Chapter Text
Lena had never quite known where she belonged— she tended to keep to herself and stuck with what she knew. That included studying countless topics at a time, each with equal interest, yet none of them ever sparked any real passion within her. It was only when Lex took over the family business that something shifted. For the first time she could remember, Lena finally saw a potential future she could see herself exploring.
She was only fifteen when Lex gave her a tour of the building, showing her different projects he oversaw and walking her through the engineering of their most cutting edge tech. He had the grandest dreams of pushing innovation as far as he could imagine, and no matter the aspirations he held, Lena was always included in his vision, working alongside him. When she was nineteen, she graduated from MIT and was fast-tracked into the company, leading her own projects and building on Lex’s goals.
But everything changed one night when she was 23 and Lex’s car swerved off the freeway.
Even with the best lawyers all the money in the world could afford, the circumstances of the accident were unclear, and the board at Lexcorp voted for a change in leadership immediately. Lex’s body was still warm when the title of CEO was relinquished to his mother, and for whatever reason, since then, Lillian made it her personal mission to mold Lena into the next CEO of the company.
So, instead of being locked away in one of Lexcorp’s state-of-the-art labs with goggles fogging up after every concoction she’d make, for the last two years, Lena often found herself surrounded by suits, listening to them argue over cost-cutting measures and the path to profitability.
“The sheer incompetence…”
Lena blinked a few times, the irritation in her mother’s voice yanking her back to the present, her attention drawn to the empty mahogany chairs now displaced around the room, signifying that the board meeting had apparently come to a close. Aside from Lena, only Lillian remained in the room, her arms neatly folded on her lap, thumbs tapping each other ever so lightly.
“50 million gone if I don’t fix this,” Lillian muttered before shaking her head.
She wasn’t even talking to Lena; rather, she was airing out her grievances with the world. Grievances that always centered on the subject of losing money — the oldest motivation in the book, the antithesis to all of Lillian’s pursuits, the only subject she ever seemed to care about.
Which only ever made Lena want to try even harder.
“What if I call Robert and smooth it over?” Lena asked.
To idle eyes, her question would not even look like it caught Lillian’s attention, but having known her mother’s mannerisms for so long, Lena could easily make out the sudden stillness of her mother’s hands. She didn’t turn her head but Lena could now feel Lillian becoming acutely aware of her presence.
“That’s the initiative we need from you if you want to advance to the top. Though as well as you think you’re doing, you’ve also been slipping,” Lillian started, and only then did she turn her head, her sharp jaw pointing towards Lena. “Just because you’re a Luthor, it doesn’t mean you’re a shoe-in for being CEO. There’s always more investor meetings to be had and if we’re being honest with ourselves the last few didn’t go that well. You’ve been distracted lately.”
“Distracted with what?” Lena scoffed because of course even when she did something right, she’s still doing everything else wrong.
“You’ve been a mess since Andrea left you,” Lillian spat out, forgoing even the slightest compassion that could soften the blow.
“Oh god.” Lena stood from her seat and crossed the room, trying to get to the nearest cabinet full of drinks as fast as possible. “I am not about to have this conversation with you.”
“Though you may not believe it, I am a concerned mother and I think you need to go out again. Meet some new people and learn how to have fun.” Lillian gestured to the glass that was now in Lena’s hand. “Fill that void in your heart with something other than scotch.”
Lena ignored her and started pouring the first drink she could find. When there was enough liquid to get her through this conversation, she swiftly downed it in one gulp and forcefully slammed it back on the counter. “The scotch works just fine, thank you.”
“I suspected you’d be difficult about this.” Though the frustration was evident in Lillian’s voice, it was still the same even tone she always used when speaking to Lena. “That’s why I’ve taken matters into my own hands and called an old friend to set you up on a date with her daughter.”
The liquid was long down Lena’s throat but she almost choked on it anyway. “You did what?”
“Her name is Kara. Apparently she’s a painter, which I dare say is beneath you, but everyone has to start somewhere,” Lillian said dismissively before rising from her seat and making her way across the room towards Lena. “I need you to get out of this funk. And if you don’t care about my wishes, then do it for Lex. He had faith in you leading this company, but for that to happen, we not only need you performing at your best but also having favorable rapport with our stakeholders. And frankly, you aren’t very likable when you’re still depressed thinking about... bygones.”
Lillian always had a knack for bringing up Lex’s name whenever she wanted to win an argument.
And Lena hated that it always worked.
“One date?”
“It can start as that and you see where it goes from there. But I do want to remind you of Lexcorp’s annual Christmas party on the 23rd. I’m expecting you to come with someone. I don’t care if you bring her or find someone else but there better be a plus one by your side.”
If Lena started fiddling with her glass again, she was sure it was involuntary. “What does it matter if I bring a date or not?”
“Appearances always matter and the sooner you realize that, the better.” Lillian then looked down at Lena’s outfit and gave a slight scoff, as if it would further her point. “Pick a better outfit for the party.” She turned on her heels, and as they clacked out of the room, she added, “It’s semi-formal.”
***
“The whole thing is hilarious to me,” Sam said, handing a paper to Lena. “I didn’t even realize Lillian had any friends.”
“Funny, she said the same thing about me just before I introduced you.” A small smile formed on Lena’s lips remembering Lillian and Sam’s first interaction. It was the first time Lillian hated someone in Lena’s life and that trend only seemed to continue thereafter— except for when it came to one particular person that Lena was trying to forget.
She sighed loudly and grabbed the paper from Sam’s hands, adding it to the stack in front of her. She moved to pick up her pen but before she had a chance to sign her name on the bottom, her phone buzzed loudly.
“Is that…?”
Lena swiped the screen on her phone, quickly unlocking it and reading the text aloud: “Hey, this is Kara Danvers! My mom, Eliza, told me that you were looking to talk to more people who live in the city? Wondering when you might be free to meet?”
“Eliza definitely does not ring a bell.”
“She’s a scientist,” Lena said. “I think they were roommates in college or something.”
“Ah, interesting...”
Sam’s tone was an octave too high, so Lena held up her hand. “Let’s not. I’m more concerned with how this says I wanted to meet people in the city. How pathetic does that sound?”
“I think we need to reframe our thinking here. It’s not pathetic. It’s… endearing.”
Sam always did try to look at the positive side of life, and while Lena did appreciate hearing that optimistic point of view, she also was more of a realist.
“This is a mistake.” Lena shook her head. “I should just tell her she has the wrong number,” she continued, speaking faster than usual. “And then when Lillian asks, I’ll say she never contacted me.”
“Look, I’ll be the first to say that Lillian shouldn’t have gotten involved in your love life,” Sam started with twisted lips but then her usual positivity kicked in and she shrugged. “But what if this girl is cute? You can’t just stand her up.”
