I leave the office at 2:45 to pick up Laura, but not before I hand in my latest article and let Perry critic it to his hearts content. I wait patiently outside Laura's school trying to think of what to where myself tonight. I mean I want to look nice but not overly nice. I was mentally going through my wardrobe when I hear Laura open the door and get in.
"Hi mommy, look at the new picture I made today." She thrust the picture at me and smiled her brightest smile at me. I pick it up and look at it and I let out a little gasp, it is of me, her and Superman.
"Wow Laura that is really good." I have no idea what to say to this, it is like a family portrait but Superman takes place of dad. Even though yes Superman is her dad she shouldn't really be promoting it like this. "But honey I don't know if you should've let Superman have his costume on."
She looked at me with a little sad in her eyes, "Well I wasn't sure how to dress him, I am sorry mom." She bows her head and I feel horrible, so I reach over and bring her into a hug and kiss the top of her head.
"It is ok but just next time let's not put him in the costume, um draw jeans and a plaid shirt." I smile into her hair as I remember how much I used to taunt Clark for wearing plaid all the time, but I loved it more than anything on him.
Laura backs away from the hug with smile back on her face, "Alright, is that what daddy used to wear a lot?"
I can't keep the smile off my face, "All the time honey, all the time." I start to drive us back to the apartment and I remember that I have to tell her about tonight. "Ah sweets, how would you like to stay with your Uncle Lex tonight?"
Her eyes go wide and she looks at me with such joy, "Yes! I would love to, but why do I have to?" There is that reporter in her, always needs to know the reasons behind things.
"Well," I think about maybe telling her it is for work but I hate lying to her so I decide to tell her the truth, "I have a date, with daddy." I try but can't keep the small smile from spreading across my face.
I can see her smile at me out of the corner of my eyes, "Alright." She keeps smiling long after I have told her and it is killing me.
"Why do you keep smiling like that young lady?"
She tries to hide it but it comes back again and she giggles, "Well I just like the idea of you and daddy dating."
I look down at her during the stop light and smile at her again, "Me too, me too." I push on with the driving and we don't much the rest of the way home. As soon as we get home she hangs up her picture on the refrigerator and grabs a juice. I set my bag down on the counter and smile at her picture before I grab myself a water. "So you go pick out some pajamas and cloths for tomorrow okay."
She hops down off her stool and places her empty juice in the garbage, "Okay, what time are you taking me?"
"I told Uncle Lex around five. So we have some time to just sit around till I have to bring you over."
"Alright." She bounces back to her room to pick out her clothes for the night. I know this will take some time because Laura always takes a bit of time picking out clothes. She likes things to match and look nice, just like me. So I sit down and take out a magazine to keep me occupied.
Around twenty minutes later Laura comes out of her room with her overnight bag and her pillow. She couldn't sleep without that pillow, it had been one of Clark's, I fell in love with it when we were dating and stole it and then Laura had fallen in love with it at a young age. She set her stuff down by the door and turned to me, "So now what should we do till you have to bring me to Uncle Lex's?"
I looked down at her and scrunched up my nose in thought, then a great idea popped in my head. "How about you help me to pick out my outfit for tonight?"
Her eyes grew wide and she started to jump up and down, "Oh can I? That would be so awesome!"
I smiled and hopped off my stool and ruffled her hair, "Yes you can, come on it might take us a while."
'Yay!" she took off running into my room and I just laughed at her. I knew this would take up our time because picking out clothes always took us forever. I get into my room and Laura already has some outfits on the bed.
"Whoa honey, don't you think you are getting carried away?" I love having Laura dress me but some of these outfits were not what I was thinking at all. She had never seen my in date clothes before so she didn't know what to look for.
She turned to me with a look of sadness on her face, "Well what did you have in mind mommy?"
I smiled, and patted her head, "I was thinking like a nice dress or skirt and blouse combo. We are going to a sorta fancy restaurant and I should look really nice, so how about you pick out three of your favorite dresses and I will model them for you."
That got her to smile again, "Okay I get it now, just one minute." She put all the outfits she had out away and went to the back of my closet to find the few dresses I did own. After about five minutes she emerged from the closet with three dresses, all of which it has been years since I have worn. She laid them out on the bed and turned to me, "Alright I picked them out, try on this one first."
She had picked up the dark red, almost maroon, dress that I had worn to a college dinner. I had loved the dress at the time because the maroon reminded me of Clark, he had told me it was a favorite of his on me. I smiled and took the dress from her and headed to the bathroom. "Here I come," I stepped out with the feeling it wasn't the one.
Laura stared at me for a while then said, "Well I really like it but it just doesn't seem like the right one for tonight. Um try this on next." She had picked up one of my dresses I had to wear in one of the co-workers weddings. It was a nice deep teal color, a strapless one at that. Even though I loved the dress I just didn't like it right now, but to please Laura I took it and went back to the bathroom.
