Posted by: Alicia U
Final Forgiveness 2: Perry's Story (5/5) - 01/02/02 06:02 AM
This is the part that I am not too proud of! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Final Forgiveness 2: Perry's Story (5/5)
Four hours and thirty-six minutes later, as Lucy was checking her make-up one last time, the doorbell rang loudly. Lucy almost jumped through the ceiling. Jimmy was here!
Suddenly her mind seemed to have left her, and she started mumbling. “He’s here… he’s here.” Why was she so nervous? It wasn’t like she hadn’t gone out with him before. So why was today so different? Could she really like him that much? It was her only explanation.
Lately, every time she saw Jimmy, her stomach did flip-flops. It seemed she lost the capability for normal function whenever her eyes met his. Did it mean that she was in love? Or did it mean that she was just in lust? How well did she really know him? With her luck, Jimmy would turn out to be another jerk that would end up breaking her heart and leaving her in no time at all.
But if Jimmy was like that, wouldn’t Lois tell her that? Her sister wouldn’t set her up with someone that would hurt her. Would she?
The doorbell rang again. She forced these pessimistic thoughts to the back of her mind. Now certainly wasn’t the time to have second thoughts. Not when he was ringing her doorbell! So with one last glance in the mirror, she headed towards the door.
Somehow, Lucy knew that her mother was peering out at her from the kitchen. It was embarrassing, but sweet in a strange way, that her mother was trying to look out for her. It was interesting that she tried to screen Lucy’s dates now as an adult. Maybe Ellen was always too drunk to care when Lucy was a teenager and was trying to make up for it now.
Lucy took a deep breath and opened the door. Jimmy was standing there with a single red rose. Lucy smiled widely. The last time a date had brought her any kind of flowers was back in high school for her senior prom. And then it was a scary green corsage.
Lucy grinned widely at her date trying to mask her nervousness, and said, “Hi, Jimmy.”
Jimmy bit his lower lip. Wow, he certainly hadn’t expected her to be so mesmerizing. She was probably the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on, and he knew that he was falling for her. Of course they had known each other before, but they had been so much younger then. Neither of them was looking for a real relationship at the time. Now Jimmy was much more mature and ready to take the next step in a relationship. He wanted someone that he could spend his life with, and he had a strange feeling that Lucy was the one.
Jimmy held out the rose and said, “Um, this is for you.” He was embarrassed because he couldn’t afford a dozen roses, but he hoped that she appreciated the effort.
Lucy smiled at him and took the rose from him. It was beautiful. She knew that he didn’t have much money, and just the thought that he had wanted to get her flowers showed her just how much he had changed since the last time they had gone out. She said, “Let me just put this in a vase,” and headed into the kitchen to give the flower to her mother to put it in some water.
A few seconds later, Lucy came out of the kitchen and grabbed her purse. “Ok, Jimmy, are you ready to go?” He helped her into her jacket, and they left.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After dinner, Lucy had suggested that they take a walk through Centennial Park. Even though it was very crisp and there was a threat of snow, Lucy didn’t want the evening to end. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever felt so comfortable around a man before. It wasn’t even a question of if he would try to take advantage of her; she knew from the last time they went out that he wouldn’t. She actually felt like she had known him her whole life. Even though it was their first date, Lucy knew that she was falling for Jimmy. She was falling for him hard. Hopefully, she wouldn’t end up falling flat on her face.
As they walked through Centennial Park, Lucy remarked, “You know, I really missed this place when I was in California. You wouldn’t know how much you miss Metropolis until you’re gone.” She gazed up at the vast skyline. “I never thought I’d say it, but I love Metropolis. It’s so beautiful.”
“But it’s not as beautiful as you are,” Jimmy said, honestly. Then he immediately turned bright red. He didn’t mean for that to be said out loud! God, now she probably thought he was trying to come on to her… poorly. Now he had mad a fool out of himself! What was he trying to prove?
To Jimmy’s surprise, Lucy smiled at him. There was something in her eyes that he just couldn’t decipher. Either she was going to kiss him or slug him. And if she was anything like her sister, he knew exactly what she would do. Without a second thought, he prepared himself for the inevitable blow that was to come.
Somehow Lucy knew that Jimmy was sincere with his comment. In fact, it was probably one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to her. The way he backed away sheepishly was just so cute! It seemed like he was really nervous around her. She hoped that he was nervous for the same reason she was.
There was only one way to know if she was right. Their eyes met, and Lucy knew what she had to do. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her lips met his.
