Summer

By Morgana (Cynthia.McCoy533@gmail.com)

Rated: G

Submitted: September 2016

Summary: This is set during the first season six months after
Clark arrived in Metropolis, which considering the clothes Clark
wore might have been late winter or early spring. Now it is
summer, during a quiet evening spent with Martha and Jonathan on
the farm; no villains, deadlines or sadly Lois. Clark wants to
have a serious conversation with his parents. He has an important
decision to make.

Story Size: 3,546 words (20Kb as text)

Thanks to KatherineKent and Ken Janney, betas extraordinaire!

Legal Disclaimer: Not mine!

***

It was a warm summer Kansas evening on the farm of Jonathan and
Martha Kent. After a long exhausting day of working in the wheat
and corn fields, the couple was relaxing on the lighted porch.
This was their favorite time of day, watching the fading lights
of dusk as gentle fireflies were lazily moving to and fro over
the lovingly cared for blue violets and lavender on the front
lawn. Off in the distances, frogs and crickets could be heard
making their evening song at the creek. On opposite ends of the
porch, citronella candles burned, warding off the pesky
mosquitoes with their unique smell. The faintest hint of a breeze
tousled the uppermost leaves of a majestic oak tree. On the east
side of the old farmhouse, the slightly cooler air felt delicious
against the Kents' skin.

Martha, looked up from knitting a peach-colored, lacy, shawl, and
said, "That juicy watermelon Maisie gave us yesterday ought to
be good and cool by now."

Her husband's mouth began to water at the thought and he
replied, "You might be right. A piece of watermelon should be
real tasty with a tall glass of lemon iced tea with a sprig or
two of fresh mint."

"It'll only take me a minute to cut a few slices and pour a
couple of glasses." Carefully, she put the needles and delicate
yarn into a tightly woven square lidded basket decorated with
splashes of red and brown that Clark had brought her from Peru.
She stood up from the rocker and went into the house. The old,
wooden, screen door closed with its usual resonating bang behind
her.

Jonathan leaned back and looked up into the melange of serene
purples and blues of the darkening sky as vivid pinpoints of
stars began peeking out of hiding one by one. He noted a shooting
star make its way across the horizon. He remembered similar
nights as a boy spent on this same porch looking at the stars
with his father. He could still hear Edwin Kent's calm voice
telling him about the positions of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn at
different times of the year. The vivid show of planets he and
Martha had been enjoying over the past few months were a fine
sight on these warm July evenings. One hour after sunset, all
three planets would reach their peak performance in the sky and
start to set. Fortunately for them the lengthening nights helped
slow their departure.

He looked over the porch and thought about the many important
decisions and conversations which had taken place here. On such
an evening as this he had excitedly told his parents of meeting a
pretty, outgoing blonde with sparkling, blue eyes, named Martha
Clark at an ice cream social. She was from Kansas City visiting
her family for a few weeks and had taken a liking to the shy
farmer. Over the summer they had spent a great deal of time
together. By the time September rolled around he spoke with his
parents about Martha and his desire to marry her someday.

Sadly there was strong opposition from her mother. Lavinia Clark,
of the Kansas City Clarks, had spent time and money educating and
grooming Martha so that she would marry a man of wealth and
position. After all her years of hard work, it was inconceivable
that her daughter would waste herself on a mere small time farmer
grubbing in the dirt. Mrs. Clark had very plainly expressed her
feelings on the matter to Jonathan. The ugly words had stung his
pride and so he reacted in an uncharacteristic manner; he told
the inflexible woman to stuff it.

It might not have been the proper way to address his future
mother-in-law, but Lavinia treated Jonathan and the rest of his
family with a grudging respect after that day.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted when an all too familiar
figure; moving against those twinkling stars and planets caught
his eye. A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest.

"Martha! Set out another plate! Company's coming."

A merry laugh echoed out of the kitchen. "He's right on
time."

He called back, "You knew he would be here tonight?"

Over the clatter of plates and glasses, she answered. "Of course
not, Jonathan, but according to the national news, a heat wave
was making evenings in Metropolis simply miserable. Wouldn't it
make sense that our boy comes here rather than the Antarctic to
escape all that oppressive city heat and humidity?"

