The projects were due over the next week, two groups a day, with Lois and Clark assigned alone on Thursday. The assignments were due at the end of each class, after their regular assignment. In a way, Lois was glad Mr. Johnson had done it this way; most of the assignments were poorly done and excruciatingly boring. If they’d gone through all the assignments in two days it would have been overwhelmingly bad.
As it was, Lois found Clark glancing in her direction more often than she’d expected, especially during the presentations. He was surprisingly subtle; what she’d have communicated with one of her friends with a whisper or a giggle he managed with a glance or a twitch of his lips.
It became almost a game, making fun of the presentations without anyone noticing. Most of the projects were simply uninspiring and dull. A few were obviously bad. Tom Church obviously didn’t do any of the reading; instead he’d watched the movie Scarface and did a disjointed, awkward report over that. The fact that Scarface was about a modern gangster and they were studying the 1920’s and 1930’s seemed to entirely escape him.
Unfortunately, Lois wasn’t as careful during Tom’s presentation. Tom saw her smirking in Clark’s direction, and his face had flushed red.
Lois didn’t have much time to prepare with Clark during the week, given their respective schedules, but they got together during lunch on Friday. Lois felt confident as they began their presentation.
Although the football players looked as bored as they always did, she could see some of the brighter students perk up as they began their presentation. She’d been afraid that Clark would have trouble with public speaking, but she’d forgotten how confident he’d been at Brother Wayman’s. He was quiet because he chose to be, not because he had to be.
Although her facts were what was going to get them the good grade, it was Clark’s description of the human toll that caught people’s interest. Even Mr. Johnson leaned forward in his chair. He’d been as visibly bored as anyone with the previous presentations, so Lois felt encouraged.
Putting a human face on the Great Depression, along with carefully photocopied pictures helped make for what Lois felt was the best of all the presentations. Of course, going last had helped as well; Lois had gotten to see the mistakes everyone else had made and had gotten to avoid them.
When they finished, they actually got a scattering of applause. It wasn’t much, but considering that the class had stared at the other presentations with the dead eyes of absolute boredom, Lois took it as high praise. In this classroom, three people clapping was as good as a standing ovation.
Mr. Johnson gave them their grades after class. Lois didn’t know what anyone else had gotten, and she didn’t care as long as their grade wasn’t higher than hers.
Their grades were just as good as Lois had expected, and Mr. Johnson’s praise gave Lois a warm glow.
When things had been hard at home, Lois had always been able to depend on her teachers’ compliments to make her feel better about herself. Everyone needed a little ego stroking sometimes.
Even Clark seemed to have a jaunty walk as he left for work.
*********************
“It’ll be ok,” Lois said into the telephone.
It was amazing how quickly circumstances could change. She’d been so enthusiastic at the end of school after her project with Clark had gone well. Getting this telephone call had been a shock.
“At least she hasn’t lost her license,” Lois said. “They’ll just send her to rehab and keep an eye on her for a while. Maybe this’ll be a good thing.”
Lucy was crying; she’d been crying for the past thirty minutes. It had been all Lois could do to console her.
Apparently their mother had forgotten that she’d switched shifts with another nurse the night before; when she’d gotten called in, she’d already begun drinking. Her employers at the hospital had been less than amused.
“You’ll stay with Uncle Mike,” Lois said. “Dad’s place is too far from Midvale; we’d never get you to school on time.”
They could have done it if they’d had to, but it would have required Lois to get up an hour and a half early every morning for the next twenty eight days. Lois didn’t want to keep hours like Clark unless absolutely necessary. Unlike Clark, she needed her sleep.
In any case, it wasn’t like Sam Lane would be around any more than he’d been for Lois. At least Uncle Mike would go out of his way to make Lucy feel wanted. He’d hug her, tuck her in at night…thirty days of that might be the best thing of all for Lucy.
“I’ll come spend time with you,” Lois said. “I promise. I won’t abandon you like some people.”
Lois felt herself beginning to relax. At least Lucy wasn’t as hysterical as she’d been. She was starting to wind down. Dramatic hysterics took a lot of energy. Lois had learned that by watching her mother all these years, and she’d also learned how ultimately self-defeating they were.
“Maybe we’ll get lucky,” Lois said. “Maybe Mom will change this time. I’ve heard good things about the rehab they’re sending her to.”
She’d called Brother Wayman as soon as she’d found out where her mother was going. He’d assured her that it was one of the better places in the region, although he’d warned her not to get her expectations too high. Most people only got out of treatment what they were willing to put into it.
He’s stressed that the important thing for her and Lucy was to protect themselves. He’d offered a number of different Al-Anon meetings in bother her area and Midvale. Although Lois didn’t think she needed them for herself, she was willing to go with Lucy.
Unlike Lois, who’d escaped, Lucy was still very much trapped.
