By Kyla Gurganus
March 8, 1996
Summary: Lois and Clark are looking over the RSVPs to their wedding invitations when they come across surprising responses from Jack, Lucy and Jimmy Olsen.
[Note: this story takes place before "I Now Pronouce You" and is not totally based on the actual L&C reality. Please send all comments to Kyla Gurganus at <gurganus@emuvax.emich.edu>.
Thanks and enjoy!]
***
It was late evening; Clark sat on Lois's couch, reading some mail and watching a little TV. Suddenly, there was the sound of locks turning. Clark quickly got to the door and unlocked it the rest of the way. He was greeted by the sight of his slightly disheveled fiancee. Without hesitation, he grabbed the groceries from her arms and helped her in.
"Clark, what are you doing here?" Lois asked with a tone of surprise.
"Oh, I know you've been having some long days, with the dock strike piece and all, and I've barely gotten to see you in over a week, so I thought I'd come over and wait for you to get home. I really have missed you, you know…"
"You can't imagine how awful I feel though, Clark. I was just about to get the final piece to the cover-up…I was that close…but wouldn't you know it! The guy's daughter walks in, says 'Hey, aren't you Lois Lane, the reporter from the Daily Planet? Can I have your autograph?' and a week of work was gone. I am exhausted. I'm so sorry, Clark, but it was all I could do to get up those front steps with the groceries. And these high heels I've had to wear ten hours a day! My feet are aching…a long bath sounds good…"
"Doesn't sound so bad to me, either…" Clark said with a slight smile.
"There'll be time for that soon…if you know what I mean, but not tonight. Be a good Clark and make me some dinner while I get out of these things."
Lois changed into that shirt-and-shorts outfit from Honeymoon in Metropolis while Clark whipped her up a sandwich and some salad, plus he put all of the groceries away!
Lois slowly ate and tried to stay awake… "So what were you reading? My mail?"
"Actually, Lois, I was reading //our// mail, some of those RSVPs that are beginning to pile up. How many people did we invite, anyway?"
"100, not a head less, not a head more. You know that! It took me forever to convince Mother that I didn't want 500 people staring at me or doves or Swiss bell ringers…"
"Or a white wedding cake. Oh, yeah, now I remember. Actually, the RSVPs have been fun to read so far. The first one on the stack of unopened ones was from none other than Linda King."
"Linda! I don't remember inviting her…"
"Um, uh, I thought it would be appropriate, seeing you were close friends once…"
"Well, you thought wrong. Well, the damage is done. What did she say?"
"Coming, definitely. And with a date. You'll never guess who, and she wrote it in all caps: BRAD PITT."
"Brad Pitt? That sounds like Linda, always having to show me up, even at my own…"
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, sorry, Clark. Well, she only //thinks// she'll be showing me, until she gets a load of you in a tux, and then we'll see."
"That's more like it. But really, she's bringing him because that's the weekend of the Metropolis premiere of "our" movie, you know the one she was going to play you in? Well, it seems that some producer thought the script was better than a TV-Movie-of-the-Week and turned it into a full- length motion picture. Brad Pitt plays me, Linda is you, and some actress from that TV show "Reasonable Doubts," Nancy Everhard, plays Linda, so she says. She enclosed opening- night tickets and included the number of her favorite dress designer 'so you wouldn't embarrass yourself.'"
"How thorough. And I suppose she expects us to put our honeymoon on hold to attend?"
"It appears so. But look at this next RSVP…from Dan…"
"Scardino? Daniel Scardino? He's coming?" Lois said. Clark stared at her with a bit of shock.
"You invited him?"
"Well, it seemed only right. I'll put it bluntly, Clark: I don't have a lot of friends, and all of my relatives don't fill up a church, so I…"
"Daniel Scardino but not Linda?"
"Well, Dan wouldn't bring Cindy Crawford, if you get my drift. But I'll bet he wouldn't mind…"
"…kissing the bride? Yes, he mentions that in the quick note after he says he's coming. 'Wouldn't miss it for the world, Lois. And no odd gifts, I promise. OK, well, flowers don't count. Expect a truckload of them in a week or two. And don't be surprised if I'm second in line to kiss the bride - Daniel'. That guy has a lot of nerve!"
"Oo, Clark, do I detect a little jealousy still?" Lois said through a laugh.
"Moving on…Lucy sends her love from Chicago. She says she will definitely be the maid of honor. Says she'd like to bring a date, too. They've been going out for six months. In fact, she says she'd like to bring a few friends. Can we fit them in?"
"Sure. If we say no, then Mother will probably pick a maid of honor for me. Or worse yet, she'll volunteer herself! I'll write Lucy and tell her to bring the whole town, just to get here. Did she give her new number?"
"Yeah. Maybe I'll call her up and find out a few of your childhood secrets. We've never really gotten to know each other. I've met her, what, three or four times?"
"That's just the way Lucy is, here one day and in California the next. I can't believe she's been dating a guy for six months. But I'm happy she's been able to rebound from that awful Johnny Corbin relationship."
"You and me both. Being Superman is a lot easier knowing there aren't any cyborgs out there. It's been good to see your father go legit after the boxing charade."
"I haven't seen him this happy ever. Working with the crippled children at Metropolis General has really helped him. All the staff love him, too; when I first visited, I couldn't believe it was even the same man! Well, I have you and he has his work, so there is some good in the world. What's that blue envelope? It says 'Chicago' in the postmark. Maybe Lucy sent a long letter. Open it and read it while I finish this huge mound of lettuce you gave me!"
