Chapter 31- Worries And Phone Calls
Lana jumped as her tray crashed to the floor. She flushed when Lex and Pete knelt beside her to put the broken pieces of ceramic back onto the tray.
"That's the third tray you've dropped this week," Lex pointed out.
"I know," Lana admitted.
"What's wrong?" Pete asked.
"I'm just worried about Chloe. She's due in two weeks and I'm just waiting for her to call and say it's time," Lana explained. "It's making me jittery."
"I can tell," Lex said with a smile.
"Every time I hear the phone ring I think it's her," Lana continued.
"Calm down," Pete tried to soothe his fiancé. "She's not due for another two weeks, maybe even more."
"I wish I could calm down!" Lana exclaimed.
Lex stood, taking the tray with him. He walked to the counter and set it down while Pete got the broom. As Pete swept, Lex dragged out the mop to wipe up the spilled coffee. When the floor was clean the guys put away the mop and broom and walked back to Lana.
"Thanks you guys," Lana said, leaning against Pete.
"Anytime," Lex replied.
Lana's cell phone rang and she jumped again. "Hello? Chloe, what's the matter?.Oh, okay.That's fine.See you then.Bye."
"What did she want?" Lex asked.
"She's going to Clark's and didn't want me to worry in case I tried to call the house and she didn't answer," Lana explained in relief.
"She knows you well," Pete said.
Lana smiled. "A little too well."
"That's what friends are for," Lex said matter-of-fact.
"You got that right," Pete agreed.
"We have a great group of friends, don't we?" Lana asked, looking at each guy in turn.
"Yes," Pete agreed, grinning.
"A very great group," Lex clarified, also grinning.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Please tell me you didn't walk here," Clark begged.
"I didn't walk here," Chloe said with a smile.
"That doesn't make me feel better," Clark complained, leading Chloe into the house. "Would you like some lemonade?"
"That sounds great," Chloe answered.
Hannah bounded into the room a minute later. "Hi, Aunt Chwoe!"
"Hi, sweetie," Chloe replied.
"Did you come to pway with me?" Hannah asked.
"Not this time. I came to play with your brother," Chloe told her.
"Cwark always gets to pway," Hannah pouted.
"That's because I'm the cool big brother," Clark said, tousling Hannah's hair.
Hannah lifted her arms for Chloe to pick her up. Instead, Clark swept her tiny form into his arms.
"Aunt Chloe can't pick you up, sis. It would hurt her," Clark explained.
Hannah wrinkled her nose. "I don't want to huwt Aunt Chwoe."
Clark laughed. "I know you don't. You're a good girl."
"Yes, I am," Hannah said confidently. She hugged Clark and kissed his cheek before squirming out of his arms.
"She is too adorable," Chloe said as Hannah ran from the room.
"Only when other people are around. She's quite the show-off," Clark said, getting the lemonade out of the refrigerator.
Chloe laughed. "She's still adorable."
"That she is," Clark agreed. "What possessed you to walk over here?"
"I certainly can't fit behind the wheel," Chloe said with a smirk.
"And I couldn't come pick you up?" Clark asked, pointing out the obvious.
"Clark, it's only a mile and I need the exercise anyway," Chloe reasoned.
"Will you let me drop you back off?" Clark asked, giving in.
"If you must," Chloe said in mock exasperation.
"I must," Clark said, handing Chloe a cup.
"I will not object," Chloe said, gulping her lemonade.
"So, what brings on this visit?" Clark asked.
"Not happy to see me?" Chloe questioned.
"I am ecstatic to see you," Clark corrected.
"Ah, ecstatic," Chloe said thoughtfully.
Clark laughed. "So, you just came to come?"
"Something like that," Chloe said, becoming quiet.
"What is it, Chlo?" Clark asked.
Chloe looked down at her cup, then back up at Clark. "Actually, I had a question."
Clark raised his eyebrows in a gesture for Chloe to go on.
"Will you go on a date with me?" Chloe asked timidly.
Clark's jaw almost dropped. "Come again?"
"I mean, if you don't want to." Chloe said self-consciously.
"No," Clark said, laying his hand on top of Chloe's. "I would love to go on a date with you."
