Martha Kent placed her hands gently onto her son's shoulders and cocked her head to the side to peer at him. 'Clark, everything okay?'
Clark was sitting at the breakfast table that next morning and he had been unusually quiet. In fact, since he had gotten home from the Talon the night before he hadn't had much to say to either of his parents. And that wasn't like him. He twisted in his chair to look up at his mother and gave her a reassuring smile. 'Sure, Mom.'
'Are you sure?' she asked. 'You've been quiet all morning.'
'Yeah,' said Jonathan as he helped himself to another slice of toast. 'The silence is deafening,' he joked.
'I'm fine,' Clark assured them both.
'Nothing on your mind?' asked Martha not convinced. She sat down at the table and began to eat her breakfast.
Clark shrugged. 'Nothing.'
It was a lie of course. He hadn't been able to forget what had happened the night before. After walking Lana back to Chloe's, Kennedy had insisted she was okay walking herself. On arriving he had locked himself away in his room and spent a good few hours at his computer, searching the web for answers, before stumbling upon a site that told him everything he needed to know about telekinesis - the ability to move things with the mind. It was the only explanation as to what he had seen Kennedy do. She had to be telekinetic. Either that or she was a witch. Which he seriously doubted. Although in Smallville, anything was possible.
He had absorbed article after article about other known cases throughout the world. There weren't many. It was a very rare thing and according to scientists, telekinesis was a 'psychic phenomenon' often triggered by a period of extreme emotional distress in the persons life. It mainly affected children of a young age, but it had also been known to affect full-grown adults too.
It made Clark stop and think, Kennedy was around his age, maybe a little older and it seemed that she had no one. No family as such. It had made him think back to the night they had met and how it had seemed as if she were running away from something. Maybe she'd escaped a terrible home life or it could be something else entirely. He had wanted to ask his parents if they had ever heard or known of anyone with telekinesis, but had ruled against it. They would want to know why and he couldn't tell them. He had told Kennedy he wouldn't tell anyone. And that included his parents. No matter how understanding and trusting they were. He wouldn't break his word.
'What are your plans for today, Clark?' Martha asked as they ate.
But Clark wasn't listening, he was still thinking about Kennedy. Martha looked at her husband across the table. Jonathan smiled and shook his head.
'Teenagers,' he said. 'Clark. Hey, Son.'
'Huh?' blinked Clark. 'Did you say something?'
'Welcome back to earth. Again,' Jonathan joked, as he put a forkful of eggs into his mouth.
Martha smiled at her husband and then put down her knife and fork. She looked at Clark and he saw the worried look in her eyes. 'Are you certain there's nothing you want to tell us? Or talk about?'
'I'm fine, Mom,' he told her in a gentle, reassuring tone. 'I guess I'm just a little tired.'
'Is that possible?' she asked glancing at her husband. Clark's strength and power was growing by the year. Maybe his developing powers were taking it out of him. She had never heard him complain of being tired before.
Jonathan smiled. 'Even superheros need a little R'n'R, Martha.'
Clark stood up, the chair scraping the floor beneath. 'I'm all done,' he said. 'I think I'll make a start on my chores then head out. Is that okay?'
Martha reached up and placed her hand on his arm, giving it a gentle rub. 'Of course it is, honey.'
'I'll start in the barn,' he said then he turned and left the kitchen by the back door.
Martha watched the door close behind him. Jonathan knew she was concerned. Their son may well be some kind of superhero with superpowers, but he was still a teenager. With teenage problems.
'Martha,' said Jonathan gently. She turned to him and he gave her a reassuring smile. 'He's fine. If there's anything troubling him, you know he'll come to us. He always has in the past.'
'Maybe when he was a child, yes. But, Jonathan, he's not a kid anymore. He's changing all the time.'
'He's always been changing,' Jonathan pointed out.
'Do you think he's having problems at school and isn't looking forward to going back?'
Jonathan smiled. 'He's a grade A student, Martha.'
Martha sighed. 'Okay, then maybe it's something else. You know what teenagers are like. Maybe...' She stopped and smiled then. 'Maybe it's a girl.'
'She says hopefully.'
'Maybe he's plucking up the courage to ask Lana to Homecoming,' Martha went on.
'Well, whatever it is, I'm sure he has it all under control. And if he hasn't, he'll come to us,' said Jonathan picking up his coffee. 'He may well be older, but that's one thing that isn't going to change. You know Clark tells us everything. If there's one thing about this family, it's that we don't have any secrets from one another.'
Martha nodded and smiled. 'You're probably right. I'm worrying unnecessarily,' she said and went back to her breakfast.
