The afternoon edition of the Daily Planet blared the headline, “SUPERMAN ACQUITTED!” and dedicated nearly half the ‘A’ section of the paper to the trial and its aftermath. There was an editorial from Lois Lane insisting that the DA had worked hard to convict Superman, had done the best job he could, had lost, and was now free to pursue real criminals, an activity which the Planet heartily endorsed. She also strongly suggested that Jack Reisman be retained as District Attorney in the next election unless a candidate appeared on the ballot who was clearly more qualified.
Many retail businesses had either locked up and gone home for the day or released all but the most essential employees to celebrate the verdict. The mood in Metropolis approached the jubilation evident in photographs of San Francisco in 1945 when World War Two finally ended. Strangers embraced across color lines, across economic classes, over and around both sides of the law. All but the most hardened of criminals featured smiles and bought rounds of drinks for everyone in their circle of acquaintances. Even Walter ‘Tiny’ Macklin shut down his auto chop shop for the rest of the day to honor the freedom of his former cellmate and friend.
The video media outlets, for the most part, followed the Daily Planet’s lead. Wisely, both the Metropolis Star and the Dirt Digger refrained from gratuitous attacks on Superman’s character and his actions. To their deep regret, however, the editors of the National Daily Whisper did not display the same sort of restraint and common sense. Their next edition, bearing the headline “Alien Conspiracy Gets Super-Killer Off,” sold less than a third of the printed copies. The resulting buyback forced the company to post a loss on their third quarter earnings statement. It took them until the second quarter of the following year to recover both the lost revenue and lost readership, and several names permanently disappeared from the masthead of the paper.
Clark Kent’s interview with Superman, the only one-on-one interview that day with the Man of Steel, beat the deadline by ninety-six seconds and was published in the Daily Planet without editorial input that afternoon.
*****
Clark Kent: Superman, thank you once again for making time to speak with me on this very momentous day. I know you’re busy, so we’ll try to keep this as brief as possible.
Superman: Thank you, Mr. Kent.
CK: Can you tell me how you feel right now?
SM: Despite the cliche, I really do feel that a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. As you know, I don’t require much sleep, but I think that I’ll rest more easily now that the verdict of the people of Metropolis has come in.
CK: You’re legally a free man, and the death of Bill Church is behind you.
SM: Legally, yes, this is behind me, but I think this whole experience has changed me.
CK: Really? In what way?
SM: Personally, as well as making an impact on my future actions. I violated my own moral code when I killed Bill Church. I know that there are many others who feel that I should have paid some kind of legal penalty for what I did, but since I’ve been acquitted that’s not going to happen. However, I want all of your readers to know that I’ll never forget what happened that night in Intergang’s bunker. I will live with the consequences of my actions for the rest of my life.
CK: So you’re saying that there’s a burden of moral guilt that you’re going to carry?
SM: That’s exactly what I’m saying. I know that there are those who will, in the future, try to hold this time in my life against me, and I can’t change that. All I can do is assure you and your readers that Superman fully intends never again to deliberately take a human life.
CK: Thank you. What else will you carry with you from your recent experiences?
SM: You know that I’ve never been a particular advocate of prison reform, nor have I been an opponent of it, but I think I’m going to pay more attention to the subject from now on. I don’t have any concrete suggestions to make at this time, nor would I ever demand that my ideas be put into practice, but I since I’ve experienced some of the process, I think I have some valid things to say about it.
CK: Interesting. It sounds like you might have a new focus now. Do you see your role changing from rescuer to reformer?
SM: Not changing, really, more like adapting. If I ignore the plight of a man or woman who is behind bars simply because that person is behind bars, I’m short-changing all of society. Our prison system is supposed to rehabilitate those who can be helped, and I’m not sure we as a people are doing that job very well. I plan to think about better ways to help people either become or remain productive, law-abiding members of society. But I also still plan to apprehend criminals whom I catch in the act and help out at natural disasters and accidents and so forth.