Chloe blushed at Clark's intense gaze. "When?"
"Anytime is fine with me," Clark answered.
"Tonight?" Chloe asked.
Clark laughed. "You don't want to waste any time, do you?"
"No," Chloe answered.
"Good," Clark replied, his smile increasing in intensity.
Chloe rotated her hand so that she was holding Clark's. "Pick me up at six?"
"That's in two hours," Clark pointed out.
"Then I better go home and get ready," Chloe said, her eyes gleaming.
Clark laughed. "Yes, ma'am." Clark picked up his keys and headed toward the door.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Pete, Lana, and Lex's phones rang at the same time.
"Hello?" they all asked.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Pete, Lex, it's me," Clark said, trying to catch his breath.
Pete and Lex looked at each other amusedly.
"What's up?" Lex asked.
"I'm going on a date with Chloe!" Clark almost screamed.
Lex pulled his phone away from his ear.
"Good for you," Pete said happily. "Who asked?"
"Chloe did," Clark exclaimed.
"That's great!" Lex told him.
"I know!" Clark said ecstatically.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Lana, it's me," Chloe said, trying to catch her breath.
"Chloe, what's wrong?" Lana asked, looking at Lex and Pete in alarm.
"I'm going on a date with Clark!" Chloe almost screamed.
"Are you serious?" Lana asked, her face shining. "Who asked?"
"I did," Chloe admitted.
"That's great!" Lana said.
"I know," Chloe replied.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"So, where are you taking the lovely Chloe?" Lex asked, looking at Lana. Lana nodded and the trio understood whom each other were talking to.
"I don't know. I'm picking her up at six," Clark said.
"That's in two hours," Pete said.
"Believe me, I know," Clark answered.
"Have any idea what you are going to wear?" Lex asked.
"No clue," Clark admitted.
"She always liked your blue shirt. Said blue's your best color," Pete said.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Where are you two going?" Lana asked, happy for her friend.
"I have no idea. I'm kind of calling the shots. All I know right now is that he's picking me up at six," Chloe said.
"That's in two hours!" Lana exclaimed.
"I know," Chloe said.
"What are you going to wear?" Lana asked.
"I don't have one single idea!" Chloe said worriedly.
"What about your red dress?" Lana asked.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Good idea," Clark said thankfully.
"Nervous?" Lex asked.
"Very," Clark replied.
Pete laughed. "You'll be fine."
"How can you be sure?" Clark asked.
"Because you love her," Lex answered simply.
"And because she loves you, too," Pete supplied.
"Good point," Clark agreed.
"Very good point," Lex corrected.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Are you sure?" Chloe asked.
"Yes, Chlo. It's gorgeous and comfortable," Lana reassured her.
"I'm not so sure about this anymore. Who would want to go out with a pregnant woman?" Chloe asked.
"Clark," Lana answered.
"Good point," Chloe said, laughing nervously.
"Chloe, it will be great. It's just like when you usually go places with him," Lana pointed out.
"Only there's sexual tension, now," Chloe said.
Lana laughed. "There was before, honey."
"True, true," Chloe admitted.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I'm going to go take a shower," Clark said.
"Good idea. It's best not to smell like a barn when you go on a first date," Lex teased.
"Point well taken," Clark said with a laugh.
"Have fun, Clark. You deserve this," Pete told his friend.
"Yes, you do," Pete agreed.
"Thanks you guys," Clark said.
"Call us with the details?" Lex asked.
"The minute I get back. Bye," Clark said, feeling better.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"You are going to have a great time," Lana said.
"I know. Thanks, Lan," Chloe said.
"Anytime," Lana replied.
"I am going to go get ready," Chloe said.
"Have a great time. You deserve this," Lana assured the blond.
"I do, don't I?" Chloe asked with a grin.
"Yes, you do," Lana agreed. "Tell me all the details when you get home?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Chloe said. "Bye, Lan."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Bye," Lana, Pete, and Lex said at the same time. As soon as the three turned off their phones they turned to each other.
"They're going on a date!" Lana exclaimed.
"Chloe finally did it!" Pete said excitedly.