I looked at myself in the mirror before I came back out, I scrunched my face at the dress. It was a lovely dress and flattered my figure but I just didn't like it, I was hoping Laura had the same thoughts. I stepped out and the reaction on Laura's face was priceless.
"No, no, no not the right one either. I like it but I think it is a little to much, here take this one I found it at the way, and I mean way back." I looked down at the last one she had chosen and gasped a little.
It was a dress I had bought for mine and Clark's six month anniversary dinner. I bought it even though I knew I would never wear it because I know we wouldn't make it to six months after he moved back home. I was so in love with that dress at the time, I saw it in the store and just had to have it. It was a deep emerald green, halter straps and a nice low v-dip. Then to top it of there was a nice little broach where the v-dip ended, it fit perfect when I had bought it. It went to about an inch or two above my knees and I had worn it around my dorm the first few days because I was so in love with it.
But when Clark and I called it quits, three days before our six month anniversary, I put it in the far back and thought I would never wear it again. I smiled as I took the dress from Laura and knew the minute I zipped up the zipper it was the one, this was the dress for tonight. I walked out and just stood there hoping Laura would feel just the way I did about this dress.
"Oh mommmy! That is soo pretty on you, you have to wear that one!" she had actually gasped at me when I stepped out and was now jumping up and down again. I smiled as I was so happy we thought the same. She ran over and hugged me and I bent down to hug her back.
"Now you can help me pick out some shoes and jewelry, which first?" I went over to my dresser to get out my jewelry box for Laura to dig through.
"Ohhh I know what shoes already!" She ran off to my closet again and came out soon after carrying my black, open toed, heels with the diamond broaches on them. I had to admit this girl new how to put an outfit together. The shoes were almost to perfect as I slipped them on I could feel the joy just bubbling up inside me.
"These are perfect Laura, now for the jewelry." I walked her over to the box and sat her on my lap on my stool as we sat and dug through the jewelry I had.
"How about these earrings and this necklace?" she held up some chandler earrings with some pink and green diamonds in them and a necklace I had that had three clear diamonds hanging from it. I smiled at the necklace as it was a gift from Clark on our first Valentines day.
I nodded and took them both, "They will be just the right touch to the outfit, you want to help me get the necklace on?"
"Yeah, hold up your hair please." She got off my lap and ran around to behind me and opened the clasp and brought it around my front and pulled it back and clasped it shut. I watched as the necklace fell into place and it really was just the perfect touch. Then I put the earrings in and turned to my beautiful daughter who was beaming back at me.
I stood up and did a model pose, "Well how do I look?"
She giggled, "You look gorgeous mommy."
God I love her, I kneel down to give her another big hug when I notice the time, 5:32. "Oh crap! Laura honey go get your coat and shoes on and I will be right out."
She too looked to the clock and saw we were already late, "Oh alright, meet you at the door." She ran off to get her things ready and I ran into the bathroom to put my jeans and shirt back on. I was still pulling my shirt over my head when I met Laura at the door.
"Okay ready? Lets go." I opened the door for her as I grabbed my purse with my keys in them and hurried out the door with Laura a little ahead of me. We made down the elevator and to the car without to much trouble and then we were on our way to Lex's. I hated to think of the smug smirk he would have on his face for our tardiness.
We get there and we run to the door, and Lex is already standing there with the door open. "Right on time I see." I give him a look of death and he just laughs.
"Yeah sorry Laura was helping me to pick out an outfit, so the limo is gonna be at my apartment around eight." I set Laura's bag and pillow on the chair and she is already drawing after giving Lex a huge hug.
He turns to face me and nods, "Yep 8:15 to be exact, thought you could use the little extra time."
"Do you enjoy busting my chops when I am nervous?" I lean down and kiss Laura good bye and tell her to be good. She says she will and that I should have fun tonight. Me and Lex make for the door and he is just smiling ear to ear.
"Lois why should you be nervous, this is Clark Kent we are talking about. You have dated him before if you remember?" He opens the door for me and we stand there for a moment.
"Yeah well I guess I am just afraid of a repeat from before." I shrug and give Lex a big hug. "Well thanks again and have a good night with Laura."
"If he is as smart as he used to be he wont repeat mistakes." He hugs me back and gives me an extra squeeze for a boost of confidence, "You'll knock him dead, you did it to me once. But you have fun too." I look at him with the most care in my eyes, he can be the sweetest man in the world at times.
"Thanks Lex, I will try," I give him a light kiss on the cheek and turn to walk back to my car. The drive home was weird, alone and having to think about my first date in over five years. Then it dawned on me, I am going on a date with Clark Kent, Superman.
-x-Sorry for the long break in between updates, I started school again this week so it has been crazy around home trying to get everything done and ready before I headed back. But I finally found the time to update here and there and it has made this new chapter. I hope you like it, hope to update soon but no promises! Keep the reveiws coming please!