Author: Julie Mack
Email: mackteach@aol.com
Rated: PG-13
Lois pushed the doorbell and smoothed the front of her dress for the umpteenth time. She smiled softly as Clark placed a kiss on her cheek.
“You look great, honey. In fact, you look incredible.”
Lois beamed. “Really? You’re not just saying that?”
Clark looked at Lois tenderly. Brushing a stray lock of hair back, he smiled.
“I’m Superman, remember? I don’t just say things to say things. I mean them.”
Lois reached up and adjusted his tie. “How could I forget?”
As the door opened, Lois and Clark turned to it.
Chris stepped out of the door and smiled. “Lois! Clark! I’m so glad you could make it.”
Clark leaned over and kissed Chris. “We wouldn’t have missed this for the world, Chris. Congratulations on your retirement.”
Chris hugged Clark for a moment. “Thanks, but it’s not official until Wednesday.”
Lois grinned and handed the present she had been carrying to Chris. “So, we just started the celebration early, that’s all.”
Chris took the present and hugged Lois. “Thanks, Lois. It means a lot to me that you both came to the party.”
Lois blinked a few times. “The lobby newsstand won’t be the same without you, Chris.”
Chris winked and stepped to the side. “Don’t worry, Lois. I told my replacement about your monthly shipment of Double Fudge Crunch bars.”
Chris chuckled as she linked her arm in Clark’s and entered the house. “You still want the bill sent to you, Clark?”
Looking back over his shoulder, Clark winked at Lois. “Sure, why not, Chris? It’s only money.”
Lois smiled and followed them in, mouthing “I love you” to her husband. She knew that Chris, like almost every woman who worked at the Planet or in the building, was a little in love with Clark. Tonight, she didn’t mind sharing him. She considered Chris a friend, a good friend.
Removing her arm from Clark’s, Chris took their jackets from them. “Help yourself. The drinks are on the patio and there’s plenty of food.” Her attention was drawn by some movement at the other end of the room. “Jimmy Olsen! That’s your *fifteenth* deviled egg!”
Lois and Clark watched in amusement as Chris launched into mother-mode and good naturedly chastised Jimmy for eating too many appetizers. Jimmy cast a quick glance in their direction, his expression begging them for help.
Chuckling, Clark and Lois went out onto the patio for some drinks.
Clark poured some wine into two glasses. Handing one to Lois, they clinked glasses and smiled as they sipped. They stood there, making small talk with some of the other party guests until everyone’s attention was drawn to the living room. They went back inside.
Chris’ husband, John, was standing by the fireplace, clinking his beer bottle to gain everyone’s attention.
“All right! Now that I have your attention, I get to speak!”
Chris muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear, “Make it quick, John.”
Laughter filtered through the party guests, growing louder at the glaring look John gave Chris. A glare that was softened by the obvious affection and love between the two.
Lois reached for Clark’s hand. He took it, squeezing it gently.
“Right. Now, as I was saying …” John paused and looked at Chris. She stood there, sipping her wine. “I want to thank all of you for coming tonight and helping us celebrate Chris’ retirement. She’s been at the Planet longer than some of you have been alive, but you’ve all become part of her … our … extended family. Thank you all for coming.”
Applause riffled through the guests and John looked to Perry White. “Perry? Care to say a few words?”
Perry hemmed and hawed for a few moments. “Well, I’m not into speechifying, y’understand …”
Lois couldn’t resist. Speaking loudly, she retorted. “Right, Chief. And you’re not an Elvis fan!”
Perry turned and pointed at Lois. “Hey, hey, hey! Let’s not disparage the King!”
Smiles grew as the playful banter between the Editor in Chief and his top reporter continued.
Clark entered into the foray. “It wasn’t the King she was disparaging, Chief …”
As ooohs and aahs at Clark’s comment went through the crowd, Clark watched Perry, ready with a comeback, a grin on his face.
Lois chuckled. “I wasn’t disparaging anyone! I just don’t think you heard what I heard, Chief. You are too ‘into speechifying’ as you say!”
She signaled Perry with a look. Perry broke out into a wide grin.
His voice got all sugary and his accent thickened. “Now, darlin’ … I’m just the Editor … you’re the reporter … in fact …”
He looked at John. “John? Are you in for a treat. I’ve got one of the best people with words here at this party. Why don’t we hear from them?”
John caught Perry’s wink. “Oh … yeah … sure, Perry.
He turned to Chris. “Is that all right with you, Chris?”
Chris nodded.
Perry clapped his hands together. “Great! Clark? Get up here!”
Clark sputtered, nearly choking on his wine. “Me??”
Lois nudged him with her hip. “Go ahead, honey. Say a few words about Chris.”
Clark looked at Lois, looked at Perry, and then looked back at Lois. He knew he had been set up. He leaned down and whispered. “I don’t have anything ready.”
Lois kissed him softly. “Just speak from your heart, honey. That’s when you’re at your best.”
Clark raised his eyebrow. “It is?”
Lois smirked. “Well, in public, yes.”
Taking a sip from his wine glass, Clark walked toward the fireplace. He shook hands with John and turned to face the partygoers.
Clearing his throat, he began. “I guess, since I make my living with words, you would think that coming up with something to say at the spur of the moment would be easy, wouldn’t you?” He looked out among the crowd and focused on Lois. Keeping his eyes on her, he continued.
“It’s never easy when someone that we’ve come to know and love leaves. In Chris’ case, it’s downright difficult. I came to Metropolis and to the Planet over four years ago and her face was the first friendly one I saw in the lobby those many years ago.”
He paused and looked at Perry. “Chief? When you first turned me down for a job? Chris was there to cheer me up. She handed me a candy bar and said, ‘Don’t worry, Mr. Kent. It’ll be better tomorrow. You’ll see.’ ”
Clark turned to Chris and smiled softly at her. “And it was.” Chris looked at Clark, smiling and slightly embarrassed at the story he had just told. Clark turned back to John.
“John? That’s quite a lady you have there. Since that first candy bar, I found out that she’s done that for a lot of people. Sometimes it’s a candy bar, sometimes it’s just a smile.” He smiled as he looked once more at Lois. “And in some cases, it’s monthly shipments of Double Fudge Crunch bars.” Lois smiled and raised her glass to Clark.
“Whatever the case, Chris was always there with a friendly smile and a kind word. She’s been as much a part of the Planet as anyone.”
He paused once more and looked at everyone in the room. “So, let’s raise our glasses in a toast.” He waited as everyone complied with his request. When they all had, he turned once more to Chris.
He stepped toward Chris and reached for her hand. He brought her to stand next to him by the fireplace.
“Chris? I once told someone that it’s not the years that count, but the moments … as they happen. Here’s to you. For all the moments that you’ve been part of our lives and part of the Planet, we’ve been made all the richer. Congratulations and have a happy retirement.” He turned once more to the gathering. “To Chris.”
A collective cheer went up. “To Chris.” Glasses clinked and murmurs of congratulations filtered through the crowd.
Chris turned to Clark and hugged him once more. “Next to saying ‘I do,’ this ranks right up there. Thank you, Clark.” She turned to look at the faces of all the people she knew. People and faces that had become as familiar to her as her own children’s faces. “Thank you. Thank you all.”
She stood there smiling as people walked forward to offer their own words of thanks and congratulations. Clark moved away from the crowd, back toward Lois.
Reaching her side, he asked. “So, how’d I do?”
Lois blinked back the tears and reached up to caress the side of his face. “You have to ask?” She leaned up and kissed him softly. “You did great.”
THE END