Beyond the Sun

19

Between them leaving to sort out Annie's home and then returning they ended up meeting Jonathan on the driveway. He was just exiting his car, he leaned back in and picked up a bag and looked to them both. "I think we've now got enough supplies to keep a small army going." Jonathan laughed and clapped a hand on Clark's shoulder before smiling at Annie as she hoisted her bag strap more onto her shoulder. "Your mum's really gone overboard." He'd returned home to get confronted with a list, so with a small sigh he'd left to go to the shops to get everything on the list. The little snippet of information which revolved around their little three person family being one extra didn't get missed.

"We did give Rebecca our word that we'd look out for Annie if needs be." Martha had said while standing with a hand on her hip and the shopping list waving in his direction.

"Better set the spare room up for her then." Jonathan commented while pulling his jacket back on. Martha just gave him one of those: 'You don't say,' expressions which he retorted to with a sigh and held his hands up in defence. "I'm just saying..."

"They're both sensible kids, Jonathan." Martha said, yet possible hormonal driven teenagers under the same roof...shaking her head, she handed him the list. "They'll behave. They always have done." She said with a definitive nod.

Jonathan raised an eyebrow at her while picking his car keys back up. "They weren't ruled by emotions and temperamental when they last crossed paths, Martha." Jonathan stated while opening the door. He remembered being Clark's age, what adult didn't recall what they were like when they were a teenager? That's why Jonathan, through all his trust in his son, knew that sometimes emotions could cloud thoughts. That wasn't to say he didn't trust Annie either, because he did. Though through joking aside, they did both trust them. Though they both knew by now that there was perhaps a little more going on than what was visible. Neither adult had really skimmed past and ignored the looks that Clark sent Annie's way and neither were ignorant to the smiles she sent in return.

"Better to be safe than sorry, right?" Annie replied with a smile as she followed Jonathan and Clark up the porch.

As soon as the door opened and shut did Martha appear from the kitchen. "There you are!" The three exchanged similar looks. None of them were too certain as to who she was directing that sentence to. In the end, they all figured in part it was directed at them individually. "I'll take them, and you can show Annie to the spare room." Martha said while taking the bags from Jonathan's hands and turning away.

Jonathan sighed and waved to the stairs. "This way then," he said while moving up the stairs slowly and turning the corner when he got to the top. Walking along the plain corridor he passed other rooms before reaching the spare one at the end. "It's only basic, but it should serve the purpose." Jonathan said while pushing the door open and letting Annie in.

She took her bag from Clark's hand and put it on the bed. Turning and looking about the small room she smiled. "It's very cosy, thank you." She said while putting her school bag down on the bed too.

Jonathan nodded slowly and looked at Clark, he just looked back at him simply.

"Right, well, I'll leave you to get settled. Martha will probably call when dinner is ready." Jonathan said while backing out of the room.

Clark turned and watched him go with a confused look. His confusion grew when he heard quiet laughing. Turning and looking to Annie, he moved over to her side and looked at her questionably. "He doesn't trust us." Annie said quietly in case her voice could still be heard from downstairs. She unzipped her bag and took out a change of clothes and looked at him.

"What?" Clark frowned and looked to the doorway and then back at her.

Annie raised an eyebrow at him. She pushed her bags onto the floor gently and looked at him. "They think we're going to jump on each other as soon as their backs are turned. Please tell me you haven't seen the wary looks they send our way? Really, Clark? For someone with such good eyesight, you don't seem to see much around you, do you?" She asked with a gentle laugh as she moved past him and made her way to the bathroom.