Nancy, I really wanted to write this as a private email, but I couldn't find your email address, so....
I'm a long-time Superman fan, too. I became a Superman fan in 1968 and a "Lois and Superman" fan in 1969. I love the idea that this most "perfect" of heroes should have a long-time, faithful, soulmate love for Lois Lane. I love how Lois has always been a part of Superman's world and how she's always ended up with him, in all his various incarnations. She was there when he made his debut, back in Action Comics #1 from 1938. When this 1938 "Golden Age" Superman was brought back to the comics in the 1970s, he married his "Golden Age" Lois. When the subsequent "Silver Age" Superman was retired in 1986, he married his Lois. In 1990, the revamped comic book Superman proposed to his Lois, and in 1996 of '97, he and Lois were married. And of course, back in the 1960s, there were various "imaginary stories", sort of what-if stories, where Superman also got married to Lois. Then there the first two Christopher Reeve movies, where Superman ended up making love to Lois, though admittedly that movie arc ended most unhappily. On the other hand, the new Superman movie, Superman Returns, has certainly brought back the idea that Superman and Lois belong together, though in a completely new way. And I haven't even mentioned the Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher TV show.
I love, love, love the idea of the constancy, the faithfulness, the inevitability of the relationship between Lois and Clark, or Lois and Superman. To me, that's so incredibly romantic and satisfying. And that, too, is why any Superman (or Clark) story where Lois is absent is nearly always disappointing to me.
However, your story doesn't disappoint me, because I'm fascinated and charmed by your portrayal of the two teenagers, Zared and Jenni.
Ann
