Chlark Fanfic: Crisis, Chapter 33
Rather speedy update this, all things considered.
Enjoy!
Title: Crisis
Author: BabyDee
Pairing: Chlark/Kaloe
Rating: NC-17 for disturbing themes
Warnings: ***Angst***
Timeline: Season 2-3 (Exodus - Exile; Clark’s RedK Summer & beyond)
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics
Summary: A violent encounter between Chloe and Clark threatens to destroy their friendship forever.
Feedback: …would be appreciated. :)
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Chapter 33
There was a collective gasp around the room, followed by seconds of silence that seemingly ticked on for hours.
“Wisconsin?” Chloe finally whispered. “As in Wisconsin State?”
“That’s…kind of far away,” Clark said blankly.
“But it is in the same Time Zone,” Gabe said with a weak smile.
“You’re moving to Wisconsin?” Jonathan asked, still in shock. “When?”
“As soon as possible. My new job is in Glendale, Wisconsin; a small industrial community on the edge of Lake Michigan, not far from Milwaukee,” he explained. “I start on Monday, so I have to leave Smallville by Sunday evening at the very latest.”
“But that’s the day after tomorrow!” Clark exclaimed.
Gabe nodded with a sad smile. “So it is.”
“Where will you stay?” his mother asked replied quietly.
“My employers have been kind enough to provide hotel accommodation until things are settled-”
“I can’t move,” Chloe said abruptly, shaking her head. “It’s the middle of the term, Dad. I can’t just…walk out on school, especially when I don’t have another one to go to!”
“I’ve thought about that, Peanut, and…I’ve come up with a temporary solution that should work, at least for the rest of the term.”
He raised his head and took a deep breath. “If it isn’t too much trouble, Mr and Mrs Kent, I was hoping that Chloe would be able to stay with you.”
***
For the second time that evening, there was a loud gasp followed by a protracted silence.
“With us?” Jonathan and Martha repeated at the same time.
“It’ll just be until the end of the term,” Gabe explained hurriedly. “I’m sorry to spring this on you so suddenly, but my options are really limited, and…well, this seemed like the only feasible one.”
Jonathan cleared his throat. “Um…Gabe, I’m not so sure this is a good idea…” he began.
“I know it’s a huge imposition,” Gabe said. “But I wouldn’t ask unless I was desperate. We’ve missed the transfer window, so none of the schools in Wisconsin would even be able to take her until the beginning of next term. Then there’s the issue of making sure I get the best possible school I can afford. I can’t pull her out of Smallville High unless and until I know she’s going somewhere of at least equal standard.”
There was a very pregnant silence and a lot of uncomfortable looks between his parents. Gabe Sullivan’s face fell, and he looked visibly upset.
Gabe swallowed. “Also, I…I know we haven’t known you both very long, but I can see the values you’ve instilled in your own child, and I trust that you’ll look after Chloe like she was your own,” he went on quietly. “And young Clark, he’s been there for her right from the very beginning. I can’t think of any better family to care for my only child.”
Clark closed his eyes as guilt assuaged every fibre of his being. If Gabe had even a clue of what had happened to his daughter…
His father cleared his voice and spoke. “Gabe…we’d love to be able to help, really; but in this particular situation, I’m not sure this is would be good for Chloe.”
Chloe stiffened almost defensively, but her father missed her reaction.
“Why not?” Gabe asked, puzzled. “Chloe loves it here, I’m sure she’d be happy to stay with you while things are being sorted out. With Lana and Pete already gone, Clark is the only friend she has left. And she’s a good girl; she’ll behave herself, I promise,” he added with a chuckle. “Won’t you, Peanut?”
Chloe had been silent for pretty much the entire conversation. Four pairs of eyes turned in her direction and waited for her to speak, but she remained quiet, biting her bottom lip as she always did when she was deep in thought.
