Arturo stopped and gestured to the booth. “Here you are, Senoritas. Audrey will be here in a moment to take your beverage orders. Enjoy your lunch. If you require my services, please do not hesitate to call me.”
He bowed and smiled and glided away. Cat sighed as she watched him go. “My, my, my, what a waste of a man.”
Oh dear. I take it he was gay. (And Cat would know, of course.)
I just thought that was funny. Now for something more serious:
“Hey, have you talked to Clark Kent since he's been back?”
“Clark? Uh, not really, just to say "hi' and "welcome back.' Why?”
She jiggled Lois's elbow. “He's back at work, silly. That means he's recovering. You think he's looking for a girlfriend yet?”
Towering rage reared its hideous head in Lois's heart. Cat's head remained on her shoulders only because a perky young brunette suddenly appeared at their table and distracted Lois. “Hi! I'm here for your drink orders. Do you need some more time to look at your menus?”
I love that Lois is reacting so violently. Is she smoulderingly jealous? Is she scared that Cat will snatch Clark away from her right in front of her eyes?
Well... she isn't more spittingly furious than she is able to ask Cat a direct, if polite, question.
“What did you mean when you asked if Clark was looking for a girlfriend?”
Cat grinned mischievously, then drew a breath to answer. Her smile slowly faded as she looked into Lois's eyes. “Oh. Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't know.”
“Huh? Didn't know what?”
“That you felt that way about him.”
“What? What way? What are you talking about?”
Cat is amazingly good at reading people. And she has to be, of course, considering the job she has.
Cat frowned slightly. “It's right there all over your face, Lois. I don't think you want him for yourself, but it's obvious that you care about what happens to him. You care a lot. And if some young, beautiful, sexy female co-worker decided to make a play for him, you'd swat her down in a Metropolis minute if she didn't meet your standards for him.”
I have been thinking about this since I read it. Lois is furious at the suggestion that Cat will start flirting with Clark. But according to what Cat says, that is not primarily because she, Lois, is jealous. No, it's more because she thinks that Cat is too much into gossip and other brainless and degrading business, and therefore she isn't good enough for Clark. Fancy that. Of course you can argue that it isn't all that unselfish to stick your nose in the private business of others just because you want to protect them. What if they don't want to be protected by you? What if they don't want you to interfere? Here in Sweden we have many immigrants from countries like Iran and Afghanistan, and there have been a few cases of so-called honour killings in these groups. Brothers and other male relatives "look out for" their sisters and female cousins, which sounds innocent and altruistic enough. Unfortunately, these men ultimately aren't interested in protecting their sisters, but rather in protecting the honour of their families. If the head of a family declares that a young woman belonging to this family is having a love affair that is detrimental to the family, then male members of that family have to force her out of that relationship. If nothing else helps, the men have to kill her. Obviously this has nothing to do with looking after the best interests of the young woman.
But Lois isn't anything like that. Of course not! Let's consider what Lois wants to do for Clark, and why.
She wants to protect him from a woman who isn't going to make him happy. But what if Lois got to know Cat better? What if she were to learn that Cat is warm and loyal and has hidden depths?
The impression I get here is that if Lois learns to truly respect Cat she won't be angry if Cat tries to start a relationship with Clark. Why?
Because Lois wants Clark to be happy. And if Cat is the woman who is able to make him happy again, so be it. At the same time I'm certain that deep down Lois would love to get together with Clark herself, but she feels unworthy of him, so she will just look after his best interests by protecting him from women that she honestly believes to be unsuitable and by encouraging him to get together with women she regards as suitable. Terry, how unselfish is that?
Frankly I'm almost floored when I think about it. Parents may be this altruistic and caring when it comes to their own children, but how many other people care so deeply about people who they don't even hope to get into a relationship with?
