Sorry - work sort of kicked my butt more than expected. I knew things were going to be busier this week than they had been, but I thought they would build up slowly. I think they will, sort of, in that I think they'll continue to get worse for the next few weeks, but I thought this week would be busier, but I'd be able to leave at the same time, I just wouldn't be wondering what to do with myself part of the day. Didn't work out that way. And add to that I started not feeling well on Thursday and I ended up basically not being online all week since Monday.
But I seem to be feeling slightly better today and I've finished all my work until Monday, so things should be better now...
I'm glad you liked the Martha/Lois scene. That was one of my favorites, although I'm not sure why. Martha won't ever become a huge part of this story, but there will definitely be parts where you can see Lois really leaning on her. I like the idea of Lois having someone maternal she can go to when things are tough.
My husband and I never did the falling asleep on the phone thing, but we got close often. Still do sometimes when I travel.
I really like the imagery and I wanted to use it to show that it's effecting Chad to be apart, too. Since we're inside Lois' head, I think it's easy to see this from her perspective and I want it to be clear that Chad hasn't turned into a selfish cad - he still really cares about Lois and wishes they could be together, but he needs to try this thing that requires them to be apart.
Michael - I never made the connection between Pooh and Clarkie-Bear. I have to admit, that was one of the things that are autobiographical. The pendant was described exactly as one my husband gave me. Although he gave it to me for a completely different reason and early in our relationship long before we were married, it's something that was important to me when we were apart. (Although the hidden lock-pick set would really have made it a Lois-centric gift. I wish I had thought of it!)
And he gave me a stuffed Piglet (my favorite Pooh character) when he went on his first business trip - which was six weeks long and was to the middle of nowhere, so we couldn't talk while apart. His reasoning there was exactly the same as Chad's to Lois. Piglet travels with me all over the world now when I go on business trips. He's been to more places than my husband.
I know it's silly and stupid. I'm someone who never got used to sleeping alone when we were apart and I continue to sleep better when my husband is around and Piglet does nothing to allievate that. Still, I never spend a night without Piglet if my husband isn't around for some reason. For me, it's a part of being separated and it helps a little in that it's nice to have something that reminds me he misses me when we're apart, so I wanted Lois to have that as well.
I will post the next chapter soon, although not immediately...
