Green-Eyed Monster TOC Part 27Part 28Friday – Late AfternoonLois clocked out with a exhausted sigh. It had been an impossibly long day. The groupies had stopped by every hour. Asking for autographs. Asking if Superman was taking her to lunch. Asking to have her photo taken with them. Asking if the blue suit came off. Asking if Superman was picking her up after work.
Dan Scardino stopped by again and she sicced Jack on him. She ran to take a fifteen-minute break upstairs and then phoned Luthor’s office one last time. This time she used the alias Lola Dane, reporter for the
Weekly Planet. Still no go on the meeting.
No matter how many times the
Metropolis Star printed the quote that Lois Lane was dating Clark Kent, no matter how many times
she told people, everyone still thought she was Superman’s girl. Clark refused to have Superman flat out deny it because the Man in Blue didn’t lie. To him, Lois was his girlfriend. And since he
was Superman, he couldn’t deny it. Semantics!
Her long day was going to be even longer. Lois hadn’t even started getting ready for working at the Luthor party that night. It was her last chance to contact the reclusive billionaire and get him to fire B. Gerald Tempus, so she wouldn’t have to go on her blackmail date.
And lastly, it had been a long day because she couldn’t get her mind off Clark and their hot and steamy, yet still not sexual night. Her body was still stiff from coming to edge of pleasure, tasting it, but not being able to jump in. A small part of her wished they had gone ahead and made love.
What’s life without a little risk?But the larger part of Lois knew that she needed to make their first time more than a glorified groping session at his parents’ apartment. That man of hers turned Lois into a silly teenager at his touch. Which wouldn’t be so bad if her brain didn’t turn into that of an unthinking gooey teenager as well.
Who are you calling a teenager?Lois tossed her overnight bag over her shoulder and walked down the escalator.
“Lois!” she heard a voice calling to her. She glanced back and saw Jack jogging up. “Clark asked me to walk you to your bus stop, in case he didn’t make it in time to get you.”
She rolled her eyes with another sigh. “I’ll be fine, Jack.”
“He said you’ve been getting threats since those tabloid photos came out. He’s worried,” Jack explained, walking out of the store with her.
Your boyfriend. Can’t live with him. Can’t shoot him.“He excels at that,” Lois responded.
“Yeah. He’s quite a super guy,” replied Jack.
Lois turned and faced the kid. “Excuse me?”
Jack looked her directly in the eye. “You heard me.”
Her jaw dropped, then just as quickly she snapped it shut and pretended she hadn’t heard what he had just said.
Jack gabbed her arm and kept them walking. “Lois, I know you won’t believe me, but this is bigger than you and your boyfriend.”
“What
are you talking about?” she stammered.
“Perry didn’t tell you?” He shook his head. “He didn’t tell me either, but I figured it out.”
“What?”
“Don’t you think it’s strange that the people Perry has hired to work at Daily Books are all specialists in their departments?”
Lois gaped at Jack as he continued.
“Joe Schwartz is an ex-vice cop. Benny Paulson used to work for the City. Pete Thompson was the official sportscaster for the Gotham Knights before he lost his voice to throat cancer. Sweet Sophie from second floor apprenticed under famed French chef Monsieur Bouchard. Cat knows the dirt on everyone worth knowing from Boston to DC. Even Claude was well traveled. Where do you think he picked up all those accents? And Clark… well, he was just a coup.”
Lois ignored the comment about Clark and said, “What are you saying? That Perry hired all of us for some
other reason than working at the bookstore?” She stopped walking and placed her hands on her hips when he nodded. “Then why did he hire you? Or me for that matter? I’m no expert in anything.”
“Well, he hired me because he felt he owed me something. And you… you were a fluke,” Jack acknowledged and quite poorly at that.
She raised a brow. “A fluke?”
“Honestly, he probably just hired you because you agreed to take the job. We’ve gone through six Periodical Supervisors in as many months. Why do you think it was such a mess when you got there?”
Lois’s tongue glossed over her front teeth. “So you’re telling me I’m the biggest sucker in Metropolis? Great.” She turned and stormed off down the street.
“You’re right, he probably hired you because you had experience on that small town gazette…” He waved his hand.
“
Smallville Post,” she corrected.
“That’s the one. He probably didn’t realize you would be his diamond in the rough,” Jack’s vague description soothed her bruised ego a bit, but she still had no idea what he was trying to say.
“What is bigger than me and Clark?” she asked slowing down to look at him again.
