Chapter 19

Oliver Queen's phone rang just as he was finally managing to slide in between the sheets.

"It's 3:42 AM, so this better be good," he said into the receiver.

"Oliver, don't even pretend you're asleep. I just saw you on fourth street not twenty minutes ago."

"Clark? Hang on a sec." Oliver pushed a red button on the phone. "I changed to the scrambled line. What's up?"

"Lois is taking cooking lessons," Clark said humorlessly, as if the entire safety of the world hung in the balance.

Oliver stifled a laugh and shook his head. How in the world had he landed in the middle of this? He smiled into the phone as he tried to match Clark's tone. "Clark, I know this might come as a surprise to you, but there's not actually any law against someone doing that."

"Very funny. Oliver, I want you to find out who she's dating. I need to know…well, I need to know if it's …if she's safe with him, you know?"

"Clark, she is not dating anyone."

"Oliver, she has to be. I heard her talking to this guy, some teacher. She's trying to impress some man by doing this. And when she was sleeping and I was in her kitchen, I found all kinds of—"

"You were in her apartment? When she was asleep? When was this?"

Clark ignored him. "The thing is I think she must really be into someone for her to go all out like this. Lois doesn't do… kitchens."

"Clark, have you not thought that the man in question might be you?"

"Oliver, she's learning to cook Beef Borganyawn or something like that. Does that sound like something that would be for me?"

"God, you murdered that!" Oliver laughed. "Maybe you need to take French lessons."

"Oliver."

"Okay, maybe you've got a point." He looked at the clock again. "All right, I'll look into it tomorrow. But I really need some sleep now. I've got an appointment with the accountants in about six hours. Star Labs should be a part of Queen Industries by the end of the week, by the way."

"Oh that. Oliver, I do appreciate your doing all that, but if Lois is… Well, there's no need…I mean, maybe we should just forget the whole thing."

"No chance, Boy Scout. You're not backing out of this now. Not after all the arrangements I've made this week. And if it helps, I'm going to make all the Leaguers go through a battery of tests as well. I figure knowing all our limits might not be such a bad idea."

There was no answer from Clark. "Clark, it will be okay. I'm vetting every employee myself. What's more, the only ones that will even be involved with the tests on you will be Dr. Cline and Dr. Hamilton. No one else. I promise." Still, there was silence. "I trust them. You can trust them."

"We'll see. Just find out about Lois."

"Clark?" But the line went dead.

********

The morning sunlight streamed through the kitchen windows at the Kent farm. Clark had come downstairs to the smell of blueberry pancakes.

"I'm hoping you never go back to Washington, mom," he said, sneaking his first bite.

"You might get your wish, sweetheart. I've been thinking of not running next year."

"Really?" He helped her by pouring the milk and setting out plates. "I thought you loved the job."

"I do. I do, but I've really accomplished what I set out to, and I've never thought it should be considered a long term career. The founding fathers would be shocked to their cores to see that the roles of some senators and representatives have turned into lifetime jobs. I'm not sure I want to serve more than the one term. Besides, this prolonged visit has made me realize how much I've missed my home."

"It would be a loss to the country, but my stomach hopes you come home for good." Clark smiled as they both sat down to their breakfast. For a few minutes, there was a comfortable silence, then Clark cleared his throat.

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Mom, when you and dad were dating…did you ever cook for him?"

Martha Kent laughed. "Of course, I did. Son, haven't you heard the old saying 'The way to a man's heart—'"

"'Is through his stomach,' he finished. "Yeah. Of course, I have. What I mean is did you cook plain stuff, or did you cook things to try to impress him?"

"Well, it never took much to impress your dad. He liked the simple things. Meatloaf, spaghetti, fried chicken. The kinds of things you like. I'm afraid I didn't get very experimental cooking for him. I didn't have to."

Clark didn't say anything but looked thoughtful.

"Clark, why are you asking?"

"Nothing. It's just…" He hesitated, and Martha waited him out, knowingly. "Well, Lois is taking cooking lessons."

"Lois?" Martha laughed. "Oh my! Now why do I feel sorry for her teacher?"

"Exactly. It's ridiculous, right?"

Martha laughed again. "Now, Clark, it's never wrong to want to learn something new. It's just…" She laughed again. "Remember that lopsided rum cake?" They both laughed. "Well, cooking lessons wouldn't hurt. Who knows? Maybe she'll get good at it." Clark looked at her doubtfully.

"I don't think anyone has that much patience," Clark said, shaking his head.