CK: I’m sure my readers will appreciate knowing that. Tell me, do you plan to work with Constance Hunter or Blair Collins on an ongoing basis?
SM: Well, the Superman Foundation has been doing a good job on the charity work and with licensing my logo and likeness, and I don’t plan to be involved in any future criminal trials as a defendant, so I really don’t know what our relationship will be from now on, other than as friends.
CK: Speaking of relationships, what kind of relationship do you think you’ll have with Jack Reisman in the future?
SM: Mr. Reisman tried very hard to win the case, but he also played fair and didn’t fiddle with the evidence, the testimony, or step outside the charge to convict me. I think he’s an honest man who should be allowed to continue to serve the city of Metropolis in his current capacity as District Attorney. But that’s up to the voters of Metropolis and not up to me.
CK: Do you plan to vote for him in the next election?
SM: Superman isn’t registered to vote in Metropolis, Mr. Kent. I have no fixed address and can’t prove that I live in the city.
CK: That’s true. In that case, do you plan to campaign for him?
SM: He hasn’t asked me.
CK: Would you agree to it if he did?
SM: I’d prefer not to be involved in politics on any side, but I would not categorically rule out some sort of endorsement. I think that anything along those lines had better wait until Mr. Reisman actually asks me, though. Assuming, of course, that he actually does so.
CK: Sounds like a wise plan. Tell me, are you planning to return to being Superman like you were before your sabbatical?
SM: (chuckles) My sabbatical. That’s a nice euphemism.
CK: Thank you.
SM: Yes, I do plan to resume my patrols. I also plan to be more directly involved in law enforcement as a law enforcement official. I’m not sure yet how something like that would work, because of the problems of crossing jurisdictions and possible conflicts in authority, and we’d have to take into account my ability to be anywhere in the world in a very short time. But I’m confident such questions can be answered to everyone’s satisfaction.
CK: What about the court of public opinion? Do you have any thoughts on how people should treat you now?
SM: There’s no way for anyone to legislate how someone might feel about any given issue, especially one so intense as my trial. All I can do is behave as if I’ve been exonerated, which I have been, and make sure I don’t break the law in the future. If anyone still has a problem with me personally, I’m more than willing to talk to that person about it, as long as it’s a reasonable discussion and not a condemnation session. Beyond that, I can only hope that people still believe me when I say that I’m here to help.
CK: Sounds like a plan to me. Speaking of plans, do you have any plans to celebrate today or tonight?
SM: There is a press conference this afternoon at the Superman Foundation, and I believe there will be a live swing band after the speeches. Does that count?
CK: Yes, but I was really asking if you have any personal plans to celebrate.
SM: Yes.
CK: Would you like to share them with our readers?
SM: I’d prefer not to. My personal plans are, after all, personal.
CK: Of course. Since I have a deadline, and you have a press conference to attend, I think we’d better save anything else for later. Thank you again for allowing me to interview you, Superman.
SM: My pleasure, Mr. Kent. Have a pleasant day.
*****
The mood at the press conference that afternoon was almost jubilant. Connie and Blair high-fived each other for the photographers as Superman stood stoically in the background, his arms crossed but wearing a slight smile on his face, the approximate equivalent of the average person doing backflips and screaming hysterically. The lead attorney for the Superman Foundation, Anthony Wayne, walked to the bank of microphones and waved for quiet.
When it was clear that his efforts were in vain, Superman rose up above the crowd and held up his hands. He never lost his smile, never appeared irritated, and everyone with whom he made eye contact quieted down. Within moments, they were able to begin.
As Superman drifted back down to the podium, Wayne spoke. “Thank you, Superman. And thank all of the media for coming. You know that there is no way for each of you to interview Superman personally, so for the benefit of those who don’t pay attention – “ he paused as a chuckle ran through the crowd and tickled most of his listeners “ – each of you had the opportunity to write down two questions and give them to the Foundation’s representatives. In turn, we agreed to ask Superman these questions, in no particular order, as long as the question pertains to the Foundation, Superman’s continuing relationship with us, his recent experience with the law, or his own professional life.”