Despite his warnings, she’d felt comforted after talking to him. He’d helped her feel like it wasn’t the end of the world, and Lois had tried to convey the same message to Lucy. Somehow it hadn’t seemed as convincing when Lois had said it, however.
“Look,” Lois said. “I’ll come see you over the weekend at Uncle Mike’s.”
The doorbell rang, and Lois felt a moment of gratitude. Lucy had learned the art of being difficult to hang up on from their mother.
“There’s somebody at the door. I’ll have to talk to you later.”
Lois hung up as quickly as she could. Lucy would stay on the line for another two hours if she let her, and Lois felt emotionally drained already. She’d tried to leave all the drama at home, but somehow it kept following her wherever she went.
The doorbell rang again, and someone held the buzzer down.
Lois made her way to the door quickly, looking through the peephole . She didn’t recognize the man outside, so she slipped the chain on the door, and eased it open.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
In Metropolis it was always better to be cautious when strangers came to the door, but her father had messengers and others who occasionally came to make deliveries.
This man didn’t look like a messenger. He was dumpy and balding, with a huge gut barely held in place by a belt. He was wearing a trench coat that was a little too long.
“Are you Lois Lane?” he asked.
“Why are you asking?” Lois asked suspiciously. No one had come looking specifically for her before.
“Name’s Ralf Rogers. I’m with the Daily Planet.”
“Let me see your press pass,” Lois said suspiciously.
He held it out and she took it through the partially closed door. She examined it closely. “You have more hair here.”
“It’s been a bad couple of years,” he said.
She handed him back the pass and undid the chain holding the door closed. “Why are you here?”
“You got the internship, kid.”
He held out a packet. She took it from him and ripped it open, pulling the papers out from inside. She read through them with growing excitement.
“I didn’t expect them to actually send somebody. I thought they’d send it in the mail.”
Ralph shrugged. “I was hoping to get a look at what you’ve got on the scandal. The brass was impressed with what you’ve got so far, and I was wondering if you had any more.”
Lois nodded slowly. “It’s my story.”
“You got the internship. You want a byline too?” Ralph chuckled, although it didn’t reach his eyes. “You think the boys upstairs are going to let a seventeen year old kid write for one of the best papers in the country?”
“No,” Lois said. “I was kind of hoping for Perry White, or maybe Norcross and Judd…”
“White had to bow out…conflict of interest. He’s friends with the parents of one of the football players you wrote about. Norcross and Judd are out on assignment.”
Lois stared at him and he sighed. “I’m sure this story seems like a big deal to you, but the Planet deals with real news about things that matter. This is barely a step up from covering dog shows.”
“So why bother?”
“It’s been a slow news week,” Ralph said. “And it’s a pity to have all the work you did to go to waste.”
Lois sighed and reluctantly let the man in.
****************
It wasn’t until he’d left with copies of everything that it had occurred to Lois that Ralph might just be lazy. It’d be just her luck if he used what she had given him, did a tiny bit more work and called it his own story.
He’d promised to keep her name out of the investigation, which was the one bright spot in the entire affair. Although Lois was elated to have the internship, she’d never had any real doubt in her mind that she’d get it. Giving up the story now, though left her feeling a little empty.
The story had been part of her life for months now, and she wasn’t sure what she was going to do with her time.
Still, she was excited. Her mother was already gone to rehab and her father was out of town again. Lois wasn’t sure whether he was legitimately working or whether he was off on an early weekend with his latest conquest. Either way she had no forwarding number.
Calling Lucy or Uncle Mike was out if she didn’t want to endure hours of drama, and she couldn’t exactly share the news with her friends for fear that they’d warn the football players or the school.
Because of this (and for no other reason, she kept reassuring herself), Lois found herself excited to see Clark at lunch. She could share the news with him and not worry about it being all over school by Monday.
She was completely blindsided when she found herself being tackled and shoved into the boys’ locker room. She fell to the floor, stunned and not even sure just what happened.
It took her a moment to focus; when she did, she saw Tom Church standing over her. His face was flushed beet red and his fists were clenched. He was hyperventilating as he stared down at her.
“You bitch!” he screamed.
Lois scrabbled backwards, leaving her purse and backpack where they lay,
“You think I don’t know who’s responsible for all this?” He was shouting; it was obvious that he didn’t care who heard what he was saying.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lois said, stalling for time. Whatever had caused Tom to go off the deep end, she needed to keep him talking. Eventually someone would contact the principal or the coach.
“I got cut from the team!” he said. “Half the guys are gone!”
Apparently Ralph hadn’t been as careful in asking questions as he’d said he’d be.
Tom cocked his fist and lunged for her, and Lois found herself wishing she’d spent more time in her Tae Kwon Do classes.
This was going to hurt.
