I had this idea pop into my head while contemplating one of the more recent challenges. Enjoy!
Lois pressed down violently at the huge flimsy basket filled with random little trinkets in an attempt to get it to fit in her wastebasket.
Clark looked over at her struggle. “Here lemme help,” he said as he reached out to pick up the basket in one hand. He took his other hand and squashed down on it swiftly. Within seconds the same basket and toys were nothing but a dense ball of saran wrap, and wicker. He quickly turns around and tossed it over his shoulder and lightly kicked it into the basked with his foot.
Lois acknowledged his little feat with a dip of her head.
“What was that?” Clark asked.
“Promotion for this stupid tropical resort,” Lois responded.
“Oh, so Perry got to you, too.”
“He’s practically ordering us to go! I told him I’m way too busy.”
Clark plopped back on the couch next to Lois. “Yeah, I guess work’d be a lot safer than seeing what an uninterrupted weekend with me would be like,” he said lightly.
Lois held out her hands “Hold it, hold it! I’m not the on leaping off big buildings at every distant S.O.S.”
“What’re you saying?” Clark asked.
“Just that you couldn’t stand letting the world get by on its own for two whole days.”
“And you’d rather write about other people’s lives ‘cause it’s less scary than living one of your own!”
“Oh yeah?” Lois asked, standing up and looking him straight in the eyes.
Clark stood up and matched her. “Yeah.”
“Fine,” Lois said, “we can go on a retreat, but not to someplace where I will end up thinking about something that needs to be investigated.” She looks at the printout about the island retreat. “That doesn’t have a single image of any of the luxurious accommodations. I’d rather not go here and find out that there isn’t a hotel at all and end up making our own room from palm fronds.”
“So where to then?” Clark asked.
Lois smiled brightly, “Tahiti, of course! I told you I’d been saving up to go.” Lois pointed at Clark, “You can provide the travel and I can provide the accommodations. What do you say?”
“I’d say that you have a deal.” He mentally made a pact with himself to hold off on using his powers without her say-so during their little retreat.
* * *
The next morning Lois and Clark turned up early at the Daily Planet. They immediately made a beeline for the Editor’s office.
“Perry, could we see you a moment?” Lois asked.
He looked up from the article brought into him from the night editor’s desk. He took in the “we” comment and the bare hint of a smile threatened to break out on his face. “Sure, Lois. Come in and sit down.”
“No thanks, Perry,” Clark said. “We just wanted to ask if we could have a week off.”
The hint of a smile turned into a knowing grin. “Sure. May ask why?”
“We just have some things we want to work out, is all.”
“I’m sorry we’ll be down two of my best reporters but I suppose I can spare you.” As the two reporters filtered from his office Perry commented affectionately to himself, “Lois taking a vacation. Voluntarily. Will wonders never cease?” He pulled out the brochure for the island getaway and gazed over the near empty bullpen trying to decide who deserved this little assignment.
