I agree completely with BJ's assessment of this part. I, too, was utterly relieved to know that the baby was okay. This was lovely:
Now familiar with the sound, he sought out the baby’s heartbeat, fully intending to keep his ear trained on that wonderful rhythm all the time.
...
Hearing the baby’s heartbeat on the ultrasound two days earlier had lifted a tremendous millstone from around her neck. Now, it was like she could barely concentrate on anything other than that wonderful sound.
Beautiful and wonderfully mutual.
Like BJ, I loved how you wrote Lois and Clark together in this part. I particularly liked this:
“Are you always this cheerfully optimistic?” she muttered against his chest. She felt him hug her more tightly.
“No,” he confessed softly. “I’m not. In fact, for most of the last five years, I’ve been a pretty pessimistic guy.” He tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. “But you have always had faith in me. I survived hell, a war, a trip through light years of space, all of it because you loved me. That’s how I know we’re going to be okay.”
After he came to New Krypton, Clark used to have a bleak outlook on life. But Lois gave him back his optimism and his faith in life, because she loved him and believed in him. Now he can be there for her.
Lois is full of raging self-doubt. They have not made love for many weeks.
“We haven’t made love in weeks,” he whispered, the longing clear in his voice.
...
Her eyes still closed, she confessed, “I’ve been afraid.”
...
“I didn’t know if you were angry, or hurt…because of what I did. I know that you will always be here for me, I just didn’t know if you wanted to…”
Heartbreaking.
“I am not here out of obligation,” he said, his voice a rough whisper. “I love you more than anything in this world. And nothing can change that. Please, don’t ever doubt that.”
I love it. Thank you, Rac.
Lois's parents were as bad as I expected. Ellen was worst. I just hope Sam won't catch up and become worse than Ellen.
Ann
