Summer Story part 10
11/23/04 12:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roxyGuess who's going to be late to work? yep. I was reading over some bits for this dear story of mine and whammo, inspiration struck! So here we go, a series of vignettes (ooo--go me and the fancy words) set at the bar-b-q. You know the one.
Previous Parts are hanging around one of the rest areas on the Jersey turnpike...hey! Isn't that one of your teachers they're heading off to the toilet with?
Summer Story
It was the right kind of day for an end of the season cookout. Summer was bowing out to Fall with a last round of ungodly hot and humid days and everyone was just a little limp except for Jonathan and Bill.
They happily took no notice of the sweltering heat, absorbed as they were in providing for the crowd, moving hot dogs and hamburgers off the grill and on to waiting plates like a well oiled machine and indulging in a friendly and long-standing argument as to grilling methods.
The smell of the cooking meat was thick in the air, and Martha waved her hand to waft the greasy smoke away as she walked across the lawn towards the deck where Abbie, Kathy and Sam’s fiancé sat.
She stopped for a moment, distracted by the sight of her son chasing after a run-away basketball as the Ross boys yelled encouragement. The sight made her sigh. Clark sat himself out of games now, afraid that he might hurt someone or give away his secret. It made her sad that more and more Clark’s life warped around it.
The Secret. It was beginning to capitalize itself in her head. Taking over their lives, their minds like that puzzler; don’t think of a white polar bear…
All they’d ever wanted was to give Clark as normal a life as they possibly could. She knew how much he just wanted to be like other boys and now--how much more difficult must it be, to have to hide so much of himself.
Clark had finally learned to keep below the radar—learned to escape notice. But the toll it took on him was wearying she knew. She watched it chip little bits out of him day by day though she and Jonathan both struggled to fill the gaps for Clark she knew in her heart it wasn’t enough.
She watched him walk back toward the hoop with Lex, his head down, appearing to listen intently to something he said. Out of nowhere a thought popped into her head.
My Son Is Gay.
And yet another worry. She worried what kind of life he would have, what kind of happiness he would find—and then again, was gay even a term they could apply to Clark? Who knew what it meant to her son—what was normal and what was not when you weren’t even human?
My son is gay, and an alien. My gay alien son.
She smiled and felt a little prick of guilt for doing so. But honestly, put like that, it was almost ridiculous. She shook her head and sighed at herself and walked on to the deck. Life was what it was, better to enjoy the good things and not waste it looking for answers you may never receive.
She glanced over at the boys again.
She hoped that Lex wasn’t going to be a wrong choice for him. Her heart went out to the boy, but he and Whit were so much alike in many ways and as much as she cared for Whit, he wouldn’t have been her choice for Clark. She didn’t want to worry but they both possessed the capability to really hurt her baby….
********
Clark and Lex flopped down together in the shade of the garage.
“Good barbeque, isn’t it? Sam must feel pretty good that his family’s being so nice to what’s her name.”
Lex smirked at Clark. “Um. I’m sure ‘what’s her name’ must be thrilled.” He shifted a bit on the grass and Clark took a moment to admire his outfit, linen pants and a white shirt untucked and couldn’t believe how good he looked. And also how not Smallville he looked. Lex was gradually developing a radically different taste then what he’d grown up with. There were a lot less jean and tees nowadays and a lot more designer things that looked wonderful but still- he really stood out in a crowd. Clark though with a whisper of unease that he dressed more and more like his dad these days. Wondered why.
Lex smiled at him and whatever thought was trying to form in his mind disappeared in the light of Lex’s attention. What could he do to make Lex smile at him like the all the time…
********
Whit wandered back along the driveway and out to the road, “Going for a walk.” he’d told Pete and Lana, and tried to ignore Pete’s flare of temper. He watched the road under his feet as he walked and let the sun beat against the back of his neck, imagined it was loosening muscles wound so tight they felt like popping.
When he crossed into the field on the other side he sat, grateful to be hidden in the tall grass. He pulled his shirt over his head, wadded it up, lay back in the grass and shoved the balled up Tee under his neck.
Whit closed his eyes and listened to the sounds in the field, not quite silence, not quite noise—a soothing low buzz that relaxed him enough to let him breathe again. He pulled a crumbled joint out of his pocket and considered it for while, sighed and lit it. What the fuck, right? It wasn’t like his life was going to get a whole lot better, and it sure couldn’t get any damn worse…
********
Sam just stared at Sheryl. She glared back at him.
“I can see they don’t like me, Sam. It’s quite obvious. And if you cared for me at all, you wouldn’t let me be treated like this."
“Sheryl, I have to say it looks to me like they’re really trying—this cook out was for you, a chance to get to know us, and our friends. If – when you get to be part of the family honey, they’ll be your friends too.”
Sheryl sniffed. “I can’t say I’m too impressed by your friends—they seem a little thuggish to me." She sat back and studiously avoided looking at him, and frowned as she fanned herself with a paper plate.
