Chapter Ten
The spare desk in the corner was quickly relocated so that it was adjacent to Clark’s. James quickly dispatched one of his IT guys and soon a state of the art computer was installed for her. Knowing that technology had dramatically improved in the five years that Lois had gone missing, he also arranged to have her attend a one-day “Windows 97” course the next day at the home office of his company, Olsen Technologies. He then told her to take the rest of the week off with pay in order to get her personal affairs in order. Lois was impressed with the young man’s people skills. Typically neophyte managers become a bit power-hungry, trying to throw their weight around to prove that they were the boss. James Olsen emanated an air of self-confidence but it didn’t smack of arrogance. He also knew intuitively how to get the best out of his employees. He admitted that he came up short when it came to running a newspaper, but he delegated wisely and surrounded himself with the right people.
Clark showed Lois around the newsroom, which had been remodeled since she was last there. They took the elevator down to the supply room, so Lois could stock up her desk - she would need plenty of pens and paper, for sure.
“How does it feel, Lois?” Clark asked, placing his hand on her cheek, as they walked out of the elevator, free of prying eyes and busy-bodies. “James hired you back right on the spot, no questions asked. That’s impressive.”
Lois smiled. “I guess it is. He really seems like a super guy, for someone so young. He must be quite the computer geek, huh?”
“He really is. Rumor has it that his father works for a secret government agency and that he always had state of the art gadgets in the house – although James had no idea what they were for. You know how they say when you pick something up as a kid you learn it so much faster?”
“Yes. They say if you don’t learn to play a musical instrument or learn to ride a bike as a kid, it’s pretty hopeless as an adult,” Lois remarked in agreement. They were in the stock room now, and Lois grabbed some legal size pads, a box of pencils and pens, whiteout, scotch tape, rulers, post-it notes, a stapler, and most important of all, a staple remover.
“Do you know when I was in college, if I handed in a paper with more than one staple in it, it would be given back to me with a note to *please* remove the excess staples before submitting it again. This was the same professor that told me I would never have a future in television, that print media would be my only option.”
Clark grimaced. “Why?”
“Because I was too fat for television, which already adds ten pounds as it is,” Lois replied.
“God, Lois, I can’t believe the way some of the people you’ve known in your life have treated you,” Clark said sympathetically. “Your father, especially.”
“Clark… what do you mean? Have you met him? You went to see him, didn’t you?” Lois asked suspiciously.
“I guess I forgot to tell you that didn’t I?” Clark admitted. “Yes. When I was looking for you I went to see him. He had no family pictures, apparently after your mother died he hired someone to clean out her apartment and they disappeared. Quite honestly, Lois – your father seems to be a self-centered bastard.”
“Wow, speak your mind, Smallville,” Lois exclaimed. “I may happen to agree with you, but it’s still hard to hear someone else say it. I wonder if he knows that I’m alive?”
They started walking back toward the elevator. Lois was fully armed with office supplies; Clark was spotting her from the rear to catch items that would inevitably fall, the way she was carrying them.
Clark’s voice became low and quiet. “He knows, Lois. I didn’t tell you, but I had Eduardo send him a copy of the article that he wrote about you. Your father should have been here today. Right *here*, right *now*, to greet his daughter, his own flesh and blood. As someone who knows what it’s like not to have family, his actions are unforgivable. I’m so sorry, Lois. You know what they say about not being able to pick your relatives.”
The light over the elevator door lit up, indicating that it would soon arrive to bring them back upstairs to the newsroom.
Lois turned and met Clark’s eyes. “It’s okay. Ever since my father got remarried to the twife – that was our nickname for my stepmother – short for ‘trophy wife’ – he’s been a stranger, anyway. I’m not surprised – I can’t say it doesn’t hurt, because it does – but it’s par for the course. *His* course.”
The duo entered the elevator; when it closed and began to ascend back up to the bullpen, Clark hit the “stop” button so that it froze between floors. He placed his hands on Lois’ face and stared straight into her deep brown eyes.
“Lois Lane, I promise you, I will do everything I can to protect you from dealing with these kinds of jerks again. You’ve already had a lifetime of misery and you’ve been able to rise above it, because that’s the kind of person you are. I really admire you. I want you to know that.”
“Clark Kent, you’re very sweet, but don’t overdo the protector thing. I *do* like to fight my own battles, you know!” She kissed him on the cheek. “You’re so cute. If you want to help me, find me a great salon so I can get this hair chopped off. And then bring me to California so I can confront Sam Lane myself!”
Clark chuckled as he re-started the elevator. “You got it, *Ms.* Lane!”
~~~~~~~
After attending a staff meeting, where Lois was re-introduced to the journalistic staff, Clark and Lois decided to grab a bite to eat. The minute they exited the Daily Planet and hit the sidewalk, the flashbulbs started to blind them. Lois decided that it was time for an impromptu press conference; it would be the only way the media might leave them alone. After all, how could she be chasing scoops if she herself was the news? “Okay, everyone, gather around. This is going to be short and sweet,” she asserted to the group surrounding them.
Clark whispered, “Lois, are you *sure* you want to do this? It might make things worse.”
“I’m sure, Smallville,” she whispered back. Turning back to the press hanging on her every word, she continued, “I want you all to remember that I am one of you. And Clark – Superman – here – has had no privacy for the last year. I will make a short statement and then I will answer five of your questions honestly – then I want to be left alone. Is that agreed?”
The group assembled in front of them mumbled in agreement.
