From Part 1
The voice sounded familiar. Too familiar. But who? Lois listened as the man spoke with the disk jockey, wondering what kind of dope would spill his guts like this for the world to hear.
“How do you know this woman, CJ?”
“We work together.”
“So you’re with her every day?”
“Uh huh. Long days too. Our work doesn’t always lend itself to a nine-to-five day. Or a five-day workweek. There are times when we’re together almost constantly.”
“So you’re spending hours and hours with a woman you care for and she doesn’t have a clue?”
Now read on…
* * * *
“Not that I can tell. She tolerates me, I suppose. Some days she’s even pretty decent to me. But generally she makes it pretty clear that she’s in charge and I’m just… just… oh, I don’t know what I am to her.” A note of resigned defeat sounded in his voice.
“Is there perhaps another man in her life? Maybe that’s why she keeps the relationship so professional.”
“There was once. She was even engaged to him. But he turned out to be not so good so she didn’t marry him after all.”
Lex. How could Lois have ever considered the man? Why had she said yes to him? Because I drove her to him with my callous remarks. The incident had strained their relationship considerably but after Lex’s nosedive from his balcony and the re-building of the Planet, things began to look up. The old Lois seemed to return, and the playful banter between them resumed. But there was still a distance between them. Lois kept him at arm’s length, unwilling to let anyone past the wall she’d built around her heart.
“So she’s been hurt. That could explain a lot, CJ.”
“Yeah. She’s been hurt a lot. And every time she closes off just a little bit more. And I’m standing there watching it happen, in love with her, and not able to do a thing about it. It’s just so frustrating.”
“She’s protecting her heart, CJ. If she doesn’t let anyone into it, then they can’t break it. You realize that, don’t you?”
“On a philosophical level, yes. I see exactly what she’s doing. At times, I’ve done it to a degree myself. But if she’d just open her eyes and take a good look at me, she’d see that I’ve never done anything to hurt her. I’d never do anything to hurt her.”
“If love is blind, CJ, then fear is even more so. Mix some hurt into the equation and you have distrust.”
Clark knew all too well the ingredients of Lois’s psyche. First her father had made it all too clear that he was disappointed in her simply because she wasn’t a son. Then the guy she and Linda King had both pursued had left her a little worse for wear. Claude had driven in the final nail, leading her to believe he loved her, bedding her, leaving her, and stealing not only her story but also her belief and trust in herself. It was a testament to Lois’s inner strength that she’d been able to go on at all. A lesser woman would have shut herself away from everyone and not had the nerve to deal with her peers in the face of such humiliation. In a way, however, Lois had shut herself away. She arrived at work every day, and he would be the first to admit that she performed her job magnificently. But she had roped off her heart. She’d wrapped it in bubble wrap, secured it with duct tape, and made sure no one ever got close again.
“CJ, how long have you been in love with this woman?”
How long, indeed?
“I’ve been in love with her since the first time I saw her. I was in the middle of a job interview when she stormed into…”
* * * *
Sleep eluded her as she’d listened to the voices on the radio. Twice she’d been tempted to change the station. And twice the emotion in the man’s voice had stopped her. He sounded so sincere, as if he really cared about this woman. His confessions were so intimate that Lois almost felt as if she were eavesdropping on a private conversation. But something about his voice had piqued her interest. His accent. The way he used words. The reverential tone of his declaration of love. Why didn’t anyone speak that way about her? Why did she spend her days absorbed with her work and her nights immersed in sappy television dramas or sensual romance novels, vicariously searching for her Prince Charming?
“…in the middle of a job interview when she stormed into the office and commandeered the room. I still remember what she was wearing. It was a black suit with a pin-striped skirt, slit on one side. The jacket had a large plaid and her blouse was black with a flowery design. Her eyes sparkled bright with excitement. And her movements were decisive but graceful. She was in her element, caught up in the chase and hot on the trail of something. Something about her reached out… related… . Ramonah, I can’t put it into words but we connected. Or at least I did. I knew at that moment that she was the one.”
Lois sat up as the caller described a day she remembered well. She’d barged into Perry’s office after Samuel Platt’s visit to the Planet. Clark was there. He’d risen from the chair when she had entered the room. This was her partner she was listening to. The man she’d worked beside and whose shoulder she’d cried on and whose declaration of love she had rebuked. And yet here he was, announcing to the world that she was the one.
