up at the girl on the stairs. Her bare feet could just be seen beneath a beautiful burgundy evening gown with gold shoulder straps. The cut at the top allowed for ample cleavage - and Lois' cleavage was more than ample given she was over 8 months now - above which the pendant necklace rested. The heart-shaped pendant was 24-carat gold and contained an oval photograph inlay no bigger than a small fingernail. The image within was a miniature replication of one of Lois' favourite photographs - the selfie of herself and Clark on a Mexican beach during their first trip abroad together as a couple. She had a thin gold bracelet on her right arm, and little gold earrings to complete the ensemble. She was holding a clutch bag which was the same colour as the gown.
Her face and hair were perfect, and though it was evident that she was carrying a little extra weight apart from her protruding belly, she still took Clark's breath away. It had been a while since he'd seen her in such attire but the impact was still the same. And that was despite Lois simultaneously trying to scratch an itch below her belly as well as attempting to remove a wedgie from behind. Her features were contorted in frustration as she let out a heavy sigh.
"If you're not feeling up to it, we don't have to go," suggested Clark in sympathy.
"I'm fine. Of course we have to go, Clark. They're giving me an award. How would it look if I didn't show up in person?"
"I'm sure they'd understand."
"News waits for no woman. It doesn't take much to be out of the picture. Before you know it, you're writing about stray cats for some local rag. Name and reputation are everything in this business."
The itch under her belly still hadn't been scratched to her satisfaction.
"You've won plenty of awards," Clark offered. "Everyone seems to think you're in line for a Pulitzer soon."
"This is the Edward R. Murrow Press Society banquet!" replied Lois, exasperated and gesturing with her arms out to imply the significance of the occasion to be obvious.
"Lo, they gave you an award three years ago!" Clark recalled.
"That was on Perry's behalf! I had to fly coach all the way to San Francisco, the airline lost my bag and nobody at the gala knew who the hell I was. Half of them didn't even know who Perry was, can you believe that?"
She plopped her clutch bag onto the flat section of the banister railing to allow for the use of both hands to finally resolve her itching.
"Look, if you're uncomfortable, we can call and arrive fashionably late," suggested Clark, aware that Lois would be fidgety the whole ride there and back, plus during the banquet itself.
"Alright, you wanna know why I want to go to this despite looking like a giant spacehopper?"
"Lo, you do not look like a spacehopper, and before you say it, you are not fat."
"I can't even see my own feet Clark!"
"Well, uh…that's because you've provided such a nice warm temporary home for our baby," he vamped, caught out by his own urge to say something to placate her. He hoped it would do as he diverted his eyes to look around anywhere but straight at her. It didn't.
"Cut the crap, Smallville. I know I'm huge."
"Come on, you are not huge. You're cuddlier, and I still think you're the hottest woman in the world. You can do sexy without breaking sweat."
"Fine. Now you'll never know!"
"I'm sure you'll tell me anyway," Clark smirked, knowing she wouldn't be able to help herself.
Before she knew she'd been tricked into confessing, she'd already opened her mouth and begun to yammer away.
"When they last held the society banquet in Metropolis, I got turned down at the gate. My name wasn't on any guest list and I didn't even have the fall back of being a plus one. I could see colleagues I worked with at the Planet and even a couple from the Inquisitor. I'm pretty sure they were laughing at my expense."
"How do you know any of them will show up tonight?"
"I don't, but that's not the point. At the time, I felt as though I was at my lowest ebb professionally. I was stuck in a rut doing filler articles and Randall kept turning down my bigger scoops. I was so desperate I made up a story on the fly."
Clark gave her a quizzical stare.
"Ugh," she sighed, widening her eyes. "Hello? Stiletto!"
The flash of recollection hit Clark like a freight train. The tightest of black pleather outfits, a billowing cape, matching knee-high boots and a black mask offsetting ruby red lips and flowing dark hair. The flash of recollection also brought him to the moment in the early hours of a few days later when he'd woken up all of a sudden bathed in sweat and at half mast, thinking about 'Blur-Etto' - he remembered internet fan sites coming up with that nickname for the pair of them - getting it on at his desk back at the Daily Planet. That imaginary tryst had carried on in the elevator and then up in Tess' office where the windows got completely steamed up and pleather came off, until a knock on the door had snapped him out of the dream before they could reach a finish. Clark was currently looking away from Lois to hide the redness climbing up his cheeks.
