By Bhavani Rao
Summary: Clark, a playboy crooner?
***
"She is everything I dreamed she'd be …" Clark thought to himself.
As the grey jeep stopped at the red light, the two occupants sat giggling their heads off.
"Stop, Clark. I can't drive anymore." Lois laughed.
"And that's news?" Clark answered her.
She smirked as she tried to reach over and hit him. "Ha ha ha … very funny, Mister Perfect."
He turned to look at her with a goofy smile on his face, "I know I am."
"You really have lost it." She said, shaking her head. She drove on. After a moment, she turned on the radio. "You can change the channel if you want," she told him.
He started to play with the dial.
They had just been to a National Reporters Convention. It was a long drive home, but the two didn't seem to mind. She enjoyed his company, more than ever. He always had some silly joke that was so stupid that she couldn't help but laugh.
He loved her giggle, her smirk, her everything. That was his Lois. His secret pet name for her was "His Fire." He was the only one that knew that. He enjoyed every minute he spent with her, even if they where fighting. Then why was he going out with other women? Three month ago Molly had asked him out to dinner a couple of times. Now, for the past month or two it was Mayson. She always insisting on going to these fancy places. She was nice and all, but she was not "His Fire."
He settled on a station. "This OK?" He asked her.
"Fine," she replied.
Ever since he walked into her life, it certainly took a turn for the better. He was "Her Ice." She had this spitfire that only he could put out. She loved her pet name for him, "Her Ice." She'd rather die than tell him that's what she called him. She knew she loved him. She did from the very first day he walked through the door at the Planet. It was too late to tell him though. When he was in love with her, she rejected him like a fool. Now, he had gone on with his life. Mayson made him happy, and well, she was happy that he was happy. Strange, she was totally in love him. He was with someone else, and yet, she was happy. Life is certainly bizarre.
"Getting tired of this?" He asked. "Let me change the station." He reached over to change the channel.
Radio: "… next, by request, The Four Seasons with 'December 1963'."
"Oh, oh, oh! Leave it! I love this song …" Lois declared.
"You do?" He loved finding out little things like this about her.
"Mmmm." was her only reply.
Radio: "Oh, what a night. Late December back in '63 …"
She started to sing the words to the song.
"Wow, I'm impressed!" Clark whistled.
"Care to join me?" Lois teased.
"No, thanks. You're doing fine on your own." He smiled.
"Chicken." Lois taunted him, laughingly.
He started making chicken noises to the tune of the song.
She started to laugh again. "Stop that! I really love this song!" She told him.
He did.
She didn't want him spoiling it for her.
Radio: "Sweet surrender. What a night."
And Clark was getting tired. It only took a couple of seconds till he was asleep.
She kept tapping to the song. Traffic was bad. She tried to move around it, but gave up and decided to inch along with it.
As she turned to look at him, she noticed that peaceful look on his face that he had when he was asleep. She loosened his tie a bit and then brushed his hair away from his face. God, what was she going to do without him in her life?
Radio: "Why did take so long to see the light?"
She would have to face it alone, that was that.
Radio: "Oh, what a night …"
Traffic inched on almost all the way home. Clark slept through most of the trip. She didn't mind. Any time they spent together was … time they spent together.
By the time she pulled up to his building, it was two am. She turned to him, still sound asleep.
"What am I going to do with you?" she said as she nudged him awake. "Wake up — We're at your apartment."
"Hmmm — " He looked disoriented. He stretched and asked, "What time is it?"
"Two o'clock — Come on, move it — I have to go home, too." She prodded him.
"No, you're not … I'm not letting you go home alone after driving all this way," he said sleepily.
"I'm a big girl … I don …"
"No ifs, ands or buts!" He wasn't in the mood to argue with her.
The thought of spending the night at his place was all too tempting. If nothing else, they always had a great time.
"OK, I am kind of tired," she had to justify herself.
He smiled. "That wasn't that hard. Was it, Lois?" He thought to himself.
"Flip for the bed," he said to her as he was opening the door.
"Clark, it's your house. You get the bed."
"No, you drove so you should get it."
"Fine."
The thought of sleeping in the same bed that he usually did was intriguing. All of Clark's stuff had this smell. It was a wonderful mix of country with Drakar mingled in. She remembered several occasions when he had given her his jacket to wear. She remembered the smell, the warmth.