Directness is always a good policy.Jack took her elbow and continued down the sidewalk. He lowered his voice, “Perry is trying to rebuild the
Planet.”
“His weekly…”
“No, the
Daily Planet,” he told her. At her dumbfounded expression, he went on. “Back in the day, the
Daily Planet was
the newspaper. It rivaled the
New York Times and the
Chicago Tribune. Lex Luthor bought the paper in the mid-70s and ran it into the ground. Finally he blew up the offices in 1978.” Jack spoke this last part through gritted teeth. “Three printing plant workers were killed in the explosion.”
What is he so worked up about? Jack couldn’t have been more than a toddler in 1978?“Perry used to work for this
Daily Planet?” she asked.
Jack nodded. “Foreign Correspondent in the 60s and then Investigative Reporter. The best, so I hear. He’s got a Pulitzer, a couple of Merriweathers, and five Kerths hiding in a closet somewhere.”
Lois’s jaw dropped open again.
Perry? Sweet, yet gruff rough bulldog of a manager Perry?Jack continued to pull her down the sidewalk.
“Wait.” She shifted free and faced Jack trying to understand his elaborate conspiracy theory. “Perry thinks Lex Luthor blew up the
Planet. Why would Luthor do that? And if he had, wouldn’t he have been prosecuted for it?”
Jack shook his head in pity. “What? Do you think only guilty people end up in jail? That’s not how the system works, Lois. The more money one has, the more someone can get away with stuff. My Dad was Perry’s research assistant when Luthor took over the
Planet. He got demoted ‘temporarily’ to the printing plant.”
“Jack?” Lois said softly.
You now know how Perry owes Jack.“Yes, my father was killed in the explosion. My Mom was pregnant with Denny at the time. The cops ‘found’ bomb making stuff in Dad’s car and pinned the whole thing on him, so Luthor and Lexco Insurance refused to pay us the life insurance money the other killed workers’ families got.”
Suddenly puzzle pieces fell into place and Lois’s tongue crossed her front teeth for a second time in this conversation as she said, “You’re the one stealing CDs.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yeah.”
Wow! Jack has Clark’s sheepish expression down pat.“Perry told you about my blackmailer.” Another statement.
“Hey, I’m sorry about that. I asked him if he knew anything after you got those flowers,” Jack admitted.
“So, are you going to confess and get me off the hook?” Lois pursed her lips, knowing the answer before he said it.
“Hell, no! Luthor and Lexco owe Denny and me big time. I’m not going to jail while that man still walks around free. If it weren’t for the Boss, Denny and I wouldn’t have ended up in foster care,” Jack snapped.
“The
Boss? Please, you’re all acting like Luthor’s the head of some big crime syndicate.” She threw up her hands. “The man donates money to hospitals, art museums, and science foundations. He employs over a million people in this city. He’s not some huge crime boss.” She shook her head and continued stomping down the street.
“They don’t all drive garbage trucks or cement mixers and talk with a Jersey accents, Lois,” Jack said following her.
She rolled her eyes. “So far I’ve seen no proof that the man has a personal vendetta against the Kent family, framed your father, or blew up Perry’s famed newspaper. The man is a businessman. I’m sure you are all ants in his life and when he walks, some ants get squished. That’s corporate America, Jack. Always has been. Always will be. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. It doesn’t make him evil. You guys are crazy.”
“OK,” Jack said, although not in agreement. “How about this, Lois? Clark said your apartment got robbed recently, right?”
Lois flipped up her hands. “Yeah. So. Big city. Bad things happen.”
You still need to call Angela’s dad Louie and see if he knows guys who know…“Did you also read in the paper that the man who plastered your and Superman’s photos across
Dirt Digger Weekly was found shot?”
Lois stopped. “What? Randy Goode was shot? There
is justice in the world.”
“No, Lois. The photographer who took the photos.”
The photographer you sent Henderson to find? Did Clark know about that?“Maybe,” Jack went on dryly. “… he was just another ant. Or maybe he saw something or someone he shouldn’t have entering your place.”
Lois spun around and pointed her finger in the young man’s face. “If you’re implying that Clark or I or Superman…”
Jack laughed. “Listen to yourself, Lois. No, I told you. This is bigger than your boyfriend problems. Much bigger.”
“I don’t have boyfriend problems,” she shouted, louder than she probably should.
Lois’s inner voice tentatively raised her hand,
I know of a problem…Jack grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. “I bet you don’t.”