"Man, I'd forgotten all about that," Clark spoke under his breath, before asking out loud, "Do you still have that outfit?"
A devilish grin spread across Lois' face, representing a complete about-turn from her earlier flustered state. Without realising it, Clark had managed to calm her down. "Wow Smallville, I didn't have you down as having a leather fetish. Tights yes, but leather?"
Clark tilted his head to one side as a silent request for Lois to knock it off with the teasing. She smiled brightly knowing she'd got through his defences yet again. Grabbing her bag, she made to make her way downstairs and plant her feet in the soft and comfortable low-heeled shoes waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. Just as she was taking her first step, she felt an unfamiliar knotting at the base of her stomach followed by a whoosh of air. For the briefest of moments, she wondered why things felt a little lighter before realising there was moisture trickling its way down her legs. Glancing down at the edge of the top step, she could see a pool of water expanding. She was certain she hadn't just wet herself, so it could only mean…
"Uh oh!"
"What is it?" Clark's voice had yet to convey an appropriate sense of alarm.
"Change of plans. We're not going to the banquet."
"You changed your mind again?"
"Don't freak out," she answered, her eyes now wide as saucers as she herself began to freak out, "but my water just broke."
At that very moment, Martha opened the kitchen door and entered with a bag of groceries. Since she'd be spending the evening alone, she'd chosen to treat herself to a nice glass of red and a good book in front of the fireplace. It was something she'd often done at her rented house in Washington but it had always lacked the cosiness of the Kent farmhouse.
"Hi Clark. You're both still here? I thought you'd have left by-"
"-Mom, Lois' water just broke," he interrupted. "She's going into labour."
Quickly dumping the groceries down on the kitchen counter, Martha hurried over to the stairs to see Lois in her panicked state.
"Have the contractions started?" she asked, instantly in take-charge mode.
"No, but they can't be far away," replied Lois shakily, taking a couple of deep breaths and propping herself against the wall.
Clark headed up the stairs to tend to Lois, dropping an old rag onto the top step to mop up the spill with his foot while speaking to his mom. "We discussed our options. I can either take Lois to Emil's clinic or bring him here. He has some equipment set aside just in case."
"Lois, do you think you can make it to the clinic?" Martha called out.
Lois' eyes practically bugging out as she felt her first contraction told Martha the answer. Clark would have to fetch Emil.
"You go, honey. I'll stay with Lois. We've got towels, ice in the freezer. I think I can manage for the few seconds it takes you to bring Emil over. You call him, and I'll head on up."
Clark gently took Lois by the arm and led her to their bedroom. By now, Lois was gritting her teeth as the pain began to increase in intensity. Once he'd settled her down onto the bed, Martha came in with a handful of clean towels and a large blanket. Clark left her to it and dialled Emil's number. The doctor answered on the second ring, and seemed to know exactly why Clark was calling. He was prepared.
"Emil, it's time. Are you ready to come over to the house?" At the doctor's affirmative, he added, "I'm on my way."
The clinic was closed for the day and Emil was alone. He'd just spent the past hour perusing through the patient notes of a meteor freak he'd treated earlier in the otherwise uneventful day. As Emil put together everything that would be required at the house - surgical gowns, gloves, masks, a digital weighing machine, a holdall with the appropriate medication such as epidurals and IV lines - he carried on explaining what Clark needed to do. Within seconds, Superman was knocking on his door at the clinic.
"Has she started her contractions?"
"Yeah, just as I was leaving."
"OK. You take all this back to the house and then come back to get me." Sensing that Clark was on edge, he put a hand on Clark's shoulder to reassure him. "Hey Superman, it'll be fine."
Barely a minute had gone by, and Emil was now by Lois' bedside setting up the equipment as Martha and Clark helped Lois with her breathing. There was no telling how long she would be in labour.