She knew he cared. Clark cared about everyone. He was the single most thoughtful person she’d ever met. He opened doors for women, helped little old ladies across the street, and was kind to furry animals. His integrity was beyond reproach, and aside from sending her on a wild goose chase to the sewer reclamation facility, he’d always treated her with respect. She long ago accepted that she’d deserved that prank, and she’d developed a high respect for Clark afterward. He wasn’t afraid to go head-to-head with her.
Of course he cared. But love? He loved her? It was a sobering thought at the very least. It was also a thought that made her pulse skip a beat and her palms feel sweaty. And it made her smile -- really smile -- for the first time in forever.
* * * *
Clark smiled in the darkness. “Silly, huh? To fall in love with a total stranger.”
“It’s not silly at all. I think it’s very romantic, and most of my listeners would probably agree.” Ramonah laughed heartily before continuing. “I’d be willing to bet that thousands of women are listening tonight and wondering where they can find you.”
“Right.” Clark’s neck warmed and his cheeks flushed despite the chill in the night air.
“Oh… here you go. My producer just passed a note to me. Since you and I started talking, there’ve been twelve calls from women asking for your phone number. They want you, sweetie.”
He leaned back against the headrest and exhaled on a sigh. “That’s flattering, Ramonah, but there’s only one woman who could ever hold my heart. I don’t want them. I want her. I love her. I just wish that she loved me too. I want to walk hand-in-hand with her in the park. Have picnics by a lake and watch the clouds float across the sky. I want to tell her all my secrets and have her tell me hers. I want it all, Ramonah.”
“I can tell that you do, CJ. But you know, love doesn’t always happen overnight. And relationships develop at different paces for different individuals. Maybe this woman has some feelings for you too but she’s just not ready yet to admit them to you. She may not even be ready to admit them…”
* * * *
“… to herself.”
The revelation that her partner and best friend was in love with her jolted her soul. She’d never looked upon Clark as “boyfriend” material. Sure, they’d kissed a few times but it was under pretense. Part of the job. But truth be told, she’d enjoyed it. The man definitely knew how to kiss. He knew how to treat a woman like a lady, too. Even when Cat Grant was on the prowl, trying to lure him into her bed, he had refused with a polite civility that she’d never managed when an unwanted advance had come her way. Lois used the S-I-N-G method -- a jab to the solar plexus, a stomp on the instep, preferably with a very thin spiked heel, a fist to the nose, and a knee to the groin. It not only put unwanted suitors in their place, it insured they never came within fifty nautical miles of her again.
I want her. The words repeated in her head; and with each repetition, a piece of the armor around her heart began to fall away. I want her. Tears pricked her eyes. I want her. And a lone tear left a salty track down her cheek. I love her.
“I love you, too,” she whispered to the darkness.
* * * *
“… to herself. But even if she isn’t, it sounds like she still needs a good friend, CJ. Maybe you should just keep on being her friend – the very best friend she could ever want – and if you’re lucky, one day she’ll open her eyes and see what’s been right in front of her all this time.”
“I guess you’re right. It’s not like I have any other choice, do I? There’s no other woman for me. No point looking because I knew in my heart from the moment we met that she was the only woman I’d ever love.”
“Do you have a song you want me to play tonight?”
Clark thought for a moment but nothing came to mind.
“Why don’t you pick one? I’m sure you’ll find something good.”
“I’ll do that, CJ. And remember to keep smiling. And keep on being her friend. Drive carefully, okay? Do you have much further to go?”
“I’m about thirty minutes from home. Goodnight Ramonah. And thanks.” He clicked the disconnect button and tossed the phone onto the seat beside him. Putting the car into gear, Clark eased back onto the deserted road and waited to hear what song the disk jockey had selected to symbolize his dilemma.
Clark listened as the dulcet tones of a piano played, followed by the melancholy sounds of a guitar. A woman’s clear voice filled the car’s interior.
I’ve got this friend who is lonely
She’s afraid she’ll never find her one and only
A little shy but she can be fun
If the right guy came along
Would you know someone
* * * *
Lois moved closer to the radio, concentrating on the lyric. Lonely? Yes. Afraid? Absolutely. Did he think she was fun? She laughed softly. That might be a stretch. The tune continued as a man’s voice joined in.
I’ve got this friend and it sounds crazy
But he’s been feeling that way too a whole lot lately
And interested, oh I’m sure he’d be
I can almost speak for him
He’s that close to me
* * * *
“I’m interested all right,” Clark mumbled as he reached to turn the volume up and concentrated on the lyrics.