Of course this Lois feels guilty of having caused Clark's unhappiness, so she may feel that she owes it to him to make him happy again. But if you ask me, Terry, it isn't
Lois who is guilty of Clark's unhappiness and Lana's death, but rather Luthor and the other people who blew up the boat where Lana was on board. They are the ones who are responsible for Clark's blues and Lana's death. Not Lois. And if Lois fervently wishes to help Clark to become happy again, quite possibly with another woman than herself, then that is a case of wonderful altruism on her part. Okay, she may be a bit of a busybody too, but she is still marvellously altruistic. I have to repeat what I have said before: Terry, your Lois loves Clark so much. I thought that was obvious in "Rebuilding Superman", where Clark was perfectly ready to move on with Mayson Drake, whereas Lois ultimately wasn't ready to move on at all. And it was obvious in the two stories where Tempus tried to prevent Utopia from happening by killing first Clark, and then, in another replay of history, by killing Lois and Clark's children. In the second version, Clark bitterly rejected Lois, but Lois longed so much for Clark and her kids that the men she had moved on with found themselves obliged to restore the proper flow of time, so that Lois could get back to Clark and her children.
I just find it so interesting that your Lois loves Clark so deeply and altruistically. Will your Clark love her back? I wonder.
“It's okay, Lois, I won't spill your beans. I was half-kidding, anyway. Clark's out of my league.”
“What? I would've thought he'd be right up near the top of your list.”
Here Cat shows Lois that she is worthy of her respect. She isn't out to snatch Clark like he was so much juicy flesh. And why not?
“No. Even before I found out that you – how you felt about him – I'd never get to first base with him, not even if he had amnesia. His wife spoiled him for just about anyone else.”
Because Clark loved Lana so deeply. Lana spoiled Clark for any other woman, and Cat respects that. (So Cat, too, is an altruistic woman, who puts Clark's needs before her own.) And as for Clark and Lana's relationship: You have said that Clark and Lana weren't necessarily soulmates, but what you have told us about their relationship so far suggests to me that they were.
He was devoted to her and she to him. They had the real thing. It's just too bad she died so young.”
Lois felt the knife twist in her heart. She bit her lip and felt her control slipping away. She stood suddenly and looked around. “Ladies' room? Where?”
Cat turned and pointed. “Far corner past the kitchen.”
Lois hit the door at a fast trot and almost knocked down another patron. She dove into the first unoccupied stall she found, sat on the edge of the seat, and pressed her knuckles against her eyes to stop the tears. It didn't quite work.
And Lois breaks down and loses it when Cat tells her that it was such a pity that Lana died so young. Poor Lois. She feels so horribly guilty.
After a few moments she heard a hesitant knock on the stall door. “Lois? It's Cat. I'm sorry. I really put my foot in it, didn't I?”
Lois wiped her eyes with her hands and sniffed. “N-no. I just – sometimes I react badly, that's all.”
And Cat, who is so good at reading people, understands the situation right away.
Cat speared a piece of celery. “I'm sorry. Really.”
“It's okay.”
“I don't think it is.” Cat held her fork in front of her mouth. “But I also think it will be.”
Lois closed her eyes. “When?”
“When you're ready. When it's time. When you've grieved enough.”
“And when will that end?”
“Never.”
Lois looked at her. “You know, you'd make a whale of a therapist.”
Cat shook her head. “I lost a close friend when I was twelve. She was hit by a car speeding through a school zone. There are times even now when I think, Oh, that's so cool, I can't wait till I tell Missy about this, and then I remember that she's gone and it still hurts.”
“And this is supposed to make me feel better?”
Cat's voice softened. “But the hurt doesn't overwhelm me any more. It doesn't stop me from making friends.” She put her hand on Lois's arm. “And it doesn't stop me from living. Don't let it stop you, okay?”
Sorry to quote all of this, but it is just great. And Cat comes through as such a great person, too.
“I haven't been this frustrated since my seventh birthday.”
Cat sat on the edge of the desk. “What happened on your seventh birthday?”
“I asked my parents for an electric typewriter and they gave me a toy oven, complete with plastic food.”