Lois harrumphed as she sat down at the bus stop, arms crossed.
He stood next to her. “Just think about what I said.”
A classic Mustang pulled up to the bus stop. Jimmy leaned over the passenger seat and called out the window to her. “Hi, Beautiful, need a lift?”
Lois’s eyes darted to Jack and she bolted for Jimmy’s car. “YesThankYouVeryMuch,” she gushed, opening the door.
Jack leaned in through the open window as he closed the car door. “And don’t worry about tomorrow night, Lois. Perry’s got it covered.”
Lois snapped her belt. “Drive!”
Jimmy waved to Jack and pulled into traffic.
“You’re a lifesaver, Jimmy. I’ve always thought Jack was a little strange, but clearly he’s nuts.” She exhaled. “You should hear some of his conspiracy theories.” She shook her head. “I live…”
“I know. CK gave me directions,” Jimmy informed her.
“What?!” she gasped.
How dare that alien sex god…“He asked me to give you a lift home and then over to the Luthor party,” Jimmy explained. That was when she noticed his attire: black pants and a white button down shirt.
A heads-up would have been nice, Clark.“You... you’re working the party?” she stammered. It was amazing that anything surprised her anymore.
“Yeah. When MJ’s Café caters, it’s all hands on deck,” Jimmy said, turning the car left on yellow. “The tips are worth it.”
Lois raised a brow. “I suppose you’re in on Jack’s crazy theories, too.”
Jimmy shrugged. “I think it’d be pretty cool, if he were right. Working for a real newspaper, getting out of the back room. Feeling the sunlight on my skin every now and again. It would explain why Perry is always encouraging my photography.” He frowned. “Of course, other than those few Superman shots, he hasn’t bought anything. My first year at the bookstore, I felt more like I worked maintenance, the stuff the Chief had me do. It was CK who encouraged me to stand up to Perry, tell him I was more than a glorified gofer.” He chuckled. “Personally, I’d be happy to be full-time somewhere. I could finally quit delivering pizzas on the weekends.”
She shook her head. “You’re not full time? You’re there as much as me.”
“Seven hours a day, five days a week. Thirty-five hours. It took me a year before I got benefits. The only ones who get forty hours are the Supervisors and Managers. All the rest of us cashiers and minions, we’re part-time,” Jimmy explained. “Lexco policy.”
“You’re not in charge of Receiving?”
He smiled indulgently at her. “Me? No, I wish I were. Rochelle’s Receiving Manager. You haven’t met her yet. Her daughter just had a baby, so she’s been on leave since you started. She’ll be back next week.”
Lois took in the man sitting next to her, almost for the first time. It felt like everything she knew about everyone was wrong. She leaned back in her seat and focused on the street in front of them. Why couldn’t she have a normal boyfriend? A normal job in a normal company? And a normal life? In a normal city?
And give up Clark? No way! You’ve finally got him where you want him. One more night like last… Hello Nirvana! Normal, believe me, Lois, is highly overrated.“CK says some guys have been threatening you,” Jimmy started to say after a few minutes of silence.
“Not me, per se,” she said, sinking down in her seat. Lois was tired of this subject already. “Superman’s girlfriend.”
“Right.” Jimmy went silent for another minute. “But everyone – everyone who doesn’t know you, who hasn’t seen you and CK together – thinks that’s you.”
“Uh-huh.”
How were they ever going to dig themselves out of this hole? She knew someday it would all blow over when the next celebrity scandal hit the fan but, until then, her life wouldn’t be her own.
Jimmy chuckled. “You know what you need. You need the media spotlight on you…”
“Been there. Got that.”
“No. I mean, you and CK as a couple,” he corrected.
Lois rolled her eyes. What could she and Clark do as a couple that could knock her and Superman off the front page of the tabloids?
Jimmy began to titter. Lois glanced over at him.
“No,” he told himself as his titters turned into chuckles. “That’s too… no…” Then his chuckles flowed into a guffaw of laughter.
“What?!”
Men! Why couldn’t they ever say exactly what they were thinking?Jimmy pulled the car up to another red light and gazed at her as he drowned in his laughter. He wiped his eyes under her sour expression.
“Well?”
Finally he was able to speak when the light turned green. “You and CK could always…” and laughter overtook him again.
Lois waited. She would push him into her pool to knock it out of him if need be, but they were grasping at straws. Any idea at this point was worth considering.
“Get married…” Jimmy spat out at last. “Oh, God, that was funny.”
