Author Notes: This is dedicated to all who share the love of a childhood book and a song sung by a loving parent, to soothe their pain. And to Sabby, the person who keeps me sane, David who helps me shine so much brighter with my writing, and Jay, who has been there---seen me at my best and my worse, and yet---still likes me. <g> I also dedicate this to the Chronicles of Narnia---my favorite being The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. I guess you might say it was the Harry Potter of my time and will always hold a special place in my heart. Enjoy, everybody. Oh, see further authors notes at the end.


Sequel to 'I Like Dreamin'' -

The Glory Of Love

by PMD


It's been a few years since that special night, when I wore the dress Grandma Michela made for me, and finally got the truth out of Lex and myself. Now I'm upstairs, in the deepest closet I have ever seen, searching for something.


"Where the hell is it?" I rant.


I spot the chest in the furthest corner of the closet and waddle over. What? I'm 6 month's pregnant---like I would be happy just to see my feet right now but carrying twins---it's a small price to pay. Just glad I've cured Lex of his joke on me---two different shoes on my feet---he's lucky he didn't end up in the doghouse, and we don't have one.


Twins---we're going to have twins; a visual, loving, breathing testament to our love. And a chance for Lex to right all the wrongs in his family tree---at least on his father's side. And that doesn't include Uncle Lucas, who is as happy as Lex is, about the babies coming. Lucas---the best brother Lex could have---and a damn fine business man, I might add. Now, who would have ever thought that would happen. Well that aside, these blessings will be adored, cherished, and loved for all their differences.


I remember him telling me that on the night I told him the happy news. I swear I thought my husband would never let me go---his hug went on forever. I had given him the second greatest gift in the world---the first being my love.


Now, I wanted to carry on a tradition passed on from parent to parent in our family---reading a childhood favorite book of ours----to the unborn child.


"Hey, what are you doing in there?" he asks, peering in.


"What do you think, Lex? Trying to tunnel my way to China."


"Well, you should be downstairs doing that---not in this closet."


I have to chuckle at that response---married only a couple of years and we still haven't lost that verbal judo that helped us find our way to each other.


I watch him walk over, a happy and satisfying look on his face. Yep---he is definitely the dotting husband and proud papa to be.

I smile. "What are you doing home so early?"


He gives me a kiss and then leans down to kiss my stomach, twice. "I missed you and the little ones. So, what are you really doing in here?"


"Carrying on a tradition passed on down from my family."


"Tradition?" he queries, getting up and looking straight into my eyes.


"My family has this tradition to bring out our favorite story as a child and read it to the unborn child."


"Why?"


"I don't know why. Do we know any reasons why traditions are traditions in family? Maybe somebody was lonely one day and decided to read out loud to themselves when they were pregnant." I stop my rant and sigh, giving him a chagrined look. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart---I'm just feeling a little stressed today. Didn't get much sleep last night---I think they were practicing to join the soccer or football team."


He leads me over to a chair in the closet and I sit. He gets down to his knees and gives me a slight smile. "If I could have taken on one of them last night, I would have. You know that, right?"


I touch his cheek and stroke it with my thumb. "Yes, I know that. Wish I could have taken you up on the offer---Oh My God! Maybe that's why we have the tradition."


"What?"


"Well, I know when I read at night, I fall asleep faster. Maybe they'll hear me and my reading will put them both to sleep."


"Maybe," he states. I move my hand away and he leans forward to give me a kiss on the lips. When he backs away, he gets up. "Okay, what am I looking for? And no arguments---I'm looking for it. You can read, I'll look."


"Try the chest over first---I think it might be there. And it's The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe."


"C.S. Lewis---one of my favorites."


I smile as I watch him open the box and rummage through it. "Any luck?"


He turns to me. "Chloe---do I look like Clark Kent? I need a few minutes to find it, okay? No x-ray vision here."

I have to smile wider when I hear that. He turns back and finally finds it. He brings it to me and then offers his hand to help me get out of the chair. We walk out of the closet and he leads me to the bed, having me sit on the edge while he fluffs up some pillows. When that is done, I find myself in the middle of the bed, all snug and cozy, with an afghan around my body.


"Okay, can I read now or did you forget something?"