Cat smiled gently. “As a famous philosopher once said, "You can't always get what you want.'”
Lois chimed in with the next line. “'But if you try sometimes you might find – "“
They finished together. “' – you get what you need.'”
Did she need the toy oven with the plastic food? Somehow I doubt it.
“Non de parm,” he responded.
“Fermitas. Don de blemmel und planken.”
“Yah, und flicken spicken donder plotzen de glompen.”
“Nein! Winder zander de zipzen glatz. Pikten flinder morps.”
Hey, this nonsense language is so funny! It sounds a bit German to me. Do the words and sentences actually mean anything? Are Lois and Mike really exchanging meaningful verbal messages?
If they are, then maybe poor Rebecka can learn a bit of this language and use it as a code.
“Yeah, he thought so too. He thought your presentation was balanced and fair, and he thinks you're a wonderful journalist. In fact, he wants you to interview him!”
Gaaaahhh! No, Lois, don't do it!
“Other reporters? No others, Lois, this is your exclusive interview. You'll have him all to yourself the whole time.”
And
he will have
her to himself... I wonder if Maria and I will be able to stand it?
“Oh. Lunch. I see.”
“Don't give me that "ulterior motive' look, Perry! I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself!”
He stood and walked around the desk to stand in front of her. “Ordinarily, honey, I'd agree with you, but Lex Luthor's a special case. He can charm the paint off a school bus. Why, he talked to a cowboy for just ten minutes the other day and walked away with his brand new boots, leather belt, and silver buckle with the man's name on it!”
Well, Perry doesn't trust Luthor, that's for sure! I'm relieved to see it.
“Perry, I don't – “
“Take a backup.”
“I don't want – “
“Take Clark.”
Good.
“What if he doesn't want to go?”
Perry shook his finger in her face. “Who's drivin' this train, darlin'?”
She grinned and touched his fingertip with hers. “You are, you old softy. Okay, assuming Clark's willing, I'll take him with me. Have him ready by ten next Tuesday. It's not formal, but tell him to wear a suit with a nice tie.” She hesitated, then continued, “Better yet, I'll buy him a couple of ties.”
I love it!!! And Lois is going to buy Clark some suitably discreet ties!
“When I got back to Metropolis, I flew over a car as it was being stolen. By the time I realized what was happening, the driver was on his feet yelling for a cop and cursing at the thieves. Since he wasn't hurt, I decided to follow them and see where they went.”
Clark witnessed a carjacking!
“Something hurt me.”
They have kryptonite!!!
Nigel lifted the special cell phone and punched in a number. An electronically distorted voice answered. “Yes?”
“Project K has passed its first test with flying colors.”
“So soon? I thought the first test was scheduled for this weekend.”
“A serendipitous confluence of events provided me with a golden – or, perhaps I should say, an emerald – opportunity.”
Oh nooooo.
“Kent and Lane just had what looks like a pretty intense conference with Perry White. They all look worried about something.”
“Can you tell what it was?”
“No. If I find out, I'll let you know.”
“I want you to find out. Is Lane still working on the carjacking story?”
“Carjackers? As far as I know, yes.”
The voice spoke slowly and firmly. “Don't guess, Ms. Grant, be certain. We wouldn't want anything to happen to our – arrangement, now, would we?”
She gulped and paled. “N-no! No, we wouldn't.”
Oh nooooo!!!! Cat is not to be trusted at all??? She works for Luthorcorp?
“Have you learned who Lane's source at LuthorCorp is?”
“Not yet. I'm still working on it.”
“See that you do. Your parents' continued good health depends on it.”
Oh! That explains it.
And Claude wants to have some fun with Cat? Somehow I don't think your Cat will fall for him.
This is a very scary setup, Terry. Maybe it will prove to be too horrible for me. We'll see.
But, as usual, it is brilliantly written.
Ann
alcyone
Like a hawk literally.
Clark doesn’t know what is Kryptonite?