Lois was mesmerized by this idea, her mouth hung open.
Oooh. Can I vote on this one? I say, yes. Yes! Yes! Tie an old ball and chain to that man. Make Clark yours. He wouldn’t have any excuses left for not making love with you. Condoms or not. Yes! Yes! Yes! And you’d have him home every night in your…“We’ve been dating for less than two weeks,” she stated. “That’s a little sudden, don’t you think?”
Happens all the time. True love has no bounds.“What?!” Jimmy gasped, giggles overtaking him again. “You thought I was serious?”
Think about it, Lois. If you and Clark were to get engaged – not even married, just engaged – then Superman could state truthfully during one of those times reporters were clamoring for comments from him about how happy he is on the engagement of his two friends Clark and Lois. If Superman said that, no one would believe you and Superman were more than friends.“Lois?”
“Hmmm,” she said, coming out of her revelry.
“You’re not taking me seriously, are you?” Jimmy’s panicked eyes darting to hers. “I mean, I know CK likes you and all, but I’ve got to be honest with you. There is only so far a guy would go – even for a girl he
really likes – whom he’s only been dating for a couple of weeks.”
Lois turned to young photographer, giving him the full force of her evil grin. “So, you’re saying that Clark really likes me, huh?” Then she added an innocent bat of her eyelashes just for fun.
One, two, three, four, five eyelash bats – there. That should be enough to give that young man a coronary.“Lois?”
“Yes, Jimmy?” Bat, bat went her eyelashes again.
“You aren’t laughing at my funny idea,” he choked out.
Jimmy is now picturing Clark dropping him off Luthor’s balcony after he tells his friend what he suggested to you.“Oh, I’m sorry, Jimmy. Ha-ha,” she said, giving another evil grin to the young man.
“CK’s going to kill me,” he muttered to himself.
Told ya!“This is it. Right here,” she said, pointing to her building.
“Wow! How did you get an apartment here? It doesn’t even look like it has fleas or rats or anything,” he gaped, pulling up to a spot down the street.
“Well, it’s a basement efficiency.”
“But it’s got a pool! Do you know how many apartment buildings in Metropolis have pools? One! And this is it.”
Lois shrugged, stepping out of the car. “Someone must have been murdered there. Coming up?”
Jimmy gulped. “Yeah. CK asked me to make sure you were safe.”
Bat, bat went her eyelashes again as she jogged up her front steps. “Make sure you smile and wave for the paparazzi.”
“Papa…? Lois!” said Jimmy, finally catching on that she was joking.
“What? Can’t you picture next week’s
Dirt Digger Weekly? ‘Superman’s floozy is mid-town Madame’.” She spread out her hands as if showing him the headline.
“You wouldn’t give an exclusive like that to the
Inquisitor?” said a slimy voice as Leo Nunk popped up from around the edge of the building.
Jimmy stopped, not sure if he wanted to be seen with her.
“Ugh.” Lois groaned, pushing past the older man. “Leave me alone, Nunk.”
“What? No quote today, Lois?” Nunk asked, faux pouting as he followed her across the courtyard.
“Jimmy, why don’t you tell the man the latest rumor?” She smiled at the kid.
You’re awful, Lois. Don’t you do it! Don’t even think about doing that to Clark. Not when we’re so close. So close to heaven. Her inner voice sighed.
Jimmy blanched and shook his head.
“Don’t worry...” She winked at Jimmy. “Nunk here wouldn’t be interested unless it involved Superman.”
“Or Superman’s girlfriend,” Nunk volunteered. ‘This is the only place where he’s known to make repeated visits. Hang out here long enough and he’s bound to show up. Ain’t that right, Lois?”
“Because Superman and I are friends, Nunk. Just friends. We were introduced by my boyfriend – yes,
Boyfriend – Clark Kent. Spelled just like it sounds. Come on, Jimmy,” she growled, opening her apartment door. “And, Nunk, rumor has it that Superman also has friends at the Twelfth Precinct. Why don’t you hang out there instead? You’re more likely to catch sight of Superman there than here. And maybe they’ll arrest you for loitering.”
As Jimmy passed Nunk, the sleazeball reporter handed the kid his card. “Just in case she ever crosses the line.”
“Ah, thanks,” Jimmy muttered politely, taking the card.
Lois rolled her eyes.
