It worked, thanks all. Especially thanks to Artemis for making in easy for a dummy like me.
It's been a while since I posted on these boards (like last year) and I'm not used to the look of the new boards and I'm working from a new computer and with Word 2013 rather than 2007.

I've never been one to use the control features, instead I tended to use copy and paste from the file drop downs.

Well now I know.

This story was a bit short because I wanted to explore a particular aspect of what Lois had to deal with. This past August I lost my best friend and partner in the comic book conventions. I'm old, but he was only 52. He wasn't in the best of health as he was overweight and smoked, but it was still a shock. We were like brothers.

I won't go into the chaos his death has caused for his friends and family, but there is still so much that isn't settled yet.

What I wanted to show with Lois is the emotion that I've found myself hanging onto most. Anger.

Anger with him for dying. Anger for what his passing has done to my life, and anger for having to move forward without being able to do those things that we used to do together.

I'm pissed, and after all this time... I'm still pissed.

Tank (who hopes that this little deadline catching effort will suffice and he hopes to post a few more fics in the coming year)

Yea! You figured it out. Your description of the trouble you had seems more to do with Microsoft's new Word than the new boards though. Gee, that makes me look so forward to learning it. (Not!) I'm sorry for your loss.

It's so sad that Clark never realized how much Lois felt for him because he believed her lack of traditional weeping (which she did originally and he missed) meant that she didn't care. I'm glad you allowed him to overhear her just as she reached her epiphany moment. Thank you for giving her the opportunity to bash Clark over the head for not telling her that *technically* he wasn't dead.

You do leave us with the question, how will they move on from here? But it wouldn't be a Tank TOGOM story without it leaving us wanting more.

Talk about waiting until the last minute! The year is almost over, I was looking for your take on TOGOM for this year.

It is hard to imagine that Lois would lose anyone and be so calm about it, especially Clark. Jimmy was right to be concerned. Lois seemed to have folded in upon herself. Thankfully, Clark showed up when she needed him. It would have been fascinating to read about her reaction.

Making out a will and getting her affairs in order is another reaction to the lost of a loved one. The last thing Lois would have wanted was someone squabbling over who was going to take care of her fish.

Well written story, it would be good to read more of your work in the future.

Please accept my condolences on the death of your friend. Totally get where you are coming from.

Tank, I haven't read the story yet, I'll be back to post when I have, but I'm glad I could help you. I've found some of my long time friends with computers don't know the Control C and Control V trick and it makes copying and pasting so much easier.
Be back later
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Artemis
I'm BAAAACCCCKKKKKK. I understand your anger for your friend dying on you. My office mate of about 15 years passed away a year and a half ago. We had done things together after retirement, but she was gone. I still miss her and want to talk to her, but I can't. Never again.

Oh yay yay yay for this line: “I need to tell you some things.”
Great resolution! Thanks for ending the year nicely.
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Artie

A very emotional piece. Some people don't understand what grief looks like if it doesn't look like their own. Grief doesn't have to be mourning in public like the people at the Planet seem to thing it should - they judge Lois for her stoicism. It can absolutely look just like Lois' - tough exterior hiding the pain for private moments.

I like where you ended the story. Because Lois and Clark may get to have their reunion after the piece ends, but us mere mortals don't get that chance. We're left with where it ended - unresolved. We're left to resolve it ourselves, alone. Left to process the anger and grief and pain - the swirl of emotions that remains in the wake.

I hope that writing this story helped you with your own grieving process.

Great TOGOM story for the year, Tank .

And I'm so sorry for your loss. It hurts so badly to loose the people we care about. My aunt and my uncle--siblings from the same side of the family--both died of the same type of cancer this year. My aunt was diagnosed 6 months to the day that her brother died. Our family is still reeling from it all. I hope this year brings you some peace.

Big fan of your TOGOM stories. I read 2009's two nights ago (which I would link to, but am typing from my phone and now sure how to go about it).

I'll be looking forward to more of your work.
Laura

The Kubler-Ross steps of grieving might be a great description of what happens on average but I think it's simplistic to think there aren't a world of gray areas. I can definitely see Lois taking refuge in habits that helped her survive hurts before.

Thanks for the story.