Lois had been in labour for nearly two hours now and the epidural had long since kicked in, easing her discomfort. She was close to being fully dilated.
Clark stepped out of the room after feeling the overwhelming urge to clear his head, and it was now that he remembered he had a few calls to make. He needed to call Lois' father and Lucy to let them know what was happening so they could make plans to come over to the house, and he wanted to call Chloe to let her know too. Picking up the phone, he was just about to dial when he heard a knock at the front door.
Opening it, his face lit up when he saw a tiny blonde standing there with a beaming smile - a face he hadn't seen in months. Chloe was here already, clutching a bouquet of expensive flowers and a small gift bag.
"Chloe! How did you-?"
"Clark, hi!" she replied, stepping in and giving her great friend a big hug.
"I was just about to call you."
"Don't sweat it, Clark. Your mom called while you were fetching Emil. Well, she just said 'the baby is on the way' and to come to the house before she hung up. We had wheels up within thirty minutes. We got here as soon as we could."
"We?" enquired Clark, looking around and not seeing anybody behind her in the porch.
Just then, an even smaller blonde wearing blue denim dungarees, little white sneakers and a dark green parka charged into the house. He looked like a kid who'd just been told he was going to Disneyland such was his excitement.
"Uncle Clark!" he shouted as Clark looked down. Clark got on his haunches to wrap up the youngster in an even bigger hug than his mother had, before lifting him in the air. Little Jonathan Sullivan-Queen sure was growing up fast. He was going to be 4 years old in just a few months time.
"Johnny! Hey buddy, how are you doing?!"
Clark lifted Johnny up again and whirled him around, side to side and over his head like an airplane, to the obvious delight of the boy. It gave Chloe the opportunity to remove her coat and set her gifts down in the living room. Johnny was Clark's first nephew and he adored him. Johnny, like practically every kid, had taken to Clark immediately and was very attached. He'd hardly notice his mom was not around as long as either Clark or Lois was there. For her part, Lois absolutely loved Johnny as though he was her very own, and she was fiercely protective of him. She'd dreamed of the day Johnny had a little cousin he could play with.
Once upon a time, Lois had felt as though she could never get close to babies as they elicited a sense of fear in her because they could be so unpredictable, they took her out of her element. So when one day a sleep-deprived Chloe placed a cranky and restless three month old Johnny in Lois' arms to see if she could get the baby to calm down, it was to the surprise of everyone in the room when Johnny began to do so, falling asleep within minutes, head resting against an unfamiliar but nice and warm bosom. Lois would deny it when brought up later, but she had felt a pang of broodiness. Her body was betraying her as she cradled something so tiny, warm and delicate. She would guard him with her life.
Johnny was sound asleep on the couch having eaten half the sandwich Martha had prepared for him, along with a full glass of milk. Ever the gracious host, she'd insisted that Chloe, Clark and Emil eat something too. Since her plans for the evening had not involved any cooking, she didn't have the ingredients or the time to make a proper meal as she would have liked, but she did whip up some delicious ham and cheese omelettes for everybody together with a simple mixed salad. Lois being in the throes of labour had declined to eat anything. Johnny had tried a bit from his mom's plate but like all kids trying something new, he gave no indication as to whether he liked it. He didn't turn his nose up at it though. Martha ensured that everybody was fed before preparing a fresh omelette for herself.
Chloe and Martha sat on the couch and talked about Johnny. Chloe had mentioned about how Oliver was currently away on business so couldn't be here, but he'd been notified and would endeavour to make the trip to Smallville in a couple of days or so if all went smoothly with his latest deal. Johnny tended to clam up a bit when Martha tried to talk to him, but he would always take anything she offered with a polite 'thank you', and if he wanted something, he would always say 'please'. Oliver and Chloe had taught him well, and Martha could tell the infant already had the charismatic smile of his father and the slightly mischievous glint in his eyes like his mother.
Throughout the evening, the silence downstairs had been punctuated by agonised screams from the bedroom as contractions came and went, but now they were becoming more frequent, Martha left Chloe and Johnny downstairs to head back and see what was happening. She'd timed it impeccably as when she entered the room, the baby was crowning away. It was now a matter of minutes.