“It’s not standing up when we never even met. Besides, cute is dangerous. Cute leads to crushes and crushes lead to being crushed. I’m doing everyone a favor here if I just nip it right at the start.”
Sam didn’t get a chance to argue the defense any further as Lena’s phone chimed once more and another gray bubble popped up on her screen:
…This is Lena Luthor, right? Or is it her secretary? This is the only number I got but I know Lena works at a big time company so if this is her secretary can you schedule me into her day for like an hour?
Followed by another:
Or is thirty minutes better? I’m not sure how much spare time she has?
And another:
Also, is that how this works or would I have to call to make an appointment?
“Oh, you have to go on that date, she sounds so sweet,” Sam said, practically on top of Lena as she finished reading the message herself.
As much as it pained Lena to go along with a plan her mother initiated, something about these follow-up messages enticed her to give it a shot. Maybe she was being a tad dramatic about the whole thing. One date didn’t have to mean anything.
Lena’s thumbs danced quickly across her screen and before she knew it, she had sent a blue blurb of her own.
Hi, it’s Lena. An hour works. How’s 4 o’clock tomorrow?
“You could stand to show a bit more emotion in your texts. You’re sounding like Lillian over here.”
“Shut up,” Lena said, playfully pushing Sam in the shoulder and away from seeing her screen.
But her phone chimed again a moment later and when she read the message, Lena couldn’t stop herself from sharing with Sam.
“She wants to meet at Noonan’s.”
“The best coffee shop in the city.” Sam nodded assuredly. “Lena, I like her already.”
“You like everybody,” Lena replied, rolling her eyes. She looked at the message again and bit the bottom of her lip. “It’s just coffee, right? I can do this,” she mumbled more to herself than to anyone else.
Perfect. See you then.
“How’s this?” she asked, turning her phone to face Sam.
“Please put an emoji.”
“She’s getting a colon and an end parenthesis and that’s it.”
And with a few more taps on her phone, Lena hit send.
***
Lena arrived at Noonan’s around 10:00 AM but only because she wanted to settle in before Kara got there. It wasn’t Lena’s first time at the small café, but there was something about it that always managed to take her breath away.
As a corner shop, two walls were completely made up of large windows, letting sunlight beam through the café and casting a gentle glow all around the space. Ambient chatter echoed around her, and though Lena woke up early that morning with a bad case of the jitters, sitting here listening to the sounds of others catching up with friends or studying for a last minute exam somehow acted as a soothing symphony to ease Lena’s anxious mind.
She had brought her laptop to continue advancing in her projects and with the calming atmosphere surrounding her, time flew by faster than she anticipated, until she eventually found herself in the middle of an important phone call when a young woman walked up to her table.
“Hi, Lena, right?”
Lena looked up from her laptop screen and for a moment, her eyes lingered on the mysterious woman, taking in every detail starting with the black squared frames that barely concealed the top half of her face. Lena’s eyes glanced downwards from there, noticing the light pink hue under the tip of the woman’s nose, a testament to the brisk cold air that must have engulfed her outside. But the weather didn’t seem to have any impact on the perfectly soft blonde curls that cascaded just below her shoulders as if she were walking right off a photoshoot after getting her hair done.
“I—” Lena shook her head as she tried to regain her composure. “Yes, one second,” she said to, who she assumed was Kara, before placing her hand on her ear. “Sorry, Jack. My 4 o’clock is here. We’ll have to continue tomorrow.” When the line cut, Lena directed her attention back towards the woman standing before her. “My apologies, Kara. You can have a seat.”
“Sure, let me just—” Kara started before whirling around to the barista near the counter, just to her left, saying, “I’ll have whatever she’s having.”
Lena scrunched up her face. “But you don’t know what I’m having.”
“That’s the adventure of it,” Kara said with a shrug. She started to settle in her seat, but when she turned her gaze back to Lena, meeting her blank expression, Kara faltered. “Why? What are you having?”
“Coffee,” Lena said, pausing for a moment, before adding, “Black.”
Kara nodded to herself. “Well, okay. Not so adventurous then.”
“I’d say classic,” Lena countered, and she knew it was ridiculous to get defensive over how she took her coffee, but it’s only because, with just a few words, Kara’s carefree attitude reminded her of Lillian’s request to “meet some new people and learn how to have fun,” which was an absurd comment coming from Lillian in the first place since she was primarily responsible for removing any fun Lena ever had in her life.
So yes, the coffee was black. But at least Lena showed up today, even after Lillian described her as—
“I have friends, by the way,” Lena blurted out, needing to sound less pathetic than Lillian made her out to be.
“I’m sorry?” Kara said.
“Your message said I was looking to talk to more people in the city, and I’m sorry if Lillian gave your mother the impression that I’m a recluse, but I do have friends.”
“Sure, I don’t doubt it,” Kara said, quickly holding her hands up placatingly. “If it makes you feel better, my sister Alex always calls me a bit of a loner too. But I also do have friends.”
Lena nodded at that but she didn’t have anything more to add.
It felt like such a typical Lena move— turning the conversation into an awkward silence after a mere two minutes together. But as the seconds ticked by, Kara just lowered her hands and smiled back at Lena, as if she was entirely unfazed by the awkward tension filling the air. If anything, the only change in behavior that Lena picked up on was the curiosity that sparked in Kara’s eyes the longer the silence stretched.
The barista came a moment later, placing Kara’s coffee down in front of her, and though Kara wrapped her hands around it, she didn’t pick the drink up right away. Instead, she held Lena’s gaze and asked, “So, what did your mother say about me?”
Lena let out a chuckle that sounded too bittersweet for her own liking.
“Lillian isn’t one for sharing so I had to pry information out of her, but all I really got was that you were born in Midvale and your mother and sister both work in the sciences, yet you’re a painter.”
“Yeah, that’s mostly true,” Kara said. She took a sip of her black coffee and judging by the crinkle at the top of her nose, immediately regretted it. She set it back on the table before reaching for the creamer. “I don’t really know if I was born in Midvale, exactly. I was adopted by the Danvers, so I was raised there, but I'm not sure where I’m really from.”
“Oh really? I’m actually adopted too.”
“I was wondering if that’s why you kept calling your mother Lillian. I do that with Eliza so it was either that you were adopted too, or you don’t necessarily have the best relationship with her.”
“A bit of both for me,” Lena admitted, but for the life of her could not say why she was being overly honest with this stranger. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that she was distracted by Kara pouring an obscene amount of creamer in her cup, which only seemed to come to an end after a solid thirty seconds. “That’s uh… a lot of peppermint creamer by the way.”
“Oh, I know, it’s the best,” Kara said, taking a sip and relishing in the taste, her eyes closing and her features softening, the crinkle around her nose disappearing entirely.