"I don't think so---bed, pillows, wife, book, captive audience in me and the children---nope, got everything."


"Oh, you really think you have a sense of humor, don't you, Luthor."


"I must have---I married you," he states, with a wide grin.


"Oh, come over here and listen to the story, you idiot."


He moves close to me and leans against the headboard, pulling me into a one-armed hug. Then---I start to read---pulling him and our unborn children toward the magical wardrobe, the kingly Aslan, and the royalty known as King Peter, King Edmund, Queen Susan, and Queen Lucy---mere children in the darkness of war-torn England but monarch's supreme in the world just beyond the wardrobe.


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I hear a slight snore beside me, as I finish the first chapter and smile. I don't feel any kicking, so our offspring must have fallen asleep too. I shut the book and put it beside me. He snuggles close to me and I find myself drifting off to sleep with him, a deep sigh heard from both of us.


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I awake to him humming a very familiar song. I smile---a tradition from him now.


The song is The Glory of Love. The first time I heard him sing it was on our wedding night. He had been waiting for me as I used the washroom to get ready for our first night together. I was just putting the finishing touches to myself when I heard his voice---he was singing. I had never heard him sing before. I peered out and saw him pulling back the sheets and smiled. He sensed me and turned around, an equal smile on his face. He told me he sang this song when he was happy. It was a song his mother used to sing to him, when he was sad and upset, in order to lift his spirits.


Now, he was humming the tune to his unborn children---to show how happy and excited he was about meeting them in a couple of months.


"Hey," I state, looking down at him, his cheek on my belly.


"Hey," he replies, moving away and giving me a grin.


"So?"


"So?"


"Are you going to sing the song or what?"


"Sing---why would I sing the song?"


"Because the children need to hear your voice, not just the melody."


"No---you want to hear me sing---because you love it when I do."


"Ha---that's what you think. Mr. Kent has a better voice," I state, with a wink of an eye.


"Chloe!" he growls, non-threateningly.


"Yes?" I ask, an innocent look on my face.


"You know, I must really love you to put up with your demands."


"Demands? What demands?"


"Sing the song, Lex. Bring me ice cream at four in the morning, Lex. I need a certain book right now, Lex."


"Oh---those demands. God, I'm sorry, Lex."


"Hey, hey, I'm not complaining. It was a joke---besides, it makes me feel like I'm a part of this."


I pull him back up to me. "Lex, this wouldn't be happening except for you and I. You're a part of this---even though I wish you were more of a part of this. Really, I would love for you to carry just one of these children for me for the next couple of months."


He leans over to kiss me. "Honey, you know I would if I could. But since I can't, I'll bow to your demand and sing the song. However, I'll do it down here, so the children can hear it, okay?"


"Okay," I state, happily.


He moves back to my stomach and touches it reverently and lovingly. Then:




"You've got to give a little

Take a little

And let your poor heart break a little

That's the story of

That's the glory of love




You've got to laugh a little

Cry a little

Until the clouds roll by a little

That's the story of

That's the glory of love




As long as there's the two of us

We've got the world and all its charms

And when the world is through with us

We've got each other's arms




You've got to win a little

Lose a little

Yes, and always have the blues a little

That's the story of

That's the glory of love


That's the story of

That's the glory of love"




As he finishes the song and moves back to pull me into a one-armed hug, I know how true these words are for the both of us.


We both lost at love; Clark and me never clicked. Lex and whomever never clicked. But somehow, through giving and taking, through humor and sadness, when the world had given up on us, we never gave up on each other. We had each other's arms to see us through the tough times. And now, we would use these arms to help our own children through the hard and happy times. And we have two traditions to pass on down to them now---a story that always reminds me that wonderment can be found within it's pages, even when you aren't a child anymore. And a song that meant a lot to a young boy who didn't have his mother long enough to protect him but would always have this to remind him of her. And he would pass that remembrance down to his children. As will I with mine.


The End.

Further Authors Notes: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has always been a favorite mine. But there are some scenes in it that aren't appropriate for younger children---they freaked me at times too. However, Chloe reads this not for the words but to be a soothing and familiar voice to her unborn children. As does Lex sing to them the song within the story. Hope you enjoyed this piece---I had fun writing it.