Chapter 14 [The Next Day—Talon Café]

Chloe sat in the midst of the bustling café and enjoyed her triple-shot espresso-cappuccino drink. She really had to admire what the new owners had to maintain the eatery's distinctive look. She loved the menu's balance of the old and new too.

From the crowd around her, she gathered that Smallville and the vicinity did too.

Still her mind continued to be on her family…both blood and extended…. She knew she really needed to butt out and let the chips settle. Still she couldn't bear to let Lois give up on Clark without a fight…

…and had dealt with a three hour argument with Lois over phone and chat lines in the process before getting hung up on….

It's your life, Lo. Whatever! She shrugged and took another moody draught from her cup. She decided to take Oliver's advice and just let Lois do her thing. She wants her career, let her have it. I'm glad I can balance my reporting with Oliver any day!

She smiled at the thought of Clark and Lana drifting back together again…with the conditions attached. A prenup on a relationship? That's a new one. Well anything to keep them both on track without the melodrama, I guess. She heard about the picnic at Crater Lake from them both as well as a number of other sources around town. At least Clark can enjoy things with her. I just hope they can both deal with it when the cancer comes down with the boom. Just let them enjoy it as long as they can, Chloe. Still I wonder why they want to see me now? I do have stories to proof at the Ledger. She saw the couple in question come up to the table. "Hey, Guys! How are things?"

"Really good, Chloe. Thanks," Lana greeted as they embraced. "We're going to get our coffees. Need a refill?"

"I'm okay for now. Thanks," Chloe declined. She noted the worrying thing on Clark's face. "Everything okay, Farm Boy?"

"I'm fine. We'll talk in a minute," he indicated. "Nothing bad, I promise." With that he followed his girlfriend toward the coffee bar.

Nothing bad? Then why are you doing the nervous thing? What the Hell are you doing, Clark? Chloe gulped that particular thought down with a big swallow of caffeine. When they had rejoined her, she queried, "Okay, Guys, what's going on?"

The couple exchanged glances before Lana started, "Clark and I were talking yesterday afternoon and last night about things. We really enjoyed yesterday."

"And I was thinking of ways I could keep going with it," he jumped in. "Kind of like what you do with the Ledger."

Chloe shrugged. "So you commute back and forth if you get my drift? Clark, I spoke with Perry White yesterday. While he's sorry about Lois and you, he does have a newspaper to run. He wanted to know when you're coming back."

Clark sighed heavily.

"I know that sigh. Oh brother," Chloe declared. She stood up. "I'm going to go and get a refill. Be back." She walked briskly toward the front.

"She's going to hate this idea. I know it," he fretted.

"Give it a chance," Lana assured him. "She'll help us. It's Chloe."

"She also needs to maintain a good relationship with the Planet," he disagreed while sipping on his coffee.

Chloe sat back down with her fresh caffeinated wonder in tow. "What's going on in that head of yours, Clark? I'm not getting between you and Perry White of all people."

"I was going to talk with him tomorrow, Chloe. I want an extension of my leave of absence. I was going to ask if there was a spot on the Ledger? If not maybe I could write articles for Perry and you?" he proposed.

The editor considered the idea. She knew his reporting was first rate. She missed not having him around the newsroom since they'd both left the Torch behind. Still for him to be moonlighting at this point. "Perry's not going to like this. Is this about not wanting to be around Lois? Clark, she's not going to be back in Metro."

"I just need a break from it. I've been thinking of ways that I can contribute there, help you and be around for Lana and my Mom. I'm still going to do the 'other thing' if you get my drift?" he proposed.

"It would be like old times again, Chloe," Lana reminded her.

"Of course I'd jump to have you on my staff, Clark. Let me think about it. Meantime you need to talk with Perry White. I don't mean by phone or email. You'd best do it face to face. I know he's been considering a series of regional bureaus for the Planet. Maybe you can head up the Lowell County branch? Just a thought. Meantime Oliver was wondering when we could come over for dinner?" Chloe noted seriously.

"Just set a time and place. I need to give my Mom some notice," he insisted.

"You betcha. Sorry I have to be such a rain cloud on your parade, Guys. I just need to keep my paper's relationships together. If it's okay with the Planet, you know it's okay with me," Chloe assured them both. "Meantime what's going on with you two?"

Lana smiled. "Clark and I are back together again."

"I've moved on. Sorry it seems kind of fast, Chloe. I'm sorry about what happened with Lois. However I realized that Lana is the person who truly makes me happy. I'm rearranging things to make her happy too. We both need this," he explained.

"Wow. Seems like a radical step," Chloe surmised. Talk about the opposite reaction from Lois' decision! Wow! "Just be careful. Don't sabotage your career over this, okay? We'll help you find that balance. Meantime, Lana, I ran into the Moores. Sandra wanted me to tell you that if you need help, she's open. Okay?"

"Thanks, Chloe. How are she and Byron doing?" Lana queried.

"They're getting along great. She's working at Smallville Regional. He's running that little bookstore over at Hoover. He looks in on his mother twice a week. Life's good for them," Chloe reported.

"I'm glad for him. If anyone deserves to be happy, it's him," he agreed.

"My thoughts exactly," Lana agreed. "This is why we both want to be back here, Chloe. Our friends and lives are here not in Metro. This is what I want."

"Never thought I'd hear you say that," Chloe noted wryly recalling how eager the former cheerleader had been to escape the town in high school.

"Time and Life changes one thinking, I guess," Lana supposed.

He took a breath. He would be applying that thought to his conversation with Perry White very soon. Despite what Lana, his mother and he had decided, he was still anxious. He hoped that his editor-in-chief would be amenable.

Risks would be needed for his love with Lana. He just hoped it wouldn't sink the whole flotilla in the process…..