Lena couldn’t help but smile. She figured she would hate the taste herself but it was nice to see someone enjoying a silly drink without a care in the world. Lena couldn’t remember the last time she tried an unusual drink, always sticking to whatever was socially acceptable, whatever Lillian forced her to like when she was molding her into becoming the company figurehead. Or probably, even before then, because Lillian had been sculpting Lena to be a certain way ever since she was brought to the Luthor household.
“May I ask what you were told about me?”
“I didn’t get much either,” Kara said. She suddenly looked a little uneasy, like she didn’t want to answer the question directly. “I— I know you recently went through a break-up with someone and… you’re having a hard time getting over your ex.”
Lena was nothing short of mortified. “Of course, she’s telling everyone about the breakup.”
“I didn’t want to—”
“It was mutual, by the way. And it’s not that I’m having a hard time getting over her. That’s—That’s not true. I’m over it. But I’m just not ready to start dating again.” She wasn’t entirely sure if she was explaining herself to Kara to sound less pathetic or if she was saying it to convince herself. Either way, the words almost felt rehearsed at this point.
“That makes perfect sense,” Kara replied with a smile, one that felt awfully like pity, which is perhaps why she continued speaking, trying to shift the conversation in another direction. “But uh— I think you got more information about me than I did about you, so this doesn’t seem fair at all. You know I’m a painter, but what do you do for work?”
And Lena should’ve felt grateful for the change in conversation, especially when it transitioned to work — the only thing she had been concentrating on for the last two years — yet something about this entire conversation was making her second-guess that too.
Kara must’ve picked up on the hesitation because she continued speaking, “Wait, actually, let me guess.” She gave Lena a once over and asked, “Lawyer?”
Lena stifled a laugh. In another life, she had considered it.
“Okay, clearly not.” Kara focused her eyes even more, peering as if it would give her telepathic powers which would reveal the answer to her. “Accountant?”
Lena smiled, thinking about how she loved filing her taxes. “No, I work in investor relations.”
“I feel like all three are the same thing,” Kara said with a light chuckle, not enough to offend, but contagious enough to get Lena laughing along with her, despite the fact that she was usually very serious about her work.
Laughter subsiding, Lena explained, “The corporate world does always come down to the same thing, so you’re not entirely wrong.”
“I can’t even imagine what it must be like working there.”
“I assume it’s quite different from the life of a painter,” Lena started to say, not knowing how she could possibly find even ground with Kara on this subject. She tried to think of any paintings in the office, but even with the current office layout flashing through her mind, Lena couldn’t even recall having a single piece of artwork hung on the walls. “I imagine yours is far more colorful too. Our office is just a different shade of gray on each floor.”
“Even during the holiday period?”
“Especially during the holidays,” Lena said bleakly. “They don’t want anyone to get into that Christmas spirit, lest it stop them from coming into work.”
“Yikes, yeah that’s not— it’s very different for me. I used to paint and sell my works in collections but lately, and especially around the holidays, I’ve been trying to do more charity work.” Lena could feel her shoulders loosen as Kara picked up the mantle of leading the conversation. “So, this year, I’m actually organizing a Christmas charity auction to raise funds so that we can buy presents for kids at the National City Orphanage."
“Wow, that’s amazing,” Lena said, her eyes widening in awe. “Is this the first year you’re organizing this?”
“Yeah, I’ve done smaller projects in the past but it’s the first year doing something this big.” Fidgeting with her fingers, Kara dropped her eyes momentarily to the floor. “If I’m being honest, I am a little nervous about it. It’s a lot of work… and I’ll probably be busy this whole holiday season just trying to organize everything.”
Lena softened, understanding the impossible dilemma of a work-life balance.
“Don’t be nervous,” she said, trying to keep her voice as steady and reassuring as possible. “You sound inspired about it. And anyone who cares that much about making a difference will do everything in their power to do the best job they can.”
“I can only hope,” Kara added, taking another sip.
And maybe it was the way that Kara was gently holding her cup with her eyes downcast, probably looking the way that Lena felt when Kara first walked into the coffee shop, that urged Lena to keep on going and say something more which might make a difference.
“Well, I know we just met, so it might not mean much, but… I believe in you,” Lena said.
Kara lifted her eyes up and there was a slight glimmer in them, a quiet thank you hidden behind those soft blues.
That look remained on Kara’s face as they continued going back and forth for the rest of their allotted time. They were in the middle of discussing Kara’s usual Christmas traditions when Lena’s 5 o’clock alarm blared loudly, making both of them jump in their seats.
Lena mentally chided herself for setting it in the first place when Kara, as respectful as ever, rose from her seat and wrapped her scarf around her neck.
“Don’t want to make you late for your next meeting,” Kara said.
And no matter how hard she tried, Lena couldn’t even remember if she had another meeting today. She was so caught up in the conversation with Kara, that for the first time in a long time, work seemed so far away from her mind.
“Good luck with your charity auction.” Lena nearly left it at that, but an admission crept its way up her throat. “And thank you for making this completely awkward setup by our parents not absolutely horrible.”
“Not absolutely horrible is my forte,” Kara replied with a cheeky smile, and really, such a stupid sentence should not have had such an effect on Lena, making her hide her face from Kara into her long finished drink as she couldn’t help but mimic her smile.
“It was nice meeting you,” Kara finished saying.
Lena slowly lowered her cup, hoping she didn't seem as bashful as she felt.
“You as well,” she replied.
And with that, Kara gave Lena a final nod and walked out of Noonan’s.
The shop rang loudly once the door opened and shut, and for a few moments after Kara’s exit, Lena just stared at the door, replaying the last hour over and over again in her mind, with one radiant smile remaining plastered on her face.
***
Lena barely made it two steps inside her apartment before her phone started to ring.
She saw Lillian’s name flash across the screen and debated ignoring the call, but Lena knew ignoring it would mean having an extra five minute discussion with Lillian on “why ignoring calls is very unprofessional”, and Lena wanted to preserve at least some of her sanity today.
“Hello, mother,” she answered into the phone with an even tone.
“You sound chirpy. I presume the date went well?” Lillian asked.
“It went about as well as it could for someone who thinks I’m still pining over my ex,” Lena said as she started unbuttoning her jacket and removing her hat. “Who else did you tell about the breakup?”
“Well, I don’t have names off hand but given the way you've presented yourself I didn’t think it was a secret that you were going through one.”
Lena sighed heavily, realizing that answer must mean everyone knows about the breakup, which was bad enough for most people going through a rough time, but even worse considering that Andrea and Lena worked in the same circles. Lena shook her head, trying to rid her mind of the thought as she continued removing layers of clothing, pulling a pair of gloves out of her pockets and placing them on her kitchen counter.
“So is that all you’re going to tell me about the date?” Lillian asked after a short silence ensued.
