Chapter 5: Interlude

Unaware of the incoming danger to the city, Jimmy Olsen and Lucy Lane, both carrying bags, walk happily through the streets of Metropolis. Lucy asks Jimmy:

"Should we tell them?"

"Yes. Let's make two celebrations instead of one. And it's not like we'd be able to keep the secret for long."

After crossing Clinton Street, they meet Daily Planet's newest reporter Ron Troupe and his girlfriend Alice, an intern of the same newspaper. As Jimmy and Lucy, they also carry bags. Everyone greets everyone.

Less than two minutes later, they arrive at the apartment building where Lois Lane lives. As soon as they identify themselves at the door phone, the concierge checks their names in a list, then allows their entrance and takes them to the building's party room. Lois and her fiancee Lisa Lasalle answer the party room's door.

"Welcome to the 4L wedding shower!", Lois and Lisa say in unison (they practiced it a lot).

Lisa directs them to place their bags, containing their gifts to the couple, on a table ant the room's right corner. "Lois and I are gonna try to guess the content of each gift on a game later. Enjoy the party!"

The building's party room is a big and comfortable place. It's decorated in shades of orange and pink, plus a bit of white, including balloons on those colors. There are tho large banners, one with the event's name ("4L Wedding Shower") the other featuring the origin of the 4L name: LL & LL, the initials of Lois Lane and Lisa Lasalle.

Most of the other guests have already arrived:

Families: Lisa's parents Oswald and Edwina; Lisa's sister Lily; Lois' mother Ella.

Daily Planet staff (and significant others, when applicable): Publisher Perry White and his wife Alice White (who pokes fun a the name coincidence with the newspaper's intern whenever they meet); Cat Grant and her girlfriend, police officer Maggie Sawyer; Artist Kyle Rayner and his wife, the photographer Alexandra DeWitt; married co-workers Dave Stevens and Tina Ames; dating co-workers Jackee Winters and Miko Ogawa.

Lisa's model friends: Summer Pickens, Mari McCabe, Lance Gardner, Kit Dawn and Richard Grayson.

While Jimmy, Ron and Alice greet the others, Lucy talks to Lois.

"I tried to convince dad to be here, but he's just immovable! But, at least, I managed to warn him that, if he's going to disown one daughter, he'll end up losing both."

Lois hugs Lucy in support. Their mother Ella says:

"Well, I divorced him for a reason. But I still bet that he's going to reconsider. Not today, of course, but I believe that, by the time of the wedding, that stubborn creature won't be that stubborn."

"I hope you're right, mom", Lois replies. With the same determination that awarded her a Pulitzer, she continues: "Anyway, I'm gonna be a married woman, with or without Sam Lane's blessing!"

"Yes, sister, a married woman…", Lucy nods, smiling. "… and an aunt."

The sudden news catch Lois by surprise.

"AUNT? You mean you are-"

"Four weeks".

"WOW! Congratulations!".

An astonished Ella gets closer and hugs her daughters. Everyone in the room celebrates. Then, Jackee Winters notices that an important guest is absent.

"Hey, where's Clark?" Other guests also mention Kent's absence.

"You know him, he's probably indecisive about which necktie he's gonna wear. He always tend to be late." Trying to bring attention to something else, she tells Lisa: "Honey, could you help me to bring the sparkling wine and the non-alcoholic drinks?"

"Okay, sweetie."

In the kitchen, Lois grabs a bottle of a rosé sparkling wine and another bottle containing a Shirley Temple mocktail, while Lisa arranges some wine glasses on a tray. As both Lois and Lisa know that Clark is Superman, they speculate the real reason behind Clark's absence. Lois starts:

"What's it this time? A rescue on a building? An armored supervillain? A cat on a tree?"

Lisa replies, slightly concerned:

"I hope it isn't another alien invasion…"

Suddenly, everything shakes as in an earthquake, stopping after a few seconds. Soon afters, screams about a huge dome in the sky come from the streets. Lois tells Lisa:

"You had to say that, didn't you?"