For Now
Lana stood and watched her boyfriend leave the funeral. He walked in the rain without a thought that she would be there for him. She couldn't help the sting that bit her as he got in with his mom and drove off. He was gone and she didn't think she could help him.
Whitney sat in his kitchen at the table. He had gotten his mom to sleep after he had convinced to eat something. But, he couldn't even take his own advice. He couldn't remember the last thing he had eaten. He couldn't remember a lot from the past few days. He remembered telling Lana, but everything between that and now was a big, black, empty, sucking blur. He laid his head down on the table and tried to ignore the tears that were starting to trail down his cheeks.
Lana sat in her bedroom. She had changed into jeans and a baggy red hoodie. She had hair long hair up in a ponytail and was trying not to think. Because, her thoughts kept going to the funeral. And, if they went to the funeral they would go to Whitney. Whitney who was her boyfriend. It took everything in her not to rush over there and just kiss him and hug him and hold him and tell him that everything would be okay. That she knew the feeling.
That she knew how much it hurt when her parents had been killed. That she knew the feeling when you just wanted to hide away from everybody. But, some part of her wouldn't move, wouldn't go to him. The part that still held from sting from him leaving her, earlier.
Her fingers reached out to grab a picture from her nightstand. Lana had her head resting against Whitney's chest. His hands were resting on the small of her back. Both their eyes were closed and his cheek was resting atop her head. They were standing in the middle of a deserted Talon. Looking at pictures gave her the warm feeling that everything could be okay. But, who was going to make sure Whitney had that warm feeling, that Whitney would think everything was going to be okay.
She Would.
Lana Lang would make sure that Whitney Fordham got that warm feeling that everything would be okay. She slipped on a pair of tennis shoes and yanked her hair down. Lana grabbed her keys and bolted out the door. She got in her car and quickly drove to a house she knew so well, it made her wonder why she stayed away.
Whitney lifted his tear stained face and looked out at the rain still pouring down. He suddenly felt an aching need in his chest. A need to go back. Go back and hold Lana. Hold her and tell her that he needed her. That he didn't want to be alone. That he wanted her to stay and wanted her to stay with him. But, he had ruined that chance and now he was alone.
He went and changed out of his suit and put on jeans and a red t-shirt. But, as he was walking into the living room. He caught sight on of his dad's sweaters. It had tears welling up in his eyes again and he almost sank to the floor. But, a rapid staccato knocking had his head turning so fast, he almost got whiplash. He opened it and the sight had him melting and crumbling.
His girlfriend was standing on his doorstep. Hair dripping and shoes squeaking as she shifted. Lana was wringing her hands and looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her. "Hey." She whispered, voice smaller than ever and yet so caring at the same time. "Hi." He whispered just the same. She saw his red eyes and the tear tracks down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't…m…mean to leave you like that." Whitney said, letting himself feel a bit better and than worse as her beautiful eyes went wide and soft. "It's okay." She said, her voice getting stronger.
She stepped inside and wrapped her arms around him. "It's going to be okay." She soothed. "I love you, Whitney. Trust me to be here for you. Okay ?" He nodded against her. "I love you too, Lana." He said and as she reached her hand up to the back of his neck. "Okay. Okay." He said and his head dropped to her shoulder. His tears streamed freely down his cheeks, once again. "Shh, let it all out, Whitney." Lana soothed, again. "Let it all out, Whitney, because I'll be here. I won't leave. Shh." Her eyes drifted shut as she rubbed his back.
She didn't know how much she was helping. She didn't know for how long he would stay open to her. She didn't know if he would let her comfort him again. She didn't know if he would be okay. She didn't know if they would be okay. But, for know she was all he needed. For now, they were perfect and nothing could touch them. For now, everything was okay. For now, He was okay. For now, she was there for him. For now, they were okay and that was all that mattered. They were okay for now. For now, Their love was enough. Enough to make it all okay, make it warm.