A young woman yelled out, “Marry me, Superman!”
Superman gave her a mock frown mixed with a sly grin. “What category does that question fall in?”
Wayne paused as the laughter died down, then he said, “I must also add that anyone who appears to be intoxicated or who behaves in an unseemly fashion will be asked to leave. Anyone who refuses to leave when asked will be escorted out by officers of the Metropolis Police Department. Anyone who refuses to be escorted will be arrested, and, well, we all know what that could lead to.”
The laughter was more restrained this time, but still relaxed. Wayne glanced at the note card in his hand and continued. “Now, we have a special guest who will present the questions to Superman as only he can. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce our own United States Senator from the great state of New Troy, and a man who still makes his home right here in our great city of Metropolis, Senator Perry White!”
Perry entered from one side, flanked by two obvious Secret Service agents. He waved to the people and shook a few hands, then bounced up the steps like a man fifteen years younger than he really was. He shook hands with Superman as if they were old friends, and several who stood close thought that the two might embrace.
But they did not. Perry stepped to one side of the bank of microphones and lifted his hand to the still-cheering crowd. They threatened to become raucous again, but before Superman could repeat his crowd-quieting performance, Perry shouted, “Hey hey hey! Is this a press conference or a pep rally? Give us some quiet, okay, people?”
The speech had the desired effect. As the noise level receded, Perry picked up the clipboard with the list of questions and turned to the hero. “Superman, it’s my distinct pleasure to participate in this event with you. I remember when you first came to Metropolis, and I also remember how many stories my reporters at the Daily Planet published about you.” A groan went up from some of the Planet’s competitors, but Perry simply waved their pain away. “Listen, people, we got scooped a few times, too, so don’t feel too bad.”
Another laugh scurried through the crowd. “Anyway, y’all didn’t come here to listen to me make speeches. Let’s welcome the guest of honor: Superman!”
The cheering broke out once again as Superman ambled slowly towards the microphones. He nodded to Perry, who leaned close and said, “Welcome to my world, son!”
They shared a chuckle. When the partying had gone on long enough, Perry lifted his hands and shouted, “Okay, let’s get this shindig in gear! Y’all quiet down so you can hear Superman’s answers!”
The crowd of reporters remembered that they were reporters and obeyed. “That’s better. Superman, you ready?”
“I’m ready if you are, Mr. White.”
“Good. Here’s the first question. Do you intend to stay in Metropolis?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “I have no reason to leave.”
“That’s good to hear, son. Next question. What are your plans for fighting crime in the future?”
“Pretty much what I’ve done before. I won’t interfere unless I see a crime actually being committed, and I’ll hold the perpetrators for the police, who will make any arrests.”
“All right. Someone wants to know what you think of the people of Metropolis now that you’ve been tried for murder and – let me make this perfectly clear – you have been acquitted.”
Superman ducked his head, then looked up. “I want everyone to know that I hold no animosity towards anyone in the justice system. Everyone involved was merely doing his or her job to the best of his or her ability, and anyone who does that has my utmost respect.”
“Thank you, Superman. Here’s a similar question. How will you react if someone doesn’t want your help?”
“Like I have before. I’m not here to force myself on anyone, and if someone doesn’t want my help, be that person a crime victim or a police officer or stranded motorist or whatever, I will not make that person accept my help. That wouldn’t be right.”
“Okay. Next. Do you plan to accept some kind of official position in any law enforcement agency?”
“That one’s still up in the air. I plan to talk with the police department, the FBI, Interpol, and several foreign governments first. Then we’ll try to work out some kind of legal authority which will allow me to function freely in other countries without interfering with the various law enforcement agencies. I’ll try to keep everyone up to date on that.”
Perry flashed his famous smile for a moment. “Next question. Do you – “
Superman suddenly spread his hands to either side and looked around. “Did anyone else feel that?”
Nearly everyone looked at the people beside him or her, but no one knew what Superman was referring to. Perry said, “Is there a problem, Superman?”