"She's remembering something," he thought. She always had that glazed look in her eyes and smile on her face when she did. He caught her. He loved it when he caught her doing that. He was never sure if she was thinking about him or his alter ego. He had a good idea that it was the latter.
"Superman in your thoughts again?" Clark asked.
Lois hated when he did that. Not the part that he could read her like a book. That she loved. It was the Superman part. He always compared himself to that blue clad superhero who was actually not that big a factor in her life anymore. "Lois, this would be a good time to tell him that." She thought to herself.
"No, I wasn't," she said. Then she realized that what she was about to say next might send their friendship to an uncomfortable end, so she said instead, "I was thinking that I can't sleep in these clothes."
"Oh, well, you're welcome to whatever you like in my closet."
"OK. " She was really tired of her suit and she wanted comfort. She wanted cotton.
"Ice tea?" It had been particularly hot that day.
"Sure," she answered.
She found one of his T shirts and a pair of boxer shorts. "These will do nicely," she said to herself.
She emerged from the bathroom refreshed and relaxed.
Clark nearly dropped the pitcher when he saw her.
She saw his reaction. "What?"
"Ah …" he managed. The thought "How am I supposed to tell you that I've had fantasies of seeing you wear those clothes?" Went spinning through his head.
" What?" She asked again. "Does it look bad?"
"Ah … No, it's fine. Here's the ice tea."
"OK." She noticed his answering machine message light was blinking. "Clark, aren't you going to check your messages?" Lois was almost compulsive about checking hers first thing.
"After I change," he said as he disappeared into the bed room.
He came out wearing a green sleeveless shirt and grey shorts. "How's the ice tea?"
"Mmmmm … good."
Machine: "You have three messages."
Beep … "Clark, this is you mother. Your friend, Harvey, from college called. He said he was in a fix and needs your help. Gave him your number. He'll call you later. That's all. Call when you can and say hello to Lois for me."
Lois thought that was strange. Clark was going out with Mayson, yet Martha included Lois every time she was here. "Did she know something that I was not picking up? NAAAAAAAAAA, Martha's just feeling motherly towards me."
Beep … "Clark, honey, it's me. I miss you so much. Call me. I Love you, Mayson. "
That certainly made them both uneasy. He sipped his tea as he glanced at her over the rim of his glass. She was staring down at her tea, with that glazed look in her eyes. What he would give to find out what was going through her head.
She could never say exactly how she felt. Her fire was gone as she felt her ice melting away from her.
Beep … "Hey, Clark man , How have you been? Listen the whole band is in town for a reunion type gig. We want you to come sing with us. It's down at this club in the hot part of Metropolis on Friday night. We're at Bruce's. Call us tomorrow."
That was your last message."
"I never knew you where part of a band? I never even knew you sang."
"Yeah, well, there's a lot you don't know about me."
"So, are you going to do it?"
"Well, what do you think I should do? "
"That was odd." Lois thought. "Why ask me? Ask Mayson." But she said, "You're a big boy. You'll figure something out, Clark. I'm turning in."
"Good night, Lois."
She smiled to herself as she walked away from him.
"Good night, Lois."
This reminded him of their " honeymoon" at the Metropolis hotel.
"Goodnight, silly." She said over her shoulder.
As she pulled the sheet over herself, she could smell that sweet country drakar mix. She closed her eyes, knowing that her dreams would be filled with happy thoughts of him.
He retired to the sofa. He had made his decision about playing in the band. It was only one gig. Hey, it would be fun.
Lois had left her summer jacket on the edge of the sofa. He pulled it to him. It smelled like her. Hey, that was the perfume he had bought her for Christmas! As he put it aside, he smiled to himself. He knew his dreams would be filled with her. What a way to fall asleep.
It was morning much too early for her. She didn't want to wake up from her dream.
"Wake up! We're late already." He said as he sat on the edge of the bed. HE really didn't want to move either.
"No …"
"Lois, the longer you stay, the harder it gets to wake up."
"No …"
RING RING RING
"Hello!"
Mayson was on the other end of the line. "Good morning, love."
"Good morning, Mayson. "
What a rude awakening to her dreams, she thought as she pulled the covers over her head.
"I called you last night."
"Yeah, I got your message late last night … too late to call."
"Oh, I completely understand. How was the convention?"
"Fine. How was the trial?"