“Another option would be to put her in foster care here in Smallville while she finishes out the term, and even then I can’t start to process that until Monday,” Gabe continued grimly. “Which means I might as well take her with me…but then I’d have to pull her out of school completely for the rest of the term, which I’m not prepared to do, because then she’d have to retake the entire year.” He turned to Chloe and squeezed her hand. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but ruining my daughter’s education will not be one of them.”
Clark glanced at his mother. She took a deep breath and looked to her husband, who stared back at her with a worried look. Gabe sighed, clearly resigned to not getting the answer he’d been hoping for.
“If I can’t find anywhere for Chloe to stay, and I can’t take her with me, then I’ll have to turn down the job offer completely,” he said quietly. “But I need this job, so badly. If she’s with you, she’d only be here until the end of the term, I promise.”
More silence.
Gabe cleared his throat. “Of course, I don’t want to twist your arm into taking Chloe in if you don’t want to-”
“Oh it’s not that,” his mother said hurriedly. “We’d love to help, Gabe, but we have to be sure this is what Chloe wants. We only have her best interests at heart.”
Gabe nodded. “Very well. Chloe, is this what you want?”
They all turned to her again, and she stared back at all four of them in silence.
“You know we only want what’s best for you, Chloe,” his father Jonathan added quietly. “It’s your choice.”
Clark’s brows drew together in a deep from. From where he was standing, it didn’t look like she had much of one. Her dad was right; short of pulling her out of school, he couldn’t take her with him just now. And other than sticking her in foster care, she really didn’t have anywhere else she could stay in Smallville, except with them.
Suddenly Chloe spoke.
“Yes,” she said, lifting her head. “I’ll stay here, with you.”
***
She waited with bated breath as Clark and his parents stared at her with wide eyes and slack jaws.
“You will?” they exclaimed in unison.
She nodded. “If you’ll have me, of course.”
Her father heaved a sigh of relief. “Well, that’s all settled!” he said, gleefully rubbing his hands together. “I can’t even begin to tell you how worried I’ve been about this situation, but I was hopeful that you’d be able to assist.”
“Chloe are you sure this is what you want?” Jonathan asked, his expression serious.
She nodded again. “Yes, Mr Kent, I am.”
“And it’s definitely okay with all of you?” her father asked hesitantly, glancing at all three of them. “I mean, I know we sort of steamrolled this all over you, but…”
“Of course, Gabe, we’re more than happy to help,” Clark’s mother replied warmly. “As you said, it’s just been a bit of a surprise, but we’d never turn Chloe away. She’s like family.”
“Thank you all so much,” he said with a grateful smile. He stared at his daughter, and a wave of emotions crossed his face. “It’s been such a rough time for us both, but your family has been the strongest support we’ve had. All those food baskets you sent were what sustained us, and that’s the God’s honest truth.”
Chloe stared at her father in surprise. “Is that where they came from?” she exclaimed. She glanced at Clark, and saw his face redden with a guilty flush.
Her father stroked her hair affectionately. “I didn’t tell you because Clark…well, he thought you might be embarrassed if you knew,” he said softly. “But yes, it was the Kents who made sure that no matter how tough things got, we still had more than enough to eat.”
“I didn’t know,” she whispered, and faced his parents. “All this time, I never knew...thank you.”
“We were happy to help, Chloe,” Martha Kent said quietly. “I know what it’s like to have a hungry teenager in the house.”
Chloe smiled, and then frowned. “Speaking of houses, what’s gonna happen to ours, Dad?”
Her father took her hand and squeezed it tightly. “It’s still on the market; all I can do at this point is hope for a quick sale,” he replied. “I probably won’t get as much as I paid for it, but as long as I can repay the mortgage sum back to the bank, we’ll be fine.”
“If you need us to keep an eye on the property while you’re away, we’d be happy to do this for you,” Jonathan offered.
“That would be a big help,” her dad replied, relieved. “The last thing I need right now is squatters moving in.”
“I suppose this would be a good time to discuss living arrangements,” Jonathan said.
Her father slapped his forehead. “Gosh that’s right; I never even thought to ask how many rooms you had before I barged in on you with my request.”