The hero frowned. “I don’t know. It felt like a seismic event.” He raised his voice. “Is there someone here who can call Star Labs and speak to someone in their seismology department?”
The young woman who had jokingly proposed to Superman earlier lifted her index finger as she spoke on her cell phone. Superman floated down close to her and focused on her conversation, and when she lifted her head to speak, he cut her off. “I know. I heard. And thank you for calling them.” He turned to the crowd and called out, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sorry, but there has been an undersea earthquake about halfway between Hawaii and the West Coast. There’s a possibility of a tsunami, and I have to go help.”
He lifted up into the air and flew to the west. Within seconds he was out of sight.
Perry sighed and shook his head. “He may be a hero, but that boy will never get elected to any political office. He just don’t understand how to work a crowd.”
The youngest of the Secret Service agents assigned to him scanned the area, then said, “Senator, don’t you think that’s a good thing where Superman is concerned?”
Perry laughed. “I sure do, young lady! It means I have a fightin’ chance to get re-elected to another six-year term when I run again, because I won’t be runnin’ against him!”
*****
Martha nearly knocked Clark off his feet when she hugged him. “Oh, son, it’s so wonderful to see you!” She pushed him back but held his shoulders. “Let me look at you. Oh, dear, you look a little thin! Haven’t you been eating well? Couldn’t you find a good pizza delivery in Manila?”
Clark sent a quick sideways glance to the distinguished couple passing by in the hallway. “Nobody in the jungle in the Philippines does deep dish pepperoni very well, Mom.”
She hugged him again. “Never mind! Now that you’re home again I’ll make sure you get fed!” She pulled him into the room and pushed the door shut. “Now you just sit here on the couch. Isn’t this a beautiful suite that Lois rented for us? She’s just too generous! Your father will be back in just a moment. He’s going to be upset that he missed greeting you first.”
Clark tugged his mother down beside him on the couch. “I’ve missed you both. Really.” He smiled easily at her. “I’m back and I intend to stay here.”
She canted her head at him. “Are you saying you’re staying here in Metropolis?”
“I think so. It really depends on what Lois decides.”
“Ah.” She smiled back. “So, you’ve finally come back to your senses?”
“I sure hope so.” He bobbed his head sheepishly. “And I hope Lois thinks so, too. I’m going over to see her tonight at eight.”
Still smiling, still speaking gently, Martha asked, “What if she doesn’t take you back?”
He shrugged. “I’ll live. I just won’t enjoy it for a while.”
Her left eyebrow rose. “Just for a while?”
He met her gaze. “A really long while.”
Just then the door opened and clicked shut again. Clark stood and faced his father for the first time since their conversation in the Stephanopoulos deli. Jonathan stopped about five feet from Clark and nodded briefly. “Hello, Clark. It’s good to see you.”
Clark didn’t answer. He simply stepped forward and embraced his father enthusiastically. Jonathan returned the squeeze almost immediately. Martha rose and put a hand on each of the two men she loved the most.
Clark felt much of the tension in his chest drain away. He’d determined to follow a difficult course of action and had seen it through, even though there had been a number of speed bumps and potholes along the way, including one very iffy bridge he still had to cross with Lois. His parents still loved him, even if they didn’t always approve of everything he did. Thinking back on the last four years, he didn’t approve of everything he’d done, either, but he’d finally accepted the fact that there was no way to change those things. All he could do was to make the best choices he could from this day forward.
He loosened his grip on his father and wiped a tear from his cheek. Jonathan pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and turned to blow his nose and wipe his face.
“Son, I’m – I’m so proud of you. And I love you so much.”
Clark grasped his father’s arms. “Thanks, Dad. That means so very, very much to me. I love you, too.”
“How bad was that underwater earthquake in the Pacific?”
“Not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The force of the wave the quake produced was directed mostly towards Antarctica, so I let that go and damped out the pressure waves headed for the Hawaiian Islands and for California. The worst they experienced was a slightly higher-than-normal tide.”
