I liked seeing Clark and Lois trying to solve the puzzling and disquieting Meadows case together. There is a very ominous green, green glow to that story!
And I very, very much liked how Clark and Lois seemed to be getting closer to each other:
“I still need to thank you, Lois,” he said suddenly.
“What for, Clark?” she asked and went closer to him to have a look at the result of his cooking efforts.
“For listening to me today. I know I was unfriendly and rude to you because I didn’t really want to talk about the issue. You helped me, a lot. Thank you, Lois!” He looked at her sincerely.
How sweet...
She noticed his honest brown eyes, the warm smile on his face. His soft lips. Why was she thinking of them again?
Yes, why?
“I… I couldn’t really help you, Clark.” Her voice sounded hoarse for some reason.
Oh, this sentence is so full of longing and regrets and I-wish-it-could-have-beens....
“Sure you did, Lois. I’m glad that we became friends. I haven’t had a friend since Becca’s mom died ,” he replied. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”
Aawwww...
For a moment Lois hoped that he would bend forward like he had done under the mistletoe a couple of days ago.
Oh, yes! Please do.
And she had seen that strange expression on his face again, shortly before he had given her the first quote that anyone had ever gotten from Superman. *I’m here to help. That’s all I can say for now.* Why did she have this feeling that this really was everything he could possibly tell her? Somehow his expression had conveyed such an utter loneliness that it had been heart wrenching. Just when Lois had wanted to ask him about that, he had left her to save the world another time.
This is very beautifully written. Lois understands something about Superman's loneliness. And somehow she is making a connection between Clark and Superman in her mind.
However, Clark didn’t try to kiss her. He raised his head instead, having this far away look on his face that he sometimes had. A rush of different feelings that Lois couldn’t really describe obviously went through him. There was insecurity and embarrassment, maybe guilt as well. His lower lips trembled briefly, before he looked at her again, blushing.
It's a job for Superman!
“Supper’s ready, Lois. I completely forgot about an appointment. I don’t even have a baby-sitter. Can I ask you to look after Becca?” he asked.
Yes! I'm glad he asked Lois.
“Sure, Clark,” Lois replied, startled. He really was completely unable to organize his daily life.
And Lois and Becca are left alone together. Good. This is really a way of bringing Lois into Becca's life, into Becca and
Clark's lives.
“Does he leave you alone once in a while?” Lois asked. She wondered what Clark would have done, hadn’t she been there.
“He never leaves me alone,” Becca replied, firmly.
Interesting....
Becca knew that her daddy was off to save people that were probably in danger of dying without him. And she knew that he wouldn’t have left if it hadn’t been for Lois agreeing to stay with her. He would have been sitting next to her, barely touching his own supper, trying to act as if nothing was wrong.
Oh! So
that's what he has done when he has had no baby-sitter! It's sure a good thing that Lois is there now, then.
Lois was amazed. She knew pretty well that this wasn’t Santa’s work but Clark’s. He had let her in on the secret, but hadn’t told her much about it. She had known just enough to agree on distracting the little girl so that he could prepare everything. She would never have expected that the result would be so good. The room looked really like the fulfillment of her own childhood dreams.
Hey, aren't you going to tell us what her room looked like?
I was so excited that I didn’t turn on the light and ran downstairs real fast. I couldn’t believe it when there was nothing under the tree.”
“Nothing?” Lois asked incredulously. “That must have been pretty tough.” She tried to imagine how she would have felt in Rebecca’s place. Most likely devastated, crying.
“I thought that it was because I had done something bad,” Becca explained.
Ohhh....
“And what kind of bad thing could you possibly have done to deserve such a thing?” Lois was incredibly curious. She wondered what kind of little sins Clark’s daughter would commit.
“I asked Santa to get rid of you,” Becca replied frankly.
Oh, wow! Becca told Lois!
Well, I seriously hope that that was the first and
only Christmas when Becca is going to ask Santa (or anyone else) to get rid of Lois.
Fascinating, Barbara!
Ann
Becca is curious about Lois and she giving another chance.