*
Kennedy had taken a long soak in the tub, washed and dried her hair, before heading downstairs to the kitchen to grab some breakfast. Constance, the Luthor's cook, a small, plump woman in her mid-sixties turned and smiled as Kennedy came through the door.
Connie, as she was known to the other staff members, had seen many a pretty girl come and go in the years she had worked at the Luthor mansion. But none like this one. This one was different. The others had been pretentious and superficial and none of them had taken the time to come down to the kitchen to eat breakfast. Probably thought it was beneath them. Apart from the first morning Kennedy had stayed with Lex, she had eaten in the kitchen. Partly from not wanting to bother him while he was working, but mostly from refusing to ring down and order like she was in some sort of swish hotel and treating the staff like they were at her beck and call. Connie also knew from one of the maids that unlike the others, young Kennedy had her own room within the mansion; and that she insisted on making up her own bed and cleaning her own bathroom. There was obviously no romance between Mr. Luthor and the lovely girl.
Which, Connie thought, was a real shame.
She hoped Mr. Luthor could see what she did; that she was a lovely and genuine young girl. And that young man could do with a little love and stability in his life. She hoped that now Kennedy was here, he might put an end to his playboy ways and maybe even settle down.
'Hey, Connie,' Kennedy smiled as she came inside.
'Good morning, dear,' replied Connie. 'Bacon and eggs?'
'I can do it,' said Kennedy heading for the refrigerator.
Connie knew she could and that she didn't have a problem with it. But this was one of Mr. Luthor's friends that Connie didn't mind cooking for. 'You just sit yourself down and I'll have them rustled up before you can say abracadabra.'
Kennedy pulled the juice carton from the top shelf and closed the refrigerator door. 'You don't have to cook for me, Connie. I'm more than capable.'
Connie pinched the young girl's cheek with her short, fat fingers making Kennedy smile. The older woman reminded her a lot of her grandmother and she felt a wave of emotion.
'I know that, dear,' said Connie. 'But I want to. Now sit.' She took the juice from her and began to pour a glass.
Kennedy sighed and sat down at the breakfast bar, then dutifully accepted the glass of juice with a smile. 'Thank you.'
'So what are your plans for today, dear?' said Connie turning to take two eggs from the refrigerator.
'I'm not working today, so maybe I'll just hang around. I don't know,' Kennedy shrugged.
Connie begin whipping up the eggs at such a speed that it reminded Kennedy of Clark. And how fast he'd moved the night before when she had been careless with her power. She wouldn't let that happen again. From now on it was under wraps. She was curious about Clark. But maybe not as curious as she was about Lex...
She had come back from the Talon last night and found him in his study, the stereo system pumping out music and she had been tempted to ask him about Clark. But she figured Lex probably didn't know anything. Even if he and Clark were friends. So instead she challenged him to a game of billiards and much to her amusement and his surprise, beaten him. He had demanded a rematch. And she beat him again. He decided it was best to give up while he still had a small amount of pride left and they had talked for a little while about nothing in particular. Around one in the morning she had left him in his office and gone up to bed, lying awake thinking about him and wishing there was something she could do to repay him for all he had done for her. But there was nothing she could give him that he didn't already have. And there was nothing he wanted from her anyway.
She had been living at the mansion a few days now and she realised she really didn't know that much about him. Apart from the obvious. He was the son of a billionaire businessman, who was easy on the eye and as bald as the day was new. While Connie whipped, Kennedy sipped at her juice. She put the glass down on the granite top and watched as she expertly poured the eggs into a pan and began to beat them.
'Connie?'
'What is it, dear?' asked the cook.
'Do you like working for the Luthors?'
'I don't have any complaints. I know there are a lot of people around here that do, but they've always been good to me. After my husband died Mr. Luthor offered to help me with the burial. My Stanley hadn't left me much to live on. He was a good man, but he liked to gamble.' She sighed. 'Still, I was grateful for Mr. Luthor's offer.'
'Did you accept?'
It seemed like a personal question, but one Kennedy knew Connie wouldn't be offended by.
'Yes, I did,' she said and turned to look at her. 'And do you want to know something else? He never asked me to pay it back. Or to take a cut in wages.'
'That was nice of him,' said Kennedy, nodding.
'Yes. It was.'
'When you say Mr. Luthor...you're talking about Lex's father, right?'
Connie turned away from the eggs, and smiled at her. 'No, dear. I'm talking about young Mr. Luthor, Alexander. My husband only passed away six months previous. Mr. Luthor senior wasn't even around. He doesn't spend much time at home.' She clucked as though she was saddened by it and went back to the eggs.