“That’s a relief. I’m glad it wasn’t as bad as it might have been.”
“Well, as far as southern California is concerned, it certainly wasn’t the ‘Big One.’ They’ll have to wait a while longer for that.”
Martha put her hand on Clark’s elbow. “Son, we’d love nothing better than to spend hours and hours with you, but don’t you have an appointment at eight tonight?”
Clark smiled. “Yes. But I have almost an hour until then. How about you call up room service and get us something to eat? I’ll even pay for it.”
Jonathan chuckled. “You city folk and your crazy eating habits! We finished dinner over an hour ago.”
Martha patted Jonathan’s arm. “Dear, I could go for a light snack, couldn’t you?”
He looked into his wife’s eyes and smiled. “Well, I suppose a sandwich or two wouldn’t hurt. Turkey and ham okay with you, Clark?”
Clark sank down into the couch. “That sounds wonderful to me, Dad.”
Jonathan picked up the phone and dialed the front desk. Martha sat beside Clark and said, “That was a wonderful interview with Superman. You asked some very insightful questions.”
“Well, I do have some insight into his character.”
“True. And you weren’t adversarial this time.”
Clark frowned slightly. “What do you mean, ‘this time’?”
“Well, honey, in the last Superman interview the Daily Planet published, you asked some rather – ah, pointed questions. You didn’t do that this time.”
“It wasn’t a puff piece, Mom. I asked hard questions.”
“Yes, but you didn’t argue with Superman in today’s interview. At least, not in print.”
He shook his head. “The Planet printed everything I wrote. No one cut a single word.”
She patted his hand. “Of course not! No one else could get a one-on-one Superman interview, and I’m sure Mr. Stern was overjoyed at the article.”
“I suppose so. All I really wanted to do was satisfy the editor.”
His mother smiled and squeezed his hand. “I’m certain she was satisfied. And I’m pretty sure she will be, too.”
*****
Lois answered the knock on her door at precisely eight o’clock. “Hello, Clark. I’m glad you’re on time.”
He stepped in hesitantly and moved aside to allow her to shut the door. Her tone was calm but a bit distant. She still wasn’t giving anything away. Still, she’d been the one to invite him, so he figured he might as well jump in with both feet. If the water turned out to be too deep, then he’d escape the best way he could, with as much dignity intact as possible.
She left the room and came back with a bowl of popcorn, which she put on the table beside a tea pitcher and two tumblers. “Popcorn, Clark?”
Popcorn? These were mixed signals for sure. “Uh, maybe in a minute. Mind if I get some tea?”
She nodded and motioned to the pitcher. He grinned wryly; she wasn’t going to give him a nanometer tonight. He silently offered to pour her a glass, and she nodded in acceptance.
They sipped their tea and regarded each other in silence for several long moments. Clark almost broke the silence once, but reconsidered when Lois glanced away from him as he drew in a breath. Instead, he reached out and gathered a handful of popcorn.
He knew that she watched him as he tossed the kernels up in the air and let them drop into his mouth. He even noticed her hiding a smile when he caught the last kernel on a column of air and held it above his lips for a few seconds before letting it fall between his teeth.
He took and last sip of tea to wash down the popcorn fragments, then decided to open the conversation.
“Nice weather for this late in September, don’t you think?”
Lois froze in place for a moment, then shook her head. “You come all the way from the Philippines after having been away for more than a month, and all you can talk about is the weather?”
“It started the conversation, didn’t it?”
“You – “ and she surrendered a rueful chuckle. “Yeah, I guess it did.” She drained her glass and set it gently on the coffee table. “So, what do you want to talk about?”
Clark shifted to face her more directly. “Oh, I don’t know. The weather, the Superman trial, the Planet, Clay and Catharine’s baby, maybe, um, the future?”
Her eyes took on the aspect of black diamond. “The future.”
He nodded.
“You want to talk about the future?”
He nodded again.
“What, specifically, do you want to talk about?”
