Fortune 'Telling'
The setup:
After Lois returns from the roof: Richard grimaced: "Were you smoking?"
Jimmy, Jason and even Clark waited silently for her response.
Lois: smiles faintly, relieved, "NO."
Richard relaxed visibly and smiled.
"Then have some food. You look famished."
Lois pulled out the chair next to Clark and sat down heavily into it. Her eyes stayed on her plate but her mind appeared to still be in the clouds they'd just being flying in.
She distractedly grabbed the nearest container and poured its contents onto her plate.
Jason reached past Jimmy to the pile of fortune cookies sitting in the center of the table.
"Mommy! You get a fortune!" His little hands closed around one of the cellophane -encased cookies and he extended his arm toward his mother.
"Oh honey-" at his wide puppy dog eyes, Lois reconsidered her denial and took the confection from his hand.
The plastic crinkled as she ripped it open. Lois discarded the wrapper and popped the cookie with one hand. Her fingers opened around the broken cookie, the message lying in the center of her palm.
"What does it say, Honey?" Richard asked cheerfully.
Lois pulled out the piece of paper, her face paled slightly at the message.
[I"The one you love is closer than you think."[/I
"Awww." Jimmy said clapping Richard on the shoulder, his mouth still full of some unrecognizable dish. "You know to accept the fortune, Lois – you have to eat the cookie!"
Lois and Richard's eyes met over the table, his smile melted from his face at her telling expression.
Jason, oblivious to the exchange, squealed in delight. "Eat the cookie, Mommy!"
Lois smiled a tight lipped smile at her son, and slowly put the piece of cookie into her mouth.
Richard's eyes dropped and his lips twitched in a sad smile.
"I think air sounds like a good idea." He said quietly as he rose and walked out the door into the bullpen.
Lois closed her eyes momentarily and lowered her eyes back to her plate.
Jason and Jimmy fought over the last fortunate cookie. Jason grabbed it from Jimmy's hand and crawled under the table to escape him. Soon the pair scampered out the door as well.
The moments ticked by in agonizing silence as Lois and Clark sat alone at the table.
Clark reached over and touched Lois' hand.
"Lois..." he said a little deeper than he intended.
Lois' head snapped toward him, her eyes wide and not quite focused.
Their eyes held a moment.
Clark cleared his throat and adopted his farcical mask once again.
"Would you like an egg roll? I'm allergic to shrimp." His voice lilted ridiculously and the spark of recognition in Lois; eyes was extinguished as quickly as it came.
Lois exhaled and offered Clark a strained smile.
"No, thank you." she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "I have an article to write."
Lois excused herself from the room. Her head was bowed as she made her way to the door, and Clark was the only one who saw the glint of tears in her eyes.