First they kissed softly, tentatively. Then, to both of them, it seemed like the rest of the world just disappeared and they lost themselves in this kiss. Both of them knew that this just felt right. It was like they had been lost, and now they had finally found the place where they were supposed to be.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The next morning, Lucy woke up lazily and stretched. She had to fight the urge to call Jimmy and wish him a good morning. He was probably at work anyway.
All day it felt like she was walking on air. She and Jimmy had hit it off so wonderfully. In fact, they were seeing each other again tonight. She wondered if she showed up at the Planet to “visit Lois” if she would seem too desperate.
Finally she decided that if she wanted something, she would have to go for it. She got out of bed and dressed in a hurry. Since it was almost lunchtime, maybe they would all want to go out for lunch. Maybe then she wouldn’t look too desperate.
So, thirty minutes later, Lucy stepped off the elevator and into the Daily Planet’s newsroom. She immediately scanned the newsroom for Jimmy, but instead she saw Lois headed towards her.
She smiled at her sister and walked down to meet her. “Hey, Lois.”
“Lucy, what are you doing here? I assume your date went well?” Lois’ eyes held a twinkle that they always used to have when she had a secret that she was just dying to tell.
“Lois, you know something. What did Jimmy tell you?” Lucy was wary of anything her sister might know, especially when she looked like that.
Lois sighed. Of course Jimmy had told her about the date, but she wasn’t sure if she should tell Lucy about what Jimmy had said. Or at least she shouldn’t say anything where Jimmy might be able to overhear.
Lois knew that she had to tell Lucy what Jimmy had said. She would burst if she didn’t tell her soon. She headed to her desk and scrawled a note for Clark. “Lucy, let’s go get some lunch. I’ll tell you then.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
A few minutes later, Lois and Lucy were sitting in a booth at a nearby Chinese restaurant, and Lucy was ready to strangle Lois. “NOW can you tell me, Lois?”
Lois’ eyes sparkled when she said, “Now what are you going to do for me when I tell you?”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “LO-is, you don’t want me to start talking in that annoying voice that used to drive you crazy!”
“Okay, okay.” Lois was excited about what Jimmy had told her, and she just hoped that her sister wouldn’t break his fragile heart. “Jimmy ran into work this morning bubbling over about the wonderful night he’d had last night. You must have really made an impression.”
So Jimmy really did have a good time last night? Maybe he did feel the same way about her that she did about him! She wasn’t sure if she should tell her sister exactly what she felt about Jimmy.
Finally, she broke down. She was never able to keep anything a secret from Lois. “Lois, I think I might be falling in love with him.”
Normally, Lois would doubt her sister when she said something like that. Her sister was the kind of person that fell in and out of love very easily. However, this time, she recognized something in Lucy’s eyes. It was the same look that she had in her own eyes whenever she talked about Clark. Maybe her little sister had finally found someone to love. And Jimmy deserved someone like Lucy. She knew that Jimmy felt the same way about Lucy because he’d had the same look in his eyes this morning when he talked about Lucy. Maybe Lois was being idealistic, but she just knew that Jimmy and Lucy were perfect for each other. Maybe she was jumping to conclusions, but she sure wished her little sister all of the happiness that she and Clark shared. God certainly knew that Lucy deserved it!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Life was certainly looking up for Perry. Last night, he had helped Alice back to her apartment and made her dinner. Okay, he got some take-out from the restaurant on the corner of the street. Still, Alice was appreciative, and that was all that mattered.
From the few hours he had spent with Alice, he knew that he was still in love with her. In fact, his love for her had grown stronger in the year they had been separated. He’d even sensed a glimmer of hope that maybe she still felt the same way about him.
He’d stayed with her until she had finally fallen asleep, late into the night. He knew that he missed her more than anything, but he never realized the void in his heart that had been there since she left. But when he saw her yesterday, he felt a surge of love rush through his veins. No matter what else happened, he had to cling to that love. Everything would work out between them eventually. This time he was going to change. Nothing would come between them. Nothing. He would make sure of that.
They’d had a long talk last night, first small talk about nothing at all, but then their conversation drifted to more important topics-- their relationship, specifically.
Perry had told her how much he still loved her and how much he missed her, but she was a hesitant in her response. But, after a deafening pause, she had said something that made his heart soar, “Perry, you know I still love you,” and then flop back down into a dejected heap, “But you’ve hurt me so much. I don’t know if I can ever be with you again.”