As Mayson went into details Clark really didn't want to hear, he noticed Lois had pulled the covers over her head. He went to the bed to pull them off of her but she held them tight. He was struggling with her.
Mayson could hear the disturbance on the phone. "What's wrong? "
"Oh, nothing. I'm trying to get this thing out of my bed."
Lois silently mouthed, "Thing?" As she fought to keep the covers over her head.
"Oh — is it a bed bug?" She joked.
"You could call it a bed bug," he smiled.
Lois was getting frustrated that she couldn't call him names back. But she knew that she was also enjoying this.
"So, what are we doing Friday night? "
"I don't want to do anything with you" was going through his head. "Oh, my old band from college is back home. We're playing a gig in a club."
"My man in a band! I'd love to see that! Can't wait!"
Clark noticed Lois was asleep again. It was going to take forever to wake her up.
"Yeah, well see you Friday then. Tell you more details later."
"OK. Oh, I just remembered — the best thing for bed bugs is to shake them out of bed."
"Oh, really?" He smiled. This was going to be fun. "Thanks! Bye."
"Bye, love!"
Clark put the phone down and turned to Lois. With one quick jerk, he had pulled the sheets off.
"Hey!"
Then he sat at the edge of the bed, jumping up and down on in.
"Clark what are you doing?"
"Shaking the bed bug up."
"Fine! I'm up! Stop that — I'm starting to feel seasick." She got up and sat next to him.
"Awake yet? "
It took her a couple of minutes to rub her eyes and stretch. Then she hit him.
"Hey! What was that for?"
"Calling me a thing and a bed bug!" "Well, the bed bug part is true."
She got up and gave him an "I — really — am — not — awake — enough — for — that" look. "I am going to take a shower and head to the office. Coming?"
"To take a shower with you?"
"Wow — that was pretty forward for a farm boy," she thought. "What did? … Did he? … Oh, who knows?" She gave up and said, "You know that's not what I meant!" She tossed a pillow at him.
As he got hit in the head by the pillow, he yelled, "Yes, I'll just make breakfast by the time you're out!"
"Fine with me!"
They both showered separately and changed and were out the door in good time for the Wednesday morning meeting.
As they walked out after the meeting, Lois turned to Clark, "Hey, did you call your friend this morning?"
Perry was coming over to ask them how the convention had been.
"Yeah, I called him back when you where in the shower."
They both stopped as they saw Perry standing there. He looked pleased, thinking they were through acting stupid and had admitted that they loved each other. "So how was the convention?"
"Fine, but we got home really, really, late, Mr. White, so Lois stayed at my place."
"Oh, it was late, sure. " He walked away with a goofy grin.
"Penny for his thoughts …" Clark said.
"I think they're worth more," she muttered. She figured she had said that to herself, but he had heard. All he did was smile.
The rest of the day flew by in a blur. Mayson had called several times. She said she had been free and joked about wanting to spend the night helping him get rid of his bed bug problem. Little did she know that bed bug was his whole life.
"Well, why don't you come to the rehearsal?"
"I can't stay that long, but sure!"
It was getting late and the story had not been wrapped up yet. Clark looked at his watch.
"Go," Lois said, "I'll wrap up this half and bring the other half of the material over to the rehearsal and drop it off. OK?"
"Thanks!" He said as he rushed out. That was Lois.
They practiced for a couple of hours when Mayson came.
"Guys — this is … this is Mayson Drake."
"This is Bruce," who waved from his drums set.
"This is Harvey" who belted a note out of his guitar.
"And this is Calvin" who was fiddling with the keyboard.
"Hi!" Mayson said with a really fake smile. "He hung out with these — low lives?" She thought to herself. "Oh Clark, we'll just have to change your social circle."
The band could tell they were not very well liked by this Mayson, woman, so they really didn't waste that much energy making conversation. She sat up front and listened for while till she got called away.
Then Lois came. They were practicing "Brown Eyed Girl." She dropped the folders on the table and stood in front of the stage.
He knew she loved the song and knew all the words. Clark held his hand out for her to join him on stage.
She nodded no.
"Guys, what do you say to her joining us?"
Bruce gave her a drum roll, as the others cheered her on.
"OK, OK, "she said as Clark helped her on stage. "He was the lead singer? Wow! There was a whole other side to Clark that she was just finding out about.