“I didn’t realize you cared for a play-by-play,” Lena said with a laugh of disbelief. “What more do you want to hear?”
“Was she nice?”
“She was—” Lena stalled in her words as she pulled another pair of gloves out of her pockets and held them in her hands. Her eyes darted between the pair in her hands and those on the counter, noting how they looked eerily similar, but obviously could not have both belonged to her. When the conclusion dawned on her, Lena just smiled to herself. “She was very nice, so I don’t think you would have liked her at all.”
A loud huff sounded through the phone’s speaker. “Well, then I guess it’s good this was only a one date thing.”
Lena paused for a moment, considering her options.
“No, it’s not, actually,” she started slowly. She fiddled with the gloves in her hand, knowing this opportunity would be too good to pass up. “We really hit it off. And I’m planning on seeing her soon for another date. Tomorrow, probably.”
“I see,” Lillian mumbled to herself, and the quietness in her voice felt like a small win to Lena. Lillian then cleared her throat and continued, “Well, don’t waste all your time on this date. We still have a merger to finalize. I’m sending over some documents to you now. I expect your notes on them at tomorrow’s meeting.”
“I’ll take a look.”
“Good,” Lillian replied and after that one word alone, the phone line suddenly disconnected.
Lowering her phone from her ear, Lena immediately saw a notification come in from her email. She clicked it open and it previewed a fifty page document that would undoubtedly take the rest of the night to analyze. While she would normally be up for the challenge, Lena’s left hand was still clutching onto the unfamiliar pair of gloves, and for the second time that day, work was suddenly taking the backseat in Lena’s mind.
She closed the email and opened up the camera on her phone, snapping a picture of the gloves before sending it in a message to Kara with the caption: Yours?
Three small dots appeared immediately but was quickly replaced with a gray message:
😵 Mine are missing so probably
Lena tapped the edge of her phone delicately with her finger. Uncertainty was gnawing at her thoughts while her stomach churned through different emotions. She wasn’t sure how she wanted to play this.
They looked like mine.
Seconds later, Lena got another response:
You must have Excellent taste
It made Lena chuckle. Even though they had only met once, she could already hear those words in Kara’s voice. Lena answered back:
Obviously.
Hostage exchange?
If Lena wasn’t standing upright, she might have looked like a giddy teenager, kicking her feet back as she texted Kara over and over. Though as much as all the previous texts had Lena reeling, it was Kara’s next reply which nearly sent Lena in a frenzy:
What’s the ransom 👀
It was such a simple question but there were so many possibilities for the answer, depending how much of a risk Lena wanted to take. She obviously found Kara attractive, Lena couldn’t even lie to herself about that, but she still thought it to be true that she wasn’t exactly ready to start another relationship. And given Kara’s busy schedule with the charity auction, Lena wasn’t even sure how much time Kara had to spare. So, Lena kept it as simple as possible:
One plain black coffee.
Kara, who apparently was as glued to her phone as Lena, replied a moment later:
Done. I’ll meet you at Noonan’s, say 10 o’clock?
Lena took a quick look at the calendar on her phone and saw that she was set to have her meeting with Lillian at 10. Despite never having canceled on Lillian in the past, Lena simply shrugged at the thought, fully aware that rescheduling was unavoidable. The anticipation from her ongoing conversations with Kara had left her both nervous and excited, making it impossible for her to concentrate on annotating a fifty-page document tonight. So without any regret, Lena closed her calendar app and opened up her messages once more, sending one final text:
Perfect for me. See you then 🙂
***
“Order for Lena?”
“I’ll take that,” Kara said, reaching over to the barista and grabbing the drink. Carrying it carefully, she walked over to the table that Lena was sitting at and placed it down in front of her. “I believe we’re now settled.”
Lena smiled and handed the gloves back to Kara. “Then the hostages are yours.”
“And I’ve missed them so much,” Kara said, lifting them up and giving them a tight hug, close to her chest. “No but seriously, thank you for this. I’m going Christmas tree shopping with Eliza and Alex today, so I’m going to need them if the weather stays this temp.”
Kara spoke so calmly that it took a second for her words to register in Lena’s mind. “Wait,” Lena started, widening her eyes a moment later. “Your family is here?”
“Yeah, they surprised me yesterday,” Kara said, her voice oddly laced with more distress than excitement. She seemed to realize the change in tone herself as she added, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to see them,” and a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she continued, “but with the charity auction I just don’t have all the time in the world to spend with them. Not like I usually do this time of the year.”
“Right,” Lena whispered, and she wanted to say something more, something to comfort Kara and help alleviate some of the stress from this situation, but a persistent thought kept nagging at the back of Lena's mind, and though she tried to push it back, the words escaped from her mouth like a bile reflux. “Do you happen to know if your mother spoke to mine?” The question only lingered in the air for a brief moment before Lena continued stammering, “I’m sure it’s probably nothing bu—”
“Hi Kara!” a voice sounded from across the room.
Lena’s eyes flashed over to the sound of the voice, landing on a woman who was probably in her early fifties and was quickly approaching their table with a big smile on her face, waving her hand emphatically, as if trying to command Kara's immediate attention. Just behind her was another woman, seemingly around the same age as Kara, but that’s as far as their similarities went as this woman had fiery red hair and unlike Kara’s penchant for dressing in bright colors, she wore black from head to toe. Though she was behind the older woman, she tried to reach out in front of her to subtly lower the other’s waving hand.
Both of their entrances made Lena’s heart sink and she felt an uneasiness growing in the pit of her stomach, realizing who they must be.
“We need to talk!” Lena quickly whisper-yelled at Kara before the two women made their way to the table, sitting down right next to Lena and Kara as if their arrival was expected.
For the second time in as many days, Lena felt mortified.
“What are you guys doing here?” Kara asked, her eyes narrowing as she looked from Lena to Eliza and then to Alex. “I told you to meet me in thirty minutes. You’re twenty-nine minutes early.”
“And you know I like getting places early. Early is on time and on time is late,” Eliza replied.
“I told her not to do this,” Alex said, looking truly apologetic.
Eliza pivoted her attention away from her children, turning to Lena as she said, “Lena, it is so nice to meet you!”
She stuck her hand out a moment later and held a vibrant smile. There was such a warmth to her presence and it felt like the most sincere greeting Lena had ever received.
“Likewise, Mrs. Danvers,” Lena said, shaking her hand and trying her best to tell herself that this was just like meeting any investor. Nothing had to be weird about it.
“You can call me Eliza, sweetie.”
“I’m Alex,” the woman diagonal to Lena announced. “And I am really sorry about this.”
“Alex, please stop apologizing to everyone. Lillian said they were hitting it off and if that was true, then I just wanted to personally invite Lena to join us at the Christmas tree lot.”
