Ohh hi, this is my first attempt at posting a fic on here.
Thanks, Toomi for the read over and suggestions.
And everyone on the discord for the encouragement.
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“I just need you to show him the ropes.”
Lois scowled across the desk at her boss. “I feel like I’m being replaced.”
“Lois, you know that’s not what this is. It’s a temporary position. He’ll be here for a few months, and then I’ll ship him back to the, uh…” Perry shuffled around on his desk until he found the paper, a résumé, he was looking for. “Smallville Press,” he read.
Lois reached across the desk to snatch the résumé from Perry’s grasp. “Smallville. I couldn’t make that name up.” Lois scanned the crisp paper. “I’ve never heard of any of these other newspapers.”
“Well, I checked his references, and his editors rave about him. He’s a hard worker, a little green maybe, but…” Perry cleared his throat. “If he proves himself, maybe we could keep him on…”
Lois opened her mouth to protest.
“I said if, Lois.”
Lois turned to look through Perry’s blinds at the man standing awkwardly by the elevators. He adjusted his glasses and fiddled with his tie nervously as Jimmy talked his ear off, Cat standing close by, preening and fanning herself.
Lois rolled her eyes and turned back to Perry. “The city is going to eat him alive,” she mumbled.
“Lois, you’re the best reporter I’ve got, you know that! But we both know that in another couple of weeks you’re going to have another priority.”
Lois patted her mid-section and scowled once again. “You sound like my husband.”
Perry leaned back in his chair, his eyes shifting away from hers. “Yeah, well, I guess I can agree with him on that.”
Lois sighed wearily. “You still can’t accept him? Even now, that I’m…” She looked down at her huge belly. “Well…”
It was Perry’s turn to sigh. “It’s about trust, Lois. Not about whether I accept him or not.” He reached across the desk and snatched the résumé back from her.
“You trust me, right? My judgment?” Lois tried not to sound hurt.
Perry’s face softened, and he shook his head sadly. “Darlin, do we really need to do this again?”
“He wants me to work at LNN, you know? I keep turning him down, but maybe…” Lois trailed off, absently rubbing at her swollen belly. “Maybe after I have the baby,” she finished quietly.
“Lois, I’d hate to see you leave, but we both know I can’t talk you in or out of anything. It’s your choice, darlin’.”
Lois eased herself out of her chair, glancing through the blinds again into the busy newsroom. The new guy looked like a deer in headlights, backing up into the coffee machine, smiling politely as Cat advanced on him.
“Well, you’ve got the new guy now. I’ll train him up for you, and maybe you won’t need me back after my maternity leave,” she said sourly.
Perry stood, reaching out to touch her arm gently. “You will always have a place here, Lois. You know that.”
Lois shook her head, pulling away from Perry. “What’s this guy's name again? Kent?”
“Clark. Clark Kent.”
The end?
(sorry...)
