Lana
See Chapter 1 for headers.
"Miss Lang?" the woman called as she approached her seat. Lana looked up. "How have you been enjoying the film?" Shrek 2 wasn't really her type of movie. She had been watching it on and off.
"Fine, thank you," Lana replied.
"Good. My name is Tanja, and shortly we'll be serving dinner, so I would like to ask you take a look over your menu there on your right, and I'll return shortly," she started to leave, but thought again. "Is this your first time riding in first class?" she asked, reassuringly.
"I guess I look more like a fish out of water than I thought," Lana said with a smile.
"That's quite alright." The woman took out a small pad. "I'll quickly run over it for you. For starters we have a Mediterranean salad with pepper vinaigrette and a she-crab soup with roma tomatoes. Which would you like?"
"I'll have the salad," Lana said.
"Alright...tonight we are featuring three entrées: filet mignon in herb jus, salmon and seabass with zucchini saffron sauce or breast of corn-fed chicken with Port and red wine sauce. Each comes with your choice of potatoes au gratin or basmati rice and grilled vegetables or turned carrots and snap peas."
"Wow," Lana said, a little awestruck, "um, I'll go simple. The chicken with potatoes au gratin."
"Very well," Tanja said "you'll find a dessert menu also, which includes various cheeses, pastries, seasonal fruit and ice-cream with sundae or fruit toppings. I'll give you time to decide. Also, you'll notice that the bar to your left offers a full range of beverages including over ten types of soft drinks and a fine selection of wines and ale." Tanja lifted an eyebrow. "I take it you'll be availing yourself of our non-alcoholic beverages." Lana nodded.
"Would you happen to have any coffee?" she asked.
"As a matter of fact we do. If you hold on, I'll bring you a pot." With that Tanja took off.
Lana sat back in her chair, resolved to relax, despite the jitters in her stomach. There were so many things to worry about. Even if there weren't, Nell had concocted a list that would have her awake at night long after jet leg should have worn off.
Lana was so excited. She had never done anything so audacious, new, fulfilling or exciting in her whole life. She thought back to the night she moved in with Chloe and how timid she had been. Reflecting on those days, she laughed now at how far she had come from that little girl clinging to Nell like her life depended on it. Now she was doing something for herself. Something that would improve Lana, and make her a better and a more independent person. She didn't have to hold herself back in memory of people who would just be a memory in the end anyway. Not for her parents, not for Henry, not for Nell...and definitely not for Clark. She felt a giddy anticipation like she did the first day the Talon opened. And just like then, Lex had been there, supporting her all the way.
It was so weird. Lex had no real connection to her. Even their connection as business partners was sometimes more fantasy than fact. But, even so, Lex had always been there for her. Like a guardian angel. Not just to coddle or pity her. But to empower her, challenge her like no one else did.
It was a little twisted, but she hoped that now that his father was finally behind bars, he was somewhere celebrating. She wondered what he was doing back in Smallville.