The Phone Call

By Jennifer Baker (JijiB@aol.com/delphi.com)

Summary: Clark calls home to explain to his parents why he's late arriving in Smallville for Christmas Eve. A vignette following the episode "Season's Greedings."

OK. I wrote this because, well, because it was there.

***

"Mom?"

"Is that you, son?" Martha Kent asked.

"Yeah, its me."

"Where are you? We were expecting you hours ago."

"Well, remember when I mentioned that Lois wasn't able to get together with any of her family tonight?"

"Yes ... "

"And that she was planning on having Jimmy and Perry over for Christmas Eve dinner?"

"Yes..." Martha Kent smiled into the phone. She knew what was coming, had known this was going to happen ever since Clark mentioned Lois' problem, actually. But it never did to rush Clark.

"Well, it turned out neither of them could make it. So, I was sort of flying past her window," Martha's smile broadened and she tried to suppress a chuckle, "and I saw she was all alone. She had made dinner, planning on having everyone over. And when I saw her there, all alone, crying on Christmas Eve... And I knew you and Dad at least had each other. Well, I had to stop in. I hope you understand... "

"Of course, Clark," Martha reassured him, "you couldn't possible let Lois spend Christmas Eve alone. But how did you explain why you were still in Metropolis, when you were supposed to have been on a plane here?"

"I told her the flight was snowed in."

"Son, you have to start coming up with better excuses. It's not snowing nearly that hard anywhere tonight."

"Yeah, mom. She kinda noticed that too..." Clark smiled, remembering how overjoyed Lois had been to see him, and how pleased she had been on realizing that he had given up Christmas with his folks to be with her.

"So, did you have a good evening?" Martha pressed, realizing that Clark had called her not so much as to explain his absence as to get a few things straight for himself.

"As Martha had hoped, Clark let his mind wander over the evening's events. "Yeah, mom. I had a great time... I mean, Lois doesn't usually cook, but she made this great meal..."

Clark paused, and Martha could tell his mind was NOT on Lois' meal. "Yes?"

"And she was wearing this incredible dress. I had brought my present to her, just in case, well, you know." This time, Clark did hear his mother chuckle, but went on anyway. "And when I gave it to her, and she put it on the tree..." Clark sighed, deeply.

"What happened, son?"

"Nothing much. I mean, she took my hand..." Clark s voice faded off, and Martha could tell that something far more important than holding hands had happened.

"Haven't you held hands before?"

"Yeah, but not like this. I mean, I don't even think Lois noticed what she was doing. And when she did, she didn't let go." Clark paused again. He was remembering the way she had clasped his hand in both of hers, and how she had done it instinctively, without realizing what she had done. And then... They had almost kissed. Clark could have sworn that Lois had actually wanted to kiss him. Clark. Not Superman. And they would have, if carolers hadn't begun to sing outside Lois' window at that moment. But Clark couldn't voice that, not even to his mother. It was unbelievable, too good to possibly be true.

"And then, well, some carolers began singing outside, so we went to the window to watch." Clark finished.

"That sounds nice..." Martha sensed there was more to the story than Clark was telling her.

"Yeah, mom, it was." Clark smiled, but he wasn't thinking about the singing. Instead, he was remembering standing there, watching the carolers in the snow. Lois had mentioned something about Superman, but, to Clark's surprise, it was almost as an after thought, and not as though she really cared that much about the answer. And then, to his immense delight, as they stood there at the window, she slowly lowered her head to his shoulder. And he, barely daring to breathe, had lowered his head unto hers. They had stood there like that, together, watching from the window, until the carolers had stopped singing fifteen minutes later.

"Then what happened?"

"Well, we ate, and then we watched 'It's a Wonderful Life on TV'. And then, after helping Lois with the dishes, I left."

"So, why are you calling, Clark? Why not just come home now?"

"Well, Mom," Clark didn't know how to break the news to his mother. After all, he had always been able to fly home for Christmas in the past. "I sort of invited Lois to spend Christmas day over at my apartment. I mean, she knew I was going to be all alone ... It would have looked funny if I hadn't suggested we do something together ..."

"I understand." Martha managed, this time, to avoid the chuckle and sound at least slightly upset. "Well, have a Merry Christmas, son."

"I will. Merry Christmas, Mama." Clark hung up the phone, turned out the bedside lamp, and eventually fell asleep. And the next morning when he woke up, he did have a Merry Christmas. The best Christmas of his life.

THE END

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