As Martha's quick and energetic steps came towards the porch,
Jonathan got up and opened the screen door. She was carrying a
large tray laden with three plates. On top of each plate was a
generous slice of watermelon. Also on the tray were three tall
glasses of lemon iced tea, topped with a jaunty, bright green
sprig of mint, plucked fresh from the garden.

Jonathan chuckled, "Our boy may not feel heat and cold the way
we do, but he never could resist spending time on the porch with
us on nights like this."

"Especially when there's a light, refreshing dessert like this
just waiting to be eaten! Look, that's him landing now." Martha
said this as she placed the tray on a sturdy, wooden coffee table
Jonathan had built right after she had finally accepted his third
proposal of marriage.

In the gathering darkness, they could barely make out that Clark
had touched down at the far end of the dry, gravelly road near a
patch of stiffly erect, plains muhly grass. Wearing blue jeans
and a white t-shirt, he walked up the long driveway to the house
with a carelessly easy stride, exactly as he had done as a boy
after playing softball with his friends.

"Hi, Mom! Dad!" He called out waving his arm in greeting.

"Come for a little dessert son? Your mother just brought some
cold watermelon out." Jonathan responded.

Clark took the wooden steps two at a time and set foot on the
porch with his parents. He hugged his mother and father. "Dad,
nothing beats a chunk of sweet watermelon on a summer's evening,
especially after a game of basketball with Pete and the guys.
Normally I don't sweat but with this recent heat ... that long,
cold shower felt great when I got home."

"Yeah, but does your apartment get decent air-conditioning? That
landlord was more interested in making a fast buck than seeing to
your comfort. How you and Pete live in the big city is beyond
me." Jonathan shook his head in bewilderment.

Deciding to set his father's mind at rest, Clark sat down and
said, "My place is fine. The A/C works great and don't forget I
have a balcony which gets a pretty decent breeze at night.
Pete's place is better situated than my own. He lives on the
fifth floor and has large windows on either side so the cross
breeze keeps that apartment comfortable. Please Dad, don't worry
about us. Pete's lived in Metropolis longer than me; he knows
how things work there."

Martha handed him his plate and said. "Speaking of work, did you
know Phil Irig landed a job with EPRAD?"

"No kidding? When did that happen?" Clark asked.

"Oh, Wayne told us this about a week ago. Phil might be
contacting you and Pete very soon to ask advice about where to
live."

Jonathan shook his head, "Martha, remember that Memorial Day
when he left his science experiment unattended in the back shed
and it blew up? Wayne wasn't too happy with the boy."

"Yeah, it took the better part of a day to help them clean up
the mess -- and the smell!" Clark shuddered from the memory. His
powers had just begun to really strengthen and for some reason
his sense of smell had been quite -- sensitive. To this day, the
odor of swamp grass, no matter how light, made him queasy.

Martha sat back in her rocker, took a quick sip of iced tea and
asked, "So, you've been living in Metropolis nearly six months,
are you planning on staying?"

A thoughtful expression crossed Clark's face as he considered
her words. "I've lived in so many cities; London, Sydney and
Paris just to name a few. But Metropolis is like no place else.
The rhythm of the city's streets just hum with life and the
energetic pace suits me. I can see myself living there for quite
awhile. It is home."

An impish grin tugged at his mother's lips when she asked. "How
is Lois?"

Without hesitation he said with a lopsided grin, "Frustrating.
Difficult. Demanding. Brilliant. Beautiful, and the most talented
reporter I have ever had the privilege to work with."

"Careful, Clark, the lady sounds like someone I know," Jonathan
quipped as he looked at his wife fondly.

"Honey ...what does she think of you?" Martha asked gently.

Now their son was silent he picked up the glass of ice tea, took
a long swallow before saying, "Mom, I think ...or at least I
hope Lois likes me a little more than she's willing to let on.
We are more than friendly co-workers. She's my closest friend
and I've fallen in love with her. Not now, but soon I want to
tell her I'm Superman. She deserves to know the truth."

The elder Kents were silent for a heartbeat, than looked intently
at each other. They had always known Clark might find someone he
would wish to spend the rest of his life with. From the first
time Lois Lane's name was mentioned they had known she was
someone special.

"Son, this is a life altering decision. Are you certain Lois can
be trusted?"

Clark rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Dad I trust her
with my life. We have shared some pretty hair-raising adventures
in pursuit of a story."