Kennedy took a sip of the juice. Thinking how nice that was of Lex to do that for his employee. What the burial cost had probably been a drop in the ocean for him, but to Connie it would have been a year in wages and Kennedy knew it meant a lot to the older woman.
It was another point in Lex's favor. Another to add to the list that was steadily growing by the day.
*
Lex had been holed up in his study working most of the morning and Kennedy, after helping Connie out in the kitchen for an hour or two, decided to head into town. She knew Lana was at the Talon until the afternoon and decided to drop in. When she arrived Lana was busy serving customers and gave Kennedy a warm smile as she dropped off a platter of coffee and pie to a nearby table.
'Hey,' she said. 'Didn't I give you the day off?'
Even under stress, Lana looked great. It was almost as if nothing fazed her. 'I didn't have anything to do.' She looked around. 'Looks like you could do with a hand.'
'Oh no, you don't,' said Lana. 'A day off is a day off.'
'I don't mind.'
'I do,' Lana said firmly making her way back toward the counter. 'You stay at the other side of that counter today. I'll shout you a soda and a slice of pie.'
Kennedy followed her over and sat down on a stool while Lana took the chocolate mud pie from the cooler and cut a slice. 'You seen Clark today?' she asked her.
Lana shook her head. 'No. Oh, which reminds me, I called Skip earlier to ask about covering tonight. No can do, I'm afraid. So unless I can get someone else to do my shift, I may not be able to make the movies.'
'Shame, I was really looking forward to it.'
Lana pushed the slice of pie towards Kennedy. 'Me too. But, hey, you can still go with Clark and the others.'
'I guess,' Kennedy shrugged.
Lana handed her a fork. 'You okay?'
Kennedy sliced into the pie and nodded her head. 'Yeah.'
'You seem distracted,' Lana noted.
'I'm okay,' said Kennedy putting a piece of the pie into her mouth.
'Is it Lex?'
Kennedy looked up at her and swallowed the mouthful of chocolate pie. 'Lex?' she said licking the corners of her mouth.
Lana grinned. 'You know, wealthy playboy, owns a castle up in - '
'Cute,' smiled Kennedy cutting her off. 'Why would you think it was Lex?'
Lana shrugged as she began to pour her a glass of cherry soda. 'Just wondered.'
'Everything's great with Lex.'
'Really?' enquired Lana with one eyebrow arched.
Catching the faint amusement twinkling behind Lana's eyes Kennedy shook her head. 'What I meant was - '
Lana laughed. 'I'm teasing.'
'Do you know much about him?' Kennedy asked taking a sip of soda.
Lana shrugged. 'Not much. Just that he and his father are influential, incredibly wealthy and own most of the property and farmland in and around Smallville. Clark's a lot closer to him than anyone I know.'
'So you don't know anything about him personally?'
'No. Why the interest?' smiled Lana.
Kennedy shook her head. 'Oh, I'm just curious.'
'Lex is pretty much a closed book. For all his status and wealth he's quite the private person. I guess if you want to know any personal stuff, you should just ask him,' Lana said with a grin, as she gave the tray on the counter a quick wipe.
Kennedy shot her a knowing look. 'I have no interest in Lex other than purely as a friend.'
'Okay,' Lana said not entirely convinced.
'I don't,' Kennedy insisted and put another piece of pie to her mouth, stopping halfway when she saw Lana's knowing grin. She lowered the fork. 'What's that look for?'
'You like him,' said Lana matter-of-factly.
Kennedy sighed and shook her head. 'I do not. Well, I do. Just not in the way you think.'
'Hey, I'm not criticising. I mean, you know, what's there not to like? He has a lot going for him. And all the qualities a girl looks for in a mate.'
Kennedy groaned. 'Please.'
'Hey, hey,' said a chirpy voice from behind them. It was Chloe and Kennedy was glad of the interruption, it gave her a chance to not think about Lex. She was thinking about him a little too much lately.
Lana gave Chloe a smile as she sat down. 'How's it going?'
'It's going and that is the main thing. So we still on for tonight?' Chloe said looking from Lana to Kennedy.
'I may have to catch Vin Diesel another time,' replied Lana. 'Can't get this place covered.'
'Too bad,' said Chloe. Then she groaned. 'Vin Diesel. Yum. What is it about that guy?'
'When it comes to action hero's I prefer Bruce Willis myself,' said Kennedy.
Chloe nodded. 'He's cute. But way too old. And I'm pretty certain he has plugs.'