It wasn’t really said as a question but it certainly felt like one when Eliza and Alex looked at her expectantly. They both held such intent gazes that Lena couldn’t even bring herself to look away and see how Kara was reacting to their sudden presence.
“I—” Lena started and suddenly her throat felt very dry. It was so unlike her. She tried to gulp away the feeling but no matter how many times she told herself that this was like any other meeting, she couldn’t deny that it felt much scarier than talking to a room full of the wealthiest individuals in National City. “I do love Christmas trees.”
“That weirdly sounds like a yes,” Alex said, scrunching up her eyes and looking back and forth between Lena and Kara.
Only now did Lena take a proper look at Kara, and when she saw her doe-like stare, Lena knew that she had to act quickly.
“Kara, can I borrow you for a second?” she choked out before gulping once more and adding, “Outside?”
Kara remained voiceless, simply nodding and nearly knocking over her chair as she stumbled out of her seat, her foot hooking on the leg of the chair while she raced outdoors. Lena followed close behind her in a similar rush, yet she moved with a bit more composure. Outside, safely away from Eliza and Alex, Kara finally regained her voice.
“What just happened?”
“Our mothers clearly spoke to each other,” Lena said, running a hand across her forehead, already feeling an incoming headache.
“I still feel like I’m missing something here.”
“Okay,” Lena said with a long exhale. “Okay. Here’s the thing. Lillian called me yesterday and I let her think that you and I got along… far better than we did.”
Lena paused for a moment, giving Kara a chance to register the words. Kara’s reaction came in the form of her head slightly swaying from side to side like she was considering the implications, and all options weighed heavily on her.
“Not that I don’t like you or anything but why would you tell her that?” Kara asked.
“My relationship with Lillian is… complicated,” Lena explained. There was so much there to unpack that Lena wasn’t even sure how best to summarize this for Kara. “I’m tired of her telling everybody about my breakup with Andrea,” she continued, starting with the most recent issue. “So, I just thought, if I said we went on a date and that I’d see you again today, then maybe she would stop mentioning the breakup to others. And well…” Lena trailed off on the next admission, fearing Kara’s reaction to it. “There’s also the fact that you’re nice and she’s the complete opposite of that, so she’d absolutely hate the idea of me dating someone like you.”
“Wait,” Kara said, starting to chuckle, seemingly finding the whole thing amusing. “You fake-dated us to your mother?”
“Technically, yes. But I didn’t think she would call Eliza, and so—”
“Now, my family thinks we’re dating too,” Kara said, connecting the dots.
“I’m really sorry about all of this,” Lena said while shaking her head, like she was disappointed in herself. “I didn’t intend on getting your family implicated in this, so I’ll just explain to them it was a big misunderstanding and then I’ll tell the truth to Lillian.”
“It wouldn’t complicate anything at all and well…” Kara trailed off, taking a quick glance at her family sitting inside the coffeeshop. She was biting the bottom of her lip when she rushed out, “Would it be so wrong if we didn’t clarify?”
Lena stayed silent but a single eyebrow slowly arched upwards at that question. Kara must have taken it as encouragement because she continued speaking.
“I mean not clarifying right away, at least. Maybe we can ride this out till Christmas Eve?”
Lena narrowed her eyes. “What’s in it for you?”
“You know how I told you about the Christmas traditions I do with my family?” Kara asked and she waited for Lena to nod before continuing, “I won’t have much time to participate this year cause I have to prepare for the auction. But a charming plus-one might distract them enough not to notice how often I’m gone.”
“Would that really work on them?”
“Honestly, they’d probably be more interested in grilling my fake girlfriend than they would care for me being there.”
“Interesting…” Lena mumbled, and though she knew this mess was primarily her fault, she also saw an opportunity presenting itself that might help her with another Lillian-based problem. “I don’t think I’d have an issue with that but on my end I do have an important Christmas party coming up where I would definitely benefit from having a charming plus-one.”
For a moment, it looked like all the gears in Kara’s head were turning as she stood still, her eyes never moving from Lena. Her considerations seemed to hang in the air.
But then a small smile tugged at Kara’s lips.
“I’m in if you’re in,” she said.
And those five words should have had Lena running in the opposite direction. Every logical part of her being was screaming that this was a bad idea, from the voice at the back of her head to the lump forming in her throat.
But Lena found herself reciprocating Kara’s smile, and she betrayed her stiff muscles, sticking out her hand in Kara’s direction.
“Then it’s a deal,” she said.
She expected Kara to shake on it, to cement this agreement in the only way that Lena knew how to conduct business. But instead, Kara shook her head, her golden locks swaying with the movement.
“We have to be much closer than that if we’re going to sell it,” Kara said and she raised her arms out, waiting for Lena to take the final step forward.
Her gesture must have ignited the last remaining rational part of Lena because she hesitated once again, this agreement getting riskier by the minute. Lena’s eyes quickly moved back inside the coffeeshop, catching sight of Alex and Eliza who were not-so-subtly looking in their direction. Eliza quickly looked away when she noticed Lena’s eyes on them, but Alex doubled-down, narrowing her gaze on Lena, solidifying Kara’s words of them needing to sell it.
So Lena did what any normal person under too much scrutiny would do and she stepped forward, letting herself become enveloped in Kara’s hug.
It was all for the theatrics but Lena couldn’t deny that it felt good to be held so tightly and to feel the warmth of another body pressed against her own. It had been ages since she held somebody like this, and hugging Sam didn’t count. This felt different than that, like the cold air around them would start defrosting if they held each other for a moment too long.
It’s not like she was counting how long the hug was anyway. All she knew was that it was coming to an end, far sooner than she would’ve liked, when she heard “deal” whispered above her, in the quietest of exhales.
***
The Christmas lot wasn’t too far away from Noonan’s, which Lena was thankful for, as it only meant she was subject to a short interrogation session from Eliza. And though the questions started with Eliza grilling Lena, at some point they turned into life lessons for Alex.
“You see,” Eliza said, turning from Lena to look at Alex. “Lena has worked at the same job for six years. You don’t see that type of dedication these days.”
Alex sighed loudly and covered her eyes with her hands. “Mom, I’ve explained this many times. Kelly had a great opportunity, so we decided to move closer to it. I left my job because it would have been too far of a drive.”
“I know, sweetie, but you were so happy at your last job,” Eliza continued. “I just hope you’ll find something new that will make you that happy again.”
“I promise not to settle for anything less,” Alex said with a quick smile before her eyes darted past Eliza, spotting a hot chocolate stand at the corner of the street. “But for now I might settle down with some hot coco. Drinks anyone?”
Kara nearly jumped at the question. “I’ll take my usual!”
“Sugar in a cup, got it,” Alex said before turning to Lena. “Are you also a hot coco double peppermint type of person?”