I’ve got this friend
Yeah, I think I know her
My arms can almost feel the way he’d hold her
It’s like he’s here when you describe him
And if he’s anything like you I’m sure she’d like him
* * * *
Lois pulled her knees up and rested her head against them as the last of her defenses melted.
Maybe in each other
They might find the lover
They’ve been missin’ until now
They’d trust the judgment of
Two friends like us who care so much
Can we get them together
Can we get together… I’ve got this friend
It was, as Ramonah had suggested, right in front of her. It had stared her in the face for quite some time and because of past hurt and present cynicism, she’d overlooked it. But was she brave enough to take the next step and act on it? Could she let Clark know that she’d heard his broadcast confession and most importantly, that she felt the same?
She glanced at the clock and realized that she had about half an hour until Clark arrived at his apartment. She had half an hour to decide what to do. And she had to hang onto her sanity somehow until she did.
* * * *
Clark could hear the telephone ringing as soon as he parked the rental car down the block from his apartment. Who would be calling at this hour? His mother had his cell phone number and if it was an emergency, surely she’d have called on that line. Someone from the Planet? Maybe one of his basketball buddies calling to cancel their game tomorrow?
He jogged the last few steps and juggled his overnight bag, briefcase, and keys. At last the stubborn lock gave way and he rushed inside to the jangling phone.
“Hello?”
Her courage vanished and Lois hesitated.
“Hello?” he asked again, wondering if this was another prank played by drunken Met U fraternity boys.
“Clark?”
“Lois? Is something wrong? It’s so late.”
“No. Nothing’s wrong. How was your trip? Did you get the goods on Archie Danvers and his investment scam?
Clark scrubbed a hand across his face and then raked his fingers through his hair. He was relieved that nothing was wrong yet mildly annoyed that her late interruption was only a concern for business and not for his personal welfare. He’d planned to turn in as soon as he got back home. While his body didn’t tire like a mortal’s, his mind was exhausted from his conversation with Ramonah and the thoughts that had battled in his head afterward.
“Yeah, I believe I got enough to get the Federal Trade Commission to take a look. I just hope they can recover all the money he stole from those unsuspecting folks. They’re farmers, Lois. People like my mom and dad. And he charmed his way into their lives and took every penny they had. I want to see him pay.”
Lois heard passion in Clark’s voice that she’d never heard before. It was tinged with a touch of rage as well. She supposed it was transference – putting himself or his parents in the place of the victims he was writing about. She knew it was a common occurrence, especially among reporters with a heart. And Clark’s was as big as the full moon she’d been staring at from her bedroom window as she waited for his return.
“That’s good, Clark. Really good. I’m sure those people will appreciate your persistence. You didn’t answer me about your trip. Did you have a good drive?”
She was stalling and she knew it. Go ahead and tell him.
“It was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. No problems. Look, Lois. I’m really beat and I need to get some sleep. Was there anything else you needed to ask me?”
“Well, no. Yes. Actually I don’t have anything to ask. I already asked you. But there was something else I wanted to say but if you’re too tired I can always…”
“Lois, it’s way past the babbling hour.”
She closed her eyes, took a deep, cleansing breath, and swallowed hard before continuing on a shaky breath.
“Clark, I’ve got this friend.”
The End
ã Marilyn L. Puett 2003
mpuett@knology.net
The song referenced in the story is from Faith Hill’s first album. The title is “I’ve Got This Friend” and is a duet with Larry Stewart. You should listen to it if you have a chance. The melody is sweet and the first time I heard it I immediately thought of “The Hottest Team in Town.”
I’ve Got This Friend
Performed by Faith Hill and Larry Stewart
Written by Faith Hill, Bruce Burch, and Vern Dant
I’ve got this friend who is lonely
She’s afraid she’ll never find her one and only
A little shy but she can be fun
If the right guy came along
Would you know someone
I’ve got this friend and it sounds crazy
But he’s been feeling that way too a whole lot lately
And interested, oh I’m sure he’d be
I can almost speak for him
He’s that close to me
Maybe in each other
They might find the lover
They’ve been missin’ until now
They’d trust the judgment of
Two friends like us who care so much
Can we get them together somehow
I’ve got this friend
Yeah, I think I know her
My arms can almost feel the way he’d hold her
It’s like he’s here when you describe him
And if he’s anything like you I’m sure she’d like him
Maybe in each other
They might find the lover
They’ve been missin’ until now
They’d trust the judgment of
Two friends like us who care so much
Can we get them together
Can we get together… I’ve got this friend
