âLast item on the agenda.â Batman closes the file in front of him, signaling the end of this monthâs Justice League meeting. âSuperman will be on parental leave for the next twelve weeks. We are to call him only if absolutely necessary. The monitor schedule has been altered to accommodate.â
Predictably, chaos ensues.
âWait, Blueâs on maternity leave? What the fuck?â
âWhen did he have a kid?â
âHow did he have a kid?â
âYou know, I thought he put on some weight. The suit looked a little tighter than usual, but I didnât wanna say anything.â
âWe didnât throw him a baby shower or anything! Damn. Should we send a fruit basket? Or uhâŚdo Kryptonians use breast pumps?â
The phone at the center of the conference table rings. Flash snorts with laughter and accepts a crisp twenty-dollar bill from Green Arrow. Green LanternâHal, not John, thank you very muchâis half out of his seat laughing. Wonder Woman smiles knowingly and answers, putting the call on speaker.
âYou are all terrible,â Superman grumbles in greeting. âAwful. The worst. None of you can be aunts or uncles anymore.â
âYou would not know how awful we are if you had not been listening to the meeting, Kal,â Diana reasons. âAnd you cannot deprive my nephew of loving family members.â
As if on cue, thereâs a tiny gurgle on the other line, followed by a series of snuffling noises.
âYes, baby boy,â Clark coos. âThatâs Auntie Diana talking about you.â
âHowâs parenthood treating you?â Green Arrow grins mischievously. Heâs probably going to say something stupid. âFeeling like a Super Dad?â
Collective groans. Flash passes his $20 back to Green Arrow.
âItâs good,â Clark laughs over the sound of happy baby screeches. âLois went back to work today. She loved having those first three months with Jon, but she missed talking to people who could respond without drooling. So itâs just me and the gummy bearâyes, thatâs you, youâre my gummy bear!âand weâve had a pretty uneventful time so far. Little spit-up, a diaper blowout, walk to the park. Nothing big.â
âWe have received no pictures,â Jâonn points out. âThis is very disappointing.â
A few moments of silence on the other end. Then, all the JL communicators in the room go off in unison. Batman immediately opens the message on the display in the center of the conference table.
Itâs a selfie Clark mustâve taken at the park that day. Heâs in civilian clothes, curls wild and windswept and oversized glasses on. Thereâs a chubby baby secured to his chest with a neatly tied red clothâcompletely ordinary to anyone else, but easily identifiable as Supermanâs signature red cape to anyone whoâd ever examined it up close. The babyâs smiling up at Clark around one of his tiny, drool-covered hands.
âPrecious,â Jâonn says.
âSo cute,â Flash gushes. âLook at the leg rolls!â
âVery chunky,â Batman agrees. âVery cute.â
More baby screeches on the other line, but theyâre definitely not happy.
âSorry, all,â Clark apologizes over the screaming. âItâs time for a nap. Can you say âbye-byeâ to the League, baby? Say âbye-bye.ââ
The screech turns into full-blown crying just before the call disconnects.
âAs I said,â Batman continues. âWe are to call Superman only if necessary over the next twelveââ
âHold on,â Flash interjects. âThat doesnât include the weekly group call I assume weâll be having to see the baby, right?â
âCorrect.â