“Not at all,” Lena said, looking a bit nervous, in fear of Kara’s whole family sharing her fondness for peppermint. “But, I can take a regular hot chocolate if that’s okay?”
“Sure thing. Mom, want to grab these orders with me?” Alex asked, and it was so clearly a way of giving Kara and Lena some privacy, especially when she didn’t wait for Eliza’s response and simply looped her arm in Eliza’s before tugging her away.
Not that Lena minded much. Though Alex and Eliza seemed nice, Lena didn’t know what to say around them. She barely knew what to say around Kara. She barely knew Kara.
“Do you really put peppermint in all your drinks?” Lena asked once Alex and Eliza were out of earshot.
“‘Tis the season!” Kara proclaimed with a wide grin like that answered the question in itself. She was already bouncing around with excitement, sans peppermint drink, when she asked, “Have you ever tried it?”
Lena shook her head.
“I’m giving you a sip of mine then,” Kara replied and there was a sparkle in her eyes at the prospect of changing Lena’s life with that drink. “Kelly was a non-peppermint believer too, but I’ve recently gotten her to come around to it.”
“That’s Alex’s wife, right?”
“Yeah,” Kara mumbled and there was a tinge of sadness with just that one spoken word. “Usually she’s with us but she got held up at work this year… I think Alex said she was trying to make it in time for auction night though?”
Lena could almost feel the hope vibrating off of Kara. It almost seemed like Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas if Kelly wasn’t around to celebrate with the Danvers.
“Well, then I can’t wait to meet her,” Lena said and maybe her words ignited some of that invisible hope in Kara because that tinge of sadness slowly vanished and a subtle smile started to creep up on Kara’s face instead.
It was lovely hearing how close the Danvers family was, especially during the holiday season. They actually wanted to spend time together— a stark contrast to Lena’s experiences with her own family who only ever saw her in the confines of a board room.
Which is why, when her phone started vibrating in her pocket and she slipped it out to see Lillian’s name on the caller ID, Lena felt like the universe was playing an especially heinous joke on her. She couldn’t even think about a functional family without being violently reminded of her own broken one.
“Do you need to answer that?” Kara asked, having noticed Lena staring at her phone instead of picking it up.
“I’m positive it’s not important,” Lena said, silencing the incoming call and slipping her phone back into her pocket. She knew ignoring the call would cost her something but that was future Lena’s problem to deal with. Right now, she was on a far more important mission. “So, how does the tree picking work exactly?” she asked as she looked out at the array of trees in front of her.
Kara hesitated for a second, like she was considering probing more but then decided against it.
“It’s hard to explain,” Kara said after her brief silence. She then started to walk ahead, her hands grazing on the branches as she moved forward. “You kind of know it when you see it.”
“That’s such an artist's response.”
Kara chuckled in confusion. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You get a feeling when the tree is good, right? But for me, I would probably compare each tree I see based on its height, how evenly the branches are spread, if there’s one area that’s more concentrated with green compared to another.”
“That’s arguably more of an artist’s response. You’re analyzing a whole breakdown of the trees,” Kara said, a crinkle appearing in between her eyebrows as she thought about Lena’s words.
“I’d say it’s more scientific, if anything.”
“Now you sound like my family,” Kara chuckled but it ceased the next second when she gasped loudly in realization. “Oh, they’re really going to love you.”
“They better if we want this plan to work,” Lena said with a small smile. She understood the scope of their deal but Lena also didn’t want their conversations to solely revolve around that lie. Plus it wouldn’t hurt anyone if she got to know Kara a little better. “Speaking of artists—that does remind me— I wanted to ask how you got into painting in the first place.” Lena was hardly looking at the trees now as she focused on Kara. “Why not follow the same path as your family?”
She had barely finished asking the question before Kara started shrugging, like it was habitual to anyone asking her about her profession.
“I always had more of a passion for art in school,” Kara said, and she paused, like she considered leaving the answer at that, but then she looked back at Lena and perhaps that smile on her lips encouraged Kara to continue. So Kara moved her eyes up high, as if she were trying to remember exactly how she came to make that lifelong decision. “I was good at science. Really good.” Her eyes moved back down and focused on Lena again. “Eliza thought I was a prodigy. But it was always so objective and elemental. I preferred creating something from within, something that could have different meanings, based on who is looking at it.”
“I love that,” Lena said. “Wish I had that talent myself.”
“It does take a bit of practice to get, so who knows, maybe you do have it.”
“Oh you are sweet,” Lena laughed, thinking about Sam’s words as she pushed past Kara, and started looking at the trees again, testing to see if she really did have this so-called talent. She began with the ones that were furthest away, trying her best to see the big picture instead of focusing on their individual differences. But as much as she tried, all that Lena was feeling was “prickly” and she was positive that wasn’t the type of feeling Kara was talking about.
Which meant she needed more time and had to stall with another question. “Do you have any finished artworks I can see?”
“Ah, that’s a whole other thing,” Kara said with a bit of a sigh. “I’ve been in a painter’s block. Haven’t had much inspiration lately, but I’m hoping I can get something done for the auction.”
“You still have time,” Lena tried to encourage.
“Thanks,” Kara nodded. “I really hope something will pop up in my head. It would look pretty bad if I can’t even donate to the auction I’m throwing.”
“I don’t think anyone would think poorly of you if you don’t have time to do so. It’s a lot of work just organizing the auction to begin with,” Lena said, and as the words left her mouth, she realized that she was still missing some details about this event in the first place. “How did you decide on giving the funds to National City’s Orphanage?”
“Great question,” Kara said, and though she started with a smile, like she was happy that Lena asked, her face also faltered like there was something to be sad about. “Well, you know that the Danvers adopted me, but before I was with them, I actually spent a year in an orphanage.” Lena noticed how Kara clutched a necklace around her neck before she continued. “I was thirteen when my parents passed away.”
“I’m so sorry,” Lena interrupted.
“It’s fine. It was a long time ago,” Kara said. She let go of the necklace and moved her hand to the tree that was out in front of her. Her fingers started delicately playing with the ends of the pine. “But it was close to Christmas time when it happened and for me to go from spending Christmas surrounded by loved ones to being alone with a bunch of strangers… it was hard.”
Lena nodded along. She experienced a similar uprooting but she was too young to remember her parents with the clarity and weight that Kara did. The pain must have been unimaginable and Lena wasn’t even sure what to say, so she remained silent, giving Kara the space to continue sharing her story.