"It's about time," Lex said with a grin.
Lana jumped as her tray crashed to the floor. She flushed when Lex and Pete knelt beside her to put the broken pieces of ceramic back onto the tray.
"That's the third tray you've dropped this week," Lex pointed out.
"I know," Lana admitted.
"What's wrong?" Pete asked.
"I'm just worried about Chloe. She's due in two weeks and I'm just waiting for her to call and say it's time," Lana explained. "It's making me jittery."
"I can tell," Lex said with a smile.
"Every time I hear the phone ring I think it's her," Lana continued.
"Calm down," Pete tried to soothe his fiancé. "She's not due for another two weeks, maybe even more."
"I wish I could calm down!" Lana exclaimed.
Lex stood, taking the tray with him. He walked to the counter and set it down while Pete got the broom. As Pete swept, Lex dragged out the mop to wipe up the spilled coffee. When the floor was clean the guys put away the mop and broom and walked back to Lana.
"Thanks you guys," Lana said, leaning against Pete.
"Anytime," Lex replied.
Lana's cell phone rang and she jumped again. "Hello? Chloe, what's the matter?.Oh, okay.That's fine.See you then.Bye."
"What did she want?" Lex asked.
"She's going to Clark's and didn't want me to worry in case I tried to call the house and she didn't answer," Lana explained in relief.
"She knows you well," Pete said.
Lana smiled. "A little too well."
"That's what friends are for," Lex said matter-of-fact.
"You got that right," Pete agreed.
"We have a great group of friends, don't we?" Lana asked, looking at each guy in turn.
"Yes," Pete agreed, grinning.
"A very great group," Lex clarified, also grinning.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Please tell me you didn't walk here," Clark begged.
"I didn't walk here," Chloe said with a smile.
"That doesn't make me feel better," Clark complained, leading Chloe into the house. "Would you like some lemonade?"
"That sounds great," Chloe answered.
Hannah bounded into the room a minute later. "Hi, Aunt Chwoe!"
"Hi, sweetie," Chloe replied.
"Did you come to pway with me?" Hannah asked.
"Not this time. I came to play with your brother," Chloe told her.
"Cwark always gets to pway," Hannah pouted.
"That's because I'm the cool big brother," Clark said, tousling Hannah's hair.
Hannah lifted her arms for Chloe to pick her up. Instead, Clark swept her tiny form into his arms.
"Aunt Chloe can't pick you up, sis. It would hurt her," Clark explained.
Hannah wrinkled her nose. "I don't want to huwt Aunt Chwoe."
Clark laughed. "I know you don't. You're a good girl."
"Yes, I am," Hannah said confidently. She hugged Clark and kissed his cheek before squirming out of his arms.
"She is too adorable," Chloe said as Hannah ran from the room.
"Only when other people are around. She's quite the show-off," Clark said, getting the lemonade out of the refrigerator.
Chloe laughed. "She's still adorable."
"That she is," Clark agreed. "What possessed you to walk over here?"
"I certainly can't fit behind the wheel," Chloe said with a smirk.
"And I couldn't come pick you up?" Clark asked, pointing out the obvious.
"Clark, it's only a mile and I need the exercise anyway," Chloe reasoned.
"Will you let me drop you back off?" Clark asked, giving in.
"If you must," Chloe said in mock exasperation.
"I must," Clark said, handing Chloe a cup.
"I will not object," Chloe said, gulping her lemonade.
"So, what brings on this visit?" Clark asked.
"Not happy to see me?" Chloe questioned.
"I am ecstatic to see you," Clark corrected.
"Ah, ecstatic," Chloe said thoughtfully.
Clark laughed. "So, you just came to come?"
"Something like that," Chloe said, becoming quiet.
"What is it, Chlo?" Clark asked.
Chloe looked down at her cup, then back up at Clark. "Actually, I had a question."
Clark raised his eyebrows in a gesture for Chloe to go on.
"Will you go on a date with me?" Chloe asked timidly.
Clark's jaw almost dropped. "Come again?"
"I mean, if you don't want to." Chloe said self-consciously.
"No," Clark said, laying his hand on top of Chloe's. "I would love to go on a date with you."
