Chapter 16 [Kent Farm—Half an Hour Later]
Lana turned into the twilit dirt driveway. Coffee's caffeine kept her eyes straight ahead. The day had dragged by for her. Familiarity's balm, however, eased her heart and soul. Instinct guided her along the driveway. Her eyes sparkled at the next sight. She beheld the barn and canary colored farmhouse….
That house…Her house…Her home….
…Home…
She parked in her usual guest spot by Martha's fenced-in garden. She leaned back in her seat. A dreamy smile spread across her face. I'm really home! Old wishes and desires strummed across her senses. Amor burned away Frustration's fog and issues. Her eyes surveyed the darkening skies overhead. Luna greeted her through thinning overcast. Polaris appeared directly to the north. Further to the east, Rao twinkled back in greeting.
That red star. It's blinking at me. Intrigue and interest drew her attention back toward that star in question. Memoria recalled astronomers and teachers knew little if anything about that red giant. It feels important.
IT IS, LANA. EARTH'S SCIENTISTS DO NOT KNOW. THAT IS RAO. IT WAS KRYPTON'S STAR. JARA SA'S WORLD WAS PART OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM BEFORE THE GREAT CATACLYSM. IT CALLS TO YOU NOW. THAT FARM IS YOUR PLACE ON EARTH. EVEN IF OUR PLANET IS GONE, RAO'S SIGNAL TO YOU IS A SIGN. YOU HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED, Jor-El explained.
Rao… She leaned back in her seat. Joy's tears streaked her cheeks. A deep sigh released any and all of Tension's hold on her. I'm accepted. I'm still struggling with all of this. I haven't proven myself.
EVEN NOW, RAO RECOGNIZES YOU, LANA. IT KNOWS. YOU WILL BE THE MOTHER OF THE NEW KRYPTONIAN RACE. CONGRATULATIONS. Pride echoed through his voice to her mind.
I'm really to be that? Insecurity chilled her. She struggled to breathe under Obligation's newly placed burden. As if today hasn't had enough yet?
A knocking at the window snapped her out of it.
Clark watched her intently. He looked her over. Nothing, however, seemed out of place. He snuck a quick look toward the barn. Then his eyes followed hers toward Rao. That red star?
Rao twinkled at him as well.
IT IS KRYPTON'S STAR, RAO, KAL-EL. IT KNOWS. AS I JUST TOLD LANA, IT HAS ACCEPTED YOU AS WELL. YOU TWO WILL BE THE PARENTS OF A NEW KRYPTONIAN RACE. THAT IS ITS SIGNAL TO YOU AS WELL. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU SHOULD PROCEED WITH YOUR IDEA, Jor-El pointed out.
Krypton's star is signaling me? Really? Doubt ate at Clark. He gulped…loudly.
It will be all right. We still have your parents' rules. Remember? She got out of the blazer. She took his hands in hers. "We don't have to do it all right now. We still have a lot to deal with." A grimace revealed her nerves. "But we have each other. We can do this." She leaned on her tip toes. Her forehead touched his. "Together."
"Together." Clark touched his forehead to hers. "By the way, I have a surprise." His eyes sparkled into hers. Mischief glinted in his grin.
"A surprise, huh?" She coughed. She picked up on his nerves. "Is this something worth all of this?"
Clark extended his hands and arms out. "It's something that fits into all of this. Jor-El will like it. Everyone will like it. I've dreamt of this for a while. Follow me." He walked toward the barn door. Purpose and Destiny spun ideas in his mind. Destiny foretold greater things. He saw Lana linger a few steps back. "Come on! I know we've had a really long day…okay long week. You'll like this!" He beckoned her toward him.
"Maybe, Clark, we might not keep your parents waiting? Don't chores need to be done?" She approached him albeit in guarded fashion. What's he up to? "This must be something really big if you're acting like this. What does he have up his sleeve? What can it be?"
"Maybe you'll have to wait and see." Clark led her into the barn. "Chores are done by the way." He led her toward the Loft stairs. "You had a long enough day. I took care of everything." He squeezed her hand.