“But the orphanage did their best,” Kara continued after a brief silence. “And I remember Christmas morning I wasn’t expecting anything, just wanted to stay in bed all day long, but they handed me this sketchbook and this nice collection of 80 coloured markers.” Kara looked down at her hands as if she could see the set right before her. She then looked back up at Lena with a brilliant smile. “It was the biggest marker pack I had ever seen. Even with my parents, I only ever got the 24 pack of markers. But this one had every color I could think of, and the orphanage went out of their way to get something art related because they knew I would like it. So I ended up spending the whole day drawing, and I—”
Kara paused again, and though she seemed to talk about this moment like it was a happy memory, Lena started to see a few tears forming in her eyes. It gave her this urge to reach up and wipe them away, but Lena had to remind herself that they barely knew each other. So she kept her hands by her side, toying with her fingers to avoid making a fool of herself.
“Sorry,” Kara said with a slight chuckle, wiping away her own tears. “I just wanted to say I never forgot it. They didn’t have to do that but it meant so much to me. It reminded me of my parents and it made me feel less alone.”
Lena loved the sentiment behind that, even if she couldn’t relate herself.
“It’s beautiful that you want to give that opportunity to others now,” she said.
“Everyone deserves a happy Christmas,” Kara said with another shrug.
Lena nodded but the phrase tugged at her more than she liked to admit. Normally, she’d keep these type of thoughts to herself but Kara had been so honest and—
“I think I’ve only had one truly happy Christmas memory,” Lena admitted. “It was the first Christmas I spent with the Luthors.”
Kara seemed to stand a bit taller as Lena started to open up some more.
“How old were you?” she asked, her brows furrowing with curiosity.
“Five… I had only been there for a couple of months,” Lena answered. “I was so young and I don’t normally remember the details of my life at that age, but this one I remember so clearly— we were in the living room, the fireplace crackling in front of us, casting a warm shine just in the center of the room where I was sitting down next to my brother Lex. He had just gotten a magnificent glass chess set and he was so excited to show me.”
“I knew you were smart but you knew how to play chess at five?” Kara said in amazement.
Shaking her head, a light laugh escaped from Lena’s lips. “Of course not,” she replied. “I just thought the pieces were pretty. But Lex took my interest in the set as something more and he showed me how each piece was allowed to move across the board.”
Lena paused for a fleeting moment, remembering how bittersweet the next part was.
“He felt bad that I didn’t get a gift that year, so he shared his with me.” A small smile grew at the corners of her lips. “Lex was always good at doing that— sharing his wins with me.”
“It sounds like a great memory,” Kara said. “But how come it was only that one time? You didn’t spend any other Christmases with him?”
“He was always too busy after that Christmas, and then two years ago, he got in an accident and that was that,” Lena said in a rush, hoping it would soften the blow, not wanting to burden Kara with her pain.
But Kara shifted closer. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she said, her voice filled with compassion.
Lena’s, “It’s fine”, was barely above a whisper.
And maybe Lena sounded more vulnerable than she intended to be as it resulted in Kara extending her hand towards Lena’s, a silent gesture to show her support. With only the slightest hesitation, Kara delicately brushed her fingertips against Lena’s hand.
The soft touch made Lena’s breath catch in the back of her throat, and though she had refrained from reaching out earlier with a similar gesture, at this moment, Kara’s touch felt right, not too much, and not too soon, but just like the proper amount of Scotch to make a drink Irish.
They let a few moments pass by in silence before the scent of the pines around them started becoming too overbearing for Lena. “Kara, I have to be honest with you,” she started to say after clearing her throat. She waited for Kara’s quiet mhm before Lena whispered, “I really cannot tell you which is the best tree here.”
Her admission made Kara burst forward, laughter filling the space she occupied as her hands slipped away from Lena’s grasp. All the warmth seemed to disappear with her, and it made Lena yearn for that delicate touch to return in a not-so-distant future.
“Yeah, I figured. But it’s fine. I already knew which one I wanted anyways,” Kara confessed, a playful grin gracing the corners of her lips as she turned around, her gaze fixed on a specific tree in the distance.
Lena followed in her line of sight. “Please tell me it’s not the tree over there with the middle branch that’s sticking way out.”
“Of course it’s that one!” Kara exclaimed, her grin only growing wider. “It looks like it’s trying to shake my hand with that branch.” She walked closer to it, Lena following just behind her, rolling her eyes at the idea that a hand-shaking branch is what set this tree apart from the rest, what made it stand out as the perfect Christmas tree in this lot. “Grab it on that side, will you?”
“Are we carrying it ourselves?”
“How else do you want me to take it home?” Kara asked with a chuckle.
“They don’t have a trolley or someone who works here that will transport it for us?”
“If we didn’t just talk about our childhoods, that alone would have gotten me to realize we grew up very differently,” Kara continued laughing. “Just hold it right…” She trailed off, arranging Lena’s arm on the side of the tree where there were the least amount of branches. “There we go!”
“Spiky,” Lena mumbled. She closed and opened her hands around the branch a few times before asking, “You don’t want your family’s opinion on the tree before we buy it?” Tilting her head back to the hot chocolate stand, she noticed that Eliza and Alex were only now speaking to the cashier and ordering the drinks. The line must have been longer than it looked at this distance.
“No, it’s usually me who picks it and then they just help with decorating, but…”
Lena turned her head back to Kara, waiting for her to finish the thought.
“This feels like a big moment in our relationship, right?” Kara said.
And for such a simple question, Lena isn’t sure why it made her mind fall into turmoil, thoughts colliding and jumbling together like buildings caught in a tornado. She willed herself to stay grounded in the moment, to ignore the sound of blood thumping in her eardrums and to do her best to maintain her composure.
Which resulted in a quiet: “I’m sorry?”
“I mean, buying our first Christmas tree together as a couple,” Kara explained and she had a certain glint in her eyes that did nothing to cure Lena’s whirlwind of thoughts. “I feel like we should capture the moment or something?”
“As in taking a picture?” Lena asked, and while she understood the simplicity of the request, she couldn’t help but wonder if this was really just a fleeting moment that was part of their act or if there was some underlying thought behind Kara’s action.
Kara held out her phone in her hand. “If that’s okay with you?”
Every word was spoken with such innocence but it had Lena buzzing with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. On one hand, she loved the idea of them capturing such a beautiful day, a day in which Lena was able to open herself up to a new potential friend, if not something more. But another part of Lena clung to the shadows, thinking about the consequences of a certain someone seeing this picture of her with another woman.
“Are you going to post it anywhere?”
“Not if you don’t want me to, but it could help us sell… this,” Kara said, gesturing her fingers back and forth between her and Lena.
“That’s smart. It’s just—” Lena trailed off for a moment, wondering how honest she should be about her past. “I haven’t posted much since Andrea and I broke up,” she said, but when those words were out in the open, the admission made Lena feel remorseful.