He sighed. “Us.”
“Us.”
“Yes.”
“As in you and me?”
“That was my plan, yes.”
“Together or separate?”
He drew back in surprise. “I’m sorry, I thought I made it clear this afternoon that I wanted us to be together.” He reached for her hand, but stopped when she made no move to either receive his advance or avoid it. “If I’m wrong, Lois, I’m sorry. And if I’m too late, I’m extremely sorry.”
She stared at him for a long moment, then sighed and slipped her hand into his. “You’re not wrong about what I understood you to say earlier today. And no, you’re not too late.”
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “But – “
She paused, then continued. “But there are some things we have to get straight, some ground rules we have to set in concrete.”
He nodded. “I understand. Go ahead.”
“First of all, we need to get something out in the open. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives, Clark. Is that what you want?”
He smiled and leaned closer. “Yes. With all my heart, Lois, I want us to be together for the rest of our lives, and not just in a professional relationship. I’m thinking about a wedding, a honeymoon, and a life together forever. You and me, always and forever.”
Her eyes shimmered. “Are you sure? I don’t think – I doubt I could take losing you again. I’m not sure I’d survive going through that a second time.”
He kissed her forehead. “Neither could I. Take losing you, I mean. I feel – oh, I don’t know how to describe it!”
She grinned and whispered mischievously, “And you’re the great romance writer. Can’t get the words out when it’s most important.”
He laughed, easily and freely. “Okay, I’ll try. It’s the softest and most pervasive emotional high I’ve ever felt. Better than flying or even saving lives. Because this isn’t just for the moment, it’s for today and tomorrow and the next day and the day after that and so on and so forth until time itself comes to a stop.”
Lois chuckled low in her throat. “I think understand that feeling.”
“I’m glad. Because I think I finally realize just how much you love me.”
She smiled. “How much is that?”
“Enough to risk everything for me. Enough to make me the most important human being in your life. Enough to open your heart to me and let me see everything within you, all the greatness and the wonder and the dark places and the shame and the hidden places even you don’t understand.”
He kissed her hands gently before he continued. “And that’s as much as I love you. I’ve been a fool, Lois, an absolute ninny, a complete doofus. I’m so sorry.”
She smiled warmly. He waited for her to speak, and when she didn’t say anything, he said, “I think that was your cue to tell me I haven’t been quite that dumb.”
“Sorry. That’s what I get for missing rehearsals.”
“Ah. So you think I have been kinda stupid.”
“Yes. But I have, too, so don’t think you’ve cornered the market on stupid. We’ve both made mistakes, we’ve both been guilty of not listening, and it’ll happen again because we’re both human beings.”
“I’m Kryptonian.”
“And I’m Terran. Just means we’re from different parts of the galaxy, not that we’re congenitally different. You’re a special person, Clark, but you’re not that special.”
He smiled. “I can live with that.”
“I should hope so.”
They kissed. It was a tender kiss, full of promise and smiles and lots of close communication. Clark leaned back. “I wanted to tell you something about Mayson.” He paused. “I was going to tell her that I was Superman. I told you that, right?”
She nodded and said nothing. She only sat waiting, ready to accept whatever he told her.
After a moment, he continued. “The real reason I was going to tell her was because we’d had a terrible fight about him about ten days before – before she was killed. I took her to dinner at The Catch of The Day the night before she went to Ohio for that Intergang conference, kind of as a make-up dinner, and she – well, she was ready to make up with me.”
“I know. I heard you.”
“Yeah. We – wait a minute, how do you know about that?”
She looked a little sheepish. “I was in the booth behind the two of you that night. I could hear how well you were getting along.”
He chuckled ruefully. “Now I’m embarrassed. Mayson and I were pretty – um, well, you heard us.”
“Yes, I did.”
