You know I like this story, Nancy.

As those of you who've been reading Nancy's A New Hero knows, that story is about Lois and Clark's oldest son, Zared, who makes his girlfriend pregnant before either of them is eighteen.

How did they get into such a situation? Well, *how* it happened is easy enough to answer... and lots of teens find themselves facing parenthood. But perhaps some have to live with more temptation than others.

Nancy's new story shows how Zared came to accidentally listen in on his father's most intimate moments with his wife, because of the Kryptonian telepathy that kicked in and made Zared share his father's thoughts and feelings just when Clark... and Lois... did *that*.

Nancy's story also shows Zared's acute, terrible humiliation afterwards. It's easy to sympathize with his horrible embarrassment. Most of us probably don't want to even overhear our parents in *that* kind of situation, and I'll bet we are extremely thankful that we never accidentally mindlink with our parents during their most intimate moments.

I've long thought that any kids of Lois and Clark's would be more likely than others to be aware of their parents' lovemaking. Even if the kids don't accidentally mindlink with their parents during these intimate situations, the kids' superhearing would tell them what was going on.

Being Lois and Clark's child would be different in many ways, and I think Nancy does a fine job of showing us one of the "risks" involved. But I also love Lois and Clark's reaction to what happened. They are kind, understanding, supporting adults, who don't make the situation worse by showing or even feeling any real embarrassment themselves. They completely understand Zared's reaction, they don't for a second blame him for what happened, and they help him come to terms with his feelings afterwards. You have to admire them both as parents and as, purely and simply, caring, adult humans (or Kryptonians) here.

Ann