A small amount of worry colored the words Martha spoke. "Honey,
what your father is getting at is ... Lois is ambitious. She has
netted just about all the prestigious awards for journalism
except the Pulitzer. This time you wouldn't be her partner
helping to uncover the story. You would be the story. Revealing
Superman's secret identity would make her a shoo-in to win."

Shaking his head as if to push such an ugly thought away he
responded crisply. "No, Lois is not about destroying me or us as
a family. I know in my heart that keeping this secret from her is
wrong. Superman has been around for five months. The longer I
wait to tell her, the madder she'll be when I do."

For a long time the only sounds heard were the happy cacophony of
crickets and the occasional tinkle of ice cubes as they rapidly
melted in the tall glasses. All three Kents were seriously
considering the effects Clark's decision would have their
family.

Jonathan was the first one to speak. "All right, son, you've
obviously given this matter a great deal of thought. I won't
offer any objections." He turned and gazed lovingly at Martha.
"Remember how your mother reacted when I told her my feelings
for you?"

Clark watched in admiration and joy as his parents clasped hands
and looked at each other with the kind of emotion and respect
only many years of being a strong married couple produces. The
candle-light had softened their features in such a way that he
could almost see them as they once were; a young couple
determined to wed regardless of all the barriers his grandmother
had erected.

Martha turned to him and said, "Your father was a tower of
strength. Oh, I had my misgivings and the poor man proposed more
than once, but eventually we did get married and here we are."

"Marriage? Mom, it's a little early for that, don't you
think?"

She gave her husband a sly wink and said, "Of course, dear."

"Now, Clark, I don't want to be a nosy parker, but may I make a
suggestion ... or two?"

The young man shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sure, Dad."

Jonathan was silent for a moment and spoke carefully. "After a
difficult rescue, like that earthquake in Japan, it's natural to
want to talk about it with someone. Your mother and I are always
here to listen."

His son swallowed a bite of watermelon and said softly, "I know
that, Dad."

"I say that because there have been times when you, as Superman,
talk about such rescues with Lois outside of the *Daily Planet*.
This may be easier said than done, but visits to her apartment as
Superman should end. By visiting in her home the setting is more
-- personal. The poor woman is getting emotionally confused,
attaching herself to the superhero and not the man beneath the
uniform. Maybe distance your relationship with her as the
"Superman" reporter. How about granting in-depth interviews to
other newspapers such as the *Washington Post* or *New York Times
*or our own* Kansas City Star*? She, and by extension the *Daily
Planet,* will be less of a target for crooks."

Having finished her dessert, Martha turned on the lamp next to
her and began working on the diaphanous lace shawl from the
knitting basket again. Her nimble fingers moving swiftly as she
spoke. "I often hear young women complain that men don't spoil
them on dates, but treat them like one-of-the-guys. Take her out
to dinner at a fancy restaurant with candles and linen napkins.
Show her a good time by doing something else other than eating
cold pizza and flat cream soda on a stakeout."

The young man before them sat motionless as he contemplated their
words. "It means a lot to me that you guys support this
decision. The secret of who I am can sometimes be a tremendous
burden. When I do talk with Lois about some of the things I
experience during a rescue, her words have given me a great deal
of comfort. It will be tough to give that up."

Patting her son's hand, Martha responded, "All the more reason
to take her someplace nice."

"Hmm, dinner at a fancy restaurant will have to wait. Lois is,
after all, my work partner. Encouraging her to move forward with
our relationship is going to take a little time. I need to start
with something simple, yet fun."

"I know! What about a trip to the beach?" Martha asked.

"Nope, too crowded."

"The Metropolis Zoo?" Jonathan suggested

"Too hot."

Martha grumbled, "Clark, you're not helping."

Suddenly, a smile lit up Jonathan's face and his blue eyes
twinkled happily. "Hmm, I might have the perfect solution.
Before air conditioning, folks did other things to keep cool. We
used to get together for Ice Cream Socials ...it's where I met
your mother. As you pointed out, Metropolis can be uncomfortable
in the heat. Why not invite your friends over for ice cream and
play board games?"

Martha chimed in, "That's a wonderful idea Jonathan! All you
need is: an ice cream scoop, delicate glasses filled with
toppings, waffle cones, and a great sense of humor!"

Clark face brightened. "This is a really good idea. I can invite
Jimmy and some of the guys at work ..."