Or maybe you should just move back to Kansas with Ma and Pa Kent.***
Clark was cleaning champagne glasses at the bar when he heard a familiar heartbeat enter the Luthor penthouse. He glanced up and saw Lois start down the main staircase, trailed by an apologetic Jimmy. Clark watched as Lois searched the room for his friendly face, carefully scrutinizing the other wait staff his folks had hired.
He knew he should have told her he assigned her ‘bodyguards’ for her trip from the store. But it was six of one – that she would be angry at his suggestion and then dodge said bodyguards – or a half-dozen of the other – that she would be furious at him for breaking the truce rules and getting caught in his trap. He went with the second option, hoping their night of almost passion would be enough to calm her down by the time the party had ended.
Clark did wonder though why Jimmy was looking at him apologetically.
If only one of your abilities was telepathy.But would Clark really use that power if he had it? No, probably not. He sighed, instinctively raising his hand in greeting to catch Lois’s attention. Her eyes went to slits and her mouth puckered in fury as she caught sight of him.
God, Kent, that woman is fiery hot when she’s mad. Maybe that’s why you’re such a slobbering moron around her.Clark knew he should apologize, should give her one of his sheepish looks, but instead a full-blown lustful smile appeared in its place. He hadn’t been able to get almost making love to her out of his mind all day.
Lois stomped across the room to him and slapped him across the face. “That’s one, Clark. Two more and I’m gone. Got it?”
He nodded, his sheepish expression finally making its appearance. “You look beautiful tonight, Lois.” She did. She had styled her hair more than she did at the store and was wearing a touch more make-up.
She lowered her voice, hardly loud enough for a normal man to hear. “Flattery will not get you back into my bed, Buster. You are not the boss of me.”
Clark nodded. “I’d rather have you safe and sleep alone than be in bed with a dead woman.”
Lois grimaced. “That’s gross, Clark.”
Dense. Idiot. Yep, that’s you to a T. Say goodbye to your goodnight kiss.He took hold of her wrist and brought her around the bar to him, where he wrapped his arms around her waist. “I worry about you.”
Still glowering at him, she informed him, “Abusive stalker boyfriend 5; protective boyfriend 1.”
Yikes! That’s bad, Kent.Clark swallowed, letting go. “Noted. It won’t happen again. I’m sorry for not discussing it with you earlier, Lois.”
Lois pushed the rest of the way out of his arms. Then he saw her eyes take in the whole Clark Kent package: face to feet to face again. She didn’t have to speak the words for him to see her complimenting his appearance in her eyes. So, she liked the black pants, crisp white shirt, black vest, and bowtied bartending uniform. Lois liked a well-dressed man. Good to know. Good. To. Know.
She still wants you. Naked and in bed. She’ll forgive you. Eventually.He felt the roots of the tree to pull himself out of this dirt hole materialize in his hands and he could see the sunlight shining just above his head.
One of these days you are going to have to take her on a real date to a real restaurant. A date where you can get dressed up in your one dark suit and one of those artistic ties you keep ogling at in the window of L.L. Emporium for Men. A date where she would dab perfume in places you would love to sniff – like behind her ear and behind her knee – and she would wear a dress, enhancing those curves your fingers tasted last night and those long legs you saw when she came out of her apartment in her swimsuit.Some of that animal desire he had had to shelve the night before came back full force and he pulled her back into his arms, tilting his head towards hers.
“Toots! Come back!” a male voice from across the room ordered, distracting Clark and causing his head to bolt up.
“No, absolutely not, Johnny. I’m not your little plaything as your mood fits. I saw you giving that ginger-haired woman a private audition at the club last night. We’re through.
She can fill in for me tonight,” the loud and bottle blonde imitation of a female bombshell, who must have been Toots, scoffed as she marched up the stairs to Luthor’s front door.
“She can’t sing!” the big muscle of a man Johnny stormed after Toots, grabbing her arm. “We promised Luthor live entertainment tonight. You’ve got to perform.”
“Let go of me!” Toots demanded, trying to pull free.
“The show must go on,” Johnny informed her, dragging her towards the stairs.
“It can go on without me!” Toots screamed.
“I believe the lady asked you to let go,” Clark said, suddenly at the base of the stairs.
“Stay out of it, barkeep,” said Johnny, dismissively.
“Yeah, Johnny, I said let me go,” repeated Toots with a lustful look towards Clark.
“I can sing,” Lois said, appearing at Clark’s side.
Johnny gazed at her with an appreciating leer.
“No!” snapped Clark. He didn’t want Lois anywhere near that brute.
“No?” Lois asked, brow raised as she tilted her gaze towards her boyfriend.