“I am back in the United States after being overseas for the last five years. While I was in Africa, I witnessed unspeakably horrid living conditions and worked with children that were malnourished and had no family. That changes your perspective on life, I can assure you. I am resuming my career as senior journalist at the Daily Planet and I will be writing a series on the war in Congo-Brazzaville and my experiences there. That will appear in the weekend edition of the Daily Planet.
“I want to state that rumors of my being Clark’s ‘BBW' girlfriend are precocious and that I find the expression ‘BBW’ rather insulting. As someone who has fought a lifetime battle with weight, I don’t think that an acronym like that which labels overweight women and differentiates them from ‘SBW’ – skinny beautiful women - helps their self-esteem. Perpetuating the myth that only size 6 women can have a happy life is insulting and completely untrue. In addition, I consider Mr. Kent here to be my coworker and friend. He will be my reporting partner for awhile while I get back up to speed, so you will see us together. Please allow us to do our jobs as you must do yours.
"Now…five questions only. Yes?” Lois said, nodding to Linda King of the Metropolis Star.
“Ms. Lane, do you really expect us to believe that you and this gorgeous man are just friends? What was it like traveling all the way from Africa in his arms, anyway?”
“Ms. …King, is it? That’s two questions. Which one do you want me to answer?” Lois said sarcastically. Linda’s mouth dropped open. “Ok, then it will be dealer’s choice. It took us almost four hours to fly here, because Mr. Kent here is very considerate and flies much slower than he’s capable of when he’s carrying a passenger. It was quite comfortable and warm, thank you. Next question?”
Cat Grant of the National Whisper stepped forward. “Ms. Lane, you have to admit that it’s fairly unusual for a man like Superman to hang around with a woman who has…*less* than a perfect figure, to be polite.”
“Is there a question in that catty comment you just made, Ms. ….Grant?” Lois snarked back.
Clark stood there, smiling broadly. It was true; Lois loved to fight her own battles. If she was to need him, it wouldn’t be for this!
“Yes, Ms. Lane… how did someone like *you* attract someone like *him*?”
“I don’t think you heard my initial statement, Ms. Grant. Superman – Clark – and I are friends and coworkers. However, the fact that Superman is not shallow and looks-conscious is a testimony to *his* character. Question three?”
“I’d like to ask Superman a question,” said Curt Swan, of News Time magazine, “if that’s OK, Ms. Lane.”
Lois turned to Clark who nodded affirmatively. “Go ahead, Mr…. Swan.”
“Several years ago, a woman who looked suspiciously like Ms. Lane here was seen at your coming-out press conference, so to speak. Who was she, if she wasn’t Ms. Lane here?”
Clark swallowed hard before answering the question. “Well, you know, Mr. Swan, they say that everyone has a doppelganger. That was Ms. Lane’s.” <true statement>, Clark thought to himself.
“Ms. Lane, my name is Ron Troupe, of the Metropolis Free Press. Let me first say how much I’ve admired your work.” Ron was an African-American with a British accent.
“Thank you, Mr. Troupe. I appreciate the gracious compliment,” Lois replied. “Your question is…?”
“There have been rumors that you were suffering from a drug overdose when you disappeared five years ago and that the Daily Planet paid for your rehabilitation expenses. Can you comment on that theory?”
Lois couldn’t help but look to Clark for support, because she had not heard that theory about her disappearance and it had caught her off guard. Clark noticed her discomfort immediately and jumped into the fray.
“Ms. Lane has *never* been a drug addict, Mr. Troupe. And, as an employee of the Daily Planet, I can assure you that Ms. Lane’s disappearance was a source of distress to all of her coworkers,” Clark asserted.
Lois had decided that telling the media the truth – or at least, *most* of the truth – would be the best way to put an end to that insulting rumor.
“Mr. Troupe, the truth is, I have never been, and never will be, a drug addict. Occasionally I would take mild tranquilizers when I’d had an unusually stressful day. I do have a three-year memory lapse, and I don’t know what happened on the day that I disappeared. I am grateful that I was able to assist the Doctors without Borders camp as a volunteer for the past two years, because it was a wonderful, life-enriching experience. Last question, please.”
“Ms. Lane? Vicki Vale, of the Gotham Gazette. We went to Met U together…”
Lois looked at her former classmate and forced a smile. “Yes, Ms. Vale, I remember.” <bitch> she thought. “Your question?”
“I have to compliment you on your weight loss. Are you on any special diet at this point in time? Do you have any tips for other overweight women?”
<Thank God this is the last question> Lois thought to herself. “Well, spending two years in a third-world country with food rations and malnutrition is one way to start a diet,” she replied with a sincere, but somewhat sarcastic, tone in her voice. “Actually, in all seriousness, being in that environment does change your perspective on food. It’s so plentiful here in the States that we take it for granted. Part of being overweight is your attitude about eating, I believe. In Africa, eating was for survival, not for pleasure or for emotional support.
“That’s it. Thanks, all of you. I trust that you will honor our agreement and allow Mr. Kent and I to go about our job without further intervention?”
The crowd broke up and allowed Clark and Lois to enter the nearby deli without further ado.
After they were seated at a table, Clark reached over and held Lois’ hand. “You were wonderful. I could hear your heart beating furiously, but none of them saw you sweat. That’s quite a talent.”
“I hate to admit it, Smallville, but I’m so glad you were there. Knowing that you were there to back me up – well, it felt *great*!”
“You’re welcome, Lois. Let’s hope they honor the agreement and leave us alone. We have some shopping to do this afternoon, then we will have a relaxing dinner at Perry and Alice’s. All in all, it’s gonna be a great first day back for you!”
Squeezing Clark’s warm palm, she smiled back at him. “You’re making it great.”
TBC - Thursday