Sam gaped at her. Ron and them were thuggish?He should tell them, it would please the hell out of them… "Look, I went to school with those guys, we’ve been friends for a long time, don’t you think the fact that they’re my friends should count for something?"
He tried to appease her with a little joke. "After all, you have to admit I have good taste in people.” He reached out for her hand and she moved it out of his reach.
“I’m being serious and you’re trying to belittle my concerns?” she stared at him intensely. “ I love you Samuel, but some things will have to change even before we get married, you understand?"
Sam nodded, she was so very beautiful and incredibly smart and ambitious—she was everything a man should—could want…
********
Pete watched Whit walk down the drive and tried to control his temper. Ever since that jackass came back, Whit was changing and it made him so mad.
Lana touched his wrist. "Pete. Whitney just needs some private space; he’s probably going through a lot lately, especially today. It has to hurt him, seeing Clark and Lex being so friendly now. It hasn’t been that long that he and Clark split, after all. Poor thing” She nibbled at her lip in concern, and Pete stole little looks at her out of the corner of his eye. He loved looking at her when she wasn’t aware.
When he was able to concentrate on what she said instead of how incredible she looked, he thought seriously about it for a moment. Possible? Could it be Clark, and not Asshole?
He dismissed th eidea with a snort.Hell no—Whit wasn’t broken up about that, he’d practically shoved the two idiots together—Damn it. Sometime soon he was going to have to get Sam to pin Whit down and let him have it.
That boy needed to get his head right. Fucking Wade.
Lana was still gently stroking his wrist and his frown slowly turned into a smile, and the little sound of contentment she made when he finally gave in to it was the best thing he’d heard all day.
Bridgey, no? TBC, my little ones!
Previous Parts are hanging around one of the rest areas on the Jersey turnpike...hey! Isn't that one of your teachers they're heading off to the toilet with?
Summer Story
It was the right kind of day for an end of the season cookout. Summer was bowing out to Fall with a last round of ungodly hot and humid days and everyone was just a little limp except for Jonathan and Bill.
They happily took no notice of the sweltering heat, absorbed as they were in providing for the crowd, moving hot dogs and hamburgers off the grill and on to waiting plates like a well oiled machine and indulging in a friendly and long-standing argument as to grilling methods.
The smell of the cooking meat was thick in the air, and Martha waved her hand to waft the greasy smoke away as she walked across the lawn towards the deck where Abbie, Kathy and Sam’s fiancé sat.
She stopped for a moment, distracted by the sight of her son chasing after a run-away basketball as the Ross boys yelled encouragement. The sight made her sigh. Clark sat himself out of games now, afraid that he might hurt someone or give away his secret. It made her sad that more and more Clark’s life warped around it.
The Secret. It was beginning to capitalize itself in her head. Taking over their lives, their minds like that puzzler; don’t think of a white polar bear…
All they’d ever wanted was to give Clark as normal a life as they possibly could. She knew how much he just wanted to be like other boys and now--how much more difficult must it be, to have to hide so much of himself.
Clark had finally learned to keep below the radar—learned to escape notice. But the toll it took on him was wearying she knew. She watched it chip little bits out of him day by day though she and Jonathan both struggled to fill the gaps for Clark she knew in her heart it wasn’t enough.
She watched him walk back toward the hoop with Lex, his head down, appearing to listen intently to something he said. Out of nowhere a thought popped into her head.
My Son Is Gay.
And yet another worry. She worried what kind of life he would have, what kind of happiness he would find—and then again, was gay even a term they could apply to Clark? Who knew what it meant to her son—what was normal and what was not when you weren’t even human?
My son is gay, and an alien. My gay alien son.
She smiled and felt a little prick of guilt for doing so. But honestly, put like that, it was almost ridiculous. She shook her head and sighed at herself and walked on to the deck. Life was what it was, better to enjoy the good things and not waste it looking for answers you may never receive.
She glanced over at the boys again.
She hoped that Lex wasn’t going to be a wrong choice for him. Her heart went out to the boy, but he and Whit were so much alike in many ways and as much as she cared for Whit, he wouldn’t have been her choice for Clark. She didn’t want to worry but they both possessed the capability to really hurt her baby….
********
Clark and Lex flopped down together in the shade of the garage.
“Good barbeque, isn’t it? Sam must feel pretty good that his family’s being so nice to what’s her name.”
Lex smirked at Clark. “Um. I’m sure ‘what’s her name’ must be thrilled.” He shifted a bit on the grass and Clark took a moment to admire his outfit, linen pants and a white shirt untucked and couldn’t believe how good he looked. And also how not Smallville he looked. Lex was gradually developing a radically different taste then what he’d grown up with. There were a lot less jean and tees nowadays and a lot more designer things that looked wonderful but still- he really stood out in a crowd. Clark though with a whisper of unease that he dressed more and more like his dad these days. Wondered why.
