Chapter 14 [Luthor Mansion—A Half of an Hour Later]
Lex lounged behind his desk. For once his computer was off. His mind pushed the usual concerns away. He'd started a fire in the fireplace. He sipped on a new coffee flavor from a heated mug. Memoria retold its account of the last such poetry reading in Smallville a generation earlier. Perhaps Youth cast a golden hue on his friend's achievement. Maybe….
…that is if it didn't also tell of why such a rededication became necessary in the first place….
Hopefully Dad and Arighatto will just stay away this time. He glanced toward his mother's portrait. Mom, this time will be just as great without the sideshows. Just let Dave and the others have their day. He exhaled and took another draught.
"Auntie knows you're doing your best, Alex. Don't worry."
"You know Mom. She hated when anyone messed with us," Lex noted. He glanced back up at her picture again. Then he motioned with his cup. "So what do you think of the new flavor?"
"You still can serve up a mean mug of coffee." Angie accessed. She took a big gulp allowing it to swish around in her mouth. Then she swallowed it. "I've had coffee like this in the City. It's Asian."
"Sumatran. I wouldn't have expected to find this in Smallville." Dave nodded. "Very nice, Alex."
"We aim to please. You can thank your co-panelist, Princess Jasmine. She brought some with her. Through her father's emirate, she has connections with buyers in that part of the world. Wait until you see what else we have in store," Lex declared.
"Hopefully Auntie's garden or a version of it." Dave closed his eyes. Memoria now reminded him of the elder Luthor's garden. "A true sanctuary behind the hedges. I loved her roses and lilacs."
"Not to mention the Princess' namesakes." Angie smirked at her husband. "Dave has quite the jasmine collection in our garden."
"They're beautiful and each has their own scent. Why not enjoy them all?" Dave sipped again on his coffee. "It's like coffee. We don't drink the same flavor every day. Well some of us don't any way. We get in moods and have tastes for things. Music and poetry go along those lines too."
"And he likes the pretty plants. Right?" Lex supposed. The Smirk beamed toward his friends.
"Anything to keep the Big Kid satisfied," she jabbed at both her husband and the latter's alter ego.
Dave bowed his head. His shoulders twitched. Numbness' tendrils extended over his scalp. Canary glinted in his eyes. "Great. Now he's even more stirred up." He sucked in a composing breath.
She shrugged. The struggle with Dave's situation had been something she'd accustomed herself to. "I don't know what Momma and Daddy would've thought of the flowers. At least it helps with his composing. I was hoping Mrs. Kent would know of a tulip supplier?"
Lex pointed toward the freshly cut white tulips to his right. "Those are from her garden. I'm sure she'd have some bulbs for sale."
"I can give her some cuttings from my plants to try," Dave suggested.
"Now see? That's what I like to hear." Lex sipped on his mug again. "Clark was really onto something with the whole cultural exchange thing."
"It'll make for a richer set of readings," she agreed. "Nyoki's excited to be sharing her haiku. She'll be here in a couple of days. And our Master Poet's been composing amidst his babies."
"Dave used to do that in Mom's version." Lex nodded. "I'm planning on setting you loose in her memorial garden. I've been replanting a few things since I moved here. I figured you'd have a few ideas?"
"Try and stop me. Just keep the Lie Boy out of my way. He'll throw weeds in the whole deal just to spite me," Dave groused. He rolled his eyes. "Agent Saboteur and Provocateur Supreme."
"He'd say the same of you." Lex coughed knowing full well the shared venom and hate between his father and friend. "He is blind, you know."
"Even Samson leveled the temple without his sight, Alex," Dave rebutted without losing a beat.
"Touche." Lex shook his head. Denial faded before Assessment's burning assault.
"Dave, Lionel can't do anything. Leave him out of this," she chided.
"He doesn't need to directly. He has his ways." Dave sipped on his coffee. "Before we met, Princess, he poisoned Karen and me. It should've killed us." His nose picked up on a certain scent of cologne emanating from the hall. He felt his aforementioned antagonist's aura there. He snorted. "And all to get us together. Spite. Pure spite."