Martha surveyed the scene. Lois was panting hard, breathing in and out heavily as the drugs seemed to be less and less effective now. She was sweating profusely with her bangs clinging to her forehead. Her face was flushed red from her exertions. She was absolutely exhausted and wanted to stop but she knew she had to keep going. If she could ride out the next few minutes, she was home and dry. Emil was sat on a chair at the end of the bed dressed like a surgeon, complete with the apparel he'd brought. Clark had declined to put on the spare set. Emil was getting ready to deliver the baby now. Lois' legs had been raised, fixed to the stirrups Emil had brought along at the last second. A large blanket had been placed over her to provide a semblance of modesty. Clark was on Lois' left, holding her hand and urging her to continue pushing even when she felt the pain would overwhelm her.
"C'mon Lois, I need you to push. Not much further to go," Emil encouraged.
"Arrrrghh!" cried Lois. "Smallville, I blame you for this!"
Clark responded by taking her hand in both of his, whispering sweetly in her ear. "I know. I do too! C'mon honey, we're nearly there."
Martha quickly stepped over to Lois' right, sitting down in the chair provided and adjusting the pillows behind Lois which had gone askew. She gently placed her hand on Lois' shoulder, softly urging Lois on with the others.
"Sweetie, that's it. Just one more."
Lois gripped Clark's hand tighter. With one last monumental effort, she summoned a huge heave and threw her head back into the pillows. She suddenly felt lighter in the belly, lighter in the head and no longer found it necessary to squeeze. The baby was out. Everybody in the room now heard the first cries of the newborn - naked and shivering now it was finally away from its warm and comfortable environs and in the coolness of the open air.
Smiling beneath his mask, Emil turned to look at Clark. "Would Mr Kent care to do the honours?"
He handed a metal tool to Clark, who cut the umbilical cord and at the same time, got his first glimpse of his baby. He was speechless and awestruck, taken over completely by a feeling he had never before experienced. The baby was finally here. Snapping out of it, he did a quick dab of x-ray vision and was delighted that everything was normal. One head, two arms, two legs, ten fingers and ten toes, and a decent set of lungs judging by the noise coming from something so tiny he could hold it in one hand.
"I'll just get the baby cleaned up and weighed," said Emil, getting up to do just that. He got busy carrying out the procedures normally carried out once a baby has been delivered.
Lois lay back against her pillow, still breathing hard but now out of relief rather than pain. She was so tired she simply wanted to doze off but another part of her insisted she stay awake. The sense of detachment from her baby was palpable and what she wanted most of all was to finally hold her child in her arms and look into its eyes. After closing her eyes for a moment, she opened them to see the love of her life - the tall one anyway - staring at her. He'd sat back down beside her, delicately brushing her hair away from her face. He had a faintest of smiles tracing his lips but his eyes stared right at and through her, and spoke of love. Pure and simple love.
As much as Martha wanted to share in the moment, she understood this to be the time to take a back seat and let the proud parents spend their first moments with their newborn baby. She noted that neither Emil nor Clark had said anything about the sex of the baby yet. Seconds later, she had her answer as Emil stepped over to hand the baby, fully cleaned up and freshly wrapped in soft cotton, over to Lois. Martha had little inclination to stop the tears from escaping her eyes.
"Lois, Clark, 8 pounds exactly," he began, pulling his mask down to his chin. "A beautiful and perfectly healthy baby girl. I would like to be the first to say congratulations to you both."
He took a step back, folded his arms and sighed as he watched the new parents with their first child. He was physically exhausted too, and it was only now that he was feeling it. It was much the same as when he used to perform complicated and lengthy surgery. He would maintain concentration and stamina to the very end, only feeling the onslaught of tiredness after stepping out of the OR to scrub down.
"I'll give you two a moment," he added, removing the rest of his surgical clothing and taking a sip of water. Other than Lois, he'd spent the most time holed up in the bedroom and he needed to get some fresh air. He left the room and headed downstairs to give a dozing Chloe the happy news.