He took a sharp breath. This was exactly what he had waited to hear for so long. It was almost like his dream was finally coming true. But then his heart came crashing down from that wonderful high. He had done too much to her. Their differences really were irreconcilable and it was all his fault.
Why was he kidding himself? He and Alice would never be able to get back to the love that they once shared. Of course he still loved her, but there was no way she would ever be able to forgive him and give her heart to him again.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
EPILOGUE
The next evening, Jimmy had again taken Lucy out. That date turned into long string of dates. In fact, they had been seeing each other every night for over a month. Those two just couldn’t seem to get enough of each other. In fact, Lucy had told Lois that she might just be falling in love with Jimmy. That shocked Lois because Lucy had never been one to fall in love with someone as normal as Jimmy. Of course, Lucy had fallen in love many times in her young life. She often fell head over feet, diving in without checking the water level. This time, though it seemed different. Maybe Lois was biased because she wanted her baby sister to end up with a man as nice as Jimmy, but for some reason, she just knew that Jimmy was the right man for Lucy, that they would live happily ever after. Or maybe she had just been spending too much time with Clark.
Jimmy had been telling Clark how much he liked Lucy. In fact, Jimmy was even going as far as saying that he was seriously considering asking Lucy to marry him. Maybe not right now, but it was a definite possibility in the future. Clark was overjoyed to hear that Jimmy felt that way about Lucy. He loved Lucy like a sister and Jimmy like a brother, so he wanted them both to be happy. He knew that them being together would make both of them happy. Jimmy and Lucy were perfect for each other. He knew it, Lois knew it, Ellen knew it, even Perry and Alice knew it, and he just hoped that Jimmy and Lucy realized it themselves.
Perry and Alice were not back together yet. But Alice was giving Perry a chance. They both knew that they loved each other deep down, but they both knew that they had to make a lot of changes in their lives. Really, Perry was the one that had to make the changes. He had to show that he really was dedicated to Alice and his family, but Alice needed to realize that even though the paper was important to Perry, Alice was the most important thing in his life. They had a long road to go down, but everyone knew that they would make it. The first change he had made was making Lois and Clark assistant editors. That delegation was the first step in showing Alice that he was really dedicated to their relationship. It would take a while, but Alice would eventually learn to trust Perry again.
THE END
Final Forgiveness 2: Perry's Story (5/5)
Four hours and thirty-six minutes later, as Lucy was checking her make-up one last time, the doorbell rang loudly. Lucy almost jumped through the ceiling. Jimmy was here!
Suddenly her mind seemed to have left her, and she started mumbling. “He’s here… he’s here.” Why was she so nervous? It wasn’t like she hadn’t gone out with him before. So why was today so different? Could she really like him that much? It was her only explanation.
Lately, every time she saw Jimmy, her stomach did flip-flops. It seemed she lost the capability for normal function whenever her eyes met his. Did it mean that she was in love? Or did it mean that she was just in lust? How well did she really know him? With her luck, Jimmy would turn out to be another jerk that would end up breaking her heart and leaving her in no time at all.
But if Jimmy was like that, wouldn’t Lois tell her that? Her sister wouldn’t set her up with someone that would hurt her. Would she?
The doorbell rang again. She forced these pessimistic thoughts to the back of her mind. Now certainly wasn’t the time to have second thoughts. Not when he was ringing her doorbell! So with one last glance in the mirror, she headed towards the door.
Somehow, Lucy knew that her mother was peering out at her from the kitchen. It was embarrassing, but sweet in a strange way, that her mother was trying to look out for her. It was interesting that she tried to screen Lucy’s dates now as an adult. Maybe Ellen was always too drunk to care when Lucy was a teenager and was trying to make up for it now.
Lucy took a deep breath and opened the door. Jimmy was standing there with a single red rose. Lucy smiled widely. The last time a date had brought her any kind of flowers was back in high school for her senior prom. And then it was a scary green corsage.
Lucy grinned widely at her date trying to mask her nervousness, and said, “Hi, Jimmy.”
Jimmy bit his lower lip. Wow, he certainly hadn’t expected her to be so mesmerizing. She was probably the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on, and he knew that he was falling for her. Of course they had known each other before, but they had been so much younger then. Neither of them was looking for a real relationship at the time. Now Jimmy was much more mature and ready to take the next step in a relationship. He wanted someone that he could spend his life with, and he had a strange feeling that Lucy was the one.