“We only have two bedrooms, but that’s not a problem,” Martha said. “Chloe will have Clark’s room, and he can bunk up in the loft. Heaven knows he already spends half his time up there, anyway.”
“That doesn’t seem fair,” her dad said, dismayed. “I’m sure Chloe can manage on the couch-”
“She’ll do no such thing,” Jonathan said sternly. “Clark will be fine in the barn, and we’ve been planning a loft conversion for years. This is the perfect time.”
“It’s fine, Mr Sullivan - really,” Clark added. “Like Mom said, I’m always up there anyway.”
“Still…” her dad sighed. “This is such an inconvenience...”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Jonathan said emphatically. “You know we’re than happy to have Chloe live with us. And Martha could use some feminine company around the house. All the testosterone around here is driving her slowly around the bend.”
“That’s true,” Martha piped, and Gabe managed a smile, but still looked concerned.
“Your daughter is safe with us, Gabe,” Jonathan promised. “I’ll protect her with my life.”
“Thank you, Jonathan,” her father replied, and she could see his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I really appreciate it.”
“You’re one of the family, Chloe, so you’ll have to abide by house rules,” Martha pointed out. “You’ll have chores and we expect you to be home for supper; but we understand that you’re a teenage girl who likes her privacy, and we’ll definitely respect that.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
Her father dug around his jacket pocket. “I’ll send an allowance for her upkeep every month-”
“Put your money away, Gabe,” Jonathan chided, but Gabe refused to back down.
“My daughter will be living with you,” he insisted, fishing out his cheque book. “Of course I’ll be paying her way. And I can more than afford it with the new job.”
“So how did you find this job anyway, Dad?” she asked.
“Oh, a…friend of a friend heard about a plant in Wisconsin in immediate need of a manager,” he said. “I was concerned about the distance, but it was a very generous offer, and in my situation I couldn’t afford to wait around.”
“Which friend is that?” she pressed.
“Hmm? Oh, an old buddy from Metropolis, Peanut; you don’t know the guy.”
Chloe nodded, but she knew he wasn’t telling her the whole truth. She also had a feeling she knew who this friend of a friend might be, and knew him very well. She stared at Clark until he shuffled uncomfortably on the spot. If Clark had anything to do with it, then so did Lex…and after what she’d been through with the senior Luthor, she wasn’t sure she was comfortable with the idea of accepting charity from the younger one.
But there wasn’t much she could do about that right now. She smiled at her father, happy that for now, at least, he was happy.
“Congratulations again, Gabe,” Jonathan was saying. “I’m so pleased for you.”
“Thank you. I am too, I just…” he sighed. “I just wish I didn’t have to uproot you again, child,” he said quietly as he looked at her. “I know how hard it was on you when we moved here from Metropolis. If it wasn’t for Clark, I don’t think you’d have been very happy in Smallville. And in a few short months, I’ll be moving you again…”
“Dad, as long as I have you, I’m happy,” Chloe insisted, but he shook his head.
“Honey, I know you’ve been depressed lately,” he said, stroking her hair. “And I know three homes in four years isn’t the sort of stability you need. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure this is the last time I uproot you.”
“You don’t need to worry about me, Dad, I’m going to be fine,” she promised. “I know the Kents will take good care of me, and before you know it I’ll be joining you in Wisconsin.”
“Just let us know if you need any help with preparations, Gabe,” Jonathan offered. “Packing and moving, transport, storage…”
“Actually, I need some help with all of those, especially the last one,” Gabe replied. “Do you know anywhere I can keep our things at a good price?”
Jonathan smiled. “I’ll do you one better,” he said. “We have a crop storage barn in the back forty that hasn’t been used in years. It’s secure, and nobody ever goes out there, so your things will be safe there until you’re ready to collect them. No charge.”
“Are you sure?” her dad said in surprise. “You’ve already done so much for me, the least I can do is give you something to show my appreciation-”
“Like I said, it’s been empty for years,” Jonathan assured him. “I can’t charge you for that.”