Lex rolled his eyes. "Mom and the press let him have it over that, Dave." He looked up to see his father standing there.
"Eavesdropping's rude, Uncle Lie-onel." Dave sipped on his coffee again without turning around.
"So is a guest insulting the master of the house." Lionel straightened himself. He slowly moved into the room allowing both his cane and his fingertips to guide his progress. With nary a shuffle, he strode forward. Annoyance clearly displayed itself through his frown and eyes' sparking. "You might want to look around before you do so."
"Was I?" Dave set his mug down. He stood from his chair. Somehow he managed to keep the chills and internal fires in check. "And I knew perfectly well that you were standing there." A rather pronounced tremor stabbed through him. His eyes assessed the other man. "Perhaps blindness shakes Ego's chains allowing Conscience to loosen them?" Despite his barb, he wasn't buying that Lionel really was blind.
"Very poetic with your usual ingratitude, Dubois. What Lillian ever saw in you, I will never understand," Lionel retorted. He shuffled toward the middle of the room.
"Auntie was the sainted yin to your demented yang." Dave stepped right into Lionel's path without an additional sound.
Instinct perhaps had a role. Perhaps Anger blinded him to his overall plan. Still Lionel somehow stepped around the other man.
Lex and Angie both noticed this whole scene. They exchanged glances with one another.
"Just as I thought. You saw that." Dave coughed. "It's an act."
"An act? I am blind! Lex…." Lionel started to protest.
Lex shrugged. "It is interesting how you avoided him, Dad. He made no sound. It was a very subtle movement. And yet you avoided him just now. How did you do that?"
Lionel stiffened. "Why would I act like this? It isn't to my advantage to be blind."
"It gives you the perfect vantage point, Dad," Lex disagreed. "If people think you can't see them, they'll do things right in front of you. They drop their act. You get to see everything." Amusement, Admiration and Disgust all blended in his expression. "I should have known." He shook his head.
Her eyes widened. "You faked this?"
"Makes you wonder what else he's been up to." Dave glared at Lionel. "Even if I can't prove it, I know you're behind Arighatto's attacks the other night. You know Clark Kent was badly wounded? How about the Kents and Lana Lang? And then there's my niece. There's Princess Jasmine. And what about the customers in the Talon? A dark snarl escaped his lips.
"Fancy you knowing, Dubois," Lionel accused.
"He would know in case you haven't figured that out yet." Dave pointed at his head for emphasis. "Kind of the down side to growing up in that haunted house of yours. Yeah, Buddy. Because of your lack of foresight and scheming, I'm your resident Ghost of Christmas Past. Imagine when Lana Lang has to find out about her family? She might not have if not for YOU!"
"Dave, really now…." She shook her head at him.
"Lana will stumble onto it eventually, Angie," Lex disagreed. "It'll rock her world but best she finds out this way than to have her illusions shattered." He sauntered over to Dave's side. "I believe, Dad, that you can take care of yourself in Metropolis now."
Lionel narrowed his eyes. He still burned over the loss of his previously-held advantage. He hated the renewed accusations or being evicted from his mansion. "I will be back, Lex, when your guests are gone."
"Maybe…maybe not, Dad. And I can take care of Martha Kent's role if need be. Don't trouble yourself on that note. Just leave," Lex insisted.
Lionel ground his teeth. "Some day, Dubois."
"Careful, Lie Boy. That sounded like a threat." Dave saluted him with the mug. "I'll dedicate a poem to you. Remember why we're here now rather than at the Talon seeing Miranda. Because of what you and Dad did. Now scram before I call an exterminator." He turned his back and went back to his coffee.
"The door, Dad." Lex reiterated.
Lionel stalked out. He'd pack up and move back to Metropolis. From there, he'd use the knowledge he'd gleaned to his advantage. Knowledge of many things.
"Now maybe we can see that garden, Alex?" Dave finished the coffee. "I want to be in a better mood for Miri, Lana and the Kents."
"That I can do." Lex agreed. He ushered them from the library and toward the stairs beyond.
Some things had to be dealt with to clear Inspiration's path…..