Jimmy held out the rose and said, “Um, this is for you.” He was embarrassed because he couldn’t afford a dozen roses, but he hoped that she appreciated the effort.
Lucy smiled at him and took the rose from him. It was beautiful. She knew that he didn’t have much money, and just the thought that he had wanted to get her flowers showed her just how much he had changed since the last time they had gone out. She said, “Let me just put this in a vase,” and headed into the kitchen to give the flower to her mother to put it in some water.
A few seconds later, Lucy came out of the kitchen and grabbed her purse. “Ok, Jimmy, are you ready to go?” He helped her into her jacket, and they left.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After dinner, Lucy had suggested that they take a walk through Centennial Park. Even though it was very crisp and there was a threat of snow, Lucy didn’t want the evening to end. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever felt so comfortable around a man before. It wasn’t even a question of if he would try to take advantage of her; she knew from the last time they went out that he wouldn’t. She actually felt like she had known him her whole life. Even though it was their first date, Lucy knew that she was falling for Jimmy. She was falling for him hard. Hopefully, she wouldn’t end up falling flat on her face.
As they walked through Centennial Park, Lucy remarked, “You know, I really missed this place when I was in California. You wouldn’t know how much you miss Metropolis until you’re gone.” She gazed up at the vast skyline. “I never thought I’d say it, but I love Metropolis. It’s so beautiful.”
“But it’s not as beautiful as you are,” Jimmy said, honestly. Then he immediately turned bright red. He didn’t mean for that to be said out loud! God, now she probably thought he was trying to come on to her… poorly. Now he had mad a fool out of himself! What was he trying to prove?
To Jimmy’s surprise, Lucy smiled at him. There was something in her eyes that he just couldn’t decipher. Either she was going to kiss him or slug him. And if she was anything like her sister, he knew exactly what she would do. Without a second thought, he prepared himself for the inevitable blow that was to come.
Somehow Lucy knew that Jimmy was sincere with his comment. In fact, it was probably one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to her. The way he backed away sheepishly was just so cute! It seemed like he was really nervous around her. She hoped that he was nervous for the same reason she was.
There was only one way to know if she was right. Their eyes met, and Lucy knew what she had to do. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her lips met his.
First they kissed softly, tentatively. Then, to both of them, it seemed like the rest of the world just disappeared and they lost themselves in this kiss. Both of them knew that this just felt right. It was like they had been lost, and now they had finally found the place where they were supposed to be.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The next morning, Lucy woke up lazily and stretched. She had to fight the urge to call Jimmy and wish him a good morning. He was probably at work anyway.
All day it felt like she was walking on air. She and Jimmy had hit it off so wonderfully. In fact, they were seeing each other again tonight. She wondered if she showed up at the Planet to “visit Lois” if she would seem too desperate.
Finally she decided that if she wanted something, she would have to go for it. She got out of bed and dressed in a hurry. Since it was almost lunchtime, maybe they would all want to go out for lunch. Maybe then she wouldn’t look too desperate.
So, thirty minutes later, Lucy stepped off the elevator and into the Daily Planet’s newsroom. She immediately scanned the newsroom for Jimmy, but instead she saw Lois headed towards her.
She smiled at her sister and walked down to meet her. “Hey, Lois.”
“Lucy, what are you doing here? I assume your date went well?” Lois’ eyes held a twinkle that they always used to have when she had a secret that she was just dying to tell.
“Lois, you know something. What did Jimmy tell you?” Lucy was wary of anything her sister might know, especially when she looked like that.
Lois sighed. Of course Jimmy had told her about the date, but she wasn’t sure if she should tell Lucy about what Jimmy had said. Or at least she shouldn’t say anything where Jimmy might be able to overhear.
Lois knew that she had to tell Lucy what Jimmy had said. She would burst if she didn’t tell her soon. She headed to her desk and scrawled a note for Clark. “Lucy, let’s go get some lunch. I’ll tell you then.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
A few minutes later, Lois and Lucy were sitting in a booth at a nearby Chinese restaurant, and Lucy was ready to strangle Lois. “NOW can you tell me, Lois?”
Lois’ eyes sparkled when she said, “Now what are you going to do for me when I tell you?”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “LO-is, you don’t want me to start talking in that annoying voice that used to drive you crazy!”
“Okay, okay.” Lois was excited about what Jimmy had told her, and she just hoped that her sister wouldn’t break his fragile heart. “Jimmy ran into work this morning bubbling over about the wonderful night he’d had last night. You must have really made an impression.”
