Three days later…

Clark exited the elevator into the newsroom with a spring in his step.

This past week went from bad to worse to wonderful. Initially he felt useless after losing his powers to Lois. Then he was mugged and kidnapped as Clark, escaped, and Superman fought the Newtrich sisters without his powers. Ultra Woman saved him, using Dr. Klein's red kryptonite laser to restore his powers. Two nights ago the week turned around after Lois proposed. Of course Clark accepted, after gently teasing her with his response.

Now he felt like he was walking on air, and had to keep checking to be sure his feet were firmly on the ground. Armed with coffee and pastries for Lois and himself, he started towards her desk. And was stopped by Jimmy.

"Hey, CK, there's a courier with a package for you at your desk. Only you can sign for it. It's marked 'Private and Personal.' "

"Thanks Jimmy," Clark said as he dropped Lois's breakfast on her desk, and then headed for the courier at his desk.

Clark greeted the courier and signed for the package. He looked at it and saw it was from "W. Waldecker." Looking around and seeing no one observing him, he lowered his glasses to secretly scan it. Seeing no danger, he opened it. On top was a manila envelope labeled, "Open Me First" and "Personal."

After opening it, he smiled as he read through the letter quickly, then looked thoughtful as he read it again twice at human speed, savoring its content.

Lois arrived and asked what was in the package. He handed her the letter, saying, "See what you think."

Lois read…

Dear Mr. Kent,

Do you remember me? My name is Wandamae Waldecker, and my brother is William Wallace Webster Waldecker, whom I've called "Tad" as long as I can remember.

I hope you will not think me too forward to write you. I'm writing this letter to explain what is in this package, and why.

First of all, I want to tell you that I am deeply grateful for what you did for me, although I suspect you don't know what you did. I guess the best place to start is at the beginning.

Last year around the time when Resplendent Man appeared, I was introduced to you as Mrs. Lincoln. For many years I thought I was Mrs. Abe Lincoln. We met briefly at the Happy Hollow Rest Home, and I must admit that my memories of our encounter are confused.

No one has ever asked me about it, and I don't talk much about my delusions. If they did ask me, I honestly would say that I don't have a clear memory of our talk. I thought at the time I was Mrs. Abe Lincoln, able to talk to both President Lincoln and General Grant, for Pete's sake! Of course I know now that the President Lincoln I spoke to was a portrait, and I suspect General Grant was all in my imagination.

I shudder to think what you thought, although in your line of work I suppose you meet all kinds of people. I remember General Grant rescued me from a nasty nurse named Brunhilda. But that's impossible, isn't it? After all, General Grant has been dead a very long time.

As I said, my memory of that time is confused. You wouldn't believe some of the things I thought I saw when I was ill!

What stands out in my mind is how kind and patient you and Ms. Lane were to a crazy lady who thought she was someone else. Most people quickly became frustrated with my delusions, but not you. Yes, I sometimes knew how annoyed and upset they were, but in my illness was unable to change my behavior. Thank you for your patience.

Anyway, back to my explanation.

In this box you will find a Letter to the Editor that my lawyer read and vetted. It explains in detail how your article on corruption and incompetence in nursing and rest homes in the Metropolis area saved my life and those of some other residents of the rest home. I hope your editor will consider publishing it as my way of saying thank you.

And congratulations on your Kerth Award for that article!

You see, after Ms. Lane, Resplendent Man and Superman rescued me from that awful Gretchen Kelly, there was a thorough investigation of how she got into the rest home, masqueraded as a nurse and kidnapped me without any of the staff noticing anything! Did you know they weren't even aware I was gone until I returned hours later?

Because of your article, the Board of Directors hired an outside agency to investigate. Their investigation was very thorough. Believe me, they went over everything with fine-toothed combs! The administrator and several others resigned in disgrace.

There have been many changes at Happy Hollow, and there was even a settlement I cannot discuss. My lawyer Constance Hunter made sure my explanation of what happened in my Letter to the Editor was not part of a gag order and that my letter doesn't hurt anyone. You, your editor, the Daily Planet's attorneys or all of you can contact her for verification.

The investigators discovered that some patients including me were receiving the wrong medications!

My medication was changed, and within a few weeks I was Wandamae once more. I no longer believe I live in the 1860s as the First Lady, although I have written a romance novel about a politician and his wife who live in the mid-1800s. It's being published and my publisher wants a sequel and maybe a series! Can you imagine? Me, a published author! It's a dream come true.

Tad and I now share an apartment. I left the rest home several months ago, and am able to do so many things I couldn't for so long. I have my life as Wandamae back. It's wonderful, and I owe it all to you.

So you see, you, Mr. Kent—not Superman or any other superhero—gave me back my life. And for that I will be forever grateful! Thank you seems so inadequate, yet it's all I can think of to say.

My book is dedicated to Tad, to Ms. Lane and to you: the three Real Life Heroes who saved me. Tad stood by me when I was lost, living in the past as someone else.

Despite seemingly hopeless odds, Ms. Lane didn't give up. She cleverly discovered the combination to unlock our cell, defusing the bomb before it exploded.

And you… you unlocked the prison my mind was in and set the real me, Wandamae, free. Your article set in motion the investigation, subsequent correction of my medication and my recovery. Without your article, I am sure I would still be lost inside Mrs. Lincoln.

I'm still on medication. And I will stay on it as long as the doctors think I need it, even if it's the rest of my life.

Thank you again. You know, I can't say that enough.

Do you even know how many people you helped? There are at least a dozen others at Happy Hollow Rest Home who have been released after their medications were corrected. And more whose lives your article improved. I often wonder how many other people in other rest and nursing homes you also saved?

Maybe that would make a good follow-up article? If you write that article, I would read it.

Who am I kidding? I read all your and Ms. Lane's articles! At least since my mind cleared.

I also want to share my happy news. My publisher expects my novel to be a bestseller! Maybe he says that to all his new writers, I don't know. Soon Tad will accompany me on my book tour, and our first stop will be Metropolis. I would love to meet you and Ms. Lane again, although I know book reviews are not part of your usual beat. Is "beat" the right term? And I suppose neither one of you would find romances interesting or serious enough to read. Maybe you'll make an exception for my book?

Perhaps Tad and I could take you and Ms. Lane to lunch? If that's not a conflict of interest; you know more about that than I do.

Also in this package are two signed first editions of my book: one for you and one for Ms. Lane. My publicist sent a preview copy to the Daily Planet's book editor.

If there is ever anything I can do for you, please contact me. No matter how large or small. I owe you so much. I'm also including my contact information in this package.

I hope you and Ms. Lane consider Tad and me among your friends.

With deepest gratitude forever,

Wandamae

TBC

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