"Clark, that's sweet but I want to do my share!" She sulked. She took in the barn's pristine condition. Satisfaction nudged her from every animal's stall. Every tool remained in its place. Broom had already swept the floor. "Thank you." Her lips expressed Gratitude's balm across his cheek. "I'll cover you at some point."
"Oh I know. Lana, around here, we all work together. Mom, Dad, you and me…we're a team." Clark touched his forehead to hers. "Nobody's keeping score. That surprise is waiting up there." He stepped onto the bottom Loft stair.
"Oh, it is?" Curiosity tugged at her. "Can't wait to see this. All the build up!"
Clark shrugged. "You'll like it." His feet and then hers strode across the Loft's aged oak boards once more. He looked toward the open door. Luna's beams cast their gentle light across furnishings and fixtures. Pollen danced akin to Faerie Dust. Fireflies bobbed in the darkened corners with their lights. Rao oversaw the production from its vantage point in Nocturne's backdrop. "Our refuge."
"Your Fortress of Solitude I think you called it." A saucy smirk spread across her face. She walked about the area. She'd been up there dozens of times before of course. This time, however, felt like the first time. "Our Fortress. Kind of catchy." She added a nod and wink to him. Then she stopped by the telescope. "At least you won't be needing this anymore." Teasing jabbed at him through her eyes.
"No. I don't." Clark raised an eyebrow at her. Embarrassment jabbed at him yet again. He pivoted off that point quickly. "There's something I've wanted to do…something I've waited on. Last month, you brought that cake with the candles up here. You said it was a day to celebrate."
She nodded. "You said it was just a day picked off the calendar for the adoption. And I said that it's the day we celebrate your coming into our lives…" Her lips brushed his cheek. "The day you came into my life. And you told me your wish." Joy's tears welled up in her eyes.
"And then the rehearsal dinner's toast." Clark exhaled a sharp breath. "Well, this isn't going as either of us planned. Guess life kind of plans something while we're fumbling through other things? I mean I can't be as bad as that first day at Smallville High."
"You tripped actually. And I asked, are you man or superman?" She allowed a wistful smile. "I mean good thing I don't count style points and I grew past the necklace."
"You haven't grown past your parents, Lana. I don't want you to. We have other ways to remember them. We have ways to remember Earth and Krypton. I admit this gives me a headache trying to bring all of this together. But I think we need to keep it simple." Clark reached under the couch's worn cloth flap. He pulled out a small wooden box. "This is meant for you. I was told to give it to the most special person in my life. That, Lana, is you." He got down on one knee. "I know you already posed the 'kind of' question. I wanted you to know that I'm here for you. Always." He opened the box to reveal Kyla's bracelet. "That has been looked after for centuries and passed down to you. I want what you were suggesting."
"That's Kyla's bracelet! She…" She gasped. "So, this bracelet is the Destiny Bracelet Jor-El was talking about?" Realization dawned on her concerning his intentions.
Clark followed Toast's advice. He'd realized her worth. Jor-El's actions and subsequent events blew away the remaining barriers. He finally drew closer to her.
"Yes, it is. You heard Jor-El. We're a team now. Our own team. Granted, Mom and Dad are part of our family too. But it's us. No more abandonment. We have each other." Clark offered the bracelet. "Yeah, we still have two years until we make it Earth official."
"One year, twenty-three months, Clark." Lana jabbed with Mirth's spice.
"Okay. We'll take the month off." Clark relaxed at her humor. "I know you said you don't want a ring, but I can make you one. Meantime, I'm giving you this as my commitment to you and our road ahead. I want to walk it with you and no one else."
She wiped tears from her cheeks. She leapt off the floor. "I am so happy right now! But yes, Clark, I want to walk this road together. You and me, my Superman." She raised his hand. "Forever." She kissed the hand. "I'd like a ring. Your Dad saying it was okay means a lot to me. I know what I said but I'd like that. Mr. Reynolds and everyone can deal with it." She put out her hand. "Put the bracelet on me." Acceptance and Commitment sparkled in her eyes.
