Hi everyone!
Your fdk is so inspiring!
I've gotta say, this beta-reader business is really cool. Huge thanks to mine, gerry, who fixed all my grammar issues. She's the Writer's Craft teacher I never had.
Oh, and I made corrections as well as a couple revisions in the past chapters. The purse Lois found on her desk at the Planet is now a briefcase. :p
I have company for the next few days, so I don't think I'll get to write much, but here's a nice long chapter to tide everyone over. No cliff-hangers, no funny business. I hope it satisfies!
Have a happy, safe holiday!
Hugs & Cookies,
Chriscy
Last chapter... “Yeah…listen, Lois, if you want, you could join Jimmy and me until you feel good enough to go home and-”
“No.” Lois cut her off. “I think I should go home and apologize…and get to know my family.” Lois couldn’t help but think how foreign it felt to say that. “I don’t see how I could possibly reverse all this, so I might as well try to get my life back together again and try to pick up where I’ve been put. But thanks.”
“You feeling okay though? Are you up to all that?”
“I think so. Well, Jimmy expects you home, so I won’t keep you any longer. Stay in touch, okay?”
“Of course.”
Future Perfect 4/? After trying two keys, Lois finally managed to open the door to the house. Well,
her house, apparently. As she slipped inside she noticed that the lights were low, so she assumed that everyone was asleep…until a worried-looking Clark crept into the foyer to quietly meet her. Clark’s expression softened immediately when he saw that she was fine. Lois, on the other hand, visibly tensed, but she squared her shoulders and acquired a determined look on her face.
Making a brave attempt to break the ice, Lois whispered, “Hi.”
“Hi,” Clark whispered back.
After a pause, Lois continued. “Are the children asleep?”
“Yeah…Lois, how are you feeling? Are you okay?”
Lois couldn’t help but be affected by his concern which was clearly written all over him from his stance and tone to his expression. “I’m fine. Well no, I’m not. Not really, anyway. I mean, I’m not going crazy or anything, but I’m holding up so I’m fine but not fine in the truest sense. I’m just trying to take it all in stride.”
A lovely smile touched Clark’s lips. “Considering everything, I’d say that’s good. Where did you go? We were all really worried.”
“I’m sorry.” Lois said and she meant it. “I went back to the Planet and my…old apartment. Then I went and had a coffee with Lucy.”
“Sounds like you had a busy evening,” Clark said and afforded her with another one of his special smiles. “Come and warm up. You must be freezing. Do you want some coffee?”
Lois realized with a start that the adrenaline her shock triggered had finally worn off, and so did the temporary shield from coldness it produced. With a grateful smile, she accepted and followed Clark into the kitchen. As she watched Clark putter around to make her coffee, she had to admit that Lucy was very right when she said that waking up to find herself married to Clark Kent really wasn’t so bad at all. He was kind and handsome, and she felt drawn to him somehow. Lois snorted; she
did marry the man, what did she expect?
“Just the way I like it.” Lois remarked with a smile as she raised the mug to her lips and took a sip.
“I know.”
Clark was looking at her as if she were the most precious thing in the world and that he was holding back on a lot of things he wanted to say. It was too much; she had to look away.
Clark spoke again. “I can only imagine what you must have gone through today.”
He’s so compassionate, thought Lois. “Well, it was no walk in the park for you either…or for the kids.”
“They…well, I explained the situation to them and they’ll get over it. They understand, and we can help you with re-establishing routines, as well as anything else you may need help with to be in the swing of things again. You have all the time you need, and you won’t have to worry about me forcing intimacy on you. If you ever feel uncomfortable about anything, you just have to speak up.”
She really lucked out with this one, didn’t she? “Thanks, Clark. I…I…”
“You don’t have to say anything, Lois.”
The warm hand closed over her shoulder was her undoing. “It’s just that I feel so
lost, Clark!” God, that felt good; it was so easy to open up to him. And now that she started, she was going to let it all out. “I’ve lost eleven whole years of my life! I was driving home to my sister one moment and the next thing I know, I wake up with a husband I don’t remember marrying and children I don’t remember having! The worst part is, I’ll never have those moments back! Everyone else has been living their lives, no problem, while I was left out of the loop! I can barely recognize the world! The Planet looks completely different, the seat in my car warms up, and my cell phone is smaller than half the size of the one I used to use. And I’m
old!”
