Chapter 3: Long Awaited
Lily swallowed hard and spoke with a small voice. 'Hi dad.'
'Lilly,' he whispered. Clark stepped in the snow and walked towards his daughter. Lois stood in the doorstep, clutching her hand against her chest. What if she was dreaming? What if it was a trap?
Clark made his way through the snow and looked at the young woman and the child. Both appeared to be healthy and doing well; all vital organs were in order and there was on internal damage in any way. They were a bit cold, but in no danger at all.
Lily didn't move, she bit her lip and rocked her child, but she didn't move. When Clark arrived and laid his strong hands on her shoulder, she smiled. She had forgotten how tall he was. His scent was exactly as she remembered; wind, books, and a hint of oil. Clark was so taken aback that he could feel the heartbeat of his daughter again, that he held her shoulders, stroked her hair, and eventually hugged her. Her bouncing brown curls and bright blue eyes showed his daughter yet immediately revealed she was a different person all together. She had matured, grown up. Without a doubt, with the crying child in her arms.
'It is you,' Clark smiled as tears filled his eyes.
Lily cried, shaking shoulders in her father's embrace. 'It is me, dad!'
Lois joined in silence, holding her daughter's chin gently, surprised she had grown as tall as she was. Wrapping her in a tight embrace, the child murmured a bit and Lois did not know what to say or ask first. Though small, the child had thick black locks and burning blue eyes.
Lois found her voice again, and tugged on Lily's arm. 'Come, come inside!'
The house had remained the same, almost completely the same as Lily remembered. The photos, the chairs and couches John had used when they played 'the floor is lava', the kitchen table which had given her a concussion, the rug they had sat on every Christmas to unwrap presents, even the lasagna smelled the same.
The three stood in the hallway, somewhat waiting for the other to make the first move. Clark's mind was racing; where had she been that he could not find her, what had happened, why had she left? Lois helped Lily out of her coat and was glad to be in the warmth again. Automatically, Lily kicked off her shoes and placed the snow-covered shoes on the newspaper her mother still kept in the same place.
'Are you hungry, dear?' Lois asked with a careful smile. She could not stop stroking her grey hair behind her ear.
'If there's any left, yes please,' Lily said carefully, rocking the baby.
'Is he…she..is-'
'He's just cold.' Lily answered her mother.
'Sit down,' Clark invited her. Every time she looked at him, he couldn't help but smile. 'Would you like some tea, or water?'
'Some water, please.' Lily said and sat down on her own spot.
'And he..?'
'He's too young to drink tea, dad.' Lily chuckled and Lois thought the colours in the room finally shone again.
In a new silence, Clark placed a glass of water in front of Lily and sat down at the head of the table. Lois sat down opposite of Lily and folded her hands under her chin after she had given her daughter some lasagna. Lily thanked her mother kindly and held her son in one arm. Feeling his mother calming down, he settled down as well.
'It's good lasagna, mom.'
'Thank you, dear.'
Clark cleared his throat, 'How are you?'
'I'm well,' she replied calm and he knew she was telling the truth. 'How are you?'
'We're well.' Lois replied with a cracked smile, holding her husband's hand.
Clark smiled and stroked his wife's hand before he looked at the baby. 'And how...who…'
'This is my son,' Lily said and laid the fork down. A silence settled. Clark and Lois had guessed the baby to be Lily's son but the reality didn't quite grasp them yet. There was a likeness, Lois saw it clearly, both between her husband and the baby as well as between her daughter and the baby.
'His name is Joseph. Joseph Sam Johnathan Kent, but I mostly call him Joe.' Little Joe cooed somewhat as the silence settled, well aware of his mother's fastening heartbeat.
'How old is he?' Lois asked.
'21 weeks.' Lily smiled as she looked down at Joe, proud and happy.
'He's a strong and healthy little boy, isn't he?' Clark smiled and Lois failed to hide the relief in his diagnoses.
'He is.' Lily smiled as she found her father's bright blue eyes. 'Would you like to hold him?'
'Please!'
Lily arose from her seat, Joe still in one arm and stood beside her father in two steps. She knew how well he was with children and as she handed him her son, Clark cradled the small boy without any trouble. Mumbling tender words of love, Lois smiled at the sight she had thought she would never see. Her daughter leaning on her husband, with their grandchild reaching little chubby hands up.
'Would you like to hold him?' Clark asked his wife. Lois could only nod with teary eyes and spread her arms wide. Effortlessly, Clark handed Joe to Lois. There was a small sense of pride in her as she recognized the Lane nose on the child. Perhaps she just imagined it, but she was glad to find some of her blood in the black-haired blue-eyes boy.
'I am so happy, you're back, Lily.' Lois smiled.
Lily nodded and replied with a small voice. 'I am too. I need your help, though, mom.'
'Is everything alright?'
'It's fine. It's just…' Lily licked her lips and looked from one parent to the next. 'Joe is like dad, and I…I don't know.'
'You'll be fine.' Clark gently touched his daughter's shoulder in reassurance.
'Both of you will be,' Lois promised.
'Thank you.' Despite the smile on her face, Lois could see the guilt and tiredness in Lily's eyes. Clearly not wanting to discuss the matter any further at the moment, Lily cleared her throat and asked, 'Where's John?'