Chloe blushed at Clark's intense gaze. "When?"
"Anytime is fine with me," Clark answered.
"Tonight?" Chloe asked.
Clark laughed. "You don't want to waste any time, do you?"
"No," Chloe answered.
"Good," Clark replied, his smile increasing in intensity.
Chloe rotated her hand so that she was holding Clark's. "Pick me up at six?"
"That's in two hours," Clark pointed out.
"Then I better go home and get ready," Chloe said, her eyes gleaming.
Clark laughed. "Yes, ma'am." Clark picked up his keys and headed toward the door.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Pete, Lana, and Lex's phones rang at the same time.
"Hello?" they all asked.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Pete, Lex, it's me," Clark said, trying to catch his breath.
Pete and Lex looked at each other amusedly.
"What's up?" Lex asked.
"I'm going on a date with Chloe!" Clark almost screamed.
Lex pulled his phone away from his ear.
"Good for you," Pete said happily. "Who asked?"
"Chloe did," Clark exclaimed.
"That's great!" Lex told him.
"I know!" Clark said ecstatically.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Lana, it's me," Chloe said, trying to catch her breath.
"Chloe, what's wrong?" Lana asked, looking at Lex and Pete in alarm.
"I'm going on a date with Clark!" Chloe almost screamed.
"Are you serious?" Lana asked, her face shining. "Who asked?"
"I did," Chloe admitted.
"That's great!" Lana said.
"I know," Chloe replied.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"So, where are you taking the lovely Chloe?" Lex asked, looking at Lana. Lana nodded and the trio understood whom each other were talking to.
"I don't know. I'm picking her up at six," Clark said.
"That's in two hours," Pete said.
"Believe me, I know," Clark answered.
"Have any idea what you are going to wear?" Lex asked.
"No clue," Clark admitted.
"She always liked your blue shirt. Said blue's your best color," Pete said.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Where are you two going?" Lana asked, happy for her friend.
"I have no idea. I'm kind of calling the shots. All I know right now is that he's picking me up at six," Chloe said.
"That's in two hours!" Lana exclaimed.
"I know," Chloe said.
"What are you going to wear?" Lana asked.
"I don't have one single idea!" Chloe said worriedly.
"What about your red dress?" Lana asked.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Good idea," Clark said thankfully.
"Nervous?" Lex asked.
"Very," Clark replied.
Pete laughed. "You'll be fine."
"How can you be sure?" Clark asked.
"Because you love her," Lex answered simply.
"And because she loves you, too," Pete supplied.
"Good point," Clark agreed.
"Very good point," Lex corrected.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Are you sure?" Chloe asked.
"Yes, Chlo. It's gorgeous and comfortable," Lana reassured her.
"I'm not so sure about this anymore. Who would want to go out with a pregnant woman?" Chloe asked.
"Clark," Lana answered.
"Good point," Chloe said, laughing nervously.
"Chloe, it will be great. It's just like when you usually go places with him," Lana pointed out.
"Only there's sexual tension, now," Chloe said.
Lana laughed. "There was before, honey."
"True, true," Chloe admitted.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I'm going to go take a shower," Clark said.
"Good idea. It's best not to smell like a barn when you go on a first date," Lex teased.
"Point well taken," Clark said with a laugh.
"Have fun, Clark. You deserve this," Pete told his friend.
"Yes, you do," Pete agreed.
"Thanks you guys," Clark said.
"Call us with the details?" Lex asked.
"The minute I get back. Bye," Clark said, feeling better.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"You are going to have a great time," Lana said.
"I know. Thanks, Lan," Chloe said.
"Anytime," Lana replied.
"I am going to go get ready," Chloe said.
"Have a great time. You deserve this," Lana assured the blond.
"I do, don't I?" Chloe asked with a grin.
"Yes, you do," Lana agreed. "Tell me all the details when you get home?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Chloe said. "Bye, Lan."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Bye," Lana, Pete, and Lex said at the same time. As soon as the three turned off their phones they turned to each other.
"They're going on a date!" Lana exclaimed.
"Chloe finally did it!" Pete said excitedly.
"It's about time," Lex said with a grin.