The Trouble with Love Chapter 4
The Trouble with Love 4/?
Chloe read through her inbox to see if there was anything that needed urgent attention as she sipped her coffee.
“This is new...” Chloe muttered. “Nothing seems to be happening...”
“How’s my favourite cousin today?”
“And I spoke to soon. Hello, Lois.”
Lois Lane grinned as she sat on the edge of the desk and gave and looked at her cousin. “Well?”
“Well what?” Chloe replied not sure if she wants to know what Lois had planned.
“Your date with George!”
Chloe rolled her eyes. She was supposed to meet up with Lois and Clark, and expected George to show up; after all, Clark already gave her the heads up. What she didn’t expect was the last minute ‘emergency’ the duo had to attend to, which left her and the Metropolis detective to have dinner.
“Thank you for leaving me to fend for myself.”
“You’re welcome.” Lois replied, obviously pleased with herself. “So, how was it?”
“I appreciate your concern, Lo. I really do, but this... this isn’t going to work.”
“Why not?” Lois asked as she stood up. “He’s perfect. He’s got that do-gooder justice seeking thing you obviously go for, I don’t understand why you won’t give him a chance.”
Chloe leaned against the back of her chair as she looked at Lois. “I don’t have time, Lois. Besides, how can I be involved with someone who doesn’t know about Clark? And the other things I’m involved in?”
“I’m not asking you to marry the guy, Chloe! Just have some fun!” The moments the words were out of her mouth, she instantly regretted it. “Damn it, Chloe... I’m sorry.”
“Lois, relax. That was years ago, I don’t understand why you and Clark still walk on egg shells around me.”
Before Lois could reply, Chloe’s cell phone rang and she answered it, and Lois could only look at the smile on her cousin’s face. “Connor, how’s South Africa?”
Lois took a deep breath as she crossed her arms and gave Chloe a pointed look. The conversation went on for a few minutes before Connor ended the call, promising to give her something special from his trip.
“And we really need to talk about your attachment to that kid.”
“His name is Connor.”
“Chloe, he’s that other woman’s child. He’s living proof that Oliver screwed you over; I don’t understand why you have a role in his life.”
“It’s complicated...”
“No, it’s not. You should’ve said ‘no’ to him the first time he came to you.”
“Connor was crying and he didn’t know what to do. I just couldn’t turn him away with a crying baby.”
“And the next?” Lois asked and Chloe looked away from her. “You’re a good person, Chloe. But he had no right to ask you for help. He practically took advantage of you because he knew you wouldn’t say no.”
Chloe didn’t say anything for a few seconds. She looked away from Lois before she spoke again. “It wasn’t Connor’s fault, whatever happened in the past...”
“Technically, it was his fault...”
“Lois, he’s just a little boy. I... I can’t explain it, but whatever I feel for Oliver, I can’t blame Connor for it.”
Lois knew it was pointless talking to Chloe about this issue, and instead just gave her baby cousin a smile. “Lunch? I still want to hear about your dinner with George.”
She was rewarded with a groan from Chloe and Lois just grinned. “Come on, I want to hear all the details.”
_*_*
Oliver walked out of the shower and was not surprised to see his son looking at the pictures they took today on his laptop. Watching Connor enjoy every minute of their trip made him happy, the smile on his son’s face was enough for him.
“What was your favourite part of the day?”
Connor looked up and grinned. “The baby elephants!”
He walked closer and watched as Connor flicked through the pictures and listened as his son recounted their day.
“You had a good time today, then?”
Connor nodded enthusiastically. “I think I know what to get for Aunt Chloe. Can we go back to the place we went to yesterday?”
“Connor... I told you to make sure what you want, it’s not going to be easy to organise the trip back again.”
“I know... but I wanted to make sure it’s going to be perfect.” Connor replied. “I haven’t seen anything else, please, dad? Please?”
Oliver sighed and kissed his son on the forehead before he ruffled his hair. “I’ll see what I can do. Go to sleep, we have a big day tomorrow.”
Connor nodded his head and turned the laptop off, kissed his dad and practically jumped on his bed. “Good night, dad.”
“Good night, Connor.”
Oliver sat on the chair and watched as Connor settled himself on the bed. He’d never imagined himself as a father. He didn’t think it was an option in his life, until he met Chloe, until he screwed up and all the things he imagined became possible with another woman because he couldn’t get his head straight after his Apokolips.
The nightmares continued even when he was in Metropolis, safe and far away from the dungeons. He could never get rid of the stench of death, and every time he closed his eyes, he could still hear the screams of pain from the other prisoners. He could still feel the pain of every lash of the steel whip that was used on him, the burning sensation of the iron brand. He tried to hold on, and it was Chloe that made him strong. Thinking about her last words to him gave him hope. He was going to survive, and he was going to go home to her. He lost track of time, and there was a moment when he thought he was going to go insane, and that he would never see Chloe again.
He could barely look at Clark when he was rescued, his face was so bruised, and he thought he was going to lose his eyes. When he returned, Emil organised the best, and most discreet surgeons money could buy. He could barely see the scars, but he could still feel them.
Chloe was there for him. She stayed with him in the hospital until he was released with a clean bill of health. But her life was in Metropolis, with Isis and as Watchtower. He divided his time between the two cities, but every time he was alone, the shadows moved and the voices in his head continued to scream.
One morning after another uneventful meeting with the board of directors still concerned about his ‘kidnap for ransom’ experience, he was on his way for lunch when he met the person that would change his life.
“Are you Oliver Queen, you are, aren’t you?”
He turned around and saw a woman with a huge folder and looked as if she was out of breath. “I’m really sorry to bother you Mr. Queen, my name is Sandra Hawke and I wanted to talk you to about the development project in Franklin Island...”
“That really isn’t just up to me...”
“But you’re the big boss, right? Please, it will only take a few minutes.”
There was something about the way she looked at him, so determined to get him to listen that he found it difficult to say no. “I was about to have coffee, think you can make your point in that short period?”
“I can do that.” Sandra smiled, and the voices in Oliver’s head stopped screaming.
_*_*_
Well, I might need to re-think the order of my chapters; I do want Oliver to be
liked after all, besides, it would make things more interesting once George plays
a bigger part soon.
Thank you for all your comments, I absolutely appreciate them!