"'Dear Lois and Clark,' that's a nice touch. She's trying to get on my good side."
"Just read."
"OK, 'Dear Lois and Clark, Don't be too surprised, but I just wanted to write you before I showed up at your wedding unannounced. It's been a long time, but I'm sure you'll be confused enough without me being there. You see, it's Jimmy Olsen, your old friend, old buddy, and old pal. I'm living in Chicago…"
"What! But I saw Jimmy this morning at the Planet!"
"Just listen…'living in Chicago with Jack and his brother. I know, you can't believe it, but it's true. I'll start at the beginning. After the Lex affair, Jack thought it best to get out of town and start over, so he convinced me to move with him to Chicago, where he had a few friends that had lined him up a job. But I didn't want to just disappear, so I got someone to take my place. James tells me he and the Chief have had a lot of fun over this last year or so pulling the wool over everyone's eyes! You see, James Olsen is my cousin, two years younger than I am. His father and mine are twin brothers, so we look a bit alike. All I had to do was coach him a bit, and it all has gone quite smoothly. He's added a few of his own touches, like being born at Fort Truman (which he was, I was not) and having a spy for a father (which I was surprised to learn, too). But all in all, the switch went off without a hitch. I couldn't believe it myself.'"
"Neither can I! I can't believe I never noticed! He is so much younger, so different!"
"He fooled me completely. And as you know, that's not easy." Clark said as he lifted his glasses to his face and smiled.
"Continuing…'So Jack and I were lucky enough to get ground-floor jobs at the Tribune. For a few months, we were just what we were at the Planet, but then we pushed our experience at the Planet and a few calls from the Chief and got reporting assignments. Mostly small-time, local stuff, but still great. I've really gotten to explore my talent for both writing and photography, while Jack has flexed his muscles at investigative journalism. He credits you, Lois, as his inspiration, by the way. We write our articles as Jack & James, no last names, and have become semi-famous. We make enough now to afford a car (which is a luxury; much of our early reporting was by bus!) and will be driving all the way to Metropolis. Luckily Lucy told us early enough so we could schedule vacation time.'"
"Lucy told them? Oh, I bet they're the friends she wanted to bring! Duh!"
Clark's face shown with a strange delight that Lois had noticed was lacking throughout all of the previous wedding preparations.
"Happy are you, Clark?"
"You can't imagine. I mean, almost the whole gang back together! If only I could afford to fly in some old friends from Smallville…"
"Well, there'll be no Cat, and no Carl in travel…"
"But that can't be helped, Lois. They're having their own fun in LA. I'm still shocked over their quickie Las Vegas wedding."
"But Cat is so busy and so happy with her new job! Every time I call her, she only has a few minutes to spare. She was the first RSVP I got, saying Carl was going on location in Tahiti of all places and that she would be splitting her week between him and LA and that she sends us her love. And, as you know, she gave me my dress as the wedding gift, which you are //still// not going to see until the day of the ceremony."
"I know, I know. It's beautiful and you love it and you've tried it on and shown your mother and father and Star and everyone in your building, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, except me. Fine. Can I finish the letter now?"
"Yes, Clark. Sorry."
"OK. 'Lucy said she sent the RSVP a week ago, so you would be expecting her to bring some friends before you got this. Well, what she may not have said was that she and I have been going out for the last six, count 'em //six//, months. And they've been some of the best months of my life! She's wonderful. And you'll never guess how we met. At church! Here's the story: Jack is, as you may not know, a very religious guy. Attends Mass whenever he can. And he's gotten me into the habit of going with him at least once a week. Well, we were headed back to the apartment one day and, who should we bump into on the church steps, but Lucy! Both of us had to do a double-take, as she'd never met Jack and it'd been a long time since she'd met me. Plus I'd never seen her with the black, short hair (I think she was trying to look more like you, Lois). But once we got situated, the three of us went out for pizza and caught up. She's almost done with her degree, if she hasn't told you, only one more semester and she'll have her Art History major done; she finished the, shock of all shocks, general business minor last year and has been working at a couple of museums part-time. I've convinced her to go back to the long, wavy, brown-headed look; it was the vote of Jack's brother, if you can believe it, that really convinced her! She really likes him and treats him like a little brother. Candy and movies and trips, which thrills Jack, who would rather spend time at the office or with his girlfriend-of-the-week than entertain his brother. Well, Jack and I are rarely at home, as I know you and CK are not either, so getting in touch with us by phone is usually hard. Lucy has a machine, and you have her number, she says, so you can call her and she can usually reach us. We'd all love to hear from either of you, but especially you, CK (sorry Lois, it's a guy thing). Plus Jack has practically wanted to crash Metropolis since he heard of the engagement! Will you allow us the honor of being ushers? Your friend, Jimmy. P.S.- CK, will there be any pizza at the reception? Lois, will chocolate do as a wedding present? - Jack'"
Both Lois and Clark couldn't stop smiling and laughing. Their Jimmy, the real Jimmy was coming back! And the impostor Jimmy was already scheduled to be Clark's best man! Lucy and Jimmy were an item!
"Well, Lois, this wedding may be more fun than I thought it could ever be!"
"You said it! It's going to be a blast! So who's calling first?"
"He seemed to make it clear that they wanted to talk to //me// first."
"But Lucy's my sister, and it's her number, and I knew Jimmy longer." "Look, Lois, we're both here. //We can both talk.// And as I recall, you seemed pretty exhausted a few minutes ago," Clark teased.
Again, they laughed, as Lois jumped up and dialed Lucy's number.
THE END
So what do you think?
(youdidnt.txt)