Chapter 27
Martha came downstairs early the next morning to find Clark tensely drumming his fingers on the table. When he didn't even look up, she knew something was deeply troubling him.
"Clark, is something wrong?"
"Mom!" He looked up and she could see the frown lines deeply etched between his eyebrows. "I think I've made a big mistake."
"A mistake?"
"I told Lois…everything."
Martha smiled. "And now you think you've made a mistake in doing that?"
"What was I thinking!" He ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, LOIS!"
"How did she take it?"
"Well… she… actually, she took it rather well. Some minor babbling, but, all in all, she didn't freak out or anything. I think she even knew…"
"Then what's so wrong with telling her?"
"It's just…at the office…today's going to be…how's it going to work?" He looked up at her, and she could see the conflicting emotions going on inside of him.
She couldn't help but laugh. "Clark, I think Lois will set the tone. I wouldn't worry about it." And she set about making breakfast as if to lessen the importance of the whole subject.
"Yeah, she will, won't she?"
"Count on it, honey. You're talking about Lois."
As she worked at the counter, she heard him leave his chair and come up behind her. "Mom, that's not all," he said seriously.
"It isn't?"
"No." He leaned against the counter and thrust both hands in his pockets. "We… sort of…connected."
"Connected?" She stopped stirring the pancake batter and looked at him quickly, her mouth forming an "O."
"Yeah. Oh, mom, no. I mean we kissed," he said hurriedly.
"Hallelujah!" Martha couldn't help but laugh. "Certainly took you long enough, son."
"Mom!"
"Well, it wasn't entirely unexpected on my part. How long have you been playing this dance with Lois? Years, right?"
"Dance? What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the fact that even your father predicted to me a long time ago, during the campaign, that you'd end up with Lois. I think you're the last person to figure it out. Move." She motioned him out of the way as she took the bowl to the stove.
"Dad said that?"
"Yes." She turned on a burner and adjusted the flame. "I was a little doubtful, as I recall, but your father insisted. He got to know Lois a lot better during that time, and he said he could just feel it."
"You're kidding! Why didn't he tell me? Why have you never told me?"
"Would you have believed it?"
"Probably not," he admitted. "I'm not sure I believe it now."
"If you want blueberries…" she said, and then looked up to see her son's face. He was staring dreamily into space. "Must have been some night," she chuckled.
"What?"
"Well, usually when I ask if you want blueberries in your pancakes, I have them in my hands in the next second."
"Oh, yeah, right."
Suddenly, there was a small bowl of freshly picked and washed blueberries in her hand. "Thank you."
"Anytime," he smiled sheepishly at her.
********
Clark was already at work at his desk by the time Lois made her appearance. She burst through the door with her usual exuberance carrying a cardboard tray laden down with two coffees and a small sack of donuts.
"Hope you haven't had breakfast, Smallville. I come bearing food!"
He got up to take the tray from her and their hands touched. "Lois," he smiled, "you didn't have to do this."
"I know…" she answered, and her eyes went to his hand on hers. All at once, the cardboard tray was safely on the desk, and she was in his arms. "I didn't dream it?"
"No, no…" He spoke into her hair. "I've been afraid…"
"Good morning!" Perry White, smiling at two of his employees locked in an embrace, spoke from the doorway.
"Perry!" Clark and Lois immediately sprang five feet apart, embarrassed.
"Oh, at ease, at ease, you two." He waved airily in their direction. "The boeuf bourguignon was a success, I take it?"
"Chief, how did you know—" Lois began.
"Depends on your point of view," Clark replied, smiling.
"Your point of view looks pretty damn good from where I'm standing, Clark. About time, I'd say."
"That's the second time I've heard that this morning," Clark mumbled.
"What do you mean 'about time' anyway?" If she wasn't in trouble for being caught snuggling with a coworker, she was going on the offensive. She straightened her jacket indignantly.
But Perry ignored her and handed her the picture he'd come to show her. "Lois, you ever seen this guy before?"
"Why?" She really didn't want to say.
"He's just been arrested in the killing of that girl. I just wondered if you—"
"Perry, he's my source," she admitted. "There's no way he would have killed her. Trust me."
"You willing to prove it?"
"You better believe it! Come on, Smallville, we've got work to do."
But Perry put a hand out to stop her from heading for the door. "Now, just a minute. Background first. Then you can go do the legwork. And, this time, Lois, I expect your partner to be right there at your side. No running off meeting people in dark garages or—"
She spun around on Clark. "You told him!"
"I did not!"
"No, he didn't!" They both denied it at once. "Lois, I'm fully capable of finding out the most curious things about people," his eyes drifted over to Clark, "without being told by my reporters." He walked to the desk and opened the sack. "Ah, jelly donuts! My favorite." He took one out and bit into it. "Clark, you weren't going to eat this anyway, right?" Then to Lois, he said, "His mom's home, so I figured she made him breakfast this morning."
He left the room, munching on his donut, and left the two of them staring at the door.
"Your mom's home? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought I did."
Still staring at the door, they both said at the same time, "He's kind of scary."