“I’ll send Clark over to the Hubbards tomorrow to see if we can borrow their van,” Martha added. “Between all of us, we should be able to move all your items out here and get Chloe settled before you leave on Sunday.”
Suddenly it all felt very real. Chloe swallowed past the lump in her throat and threw her arms around her father’s neck, holding him tight.
“I’m gonna miss you so much, Daddy,” she said thickly.
“It’s going to be so quiet and boring without you,” he said, his voice rife with emotion as he clutched her close. “But you’ll be joining me soon. Until then, you be a good girl for the Kents now, you hear me?”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“She’ll be fine Gabe, don’t you worry,” Martha promised.
“Thank you, Martha. Oh - one last favour: can I borrow your phone to call the Hubbards?” he said. “If I’m going to be using his van to move, then I should at least ask him in person.”
“Of course. Come with me.” She led him to the kitchen, and as soon as they were out of sight Jonathan Kent fixed her and Clark with a stern frown.
“We are going to discuss this in detail,” he whispered fiercely. “All of us. For now, Chloe, my concern is helping your father get settled in any way we can, and that includes taking you in. But I’m telling you now, in light of everything that’s happened between you two, I am not comfortable with this arrangement.”
He stopped talking as Martha and Gabe’s footsteps approached and they re-entered the living room.
“It’s all arranged,” Gabe said with a smile. “He’s even enlisted another buddy to help so that we can get things done faster. I can’t believe how everything’s falling into place so seamlessly. Again, thank you so much for all your help.”
“Again, you’re welcome,” Martha said with a smile.
Gabe looked at his watch. “I should get out of your way now, and get this young lady home,” he said wistfully. “Big day tomorrow.”
“And our last night in our home,” she said in a small voice.
Gabe smiled and took her hand. “Home is here,” he said thickly, holding his daughter’s hand to his heart. “Not bricks and mortar. We’ll be together again soon, Peanut. I promise.”
***
Chapter 34…
Enjoy!
Title: Crisis
Author: BabyDee
Pairing: Chlark/Kaloe
Rating: NC-17 for disturbing themes
Warnings: ***Angst***
Timeline: Season 2-3 (Exodus - Exile; Clark’s RedK Summer & beyond)
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics
Summary: A violent encounter between Chloe and Clark threatens to destroy their friendship forever.
Feedback: …would be appreciated. :)
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Chapter 33
There was a collective gasp around the room, followed by seconds of silence that seemingly ticked on for hours.
“Wisconsin?” Chloe finally whispered. “As in Wisconsin State?”
“That’s…kind of far away,” Clark said blankly.
“But it is in the same Time Zone,” Gabe said with a weak smile.
“You’re moving to Wisconsin?” Jonathan asked, still in shock. “When?”
“As soon as possible. My new job is in Glendale, Wisconsin; a small industrial community on the edge of Lake Michigan, not far from Milwaukee,” he explained. “I start on Monday, so I have to leave Smallville by Sunday evening at the very latest.”
“But that’s the day after tomorrow!” Clark exclaimed.
Gabe nodded with a sad smile. “So it is.”
“Where will you stay?” his mother asked replied quietly.
“My employers have been kind enough to provide hotel accommodation until things are settled-”
“I can’t move,” Chloe said abruptly, shaking her head. “It’s the middle of the term, Dad. I can’t just…walk out on school, especially when I don’t have another one to go to!”
“I’ve thought about that, Peanut, and…I’ve come up with a temporary solution that should work, at least for the rest of the term.”
He raised his head and took a deep breath. “If it isn’t too much trouble, Mr and Mrs Kent, I was hoping that Chloe would be able to stay with you.”
***
For the second time that evening, there was a loud gasp followed by a protracted silence.
“With us?” Jonathan and Martha repeated at the same time.
“It’ll just be until the end of the term,” Gabe explained hurriedly. “I’m sorry to spring this on you so suddenly, but my options are really limited, and…well, this seemed like the only feasible one.”
