Lois tore off a piece of the pink, cottony fluff and offered it to Clark.
"No, thank you," he said. "I don't like cotton candy."
"Are you insane?" she asked. "How can you not like cotton candy?"
"I just don't like the texture. It's weird. It tastes like…"
"Cotton?" she filled in.
"Exactly."
"But then it crystallizes into sugary goodness."
"You're right. It's pure sugar that will rot out your teeth."
"I've never had a cavity."
"Congratulations. Why don't you keep it that way?"
"Smallville, I—oh, look!"
Clark's eyes searched the tiny carnival, trying to find the object of Lois' enthusiasm.
"A fortune teller," she said, pointing to a tent.
"I never had you down as someone who believed in fortune tellers."
"I don't. It's just harmless fun. I know how to relax and enjoy myself every now and then. Something you still need to learn."
"I just don't relish the idea of going to a carnival. I haven't been to one since I was 13."
"Which is exactly why your mom insisted you go. You're a stick in the mud."
"I bet you weren't even going to go to this thing if my mom hadn't suggested it."
"Babysitting the senator's son is part of my job description."
"Funny. See this is me laughing ha ha. So are you going to see the fortune teller or not?"
"You're not coming?"
"I'll wait for you out here. Besides, I think it's a rule that you can only tell one fortune at a time."
"Suit yourself. Just don't talk to strangers or go wild while I'm gone."
"I'll try to restrain myself."
Lois smiled and ducked through the tent flap. It was very dark inside. There was only one candle that was lit and the tent smelled strongly of incense. The fortune teller was in the traditional, glittery costume complete wit a crystal ball in front of her. The woman crooned out in a mysterious voice, "Sit, Lois Lane." Lois felt a little spooked that she knew her name and thought about leaving but there had to have been a logical explanation and what would Clark say if she came back out so soon? She took a seat in the chair.
"What do you wish to know past, present, or future?"
"Future, please."
"Ah, yes. Many choose the future but perhaps it is not the wisest choice. Many do not like what they see."
"Don't you mean what you see and I'll take my chances."
"Let me explain something to you. I once was an ordinary fortune teller but no more because now this is an extraordinary crystal ball. I found a rock with such energy that I decided to put it inside my ball. Neither I nor the ball had any powers but the ball was greatly changed. People blank out and when they return they say it's as if their very soul went there but you as you exist now will not really be there, just a mere observer. If you choose past or present, it will take you to what you wish to see. If you choose the future, it is unpredictable. It may take you to tomorrow or 50 years from now. It may take you to your death or to your marriage. Do you still wish to see?"
"Yes," Lois said in an exasperated voice. She clearly thought this was all a show.
"Are you sure you—"
"Yes, I want to see the future. Listen, Madame Fortune Teller, my friend is out there waiting on me. If you don't want to lose a paying customer, I'd appreciate getting this over with."
"As you wish," she began to rub the crystal ball and clouds began to swirl. Lois was mesmerized. It was a good special effect. Suddenly she fell forward as if her soul had been yanked from her body, not a pleasant feeling.
She landed in a bedroom. She recognized the skyline outside. It was Metropolis. She was in her future apartment she realized, as she saw her older self laying in bed and reading a novel. War and Peace it looked like. She was a good 10 years older and had acquired reading glasses. So the fortune teller hadn't been lying. The information was interesting but not very important.
She heard someone come into the apartment. Her older self heard it too because she laid the book down on the nightstand and set her reading glasses on top. She stood up in a flowy nightgown. She always thought she was more of a pajama girl herself. Older Lois didn't appear alarmed, so it wasn't an intruder. She obviously was expecting the person and it had to be someone she was living with because they hadn't knocked. Maybe she was still living with Chloe. The bedroom door opened and a man in glasses and a suit and tie came in. It took her a moment to recognize him but it looked like Clark. Future Lois went over and slipped her arms around his waist and he put his arms around her waist. They were embracing she realized in shock.
"I was wondering when you were going to wrap up that story, Smallville. I wrapped up mine hours ago."
"Rub it in," he laughed.
"Don't worry. We'll be working together tomorrow, so we'll leave the office at the same time."
They kissed, not just a friendly peck on the check either. Young Lois felt like she was going to be sick. Maybe they were just extra good buddies in the future. She looked at their left hands. They were married buddies. 'Calm down, Lane. There's a good explanation for this. Maybe they're just having an affair, even that wouldn't be as bad as being eternally tied to Clark Kent.' The picture on the wall proved otherwise. She, Lois Lane, had married Clark Kent. Older Lois had slipped off Clark's jacket and was working on his tie. They were also getting much closer to the bed. Lois began to panic. Her feet were rooted to the spot. She wasn't going anywhere. She covered her eyes with her hand. She had been dropped into an x-rated moment of her life. She peeked through the cover of her hand. She was a tad curious to see what Clark's physique looked liked at 30 something. There was nothing wrong with that. He was her husband after all. She'd see it sooner or later. They were making progress but his shirt hadn't come off. This was so nauseating and wrong. She closed her hand tight again. The radio had been turned on. She didn't know if it was to set the mood or it had been an accident. The music was interrupted. "A tremendous mudslide is taking place in Mexico at this moment, perhaps the worse the nation has ever seen. The damage is estimated to be—"
"Have you ate yet?" Clark asked, shutting off the radio.
"No," she answered.
"Feel like Mexican?"
"Sounds good. Hurry up."
Then Clark dashed out of the room.
Young Lois was puzzled but relieved they had stopped. Maybe the mudslide had killed the mood or made them hungry for Mexican but whatever it was, they seemed to have been on the same wavelength, creepily so. Older Lois had picked up her glasses and book again. Young Lois looked up, hoping to be sucked out now. Then there was a sudden rap on the window, which Lois thought rather odd since they were high up and there was no balcony. Her older self didn't seem to think it odd. She unlocked the window and a man climbed in. He was strangely familiar in his cape and tights. He was really good-looking with his dark hair and blue eyes. He almost reminded her of Clark but Clark had just left and more importantly this man didn't have a wedding ring.
"Superman, are you here for an interview?" she asked.
"Why yes I am, Miss Lane. I want you to have the exclusive on the Mexican mudslide," he answered in a strong, emotionless voice.
'He's some sort of a superhero and I'm just going to interview him,' young Lois thought.
"Hi, Mrs. Shortt," her older self said, as she shut the window and drew the curtains together. She had been talking to an elderly lady in curlers, who had been watching out her window in the neighboring apartment building.
"You really have to be more careful, Superman," she reprimanded, pulling him closer.
"No," young Lois whispered with fright.
"You'll give everyone the idea that I'm having an affair with Superman."
"But you are," he said with a dazzling smile. Then he kissed her passionately and older Lois didn't protest. Suddenly Superman pulled away, "Oh, I forgot—"
'Forgot what?' young Lois thought angrily. 'Forgot that she's married and her husband could come back any minute?'
"Don't worry about it," older Lois had interrupted him. She pulled him down onto the bed with her.
"I'm a—I'm an adulteress," young Lois gasped out before she felt herself jerking back to the present.
TBC