I agree that the gossips don't need further consideration - as you say, Annie, they weren't in any way malicious. It was just harmless office gossip of the sort you might find anywhere. If Lois hadn't been so lacking in confidence in her relationship with Clark, she might even have secretly enjoyed it.
This was a very nice finish.
I'm glad Clark was able to talk Lois out of her fears - lovely, impassioned speech there! Though when he confessed to being scared himself I would have expected Lois to see more significance in that (ie there's nothing wrong with being scared, but also that she's far from being the only one in the relationship with fears).
Congratulations on finishing the series, Annie!
Wendy
