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Chapter 22- "Signed, sealed, delivered."
Lex stepped into Lois's apartment and looked around. It was nice and classic which didn't surprise him. He could hear Lana, who had entered the apartment just five minutes before he and Lois had, bustling about in the kitchen making their coffee.
Lois put her clutch purse down on the coffee table and slipped out of her black high heels. She gestured to Lex to sit down "Make yourself comfortable." She smiled as she walked into the kitchen and closed the door behind her.
"Thanks for stepping inside and giving us those five minutes."Lois said.
Lana had set out three mugs on a tray "Did you talk to him?" Asked Lana, as she poured coffee into each mug.
Lois exaggerated a sigh of relief "Yes. I think he understands the nature of our relationship. I told him that I wouldn't accept any more expensive gifts and that he was my boss."
Lana made a face that wasn't lost on Lois.
"Well you're the one who said we'd have dinner with him."Lois reminded her.
Lana made a guilty face and took out her dangly earrings "Yeah. Sorry about that. It's just that it's your birthday and as much as I love dancing to MJ,I didn't think we could miss out on a fancy meal at a swanky restaurant."
Lois held open the kitchen door for Lana who was carrying a full tray of steaming mugs of coffee and French biscuits.
Lana handed Lex his coffee and joined him on the sofa. Lois sat opposite on the chaise lounge.
"Thank you for the lovely dinner." Lana smiled at Lex.
"No, Thank you." Lex said his grey eyes meeting Lana's flattered hazel ones "I was at a loose end tonight and you beautiful ladies did me a huge favour."
Lana blushed a little "You're welcome."
Was there a woman alive that Lex Luthor couldn't flatter or charm? Lois wondered to herself.
"So, Have you thought of a name for our new magazine?" Lex asked, turning his full attention to Lois.
"Lane."
"Lane?" Lana and Lex asked in unison.
Lois smiled. "Lane."
"As in Lois Lane?" Lana asked, laughing hysterically "Vanity. Much."
Lex had a critical look on his face. Lois could all but see the cogs turning in his brain. "Allow me to ask why."
"Well, Lane isn't only my surname.."Lois pulled a sarcastic face at her amused companions "...but it can also be defined as a well defined track or path. A direction or goals towards the future. We aren't just making a magazine, we are investing in the minds and future's of women not unlike myself who have had to fight and struggle to find their paths in life, and in some cases build their own."Lois exhaled deeply.
"Lane" Lex and Lana said in unison for the second time, only this time there wasn't a look of amusement or skeptism. On their faces was a look of agreement. They got it. Lois smiled victoriously.
"Lane Magazine." Lex said with a twinkle in his eye."I love it."
Lois took a sip of her coffee. "I knew you would."
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The next morning Lois wrote up an itinerary of everything she had to do before the magazines unveiling to the press. She had four days and there was so much to be done. Lana had promised to help her with as much as possible before she had to head back to Washington DC, and for that Lois was eternally grateful.
First they were going to go to the Hospital to visit Durga and then they were going to find a dress and meet with the magazines newly acquired staff for an induction and prep talks. Lois was just waiting for Lana to finish in the shower and they'd be off...
There was a knock on the front door.
"Are you Lois Lane?" asked a courier, holding out an envelope.
"Yes" Lois took the pen handed to her and signed for the brown envelope. "Thanks." She closed her door and tore off the top of the envelope, and then pulled the hefty pile of papers out.
"Petition for divorce." Lois read aloud. Then re- read over and over again in her could feel her palms sweating.
BEEP BEEP.
Lois looked down at her Blackberry, it was her attorney Golda Wrexler of Crawford, Polinsky and Wrexler.
"Hi how are you?"
"Never better,Yourself?" a very chipper sounding Golda said from the other end of the phone line.
"Fine."Lois gave a cursory glance at the clock on her mantelpiece; she didn't have time for this. " can I help you,Golda?"
Golda Wrexler laughed "IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO GET A DIVORCE!"
Lois almost dropped her cellphone but caught it quickly. "Umm,what do you mean?"
"I don't normally work on Saturdays but my mother in Law's visiting us from Connecticut and she's driving me insane, so I thought I'd come down and sort through some paperwork..."
Lois impatiently tapped her fingers against her bookcase.
"Anyway, I get in here and laying on my desk is a signed divorce petition from your ex, no hassle and no fuss .He must want this divorce as much as you do." Golda cackled a jovial laugh.
Lois couldn't share in the glee.
Lois looked down at the divorce papers in her hand and felt silly. To think, she was having second thoughts when Clark clearly had none.
"And..",Golda continued "...you'll be happy to know that he is giving you everything you want in the settlement. Isn't that wonderful?"
He had asked for the divorce and she had set the wheels into motion by seeing her lawyers but nothing had prepared her for this. The agony was excruciating. "Yes. It's absolutely marvellous."
"So, all we need are your papers and I can file them first thing Monday morning." Golda rustled some papers about.
"I'll drop them off at your office immediately." Lois said "The sooner we end this, the better. Thanks Golda." She put her cell phone down.
Lois grabbed a pen from the coffee table and clunked to the carpet, and without reading through the divorce petition she signed all the necessary sheets. After she did that, she backed away from the coffee table ,breathed in and then breathed out. "Easier than I thought." She quietly said to herself.
TBC.
NB: Reviews, comments and feedback are very much appreciated.