Son of Krypton, Daughter of Earth

Home to Smallville

The Kents led them to their station wagon. "I'd like to talk with Lexy, so you take the shotgun seat, Larry," said Martha.

"Hunh?"

"That's the front passenger seat, from the stagecoach days?"

"Hunh?"

"We'll have to tell you about Kansas history, Larry. For now, you and Pa get better acquainted."

Jonathan started the car. "Do you have a driver's license, Larry," he asked.

"No, sir,"

"You're 15, so we'll see about getting you one. That way you'll be able to go into town and visit some of the young people. Call me Pa. Everyone does." He talked on, as he drove.

Martha took Larry and Lexy shopping the next day. She had seen the few clothes and belongings they unpacked, and insisted. Larry claimed she bought him "Hundreds of clothes, Lexy, honest. Look." Lexy allowed Martha to buy her a few clothes, including a couple of floaty dresses, "for the Saturday dances." Martha also bought her a gown for Lucy and Jimmy's grand wedding in July. The Kents were invited, and Clark invited Lexy as his plus one. She was looking forward to it. Jimmy insisted they bring Larry.

*

Lexy spent the next few days helping Martha in the house, cooking, cleaning, and helping with Martha's chores around the farm. The chicken coop held three elderly hens who laid eggs now and again. Lexy fed them and collected an egg when it appeared. Martha had a home business, baking cakes and pastries. Martha said modern life provided many things that they'd had to work at. She remembered her mother having a clothesline and dancing around the kitchen when they got a dryer that didn't have a wringer on top. Martha introduced her to people from Smallville. Lana Ross took her under her wing, and invited her to join her family at the Saturday night dance.

Larry helped Jonathan around the farm, studied for his driver's test, and met some of the neighbors' children. Lana's triplets were a few years younger than him, but nearby, and often invited Larry over.

Lexy walked into the kitchen early on Saturday and saw Clark drinking coffee. She smiled widely, excited. "Clark, I thought you weren't coming for another week."

"I had a chance to stop over on my way back to Metropolis. Barry wanted me to tell you that the kind of storm that brought you here is expected back about August 1 or August 2. You'll need to return to the Lab by then."

She made tea and sat next to him. She was torn between wanting to stay on Earth, which she liked, to be near Clark, but she had no future here; and returning to Earth1, where her niece needed her, and her family lived, and was the home she knew. "OK. I'll be ready. It's good here, and Martha and Jonathan are like family. I'm going to miss you so much. I mean all of you."

"I'll miss you, too." He watched her, wanting to remember moments with her. "I have to leave after lunch. What have you been doing?"

"Helping Ma, walking the farm. Lana has shown me around town. I'm going to the dance tonight. So is Larry."

"The weekly dance at the Hall. Those were fun. Lana knows everyone."

"Too bad you can't stay." I want to dance with you, feel your arms around me, before I go. "She introduced me to a lot of people. Darrin Ross, a cousin of her husband, Pete, is joining us."

"I know him." Clark bit back the urge to tell her not to go, for Darrin was a player. He wanted to stay, but had to get to Metropolis for a Justice League meeting. "Things are pretty much back to normal in Metropolis."

"Clark!" Larry bounced into the kitchen. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting. I've got to leave this afternoon. How do you like Smallville?"

Larry talked about the people he'd met and how Pa Kent was teaching him to farm and was going to teach him to drive. Clark listened to his brother. He didn't yet know if he could trust Larry with his work as Superman.

The morning passed quickly, and Clark prepared to leave right after lunch. Pa drove into town with Larry to shop. Clark and Lexy walked onto the back porch. He was wearing his blue and red Superman uniform. Lexy watched him. She hadn't seen much of him as Superman.

"What are you thinking, Lexy?" He lingered, wanting to be with her a bit longer.

"I'm thinking we met when you were Superman, but I got to know you as Clark. Superman helped me in the Park, but you helped me live here. When I see Superman in the sky, or on the news, I think, that's Clark. Clark, my friend. It's kind of exciting. I'm going to—well, under these dangerous circumstances, I'm so glad I met you, Clark."

"I've got to be going. JLA meeting in 15 minutes."

"Goodbye. We'll see you when you come back for your birthday, right? July 1."

"I'll be here the day before." Clark walked down the steps, lifted into the sky and flew up. He waved and disappeared behind the clouds. Lexy watched for a few minutes more before returning to the house.