Lex smiled at him and whatever thought was trying to form in his mind disappeared in the light of Lex’s attention. What could he do to make Lex smile at him like the all the time…
********
Whit wandered back along the driveway and out to the road, “Going for a walk.” he’d told Pete and Lana, and tried to ignore Pete’s flare of temper. He watched the road under his feet as he walked and let the sun beat against the back of his neck, imagined it was loosening muscles wound so tight they felt like popping.
When he crossed into the field on the other side he sat, grateful to be hidden in the tall grass. He pulled his shirt over his head, wadded it up, lay back in the grass and shoved the balled up Tee under his neck.
Whit closed his eyes and listened to the sounds in the field, not quite silence, not quite noise—a soothing low buzz that relaxed him enough to let him breathe again. He pulled a crumbled joint out of his pocket and considered it for while, sighed and lit it. What the fuck, right? It wasn’t like his life was going to get a whole lot better, and it sure couldn’t get any damn worse…
********
Sam just stared at Sheryl. She glared back at him.
“I can see they don’t like me, Sam. It’s quite obvious. And if you cared for me at all, you wouldn’t let me be treated like this."
“Sheryl, I have to say it looks to me like they’re really trying—this cook out was for you, a chance to get to know us, and our friends. If – when you get to be part of the family honey, they’ll be your friends too.”
Sheryl sniffed. “I can’t say I’m too impressed by your friends—they seem a little thuggish to me." She sat back and studiously avoided looking at him, and frowned as she fanned herself with a paper plate.
Sam gaped at her. Ron and them were thuggish?He should tell them, it would please the hell out of them… "Look, I went to school with those guys, we’ve been friends for a long time, don’t you think the fact that they’re my friends should count for something?"
He tried to appease her with a little joke. "After all, you have to admit I have good taste in people.” He reached out for her hand and she moved it out of his reach.
“I’m being serious and you’re trying to belittle my concerns?” she stared at him intensely. “ I love you Samuel, but some things will have to change even before we get married, you understand?"
Sam nodded, she was so very beautiful and incredibly smart and ambitious—she was everything a man should—could want…
********
Pete watched Whit walk down the drive and tried to control his temper. Ever since that jackass came back, Whit was changing and it made him so mad.
Lana touched his wrist. "Pete. Whitney just needs some private space; he’s probably going through a lot lately, especially today. It has to hurt him, seeing Clark and Lex being so friendly now. It hasn’t been that long that he and Clark split, after all. Poor thing” She nibbled at her lip in concern, and Pete stole little looks at her out of the corner of his eye. He loved looking at her when she wasn’t aware.
When he was able to concentrate on what she said instead of how incredible she looked, he thought seriously about it for a moment. Possible? Could it be Clark, and not Asshole?
He dismissed th eidea with a snort.Hell no—Whit wasn’t broken up about that, he’d practically shoved the two idiots together—Damn it. Sometime soon he was going to have to get Sam to pin Whit down and let him have it.
That boy needed to get his head right. Fucking Wade.
Lana was still gently stroking his wrist and his frown slowly turned into a smile, and the little sound of contentment she made when he finally gave in to it was the best thing he’d heard all day.
Bridgey, no? TBC, my little ones!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
11/23/04 05:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
11/23/04 10:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
11/23/04 05:42 pm (UTC)Ohh, Pete, how I wish you would! ;)
I love this. :)
(no subject)
11/23/04 10:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
11/24/04 05:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
11/23/04 06:49 pm (UTC)Everybody all distracted with their hormones!!
Well, except for Ma Kent, of mother of the gay alien son.
*snerk*
Honey, it's lovely, but it's so...damn...sad.
*happy sigh*
(no subject)
11/23/04 10:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
11/24/04 12:55 am (UTC)your previouslys are so fun!
you so smrt.
:)
*i'm all funny in the head tonight - got a cold! ack!*
(no subject)
11/24/04 01:32 am (UTC)hee, that read much differently in my mind than it probably did in Pete's.
Poor Martha. Also, when are we gonna see some more CLex?
*stomps*
(no subject)
11/24/04 02:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
11/24/04 02:45 am (UTC)(no subject)
11/24/04 03:13 am (UTC)(no subject)
11/24/04 04:17 am (UTC)Whitney, even fucked up as he is, would be much better for Sam. Yes, Sam should really let him have it. Many, many times and in several different positions. *G*
(no subject)
11/24/04 04:33 am (UTC)Ah, yesss, let's take a moment and enjoy the thought....
(no subject)
11/24/04 05:51 am (UTC)I liked it. I especially enjoyed the glimpse into Martha's head. I adore Martha, especially when she's got a sense of humor. *G*
(no subject)
11/24/04 05:32 pm (UTC)hm?
11/24/04 04:24 pm (UTC)Sheryl's gotta go!
Sam, time to exit the closet, honey!
{{hugs everyone}}
Re: hm?
11/24/04 05:33 pm (UTC)Oh, hell yeah.
*nods* Come to the light Sam.
*jumps in and nabs a hug too*
(no subject)
11/24/04 09:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
11/25/04 03:43 am (UTC)