Clark relaxed. He slid the bracelet onto her wrist. "There!" He got up. "It looks great on your wrist."
"It does." She inspected the bracelet's features in Luna's soft light. "And to think you waited for me."
"You're the only one I'd wait on." Clark kissed her forehead. "You and no one else." He smiled. "That gets me to the second part of this surprise." He brought out a gold ring. "This ring showed up this afternoon. Guess our friends and Jor-El approve too? Next to it, he placed a small chunk of coal.
"Coal? That's an interesting surprise, Clark. I have to say." She stepped back from him. Her mind tried to wrap itself around this part of the proposal. "Most people expect a diamond."
Clark's eyes rolled at her. "Anyone can buy a diamond ring." He picked up the coal in his hand. Then he crushed it in his hand. Heat vision heated the fragments. Then his fist crushed that again. Once more, Heat stirred up the remnants. Then he opened his hand.
A medium sized diamond sparkled back at them.
"Clark! You…" She gasped yet again. Her hands covered her mouth. Disbelief overwhelmed her. "That's a diamond! IT'S A REAL DIAMOND!"
"Yeah, it is." Clark set the newly crafted diamond onto the gold band. Heat vision soldered them together. "We might want to let this cool off." He held the finished bauble up for her consideration. "Anyone can buy a ring. I made one…well the diamond at least…for you. You're the only one in the universe. You should have a unique diamond crafted for you…and only you." He batted the air around it to cool it off. "Give it a few minutes."
"I never knew you could be so romantic, Clark." Her eyes misted up anew. Day's troubles and issues evaporated in that heartbeat. She watched the glow cool off. Poets spoke of reaching into the sky and pulling a star down for a woman's hand. Byron waxed in his verse about such things…
…Clark just did it…and he did it for her…all for her….
"Lana, I know I haven't been the greatest at expressing my feelings. I haven't respected you at times. I hurt you at times this past year. I want you to know that I think you're special. I want to do better…the best…for you." Clark regarded the ring. He blew on it again. "I think it's ready if you are."
"If I am? What do you think?" She put her hand out again. "I've only been ready since we were five years old." She motioned toward the ring. Expectation glinted in her eyes now.
"I just want this to be perfect." Clark slid the ring onto her hand. Then he gently closed it. "It's just what I imagined." He looked into her eyes. "I love you, Lana."
Lana put her hands on Clark's cheeks. She pressed her lips against his. Her eyes met his. "I love you, Clark. Thank you for this special moment." She stared. "Clark, look!"
Clark looked around as well. His eyes went wide. He found that they floated a few feet above the floor. "This is just like the twisters. I…."
"Guess we forget about everything else? See, Clark? We can do this." Lana flexed her legs to cushion the descent. The floor creaked from their landing. "Your parents are waiting for us, Clark. We should let them know."
"Yeah we should." He stirred himself. Dreamy Reverie sang to him. His eyes drifted toward the Loft door anew. He stared at the sight outside. "Lana! Look!"
Lana gaped. "WOW! Where'd that come from?"
Aurora cast Emerald and Magenta hues across Nocturne's backdrop. Waves of light and color flowed across the sky. Natura, it seemed, had its show and approval for the couple as well.
Clark shook his head. "We're too far south for the usual auroras. I…"
YOUR COMMITMENT IS A SPECIAL BLESSED EVENT, KAL-EL. THE GREATER ORDER CELEBRATES. DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW? VERY WELL DONE, MY CHILDREN! VERY WELL DONE INDEED! Jor-El approved.
Clark shook his head. "This is too perfect."
"It's special…our special moment, my Star Traveler." She kissed him again. "I wish we could stay up here. Your parents are waiting." She took his hand. "Come on. Maybe it'll still be there so they can enjoy it with us?"
"That sounds great." He followed her back down the Loft's stairs. Angst and Barriers had evaporated from their way. Divine Will overwhelmed and set Situation and Destiny back on course. Now they could bring that to their new family.
In such ways were Celebration's special moments savored….