Hey, it's me

Lex came in through the kitchen door attached to the garage after work. "Hey," he said, hanging his car keys on a peg-board with a lopsided cat painted on it in rainbow colors, a gift from their granddaughter Allison.

"Hi," Clark said, standing by the stove. Steam rose from the pots on the burner. "Dinner will be ready in a half-hour."

"Okay." Lex picked up the mail off the kitchen table and headed upstairs. He flipped through the mail and, not seeing anything important, tossed it on the dresser in the master bedroom. His briefcase went in the corner and he went into the walk-in closet to change out of his suit.

Dressed comfortably in loose trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, Lex freshened up, then went back downstairs and set the table. "How was work?" he asked, pouring himself a glass of wine.

"Work-like." Clark carried dinner over to the table. "Lois is going nuts over the new tollway lease proposal. Everyone, including the Mayor's dog, is supposedly getting kickbacks from it."

"Am I for or against the lease?"

Clark shrugged. "Too early to say. I'll let you know."

After dinner, Lex did the dishes and joined Clark in the den. He settled into the corner of the worn leather sofa, propped his sock-clad feet on the coffee table, and watched the images flicker past on the screen as Clark channel surfed. "Want to watch One to One?" Clark said.

"Sure."

Clark brought up the pre-recorded show, turned up the volume, and dropped the remote on the seat between them. Lex was lulled by the drama on the screen and he slipped into a doze. Clark woke him up when it was time for bed, and Lex followed him tiredly upstairs. He changed into his pajamas, brushed his teeth, and slid into bed.

Clark finished getting ready for bed, shut off the light, and climbed in beside him. "Night."

"Night," Lex said, snuggling into the pillow.

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

Clark shifted in the bed beside him, the covers rustling. When he settled, Lex moved his foot until it was touching Clark's ankle, exhaled slowly, and slipped off to sleep.

-End



FFL Timeline Updated