Clark shook his head. “Anyway, the fight was about Superman and his role in law enforcement and whether or not he was just a publicity-hungry vigilante. Mayson said some pretty harsh things, and I got kind of indignant about her attitude, and we both yelled pretty loud, and it was two days before we talked again and we both apologized. We decided to go on a date where Superman was not a subject for discussion, and while we were at dinner that night, I decided to tell her. I don’t know if she would have understood, run away screaming, or had me arrested on the spot, but I knew I couldn’t keep on the way we had been – with her thinking about marriage and all – unless she I told her everything.”
Lois pressed his hand gently. “I think she would have come around eventually, Clark.”
“Thank you. I don’t know if that’s true, but thank you anyway.” He took a deep breath. “I didn’t cry for her when she died. I mean, I missed her, I missed her terribly, and I couldn’t even look at her picture for months. She gave me several, you know.”
“I’m sure she did.”
He looked at her expression and saw nothing but continued patience. “I don’t know why I didn’t cry. After I took all of Bill Church’s Intergang lieutenants to the police, I went to the Arctic and smashed a lot of ice.” He watched as her mouth quirked slightly. “I yelled a lot, too. I think I broke up some icebergs. Probably messed up the weather patterns in the North Pacific for a while. And I really don’t remember flying back to my apartment that night.”
Still she waited. “Then I went home. My parents – my mom, especially – tried for weeks to get me to talk about her, but for some reason I couldn’t. I’d open my mouth to tell them what a wonderful person she’d been, or how I’d felt about her, but the words always stuck in my throat.”
He paused and she prompted him. “Go on, Clark.”
He canted his head. “You sure you want to hear this?”
She kissed him softly. “Yes. If you want to tell me, then I want to hear it.”
“All right. Even when you came to see me this past summer, I didn’t want to talk about her. I didn’t want to talk about Superman, either, but you kinda pushed me into a corner on that one and dared me to come out.”
He paused. She smiled. “I love you, Clark. You can say anything to me you want to say, as long as you don’t ever say good-bye.”
He shook his head. “You’re incredible. Anyway, when we decided I’d come back to Metropolis and face the music, you came back here and I started cleaning up my stuff. I found a small box I’d almost forgotten about with all of Mayson’s pictures in it. I didn’t know what to do with them, so I put one picture, a face shot of her smiling at something just off-camera, up on my headboard and tried to talk to her.”
Her voice was as gentle as the morning dew. “What did you say to her?”
He sighed. “That I was sorry I couldn’t save her. That I wanted to tell her about Superman. That I wished I could tell her about – “ he bobbed his head “ – you know. Us. You and me. I said that I still missed her, but that I loved you and I really always have loved you and I wanted to have a life with you.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “And that was when I finally cried.”
She squeezed his hand. “Do you need to cry some more?” she whispered.
“No. Not now, at least. I think I finally let it all go that evening, what with the crying and the talking to Mayson’s picture.”
She put her fingers on his head and rubbed his scalp for a moment. “Did she say anything back to you?”
“In my mind, you mean?”
“I hope the picture didn’t come to life.”
He chuckled for a moment. “No, it didn’t.” He squinted as if looking at something far away. “It was a little weird. I felt – I don’t know, a peace, I guess. It was like she was letting me go. So I could have a life with you.”
“Or maybe you were letting yourself go. Allowing yourself to move forward with your life.”
He nodded. “Yeah, that could be it, too.”
Lois smiled again. “She loved you, Clark. But then, she did have very good taste.”
They shared a gentle laugh. Then Clark said, “You know, she respected you. She held you in high esteem. For a reporter, that is.”
Lois’s eyebrows rose and her eyes widened. “Really? She said that to you?”
He nodded. “She told me once that you were the only reporter other than me she’d ever met who she trusted to report the story accurately. She also said she didn’t – please don’t get upset, okay?”
“You’re going to tell me that I wasn’t exactly her favorite person in her circle of acquaintances, aren’t you?”
“Uh, yeah. How did you know that?”
She smiled. “I already knew that Mayson didn’t like me very much, Clark, but I’m pleased to hear that she respected me. From her, that was high praise.”
He exhaled. “Yeah. How did you know that she didn’t like you?”
