Sorry I'm so late to the party. I was sick yesterday and had to go home from school, and when I came home I saw that two new chapters of OTOH were up, but I was too tired to read them.
Those pics of DS were heartbreaking, Carol. I'm so glad that your little son is doing well now.
I loved that Christopher asked Clark why he didn't say 'love you' to Lois. And of course, I loved that Lois asked Clark why he prefers Lana over her.
And Clark even answered, or tried to. His answers weren't all that bad, but they weren't good either.
In a previous chapter, Clark said to himself that it was his inner teenager who now wanted him to stay with Lois. That would mean that it was the older, more mature Clark who realized that he had to break up their family and leave her.
I think Clark is totally wrong about this. It is Clark's more mature side that wants him to stay and take care of his family. It is his inner teenager who keeps fantasizing about the wonderful love he will find once he leaves Lois.
Clark and Lois don't hate one another. They don't go around noticing each other's bad habits. They don't get on one another's nerves.
I don't see why this Lois and this Clark couldn't have a good marriage. What it takes is commitment. There is no doubt whatsoever that if they just started making love to each other, that aspect of their marriage would work out just great. We already know that Clark enjoys taking care of Lois, and he loves being with Christopher. And Christopher wants his Mom.
Clark and Lois don't have to fear that they will start resenting each other. If Clark just lets go of his inner teenager, he will realize that all that it takes to make his marriage to Lois a truly good one is commitment.
I want Clark to say this to Lois:
"Lois, I may not be 'in love' with you in the same way that I was with Lana. But you and I have so many other things going for us. We have two beautful sons. We are committed to giving our sons the best childhood they can have. We like being around each other, when your heart isn't breaking because you are thinking of how I will leave you. We even have the same jobs. And on the few occasions that we have had sex, it has been absolutely 'super'.
There is no reason why we can't be happy. I can see that now. I've had my heart set on a pipe dream, but it's time for me to grow up now. I thought I loved Lana, but I wasn't sharing my life with her. I'm doing that with you. What I have with you is so much more tangible and real that what I ever had with Lana. I know now that if I went back to her, or tried to, I would ruin what we have, which is the most precious thing I have had in my life.
Yes, my inner teenager still insists that I don't love you the way I loved Lana. But my inner teenager is a kid. It's time for me to grow up. So, Lois, will you have me, for better or worse until death do us part?"
Ann