Martha's tears were flowing freely now. She walked over to Clark and he enveloped her in a hug that lasted for over a minute. No words needed to be exchanged as just a look and a hug told each other exactly what they felt. Then she leaned down to give Lois a hug and a kiss on top of her head, using the opportunity to gently caress the baby's head.
"I am so proud of you Lois. It's been so long since I've felt this happy," she laughed as she wiped her eyes. "I'll give you both a moment too."
Once they were alone in the room, Lois handed their baby girl to Clark so he could hold her properly for the first time. Seeing a man of six foot five being so unbelievably gentle with something barely a foot long and incredibly delicate simply left her astonished. Clark placed a little kiss on his baby's forehead, revelling in the sensation of feeling her tiny breaths as she lay there half asleep. If Lois could sum up what she was watching in one word, that word would be 'contentment'. No, scratch that. The word would be 'perfect'.
Clark passed his baby girl back to Lois who cradled her in her arms as Clark leaned down to give his wife a kiss this time. This one was both a thank you and an 'I love you' in one. He uttered those words as he gazed into Lois' eyes.
"Right back at ya, Smallville!" Lois smiled, kissing him back.
Together they looked at the new addition to their world. She was finally here! The two people who once found a way to bicker when there was nothing to bicker over had created a new life together. Perhaps sensing that she was now in the company of the two most important people in her life, the baby girl opened her eyes.
"Hi you!" said Lois in the softest voice she could muster, stroking her daughter's soft dark wispy hair.
They both smiled wide as they watched their daughter react to the sound of their voices and detect their head movements. Her tongue popped out for a split second as she let out a huge yawn, and she was making those grunting noises that newborn babies make when they're awake.
"You really are beautiful, just like your mom," opined Clark, seemingly to himself, so lost in his baby was he. The pair of them simply sat and watched, utterly enchanted.
"Not to rush things, but we need a name for this little one. You know, I always thought your mom, your Kryptonian mom, had a really beautiful name."
"That's funny," answered Clark, "because I really liked your mom's name too."
"Why not both then?" suggested Lois, adding, "Lara Ella…Ella Lara" as she thought it through.
She and Clark then uttered in unison as they came to a mutual agreement. "Lara Ella!"
Lois gazed back down on Lara Ella, who shifted her head as though nodding her approval. Both Lois and Clark laughed.
"Hi Lara Ella Kent! We're your mommy and daddy!" Lois announced.
"They're all dying to come in Lois. Should I let them in?" asked Clark as he quietly stood up.
"Yeah. Oh, and just so we're clear, I don't mind at all if she goes by just Lara. You have given me the most wonderful gift any girl could ever have, and I think it's only right that you have a Lara that you can see and touch every day." Then in a teasing tone, Lois explained, "That's not up for discussion, Smallville!"
Nobody really kept track of the time as everyone bar Johnny came up to the room to meet little Lara. It was hugs, kisses and handshakes all round. The little girl was quite content to be passed around from person to person as she'd now fallen asleep. After a while, Lois could no longer fight to stay awake herself so Chloe and Martha helped tuck her in before they left the room. Soon enough, Clark joined Lois, with Lara wrapped up and tucked into her little bassinet. It had been a hugely exhausting but highly rewarding evening.
Oliver was on the farmhouse doorstep shortly before noon the following day. Since Lois was trying to follow the baby's sleeping patterns, it was another couple of hours before he got to meet the new arrival and greet Lois, although Johnny had excitedly filled him in on all the wild and crazy things he and Lara would be doing from hereonin. Oliver and Clark took Johnny out for a wander around the farm, and it gave them a chance to talk about various things such as the pitfalls of parenthood and the Justice League. Johnny had a chance to see the animals out in the fields during the day, staring in wonderment at the cows and horses, and occasionally mimicking their sounds as only a child can.
Clark's thoughts drifted to the girl on the stairs the previous evening, fretting over her size and fearful of being forgotten in a highly cut-throat industry. That girl, no, woman, was the love of his life and now the mother of his child. He had to wonder how they'd found themselves here after their antagonistic early days, but he wouldn't change any of it for the world. Kryptonian by birth he might have been, but everything else about him was very human - the capacity for emotion, the capacity for hope and the capacity to love.