“Is there a problem here?” a tall, model-thin, elegantly dressed brunette woman inquired. She held an open binder and seemed almost too stunning to be in charge.
Johnny’s placating smile lessened his grip on Toots, who took the opportunity to pull free and disappear out the door. “No problem. No problem at all, Mrs. Cox,” said the man.
“Glad to hear it. Mind keeping it down? Mr. Luthor doesn’t like disruptions,” Mrs. Cox’s cold tone left no room for argument.
Johnny glanced over his shoulder to see the door slam after Toots. “My apologies, Mrs. Cox. It won’t happen again.”
“See that it doesn’t, Mr. Taylor. I’d hate for Mr. Luthor to hear of it,” Mrs. Cox said, the implied threat behind her words was not lost on any of them.
Clark could see fear in Johnny’s eyes as he gulped. Mrs. Cox registered the emotion as well and with satisfaction before disappearing through a door into private room.
Johnny came down the stairs to where they were standing. “You can sing?” he quizzed Lois.
“Yes,” she answered with pride.
“Okay.” The man looked her over once again.
Johnny’s clear interest in his girlfriend caused Clark’s teeth to grind. The superhero / bartender crossed his arms and scowled at the blond thug.
The man obviously liked what he saw and continued speaking to her, “I think we’ve got some costumes that will fit you. This is a one shot deal. This does not mean I’m hiring you for the club. Got it?”
Clark couldn’t help but chuckle as he saw Lois’s tongue glide over her front teeth and she turned away from them. “I could always stick to waitressing.”
Lois is expecting some gratitude for her assistance? From Johnny Taylor? Head of the Metros?“Fine,” Johnny admitted a stalemate. “Let’s call it an audition. What’s your name, baby cakes?”
Clark’s girlfriend turned back around and placed her hands on her hips. “Lois. Lois Lane.”
Clark swore the man actually turned a new shade of green as he gasped, “Superman’s squeeze?”
“Mine,” Clark said, stepping between them, his arms still crossed.
Johnny exhaled in relief as he dismissed Clark as a threat.
Lois pushed her boyfriend out of her way. “I’m nobody’s ‘squeeze’, Clark,” she stated, holding up two fingers.
Great. What have you done now, Kent? You defended her honor… or was it Superman’s reputation you just defended? Crap! When will you learn to keep your mouth shut?“Either way,” Johnny said, wiping a hand over his face. “I’m not having tabloid queen Lois Lane singing tonight. You got another name?”
You’ve got to agree with him there, Kent. The less Luthor knows of Lois the better. You should never have let Mom offer her a job. Although ‘let’ and your Mom usually got a similar response as it did with Lois.“Lola Dane,” Lois said at the same time Clark suggested, “Wanda Detroit.”
Both Lois and Johnny looked at him dubiously, before ignoring his recommendation completely. “Okay, Lola, come with me. Let’s go class you up.”
Clark took hold of her wrist as she stepped to follow Johnny.
“I’ll be all right, Clark.” Lois winked at him. “Remember, I’ve still got Superman on my speed dial.”
Clark saw Johnny stiffen at the comment and smiled.
Maybe there is a perk at people knowing that Lois is tight with Superman.Lois went to follow the Metro leader, but gave Clark once last roll of her eyes as she mouthed the name ‘Wanda Detroit’ with a shake of her head.
“What was that about?” Maisie asked coming up from behind him with Jimmy and his mother.
“Lois is filling in as entertainment tonight. Apparently, she can sing,” Clark stated, still not liking his girlfriend anywhere near that gangster.
“Oh, yeah, that’s right. She was Kansas State finalist twice in Jazz Choir,” Maisie replied with a nod.
His Mom patted his shoulder reassuringly with a teasing grin. “Don’t worry, Clark. She’ll be easier to keep an eye on if she’s on stage.” She had kidded him non-stop all afternoon about the couch being unslept upon when she and his father woke up that morning. “Maisie and I are heading back to MJ’s. Your Dad’s on deck here tonight.” With one last chuckle, his Mom kissed his cheek and disappeared towards the kitchen and the staff entrance.
“Don’t hate me and I’m sorry,” Jimmy mumbled.
Clark turned to him, confused. “For what?”
Jimmy gulped. “You don’t want to know. But, with my luck, Lois will tell you.”
Clark nodded with a sigh.
Anything more to do with Lois? Jimmy is right, you don’t want to know.*** End of Part 28 *** Part 29 Comments
