Oh, wow, this was so beautifully written!
You did an excellent job of setting the scene and creating a mood for this pizza party.
Flowerpot's comment was very insightful - your snippets *do* show the history Clark has with these kids. At least Clark was doing something productive with his time, rather than sitting alone at home night after night (which was sort of the image I had been forming in my mind up until now.) How sad that Lois was so off in her own world she never realized. (Actually, I do believe you mention in an earlier chapter something about his volunteering with a youth group, so Lois had a factual knowledge of his activities, but I don't think she, or I, realized the kind of emotional involvement he had developed with these kids.) Her actions tonight, though, were very encouraging.
My best line of the chapter was Lois's simple statement about "Clark being Clark." And tonight, we got a chance to see just that - Clark being Clark. He is able to joke and pal around with these kids, but at the same time he is very much the adult. We see how he gently guides, leads, and admonishes them. I *loved* how he instructs the young men in the basics of gentlemanly manners. And his invitation to 'come back when you're married and you can kiss you wife at my table' was so cute! What a great father he would be. How sad that they are unable to have, or even adopt, children.
All together a thoroughly enjoyable chapter. I'm looking forward to MORE!
Good luck this weekend with whatever it is your plans are. I hope all goes well.
