I just finished reading part 2. It was exactly what I needed after a rough couple of days. So WAFFY.
Clarks arguments with himself in the second through fourth paragraphs were powerful. I especially liked the idea that telling her his secret "almost seemed bigger than asking her to be his wife." I've never seen it put that way before, but it makes complete sense.
I enjoyed Martha's little nudge with the hot chocolate. Giving L&C a delicious treat while also giving Clark a not-so-subtle-to-him reminder is such a Martha thing to do.
Bu the way, I noticed that the last line contained the phrase "final piece of the puzzle." Did you know I actually wrote a story called
The Final Piece of the Puzzle? I couldn't tell whether your inclusion of that phrase was a subtle nod to my story (since you did write this story for me) or whether it was simply a delightful coincidence. Either way, I was especially appreciative of your wording in the story's last sentence.
Thank you for a fun story that satisfied my prompts and that brought a smile to my face.
Joy,
Lynn