“Oh, that was a subject that she and I covered pretty thoroughly.” She kissed his nose again. “And even though I never told her, I think she knew I was still in love with you.”
“Oh.” He drifted back in thought for several moments. “Yeah, some of the things she said about you make more sense now.” He turned back to Lois. “But Mayson’s in the past. You are my future. I love you and I’ll do anything I can to make sure we have a future together.”
She touched her forehead to his. “I am so glad to hear you say that. Can we talk about that now?”
“The future?”
“Our future.”
He smiled. “That sounds so wonderful. ‘Our future.’” He lifted his head and closed his eyes. “It has such a magical, musical ring to it.”
She smiled back. “It does at that. Now, can we talk about practical matters?”
“Sure. Where do you want to start?”
She shifted her head back but didn’t move away. “How about where we’re going to live?”
“Ah. You do cut to the chase.”
She gave him a gamin grin. “It’s my special gift. Comes in handy when I’m digging for the truth.”
“Hmm. Where to live?” He frowned in thought. “I guess it depends on what both of us are doing for a living.”
She nodded. “It doesn’t matter, Clark. As long as we’re together I really don’t care where we live.”
His eyes widened. “Whoa. Do you realize – “
Her index finger stopped his lips. “Yes, of course I realize what I just said. That’s why I said it.” She leaned in and kissed him gently. “That’s how much I love you.”
“So, if I really, really wanted to live, say, on a horse ranch in Wyoming, you’d – “
“Move there right now. This instant. I’d call Mr. Stern and tell him how much I love the Planet, but that I love you more.”
His eyes slid shut for a moment. “Lois, that’s the most generous offer anyone’s ever made to me.“
“No. It’s not generous. It’s the least I can do. When I commit to the man I love, I don’t use half-measures.”
“I guess not.” He nodded. “Okay. What about your preferences? Don’t you think you should have a say in where you live?”
“I’ve had my say and you know exactly how I feel about it. I will always cherish my time at the Daily Planet, I’d miss all the good people who work there, and I don’t think either Cath or Jimmy is ready to take on that kind of responsibility right now, so I’d rather not leave. I love what I do and I love getting the news printed accurately and on time.” She touched her forehead to his again. “But I love you more. If it comes to a choice between being managing editor of the Planet and being with you for the rest of my life, there’s no contest.”
He quirked an eyebrow upwards. “So I’m going to decide where we live?”
She sat further back without moving away. “Yes. For all the reasons I’ve mentioned, and for all the reasons I haven’t.”
His other eyebrow joined its fellow. “No pressure, huh?”
One side of her mouth curled up a little. “None at all. Just the rest of our lives together.”
“The rest of our lives, eh? Hardly worth breaking a sweat over.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then let it slide out slowly.
“When I commit to the woman I love, I don’t use half-measures either.” He quirked one eyebrow upward. “I think we should live in Metropolis.”
She waited, silent and still. He opened his eyes. “You need to do more than just write ad copy or romance fiction, Lois. Taking you away from the Planet would be bad for the paper and a criminal waste of your talents, not to mention being incredibly selfish of me. Unless you really want to go somewhere else, unless you really want to move to Kansas or Montana or Florida or Alabama or some other place outside the US altogether, I don’t know of a good reason to leave Metropolis.”
She nodded slowly, not wanting to break the mood. “And what will you do with your time, Mr. Kent?”
This time he leaned over to kiss her. “I will continue to masquerade as the Man of Steel when necessary, write romantic fiction under the name of K. C. Jerome and spy thrillers under my own name, and cook and clean for both of us. Unless, of course, you feel it necessary to hire a housekeeper.”
Her smile almost took off and flew around the room. “No. I’d rather save that money to hire a nanny in a couple of years.”
“A nanny, you say?” She nodded to him. “Then we’d better hurry up and get married, don’t you think? I mean, so we can start saving?”
She put her hands on his face and pulled him closer. “I thought you’d never ask.”
# # #
