Here's a repost of EAJALAC part 1. I'm too tired to think of something to preface the story so I'll just give it to you.
* * * * *
**~Part 1~**
Lois followed Clark into their brownstone on Hyperion Avenue after a long day at work, hung up her jacket, and headed to the kitchen. Clark started dinner while Lois selected a bottle of wine and reached into the cupboard for two glasses.
“What do you and your mother have planned tomorrow?” Clark asked.
Lois rolled her eyes. Their days off were something of a rare commodity and Ellen had insisted on spending some time with her daughter. “She wants to go shopping while Daddy has meetings with some of his colleagues.”
The look on Lois’ face told Clark that she was less than enthusiastic about the shopping trip. He knew that Lois and Ellen didn’t always get along, but Lois hadn’t seemed so antagonistic at the thought of shopping yesterday. “I thought you were looking forward to tomorrow.”
“I was,” Lois began with a sigh. “But the more I think about it, the more I think about the constant nagging and endless *helpful* tips for improving my life that time with my mother always seems to entail. I mean, why can’t she just leave well enough alone? I don’t butt into her life and tell her how to live. You’d think—“ Lois stopped when she noticed the look on Clark’s face. “What?”
Clark shook his head and tried to look as innocent as possible. Unable to disagree with her, he avoided the subject of her mother altogether. “Nothing.”
“She’s just a lot to take, you know?” She shook her head, trying to be optimistic. “Shopping will be fun,” she said resolutely. She was glad to be going, she really was, but a tiny part of her still wished she wasn’t going with her mother.
* * * * *
Their nightly meetings were usually dull business talk about financial and legal matters that were of no significance to Earl Gregg, the scientist. Much of it was boring and repetitive and Earl often sat back and listened to Grant Gendell, the billionaire, and Eric Denzler, the lawyer, talk about the business of the day. Nevertheless, Grant Gendell liked to have Earl’s advise on various subjects and Earl faithfully obliged by coming to the meetings and giving his input when he felt it was necessary.
Eric Denzler, however, was a lawyer. He was paranoid, suspicious, and constantly chiming in with his opinions, regardless of whether they were requested, and Earl thought that he took his job a bit too seriously.
Tonight’s meeting was different. Gendell had begun it with a startling announcement, and it was one that would require action and input on the parts of both Earl and Eric.
“Gentlemen,” Gendell began. “I’ve decided to come out.”
“Uhh, come out, sir?” Denzler asked.
Gendell’s booming voice implied that the answer should have been obvious. “Out of hiding! Out into the real world, with real people, doing real things. I ran into a couple of my own employees today and I realized that I don’t even know them! They work for me and I have no idea who they are. Living in seclusion is ridiculous and I’m giving it up. I’m going to call a press conference to announce it immediately, and I’ll need you two to organize it.”
Denzler characteristically jumped in. “Mr. Gendell, sir, with all due respect, I don’t think this is a good idea. First of all, you’re already a target for lawsuits by the thousands, and they’ll only get worse if you were to appear in public. Not to mention that the number of theft and murder attempts will rise to unpredictable levels. Second, it is not safe for you to wander around and meet random people, employees or not.”
“Denzler, I’m tired of hiding. That’s the bottom line. I want to reemerge to the world, meet people, do things I haven’t been able to do in a very long time. I’m getting older and I want to get out there and live my life… now, which one of you is going to call the press?”
“Mr. Gendell, if you must reveal your identity, at least consider another way of doing it. A press conference is big and messy and is incredibly difficult to secure.”
“Well then, what would you suggest?”
“I’d suggest not making an appearance at all.”
Gendell sighed in frustration. “Earl? What do you think?”
* * * * *
After dinner Lois still couldn’t get the nagging feeling out of the pit of her stomach. She felt like her life was missing something, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Lonely wasn’t the right word. Clark was her best friend and her lover. She wasn’t lonely, but her heart wanted something different.
Settling down on the couch, Lois leaned back and settled into the comfort of Clark’s chest. He *was* her best friend. So why did she want more? She had friends. Not only Clark, but Perry and Jimmy too. She couldn’t ask for better friends.
Or could she?
Clark. Perry. Jimmy. They were all men. They were all colleagues. Did she spend so much time working that she had failed to make meaningful relationships with other women? Did she *have* friends? Of course she did.
Didn’t she?
“Clark, we have friends, don’t we?”
* * * * *
Earl gave the question a moment’s thought before responding. “Well, Eric does have a point. The security issues surrounding a press conference pose great risks to your personal safety. It might be better for you to do a personal interview with a single reporter in order to minimize those risks.”
“Okay, then. Find me someone. Denzler, jump them through whatever hoops you need to get yourself used to the idea. Gregg, meet whoever it is and get to know his or her personality and character.”