Jonathan cleared his throat. “Um…Gabe, I’m not so sure this is a good idea…” he began.
“I know it’s a huge imposition,” Gabe said. “But I wouldn’t ask unless I was desperate. We’ve missed the transfer window, so none of the schools in Wisconsin would even be able to take her until the beginning of next term. Then there’s the issue of making sure I get the best possible school I can afford. I can’t pull her out of Smallville High unless and until I know she’s going somewhere of at least equal standard.”
There was a very pregnant silence and a lot of uncomfortable looks between his parents. Gabe Sullivan’s face fell, and he looked visibly upset.
Gabe swallowed. “Also, I…I know we haven’t known you both very long, but I can see the values you’ve instilled in your own child, and I trust that you’ll look after Chloe like she was your own,” he went on quietly. “And young Clark, he’s been there for her right from the very beginning. I can’t think of any better family to care for my only child.”
Clark closed his eyes as guilt assuaged every fibre of his being. If Gabe had even a clue of what had happened to his daughter…
His father cleared his voice and spoke. “Gabe…we’d love to be able to help, really; but in this particular situation, I’m not sure this is would be good for Chloe.”
Chloe stiffened almost defensively, but her father missed her reaction.
“Why not?” Gabe asked, puzzled. “Chloe loves it here, I’m sure she’d be happy to stay with you while things are being sorted out. With Lana and Pete already gone, Clark is the only friend she has left. And she’s a good girl; she’ll behave herself, I promise,” he added with a chuckle. “Won’t you, Peanut?”
Chloe had been silent for pretty much the entire conversation. Four pairs of eyes turned in her direction and waited for her to speak, but she remained quiet, biting her bottom lip as she always did when she was deep in thought.
“Another option would be to put her in foster care here in Smallville while she finishes out the term, and even then I can’t start to process that until Monday,” Gabe continued grimly. “Which means I might as well take her with me…but then I’d have to pull her out of school completely for the rest of the term, which I’m not prepared to do, because then she’d have to retake the entire year.” He turned to Chloe and squeezed her hand. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but ruining my daughter’s education will not be one of them.”
Clark glanced at his mother. She took a deep breath and looked to her husband, who stared back at her with a worried look. Gabe sighed, clearly resigned to not getting the answer he’d been hoping for.
“If I can’t find anywhere for Chloe to stay, and I can’t take her with me, then I’ll have to turn down the job offer completely,” he said quietly. “But I need this job, so badly. If she’s with you, she’d only be here until the end of the term, I promise.”
More silence.
Gabe cleared his throat. “Of course, I don’t want to twist your arm into taking Chloe in if you don’t want to-”
“Oh it’s not that,” his mother said hurriedly. “We’d love to help, Gabe, but we have to be sure this is what Chloe wants. We only have her best interests at heart.”
Gabe nodded. “Very well. Chloe, is this what you want?”
They all turned to her again, and she stared back at all four of them in silence.
“You know we only want what’s best for you, Chloe,” his father Jonathan added quietly. “It’s your choice.”
Clark’s brows drew together in a deep from. From where he was standing, it didn’t look like she had much of one. Her dad was right; short of pulling her out of school, he couldn’t take her with him just now. And other than sticking her in foster care, she really didn’t have anywhere else she could stay in Smallville, except with them.
Suddenly Chloe spoke.
“Yes,” she said, lifting her head. “I’ll stay here, with you.”
***
She waited with bated breath as Clark and his parents stared at her with wide eyes and slack jaws.
“You will?” they exclaimed in unison.
She nodded. “If you’ll have me, of course.”
Her father heaved a sigh of relief. “Well, that’s all settled!” he said, gleefully rubbing his hands together. “I can’t even begin to tell you how worried I’ve been about this situation, but I was hopeful that you’d be able to assist.”
“Chloe are you sure this is what you want?” Jonathan asked, his expression serious.