The Talon doors opened and a group of guys came through, laughing, as they found a vacant table. Amongst them was the cute guy Chloe had been ogling a few days previous. Lana glanced at Chloe, grinning.
'What about hair color, Chloe?' she asked. 'Any preference?'
Chloe looked at Lana. 'Hair color? Can't say I mind,' she shrugged.
'Dark blond maybe? With just the slightest curl?'
'I guess.'
'Kind of tall, well-built?'
Chloe frowned. 'What is this, Matchmate-dot-Com?'
Lana smiled. 'Could be.'
'Huh?'
'Hey,' said a warm, sexy voice from behind Chloe. 'It's Chloe, isn't it?'
Chloe turned and saw the gorgeous Ryan Phillippe lookalike she'd met only a few days ago, standing there looking as gorgeous as he had been before. Her heart skipped a little. 'Yeah,' she smiled at him. 'It's Drew, right?'
He nodded and smiled at her. 'Nice to be remembered.'
'Right back at you. So what brings you back here?'
'Actually I was kind of hoping to see you again.'
'Oh,' was all she managed to say.
Lana and Kennedy looked at one another with lifted eyebrows and smiled.
'I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime?' Drew asked.
'Um,' Chloe stammered. 'You're asking me out?'
Drew grinned. 'Yeah, it's been a while, but I think that's what that was.'
'Right. Well, I mean, yeah. Okay. Love to.'
Lana suppressed a giggle. She had never seen Chloe more at a loss for words.
'Great,' said Drew. 'How about tonight?'
'Oh,' said Chloe glancing at Kennedy and Lana. 'Well, uh, we kind of - '
'Cancelled our plans for tonight,' Kennedy interrupted her mid-flow. She smiled at Drew. 'She's all yours. I'm Kennedy, by the way.'
'Drew,' he said with a smile.
Lana lifted her hand to him and smiled. 'Lana.'
'Hey,' said Drew then looked back at Chloe. 'So, is it a date?'
Chloe was still looking at Kennedy, she opened her mouth to say something, then closed it with a frown. She looked back at Drake. 'Well, it would appear I'm available after all, so yeah, I guess it is.'
'That's great. Give me your address and I'll pick you up. Say seven?'
Chloe shook her head. 'That's okay. I can just meet you here.'
'No problem,' nodded Drew. 'Seven then?'
'It's a date,' smiled Chloe.
Drew gave her another smile then he turned and joined his friends at their table. Chloe spun round on her stool, her mouth dropping open.
'Oh, my god!' she mouthed. 'Can you believe that?'
'And it was only the other day you were complaining about the lack of romance in your life,' smiled Lana.
Chloe bit her bottom lip and grinned. 'He's a complete babe. And when did we cancel our plans for tonight?'
'We didn't,' Kennedy told her. 'Although with two down, maybe we should.'
'You can still go with Clark and Pete,' Lana told her.
'I don't really know them that well.'
'Going out with them tonight is the perfect way to resolve that.'
Kennedy shrugged. 'I guess.'
Chloe clapped her hands together. 'I think I'll head home.'
'You just got here,' Lana stated.
'Lana, I have less than six hours to decide what to wear for my big date tonight,' she said sliding down from the stool. 'I'll see you later at home. And Kennedy whatever you decide to do, have fun. I know I will,' she grinned, then she made for the door, giving Drake a flirtatious little wave as she passed.
Lana smiled and jammed her elbows on the counter, dropping her chin into her hands. 'I wish the perfect guy of my dreams would walk in and sweep me off my feet.'
'There's no such thing. Nobody is ever perfect for someone and if they are, they're probably harboring some dark and terrible secret. Or from another planet.'
Lana laughed. 'That's very sceptical of you, Kennedy.'
'It's my middle name,' said Kennedy with a wry smile.
'It's not such a bad thing. Sometimes being too trusting can leave you wide open to attack.'
'Don't I know it,' Kennedy murmured, taking a sip of cherry soda.
Lana straightened up, her brow knitting together. 'You okay?'
Kennedy sighed and nodded her head. She gave Lana a smile for good measure. 'Yeah,' she said. 'Just ignore me. Sometimes I have these little manic episodes.'
Lana laughed. 'Don't we all,' she said. 'Well, I better get back to work.'
'Yeah, don't let me keep you. You sure you couldn't do with an extra pair of hands?'
Lana smiled at her. 'No. I'll see you later. Maybe,' she added rolling her eyes.
Kennedy watched as Lana disappeared into the kitchen, the doors swinging shut behind her while she went back to sipping her soda. And those manic thoughts.
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COPYRIGHT. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Debra Jay. 2003