So Jimmy really did have a good time last night? Maybe he did feel the same way about her that she did about him! She wasn’t sure if she should tell her sister exactly what she felt about Jimmy.
Finally, she broke down. She was never able to keep anything a secret from Lois. “Lois, I think I might be falling in love with him.”
Normally, Lois would doubt her sister when she said something like that. Her sister was the kind of person that fell in and out of love very easily. However, this time, she recognized something in Lucy’s eyes. It was the same look that she had in her own eyes whenever she talked about Clark. Maybe her little sister had finally found someone to love. And Jimmy deserved someone like Lucy. She knew that Jimmy felt the same way about Lucy because he’d had the same look in his eyes this morning when he talked about Lucy. Maybe Lois was being idealistic, but she just knew that Jimmy and Lucy were perfect for each other. Maybe she was jumping to conclusions, but she sure wished her little sister all of the happiness that she and Clark shared. God certainly knew that Lucy deserved it!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Life was certainly looking up for Perry. Last night, he had helped Alice back to her apartment and made her dinner. Okay, he got some take-out from the restaurant on the corner of the street. Still, Alice was appreciative, and that was all that mattered.
From the few hours he had spent with Alice, he knew that he was still in love with her. In fact, his love for her had grown stronger in the year they had been separated. He’d even sensed a glimmer of hope that maybe she still felt the same way about him.
He’d stayed with her until she had finally fallen asleep, late into the night. He knew that he missed her more than anything, but he never realized the void in his heart that had been there since she left. But when he saw her yesterday, he felt a surge of love rush through his veins. No matter what else happened, he had to cling to that love. Everything would work out between them eventually. This time he was going to change. Nothing would come between them. Nothing. He would make sure of that.
They’d had a long talk last night, first small talk about nothing at all, but then their conversation drifted to more important topics-- their relationship, specifically.
Perry had told her how much he still loved her and how much he missed her, but she was a hesitant in her response. But, after a deafening pause, she had said something that made his heart soar, “Perry, you know I still love you,” and then flop back down into a dejected heap, “But you’ve hurt me so much. I don’t know if I can ever be with you again.”
He took a sharp breath. This was exactly what he had waited to hear for so long. It was almost like his dream was finally coming true. But then his heart came crashing down from that wonderful high. He had done too much to her. Their differences really were irreconcilable and it was all his fault.
Why was he kidding himself? He and Alice would never be able to get back to the love that they once shared. Of course he still loved her, but there was no way she would ever be able to forgive him and give her heart to him again.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
EPILOGUE
The next evening, Jimmy had again taken Lucy out. That date turned into long string of dates. In fact, they had been seeing each other every night for over a month. Those two just couldn’t seem to get enough of each other. In fact, Lucy had told Lois that she might just be falling in love with Jimmy. That shocked Lois because Lucy had never been one to fall in love with someone as normal as Jimmy. Of course, Lucy had fallen in love many times in her young life. She often fell head over feet, diving in without checking the water level. This time, though it seemed different. Maybe Lois was biased because she wanted her baby sister to end up with a man as nice as Jimmy, but for some reason, she just knew that Jimmy was the right man for Lucy, that they would live happily ever after. Or maybe she had just been spending too much time with Clark.
Jimmy had been telling Clark how much he liked Lucy. In fact, Jimmy was even going as far as saying that he was seriously considering asking Lucy to marry him. Maybe not right now, but it was a definite possibility in the future. Clark was overjoyed to hear that Jimmy felt that way about Lucy. He loved Lucy like a sister and Jimmy like a brother, so he wanted them both to be happy. He knew that them being together would make both of them happy. Jimmy and Lucy were perfect for each other. He knew it, Lois knew it, Ellen knew it, even Perry and Alice knew it, and he just hoped that Jimmy and Lucy realized it themselves.
Perry and Alice were not back together yet. But Alice was giving Perry a chance. They both knew that they loved each other deep down, but they both knew that they had to make a lot of changes in their lives. Really, Perry was the one that had to make the changes. He had to show that he really was dedicated to Alice and his family, but Alice needed to realize that even though the paper was important to Perry, Alice was the most important thing in his life. They had a long road to go down, but everyone knew that they would make it. The first change he had made was making Lois and Clark assistant editors. That delegation was the first step in showing Alice that he was really dedicated to their relationship. It would take a while, but Alice would eventually learn to trust Perry again.
THE END