“Mr. Gendell, I highly doubt the existence of a reporter in this city who is worthy of trusting with an interview like this one.”
Gendell burst out laughing. “Denzler sometimes I don’t know about you. You’re a lawyer, and you’re worried about trusting reporters?”
Earl smirked at the irony of the statement.
Denzler was not amused. “I’m only trying to look out for your best interests, Mr. Gendell.”
“I know, Denzler. You can do that by getting back to me with the name of a reporter who can tell my story and reveal me to the public.”
“I know of one name, Mr. Gendell,” Earl said.
“Already? Well, who is it?”
“Lois Lane of the Daily Planet.”
“Ah, yes. Lois Lane.” Gendell thought this over. “She was surprisingly fair in her portrayal of me during that legal dispute a few months back… Denzler, give her a call and set up an appointment for you to interview her.”
“Yes sir.”
“I believe she’s married… Gregg, would you and your wife meet with them socially and report back to me?”
“Of course, Mr. Gendell.”
“All right then, gentlemen. I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”
* * * * *
“What?” The question had come out of nowhere and it caught Clark slightly off guard.
“Friends, companions, buddies—“ Lois answered sarcastically.
“I know what it means,” he said, smiling at her silly humor. “Of course we have friends. Perry and Jimmy are great friends.”
Lois gave him a look.
Apparently that was not the answer she’d been looking for. Clark knew from experience that it would be best to get at the meaning behind the loaded question. “Why do you ask?”
“Perry and Jimmy.” Lois sidestepped his inquiry and continued her mission. “Who else?”
Clark opened his mouth, but Lois plowed on.
“No one else. Do you realize that the only people we see are victims, criminals, sources, and colleagues? I know we see Perry and Jimmy more than just at the Planet, but we *do* work with them. Who do we know that doesn’t have any relation to work?” Lois answered her own question before Clark could. “No one.”
Clark looked at her with concern, then took her hand and looked into her soft brown eyes. “Honey, why are you so worked up about this?”
He felt Lois relax in his arms. “Oh, Clark. I’ve just been thinking about this shopping trip with Mother, and I realized that I only ever go shopping with your mother or with my mother or by myself… Clark, you’re my best friend, and I love you, but you’re not a woman.”
That brought an instant smile to his face. “No, I’m not.”
“Don’t get me wrong,” she said quickly. “I’m glad. But sometimes I wish I had someone to do… girl things… with. Like going shopping or watching sappy movies or soap operas.”
He let out a small sigh and kissed her forehead. The Planet had become their entire life, and he knew it. They spent day and night either chasing down leads or researching and writing in the newsroom. Perhaps he tolerated it better than she did because their closest friends were men. He had someone to play basketball or go to ball games with.
But Lois didn’t.
He sensed her loneliness, and he sensed that there wasn’t anything he could do to fill that void. He held her for a long time until her voice reached his ears again.
“I love you, Clark. I don’t want you to think that my need for another friend in my life negates the fact that you’re my best friend and you always will be.”
“I know, sweetheart, and I love you.” He kissed her softly, but when their lips parted, he had a mischievous look on his face. “Why don’t I show why you’re glad I’m not a woman?”
Lois leered at him and her smile widened. “And how would you propose to do that, Mr. Kent?”
“Oh, I’m sure I can think of something.” He scooped her into his arms and flew them upstairs to their bedroom. Laying her on the bed he kissed her and as their emotions swept them away, Clark drowned out all of the world’s sounds except those coming from his wife: her steady breathing, her gentle voice, and her heart beating in time with his.
* * * * *
“Here, Lois, you *have* to try this on. It matches your skin tone perfectly. And don’t slouch while you wear it. You have a tendency to slouch when you wear smooth fabrics like this and it turns your beautiful figure into that of a hunchback. Here, take it. That’s my girl.”
Ellen Lane was a serious shopper.
She was also a serious pain in Lois’ neck.
Lois took the blouse and added it to the mound of articles piled high on her arm. They’d been shopping for over 4 hours, and Lois had had just about enough of it. Every time she turned around her mother was saying, “Don’t slouch,” or “Don’t drag your feet,” or “Don’t drink so much caffeine,” or “Don’t chew your food less than 17 times on each side of your mouth, alternating sides every three times and then for the last 2 times, alternate sides on each chew.“
Well, maybe not that last one. But it was enough to drive a person completely bananas.
Why was she putting herself through this? Oh yeah, because her mother had insisted. And because Clark wouldn’t be interested. And because Lucy lived 3,000 miles away. And because she didn’t want to go alone.
Lois sighed. This was going to be a long day.
* * * * *
tbc...