"Do you remember when we used to sing. SHA-LA-LA-LA-LA.."
When the song ended, he gave the same introduction. "'And guys, this is Lois, part partner, part best friend' and my entire life and heart," but he knew that adding that might cause some complications.
"Hi … I have heard so much about you guys. Clark, here, just left out the band part." She smiled.
They liked her. She was just what Clark needed and they knew she was just what he wanted.
Her beeper went off. "That's most probably something important. You guys are great!"
Calvin added, "We'll be even better on Friday. You are coming, aren't you?"
Clark hadn't asked her and she didn't want to just walk in.
"Of course she is." Clark noted. He wanted her there.
"Well, I guess I'm coming."
As Lois turned to leave, she ran into Mayson. Though Mayson was a nice person — at times, she also didn't like the fact that Clark was always with Lois. She knew once she got rid of Lois, Clark was all hers. "Oh, Lois, fancy seeing you here."
"Ah, well, I had to drop off some work for Clark."
"In a hurry … We'll do lunch."
Lois knew that was her favorite line. "Sure … Bye."
Mayson was unnoticed as she walked in. She stopped short as she heard her name and Lois' linked in one sentence.
" So, who is it, Clark?"
"Bruce, watch it!"
"Clark, man, you have two hot babes all over you. That's the life!" Harvey added. He was married with his first kid on the way.
"So, Clark, you have to give up one …" Calvin added.
Mayson decided to enter the room. "Clark, are you on a break?"
"Yeah, sort of."
"Well, just forgot my jacket. See you Friday night, darling," she said as she gave him a really long kiss. "Bye."
He turned around as Mayson left to see his friends have silly looks on their faces. "Shut up, all of you. Let's get back to work."
"What ever you say, lover boy."
The rest to of the time was spent practicing or teasing Clark about his dilemma.
On the way out, Calvin realized that he needed to pick something up.
"Well, Bruce and I can go home in the van and you can take lover boy," Harvey said with a grin on his face.
They piled in their cars. As they drove, Calvin and Clark talked about old times and what was going on their lives now. Clark didn't even notice that they had driven up to Molly's nature store until they stopped.
"Wait! What are you doing here?"
"My girlfriend is really into this stuff so I thought I would pick something up for her. Come on. You can help me pick something out."
"OK," he said, knowing full well that he would have to face Molly.
As they walked through the store, Molly appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Clark from behind.
"Hello, me Amour!"
Calvin was taken aback. Three women? Was it the guy's cologne ?
"Hi Mol …" he attempted to say as he was cut of by her mouth on top of his. He pushed her way. "Molly, this is my friend Calvin."
"Hi … you guys went to college together?"
"Yeah, we were in a band together. Hey why don't you come to the gig on Friday?"
"Clark never told me anything about it …" her voice begin to trail away …
"Well, he just found out this morning."
"Oh, sure — wouldn't miss it for the world." She was being summoned by one of her employees. "Excuse me … It was nice meeting you, Calvin." She turned to Clark, "You, come over here." She tried to pull him to her but he didn't budge. "See you Friday."
"Yeah."
After she was out of range, Calvin went off.
"Clark man, tell me your secret!"
"Calvin, pick the gift and let's leave."
"I take it you didn't want her there."
"No, but too late for that."
They bought Calvin's stuff and headed for Clark's apartment. Calvin had just flown in that morning and since Bruce's place was already packed, Calvin was going to stay at Clark's. Calvin sensed his friend's lady problems but he didn't want to really press him on the topic. His curiosity got the better of him. "So, which one is the lucky lady that owns Mr. Kent's heart?"
"I," he was going to say "really don't know" but he did know.
"All three of them know about each other?"
"Yeah, strangely enough — the only two that are really nasty to each other are Mayson and Molly. Lois was Molly's old friend and Lois is pretty civil to Mayson."
"Man, you have to square this out once and for all."
"I know, I think — thanks to you — I think I will Friday."
"How?"
"I have an idea …" He began to describe his idea to Calvin.
Most of Thursday was spent without running into Lois, which was not all that pleasing to either of them.
Mayson and Molly, unfortunately, crossed paths somewhere along the way. Both called Clark to tell him that he had to make his decision on who he was going to stay with. Clark was not looking forward to this.
Thursday's rehearsal was much sharper, without all the distractions.