She nodded again. “Yes, Mr Kent, I am.”
“And it’s definitely okay with all of you?” her father asked hesitantly, glancing at all three of them. “I mean, I know we sort of steamrolled this all over you, but…”
“Of course, Gabe, we’re more than happy to help,” Clark’s mother replied warmly. “As you said, it’s just been a bit of a surprise, but we’d never turn Chloe away. She’s like family.”
“Thank you all so much,” he said with a grateful smile. He stared at his daughter, and a wave of emotions crossed his face. “It’s been such a rough time for us both, but your family has been the strongest support we’ve had. All those food baskets you sent were what sustained us, and that’s the God’s honest truth.”
Chloe stared at her father in surprise. “Is that where they came from?” she exclaimed. She glanced at Clark, and saw his face redden with a guilty flush.
Her father stroked her hair affectionately. “I didn’t tell you because Clark…well, he thought you might be embarrassed if you knew,” he said softly. “But yes, it was the Kents who made sure that no matter how tough things got, we still had more than enough to eat.”
“I didn’t know,” she whispered, and faced his parents. “All this time, I never knew...thank you.”
“We were happy to help, Chloe,” Martha Kent said quietly. “I know what it’s like to have a hungry teenager in the house.”
Chloe smiled, and then frowned. “Speaking of houses, what’s gonna happen to ours, Dad?”
Her father took her hand and squeezed it tightly. “It’s still on the market; all I can do at this point is hope for a quick sale,” he replied. “I probably won’t get as much as I paid for it, but as long as I can repay the mortgage sum back to the bank, we’ll be fine.”
“If you need us to keep an eye on the property while you’re away, we’d be happy to do this for you,” Jonathan offered.
“That would be a big help,” her dad replied, relieved. “The last thing I need right now is squatters moving in.”
“I suppose this would be a good time to discuss living arrangements,” Jonathan said.
Her father slapped his forehead. “Gosh that’s right; I never even thought to ask how many rooms you had before I barged in on you with my request.”
“We only have two bedrooms, but that’s not a problem,” Martha said. “Chloe will have Clark’s room, and he can bunk up in the loft. Heaven knows he already spends half his time up there, anyway.”
“That doesn’t seem fair,” her dad said, dismayed. “I’m sure Chloe can manage on the couch-”
“She’ll do no such thing,” Jonathan said sternly. “Clark will be fine in the barn, and we’ve been planning a loft conversion for years. This is the perfect time.”
“It’s fine, Mr Sullivan - really,” Clark added. “Like Mom said, I’m always up there anyway.”
“Still…” her dad sighed. “This is such an inconvenience...”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Jonathan said emphatically. “You know we’re than happy to have Chloe live with us. And Martha could use some feminine company around the house. All the testosterone around here is driving her slowly around the bend.”
“That’s true,” Martha piped, and Gabe managed a smile, but still looked concerned.
“Your daughter is safe with us, Gabe,” Jonathan promised. “I’ll protect her with my life.”
“Thank you, Jonathan,” her father replied, and she could see his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I really appreciate it.”
“You’re one of the family, Chloe, so you’ll have to abide by house rules,” Martha pointed out. “You’ll have chores and we expect you to be home for supper; but we understand that you’re a teenage girl who likes her privacy, and we’ll definitely respect that.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
Her father dug around his jacket pocket. “I’ll send an allowance for her upkeep every month-”
“Put your money away, Gabe,” Jonathan chided, but Gabe refused to back down.
“My daughter will be living with you,” he insisted, fishing out his cheque book. “Of course I’ll be paying her way. And I can more than afford it with the new job.”
“So how did you find this job anyway, Dad?” she asked.
“Oh, a…friend of a friend heard about a plant in Wisconsin in immediate need of a manager,” he said. “I was concerned about the distance, but it was a very generous offer, and in my situation I couldn’t afford to wait around.”
“Which friend is that?” she pressed.
“Hmm? Oh, an old buddy from Metropolis, Peanut; you don’t know the guy.”
