XYK

Chapter 13– "The Hotline."

Chloe shook her head. This was wrong, all completely wrong; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Then what happened?"

Clark flopped down on the couch. "Then she left."

"Just like that?"

Clark nodded and adjusted the receiver to his ear, "Just like that."

"Didn't you even attempt to stop her?"

Clark took off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. "...No."

"Where is she staying?"

Clark exhaled loudly "With Kat Grant, she works with us at The Planet, she and Lois are pretty tight."

Chloe got up from her seat and closed the door of her office; she sat back down at her desk and slipped her high heels off. She then swivelled round on her chair so that she could peer out at the London skyline and river Thames. " I still don't understand."

"Neither do I." Clark closed his eyes, for the first time in a long time he was feeling tired."I wish you were here Chlo."

Chloe sat silent for a few moments, she could hear the hurt in her best friends voice and there was only one thing she could think to say, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"There's only so much you can do from London, Chlo. I'm fine; it's that cousin of yours that I'm worried about."

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"Malcolm, I need a huge favour." Chloe said in her sweetest most compliant voice.

"What's new, Sullivan?"

"There's a family emergency back home, I need to take the rest of the week off."

Malcolm Mortimer- Jeffries the Editor in Chief of The London Standard and 15th most eligible bachelor of 2009 (according to Hello Magazine) looked at Chloe incredulously. Family emergency? Yeah, right. She had a cheek, she knew how busy they were at The Standard, yet here she was as brazen as brass asking for time off. Malcolm Mortimer-Jeffries got up from behind his desk, walked past Chloe and closed the door of his office. He then walked slowly towards her, circling her like pray. He grabbed her waist from behind and brought her towards him. Chloe turned to face him.

"You do realise I'll expect you to make up the hours."

"Naturally."Chloe leant forward and kissed her boss passionately. "Thank you." She whispered against his lips.

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Chloe counted the doors of the Apartment block, 2403, 2404, 2405 "A-ha!" She said to herself. She tucked some hair behind her ears and pressed the doorbell of apartment 2406.

"Who is it?" Chloe heard a familiar voice ask from the other side of the door.

"Me. It's me Chloe."

Chloe heard the sound of what had to be five different locks and bolts being undone. The door flew open, Lois grabbed her cousin and practically flung her around with excitement "What are you doing here?"

"I had some time off and I thought I'd come home, see how my cousin was doing."

Lois smiled and batted her hand away at invisible air "I'm fine."

"Did you get my flowers?"

Lois cast her mind back to the miscarriage and the tide of floral arrangements and 'Sorry' cards that she and Clark had received. She frowned for a second but regained her composure "Yes, Thank you." She hugged her cousin then led her by the hand into the apartment.

"....Kat's reporting from some award ceremony tonight... I'll make us some coffee, and then we can catch up."

Chloe sat down and took her coat off.

Once the coffees were made and Lois was sitting in front of Chloe they talked about the weather, sport, clothes, London, even the slight but evident British lilt now attached to Chloe's accent, everything except the real reason Chloe was there.

Chloe bit the bullet; being controversial had never fazed her. "Lois, what are you doing here?" From the tone in Chloe's voice, Lois immediately knew exactly what Chloe was alluding to.

Lois sighed "Can we not do this right now."

"You should be at home with Clark."

"I don't know what he's told you but it's complicated."

Chloe shook her head, she had a feeling that the reason for the change in Lois ran a lot deeper than her cousin was willing to admit, "Tell him about the baby."

"He knows about the baby Chloe, he was there."

"No,tell him about the other baby."

Lois inhaled sharply as if she had been violently winded.

Chloe took this as her cue to keep talking "He'd understand why you've been acting the way you have, he'd be there for you and maybe you could finally start to heal after all these years..."

Lois turned to her cousin "I can't believe you'd bring that up."

Chloe put her cup of coffee down and reached for her cousins' hand. "

Lois reclaimed her hand and and stood up "I want you to go."

"Lois,it's me Chloe."Chloe searched her cousins eyes for a hint of softness , but Lois was not giving an inch.

"Now if you don't mind I've got a busy day ahead of me tomorrow."Lois said curtly, she walked to the front door and held it open.

Chloe was stunned by her cousins' coldness. "Lois, don't be like that..."

"I'd like you to go now."Lois said devoid of any emotion.

Chloe got up slowly and picked up her handbag. "Lois, you don't have to be honest with me, but at least be honest with yourself...and your husband."

Lois held the front door open.

"GOODBYE Chloe"

Before Chloe had a chance to reply Lois slammed the door, hard.

TBC.