"No. No one from the *Daily Planet* should be there. That will
only put Lois on her guard. Ask Pete Ross and your other
basketball buddies to come over. They are doctors and could use a
little relaxation. The last time we were there you introduced us
that couple who just moved to Metropolis from North Dakota,
Victor and Alma Sandusky. Why not include them? They are a nice
young couple who might enjoy being invited up for an informal
party." Jonathan said.

Martha, who was now getting into the spirit of things added,
"Ask Lois if her friends, Molly Flynn and Detective Reed might
want to come. Didn't you mention the balcony gets a nice breeze?
It's summertime Clark, the perfect time to get to know people
and make friends -- even if it is in the big city."

"I'm so glad I came to talk with you guys. By distancing Lois
from Superman she can see Clark clearly, so when I do tell her
the truth it won't be so painful."

"Clark Jerome Kent, stop talking about yourself in the third
person!" Martha said in a gentle reproving tone.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Jonathan chuckled. His son was growing into a man that his father
would have loved to have known. He was grateful that his memories
of years past spent on this porch were helping Clark to build his
future. Perhaps that future would be with a certain fiery
brunette? Maybe in the future, he could sit and talk with his
grandchildren and share much of the wisdom his father had
imparted to him. Content to wait and see, Jonathan watched his
son excitedly discuss his latest investigative adventure with
Lois. Time went by as they sat in the soft coolness of the Kansas
evening, each taking a turn talking about the events of the day.

The moon hung like a large silvery disc when Clark stood and
prepared to leave. "Dad, thanks again for suggesting these
ideas."

Dismissing it, Jonathan said, "It's just an old-fashioned
pastime. Your mother and I used to enjoy doing it. I just thought
that something like that would never go out of style."

"I think you're right. Something like that would be just the
thing. It has just the right mix of informal and fun. I think
I'll make it a little more 'formal' by handing out invitations
to an Ice Cream Social. It might perk up interest."

Martha nodded, "That sounds like a good idea, honey. That puts a
city twist on an old country pastime."

Clark stood up and gave both parents a generous hug. Then he
walked down the lane, spun into the suit and lifted off into the
night sky.

"Martha, didn't you mention something about knitting a new
blanket for Clark's bed?"

"Yes, the last one I made when he was in college. He took it
with him to Metropolis; but honestly it is time for a new one.
Why?"

"With the way our boy is talking make sure it's a King size,
not a Queen."

Even in the glow of candlelight, Jonathan could sense his wife's
blue eyes sparkling with merriment.

***

Later that evening the phone ring as Martha and Jonathan were
climbing the stairs to go to bed.

"Who could it be at this hour?" Jonathan asked gruffly.

Martha went downstairs to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

On the other end is Clark, she can hear the huge grin in his
voice as he announced, "I asked Lois to come to the ice-cream
social! I've already arranged it for next Saturday. She said
yes."

"Goodness Clark, taking the time difference into consideration
it must have been very late when you called her."

"Oh I didn't! As soon as I got home, Lois called and asked me
to come with her while she met with a source; No-Knees Nolan,
about an investigation we've been working on. It was in a really
seedy part of town and she didn't want to go alone. So we talked
about lots of things while we waited for Nolan and it led to an
informal invitation to the "First Annual Kent Ice Cream Social'
to be held next Saturday."

"That's wonderful, Honey!"

"Yeah, I still plan on giving everybody else invitations. But I
couldn't help asking her on the spur of the moment." The
happiness in his voice was bubbling over and spilling into his
mother's heart. They chatted a little longer and then said their
good-nights.

Upstairs while getting ready for bed, Martha and Jonathan
enthusiastically talked about this latest joyful turn in their
son's life.

"Jonathan, isn't this exciting? I can hardly wait to hear about
what happens! This little gathering could be the start of
something special. Lois is a nice young woman; she's good for
Clark." said Martha as she turned out the lights and slipped
under the bedcovers. She lay there for a moment and then started
to giggle.

"Martha," Jonathan said from the depths of the covers, "What
are you giggling about?"

"I wonder if he will kiss her or will they just smile at each
other during the whole party?"

Once more memories from Jonathan's past came rushing in. He drew
his wife of over thirty years close to him and said. "If he is
half as in love with her as he sounded this evening, it's going
to be impossible for him *not* to kiss her.

"Oh Jonathan, you are such a romantic!" Giggling once more, she
kissed him.

THE END