Chloe nodded, but she knew he wasn’t telling her the whole truth. She also had a feeling she knew who this friend of a friend might be, and knew him very well. She stared at Clark until he shuffled uncomfortably on the spot. If Clark had anything to do with it, then so did Lex…and after what she’d been through with the senior Luthor, she wasn’t sure she was comfortable with the idea of accepting charity from the younger one.
But there wasn’t much she could do about that right now. She smiled at her father, happy that for now, at least, he was happy.
“Congratulations again, Gabe,” Jonathan was saying. “I’m so pleased for you.”
“Thank you. I am too, I just…” he sighed. “I just wish I didn’t have to uproot you again, child,” he said quietly as he looked at her. “I know how hard it was on you when we moved here from Metropolis. If it wasn’t for Clark, I don’t think you’d have been very happy in Smallville. And in a few short months, I’ll be moving you again…”
“Dad, as long as I have you, I’m happy,” Chloe insisted, but he shook his head.
“Honey, I know you’ve been depressed lately,” he said, stroking her hair. “And I know three homes in four years isn’t the sort of stability you need. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure this is the last time I uproot you.”
“You don’t need to worry about me, Dad, I’m going to be fine,” she promised. “I know the Kents will take good care of me, and before you know it I’ll be joining you in Wisconsin.”
“Just let us know if you need any help with preparations, Gabe,” Jonathan offered. “Packing and moving, transport, storage…”
“Actually, I need some help with all of those, especially the last one,” Gabe replied. “Do you know anywhere I can keep our things at a good price?”
Jonathan smiled. “I’ll do you one better,” he said. “We have a crop storage barn in the back forty that hasn’t been used in years. It’s secure, and nobody ever goes out there, so your things will be safe there until you’re ready to collect them. No charge.”
“Are you sure?” her dad said in surprise. “You’ve already done so much for me, the least I can do is give you something to show my appreciation-”
“Like I said, it’s been empty for years,” Jonathan assured him. “I can’t charge you for that.”
“I’ll send Clark over to the Hubbards tomorrow to see if we can borrow their van,” Martha added. “Between all of us, we should be able to move all your items out here and get Chloe settled before you leave on Sunday.”
Suddenly it all felt very real. Chloe swallowed past the lump in her throat and threw her arms around her father’s neck, holding him tight.
“I’m gonna miss you so much, Daddy,” she said thickly.
“It’s going to be so quiet and boring without you,” he said, his voice rife with emotion as he clutched her close. “But you’ll be joining me soon. Until then, you be a good girl for the Kents now, you hear me?”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“She’ll be fine Gabe, don’t you worry,” Martha promised.
“Thank you, Martha. Oh - one last favour: can I borrow your phone to call the Hubbards?” he said. “If I’m going to be using his van to move, then I should at least ask him in person.”
“Of course. Come with me.” She led him to the kitchen, and as soon as they were out of sight Jonathan Kent fixed her and Clark with a stern frown.
“We are going to discuss this in detail,” he whispered fiercely. “All of us. For now, Chloe, my concern is helping your father get settled in any way we can, and that includes taking you in. But I’m telling you now, in light of everything that’s happened between you two, I am not comfortable with this arrangement.”
He stopped talking as Martha and Gabe’s footsteps approached and they re-entered the living room.
“It’s all arranged,” Gabe said with a smile. “He’s even enlisted another buddy to help so that we can get things done faster. I can’t believe how everything’s falling into place so seamlessly. Again, thank you so much for all your help.”
“Again, you’re welcome,” Martha said with a smile.
Gabe looked at his watch. “I should get out of your way now, and get this young lady home,” he said wistfully. “Big day tomorrow.”
“And our last night in our home,” she said in a small voice.
Gabe smiled and took her hand. “Home is here,” he said thickly, holding his daughter’s hand to his heart. “Not bricks and mortar. We’ll be together again soon, Peanut. I promise.”
***
Chapter 34…