FDK here.

Thanks

Female Hawk, this was one depressing part, which means you're doing your job well, I guess Poor Lois. Poor Clark

Michael

Great part. I hope Lois and her sister find together and help each other.
And I also hope that Lois can forgive Superman for not saving her parents.
I'm looking forward to the next part.

you know, tears on a sunday morning, what a day-killer. looking forward to some more healing!

While this part is obviously not lighthearted sweetness, I thought it was exceptionally well done.

I was struck by your portrayal of the loss/despair/confusion that Lois is experiencing. I will say that I found it echoing some real-life experiences with loss in my own past. I found it all very moving.

I was glad the Lois decided to try to open up to Clark at the end. It was obvious that they both need each other right now.

Bob

Oh, wow, that was really *great* FH! Kudos to you and to having Sarah come over and get through to Lois. And Clark's touch with the eulogy was just right.

My life has been funeral centric for about 6 months and everything rang true. One idea is to have Clark read the eulogy for Lois, even though he had never met her parents. It gives the audience distance too. This happened in March when a friend suddenly died at her annual check up from a heart attack. You never saw a healthier person in your life and she'd just gone skiing the month before. Her son-in-law read the eulogy in her daughter's words. Much like what you had Clark write.


It's painful, but we all have to do it. My mother's funeral had been planned (and changed) for 9 years (!), yet when the day came, it was still very traumatic. My hubby graciously did all the long distance phoning of friends and relatives. My mother was 96, so most of her friends had passed, but those on her Christmas list got the folder from the funeral home and a note from us.


You've probably thought of this since you sound experienced, but the next big bugaboo is their estate and Lois is the executor. This is not simple and trivial in the US and varies by state. Maybe Martha could help in this area, since she and Jonathan have inevitably thought of this. (You do when you have children of any age.)


Anyway, applause to you for dealing with a tough subject realistically and sympathetically.
regards
Artemis

I have to admit that I was one of those who didn't get the depth of Lois' emotional trauma given her past with her parents. There just was never the reason to think that their loss would really have much effect on Lois' life except for moderate grief and the 'inconvenience' their deaths were going to cause her.

Then Sara came over and you were able to explain Lois' state of mind beautifully. It wasn't that Lois was mourning the loss of what she'd had with them, but the loss of the subconscious hope that someday, somehow, things would change and they could have a real parent/child relationship.

Well done.

Tank (who cautions that with the 'heavy' subject matter it will be easy to get bogged down in the angst and the depression of the situation... moments of light have to peek out from time to time to offer occasional respites from the doom and gloom)

This part was so well-written...the best description I can come up with for my reaction while reading is anguish. For Lois, for Clark, for the situation.

Sarah showing up took me by surprise but was so perfect! Lois had no idea how much she would need her as a friend.

This story is great...can't wait for more!

Amber

Michael - While I didn't intentionally set out to depress, if a story involves death, it's inevitable, I guess.

Thanks for reading and leaving FDK.

Kathryn - Thanks for your FDK. Lois has a few relationships which are going to get shaken by this tragedy.

Sarah - whoops! Sorry. I hope your day got better.

Bob

Thank you! Obviously we all experience intensely emotional events differently, but I'm so pleased it rang true for you.

Artemis - Thanks for you lengthy FDK.

You make a good point about the will. It is a large part of the aftermath of a death.

However, I'm not going into any detail in this fic, mostly because I don't think my experiences are relevant enough to write it with confidence.

The two times I have dealt with wills were in Australia and, as you point out, the laws could be very different. Also both times were unusual - Dad left two wills, both handwritten, the later one signed, but not witnessed, which meant everything got terribly complex. Mum's will was incredibly simple and, as I had been dealing with her finances for three years while she had been sick, it was easy (in the practical sense) to wind it all up.

Neither of these situations could apply to Lois ... so I just brush over this aspect.

Tank - Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Regarding the heaviness - you're right. I've tried to keep an 'emotional thermometer' on this fic. It can't all be depressing.

Amber - Thanks for the compliment. It's an intense subject and if you'd felt nothing at all, I would have failed in what I'm trying to get across.

I'm glad you like Sarah. I do, too.


Next part - tonight (Monday)