Deep breath.
“I don’t know a thing about you. I don’t know the first thing about raising children! How do I know I’m doing a good job? I don’t even really like children! What if I mess it up and my kids end up hating me? There are two people in the world who depend on me for their well-being. That’s such a huge responsibility! How do I know that I’m being a good role model? And what if I mess our marriage up and we end up like my parents? What will I do when I’m left to care for two young children all by myself because you can’t stand me anymore? All of my past relationships have been federal disasters; how will I know how to approach this one? How do I know if I’m being a good wife? I’m in a world that I’m unfamiliar with and I have to take on all these new roles. It’s too much, Clark. I can’t handle it all! I’m so overwhelmed!”
Lois slumped against the counter, drained but feeling better for having vented. She was surprised when a strong pair of arms tentatively surrounded her, but she welcomed them and they tightened around her in response.
Lois relaxed into Clark’s embrace as he stroked her hair and said, “I’m really glad you shared that with me, Lois. It means a lot.”
Pulling back to look at him, Lois told him. “It’s easy to open up to you.”
Still holding her close, Clark said, “That’s the way it should be, Lois. I understand that it’s all a lot to take in, but I want you to know that I’ll always be here for you –
we'll always be here for you, to support you, help you, cheer you on, comfort you, love you… Hopefully you’ll be able to remember everything again one day, but even if you can’t, it won’t change how we feel about you. It’ll all work out. It’s going to be okay.”
“I hope so. It’s just so scary to have missed out on over a decade of my life, you know?” Lois said sadly.
“I know…well, not literally, but I can sympathize. Don’t worry, Lois. We’re here for you and everything’s going to be okay. We’re a team. Always remember that. And just for the record, you’re a wonderful mother and fantastic wife.”
Lois was so touched; for the first time in her life, she really felt like she was unconditionally loved, even if it was by a virtual stranger. She supposed that despite everything, she was sort of lucky; not everyone got to fall in love with their husband and children twice.
“Thanks, Clark.” Suddenly, the atmosphere and something in their embrace changed. The ember of warmth within her flared, her stomach stirred and she had the urge to lean up and kiss him…except she shouldn’t, because she really didn’t know him, even if she was technically married to him. She noticed that they were both leaning in closer and closer, and Clark’s eyes were darkening with love and desire. It was too much again; she stepped away out of his arms, flushed and breathing deeply. “Um, it’s getting late now.”
She tried to ignore the hurt look on Clark’s face as he agreed with her, “Yeah, it’s been a long day for you. You must be really tired. Maybe it’s time for us to turn in too.”
“Us? How…how are we going to, um…”Lois stammered as she gestured vaguely above her head, indicating the second floor.
“Oh, I can take the couch and you can take the bed. It’s not a problem at all,” Clark replied kindly.
“I wouldn’t want to kick you out of your own bed!” said Lois. She felt guilty enough about her behaviour earlier in the day.
“It’s technically your bed too. I really don’t mind. Lois, it’s okay.”
“Well…alright then. Thanks again, Clark.”
“It’s nothing. Have a good night, okay? Oh, your underwear is in the top left hand drawer of the dresser, your sleepwear is in the drawer below it, and the yellow towel and turquoise toothbrush are yours.”
“I have a turquoise toothbrush? I always get turquoise!” Lois cried delightedly.
“I know; it’s your lucky colour.” Clark said with a warm smile.
Ducking her head to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, she said, “Okay then, I guess I’ll go wash up and get ready to bed. And…thank you, Clark.” With a soft touch on his arm, she turned and went upstairs.
When she reached the landing, she couldn’t help but succumb to the urge to poke her head inside of each child’s room to have a look. What beautiful children – and they were hers. She felt sad that she couldn’t remember a thing about them…anticipating them, seeing their first steps or hearing their first words. At least she had no memory of labour and changing diapers, she thought wryly. She still didn’t know the first thing about kids or raising them, but she made a silent vow to her children that she’ll be the best mother she could possibly be to them. With that, she headed towards the bedroom in which she had awoken completely disoriented a couple hours ago.
***
TBC...