Lois was so busy that she had not even had the time to think about Friday till it was already there.
"You're coming, right?" He had said in the elevator to her.
"Wouldn't miss it … Good luck, by the way."
"Thanks! I'll need it."
He seemed to need a vote of confidence so she kissed him on the cheek. "I believe in you, Clark," she said as she left.
"That's all I need to know, Lois"
***
Most of one hour was spent trying to find an outfit. Finally, out of sheer lack of energy, she picked out her rayon burgundy sleeveless dress. It was nice and comfy, like Clark.
She noticed the club was packed as she walked in. The band had not started to play yet.
All of a sudden, Lois was pulled into the ladies room, which she happened to be standing in front of. "Hey … Mayson? What's the big idea?"
"Lois, I am really tired of your games. Stay away from my boyfriend."
"What, in heavens name, are you talking about?"
"Lois, I love Clark and he loves me. Stay away from my man. Understand?" She said. Then Mayson stormed out of the bathroom.
"It's going to be a long night." she thought as she left the bathroom.
Lois walked over to the bar.
"What'll it be, doll?"
"Rum and coke," she needed something to get her through the night. She spotted Molly and Mayson in the front, throwing silent darts at each other.
Lois felt it was all over. Clark not only had one beautiful intelligent woman after him, now it was two. She sat at the bar and figured she'd catch a couple of songs, then head home.
Never happened.
Clark's band came on and Lois was really enjoying herself. HE was a great singer.
At first he didn't see Lois at the bar. But after "Brown Eyed Girl" he heard this whistle that he knew was vintage Lois. With his super vision, he saw her at the bar, in that wonderful burgundy dress. And so the band played on …
Before she knew it was 1. She started to gather her things up. Calvin noticed that and nudged Clark.
Calvin really didn't know who lady love was, but he had a pretty good idea.
"This next song is for the lady I love. She knows who she is …"
Lois did not want to stick around for the cat fight that was going to erupt between Mayson and Molly. She put her purse over her shoulder and got up to go when she heard the beats of the drum. "Could it be?" She was about to turn … "No, Lois," She saidto herself, "You're just fooling yourself … just leave now and you won't get hurt." But before she did, the song started.
"Oh, what a night! … Late December back in '63 … What a very special time for me … As I remember, what a night." Clark had changed his mics from handheld to an attached mouth piece. He scanned the audience for her. Clark spotted her at the door. Would she understand?
Lois just froze. Clark knew how much she loved this song. How could he sing it to either of them? She wanted to run out, but something kept her there — hope.
"Oh, what a night. You know, I didn't even know her name … but I was never going to be the same. What a lady, what a night," he was watching her. He could see from the movement of her back that she was about to cry. "Oh, I had a funny feeling when she walked into the room … and as I recall it ended much too soon."
Lois slowly turned to look a the stage. By this time, Calvin had figured out who lady love was, and knew Clark had made the best choice.
Mayson and Molly were still waiting for a sign from Clark as to which one of them he was going to pick.
"Oh, what a night … hypnotising, mesmerizing me … She was everything I'd dream she'd be … Sweet surrender, what a night," he jumped off the stage and towards a lot of new screaming fans. Soon he had gotten past all of them.
As Calvin sang the next verse, Clark made his way to Lois, but she was still confused and thought he was making his way to one of others.
Lois just closed her eyes and leaned against the wall.
"Oh, I … had a funny feeling when she walked into the room … and kind of thought it ended much too soon." He had passed Molly.
Mayson was about to wrap herself around him when he rushed by her.
Chorus "Oh, what a night. Oh, what a night."
He was in front to Lois now.
Her eyes were still closed, moistened with tears.
"Why did take so long to see the light?"
Her eyes flew open.
There was Clark … singing to her. Her mouth flew open.
"Seemed so wrong, but now it seems so right … What a lady, what a night."
He looked at her as he extended his arms. Would she accept him?
Lois flew into his arms.
"… spinning my head around and taking my body under."
He lifted her and carried her onto the stage. He sang the last verse over again as he took her hand in his. "Why did take so long to see the light? … Seemed so wrong, but now it seems so right… What a lady, what a night."
Almost all of the rest of the song was sang by the band. Clark kissed Lois so deeply that soon they both had to some up for air. He caught his breath and sang the last verse. "What a lady … What a night."
THE END
(band.txt)