Perhaps this is what Lillian was trying to help her overcome. Even if the intentions of her pep talk were to make Lena look better in the eyes of stakeholders, Lillian did have a point— Lena hadn’t been acting like herself in a long time. She used to love posting on her Instagram stories, whether it be the latest glass of wine she had tasted, or the highlights of Ruby’s soccer game, Lena loved sharing her life with others. But after her breakup with Andrea, Lena avoided all posts, fearing that Andrea might be one of those viewers hoping to catch a glimpse of her life in the stories she posted.
Lena didn’t want Andrea keeping up with her life— it didn’t feel fair considering Andrea was the one who left it in the first place. But now with Kara quietly asking to take a picture, Lena was reconsidering this whole online aversion. What did it matter if Andrea saw or not, Lena thought to herself. It had been two years and at some point, Lena’s life had to keep on going.
“Actually, no. Let’s do it,” Lena said, overcoming the chaos in her mind and speaking with a newfound confidence that she hadn’t used in her personal life in a long time.
The excitement that was bubbling inside Lena seemed to mirror on Kara’s face as she smiled brilliantly and stuck her hand out, tilting her phone at the right angle and finally snapping the shot.
She only took one picture, which Lena found to be slightly presumptuous of Kara to think that she could capture this moment with one mere shot.
“What do you think?” Kara asked when she turned her phone around, showing the picture to Lena.
Though the green Christmas tree occupied the center of the frame, it didn’t steal all the focus like Lena would have expected. Instead, her eyes were drawn to the way that both hers and Kara’s vibrant smiles reached their eyes, and then to the soft pink frosting on her cheeks which she had hoped arose from the chilly weather around them. Strands of Kara’s hair had flown across her own face but that didn’t stop Kara’s eyes from being stuck on Lena.
She had probably taken a quick glance to make sure Lena was ready for the photo, but as the picture only captured a second of their shared moment, that pure adoration on Kara’s face would forever become the main focus of the shot.
Which was fitting since Kara’s radiant smile on Lena would also linger in Lena’s mind as the focal point of today’s events. It was cliché to voice aloud, but there were no other words to describe the photo, other than perfection.
***
“This is the picture,” Lena said, leaning over the polished granite countertop and showing her phone to Sam. “Want your okay before I post it.”
Sam didn’t hesitate as she snatched the phone from Lena’s hands and brought the device closer to her face. She narrowed her eyes and started pinching the screen, zooming in right on Kara’s face.
“She’s hot, that’s for sure,” Sam said before her finger slid across the screen, moving the image from Kara’s face to Lena’s. “And I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look this happy.”
“That can’t possibly be true.”
“I dare you to find me a picture where you look happier than that. I just— this whole thing is so shocking to me. I feel like I’m getting chills just looking at it,” Sam said, and she moved her hand away from the phone for a moment so she could gesture at the goosebumps on her arm. “You’re seriously telling me that in less than 48 hours you met a girl just to shut Lillian up and now you’re dating her?”
“Fake dating,” Lena corrected.
“Lena, this isn’t a fake smile,” Sam said, turning the phone around to face Lena once more.
“This does not have to be as big of a deal as you’re making it out to be, okay,” Lena said, even though her own thoughts were betraying those words.
It’s the exact reason why she wanted to show Sam the picture in the first place. The photo was too serene and it captured so much joy that Lena was becoming terrified with what she was doing with Kara. Craving some reassurance that she wouldn’t go off the deep end, Lena knew that Sam was the only trustworthy person who would tell it to her straight.
“This is like a short term contract. And it’s mostly about our parents,” Lena continued explaining, walking Sam through the justification she kept giving herself in her own head. “After we bought the tree, she had to run off to work on the auction, so I ended up spending the afternoon decorating it with her family.”
“How was that?”
“Really nice to be honest,” Lena said, and she recounted the way that Eliza kept thanking Lena for joining them, and for keeping Kara company during such a busy period in her life. “They’re a sweet bunch and they really care about Kara.”
“Did you guys bond over that?” Sam asked with a smirk.
She intended it as a joke but Lena was starting to think there might have been some truth to her question. It had only been a few days but Lena could feel herself growing more and more fond of Kara with every additional second they spent together.
There was just something so intoxicating about her presence.
“Speaking of the angel,” Sam said, and her voice tinged with excitement as she pointed at Lena’s phone, emphasizing the incoming call, coming from none other than Kara.
Lena’s heart nearly skipped a beat and she lunged forward, grabbing the phone out of Sam’s hands. In one swift motion, she answered the call and brought the phone to her ear.
“Hi,” she breathed out, her voice a soft whisper.
There was a bit of static and movement on the other end of the line, but then Lena heard, “Hey Lena! Hope you’re not too busy at work!”
“It’s been a bit of a slow day,” Lena said, and she made a point to avoid looking at the stack of papers on her desk which had only been growing as the day progressed. “What’s up?”
“I was actually uh— I got a phone call about a grandmother who wanted to donate an item for the auction but it’s south of National City, and I don’t have a car…” Kara trailed off for a moment, and that noisy movement from earlier started up again. It was as if Kara was still bouncing around, doing things on the side even while she was on the phone with Lena. “You’re the only person I know that might have a car, so I was wondering if you could maybe give me a ride?”
Lena closed her eyes as she tried to think over her options. “Kara, do you mind giving me a moment?”
“Yeah, sure,” Kara rushed out.
“Thanks,” Lena said, and without wasting a single second, she lowered the phone from her ear and clicked on the mute button.
Sam, who was acutely watching Lena’s movements, only shook her head. “This can’t be good.”
Lena smiled as sweetly as she possibly could. “Can I borrow your minivan?”
Almost immediately, a heavy exhale escaped from Sam's lips.
“Please?” Lena begged.
“Don’t you have a limo service that’s available 24/7?”
“I don’t want to make a whole show of picking her up in a limo when she just needs a simple ride to get something.”
Sam was quiet for a moment but Lena could already see that her friend’s resolve had cracked.
“Alright, fine,” Sam said and she detached a carabiner with keys from the loop on her slacks, but she didn’t hand it over to Lena right away, instead opting to lift a warning finger. “You can’t move any of Ruby’s things though. She goes bananas when her soccer bag isn’t exactly where she left it.”
“I promise,” Lena said.
“Okay, but don’t say that and then you move it by accident and buy her another jersey so that she isn’t upset. I’m beginning to think she’s using you for your money,” Sam continued.
“Oh, she definitely is but I’m okay with the relationship we have,” Lena said with a slight grin.
Sam only sighed at that comment before she dropped the keys in Lena’s hand. “Post the picture,” she said, deciding to pick the battle she knew she could win.
“Fair,” Lena said with a smile, before she added, “you’re the best,” and gave Sam a tight hug.
“Yeah, yeah,” Sam replied and then pulled back. “Don’t leave her hanging.”
Lena nodded before unmuting the phone and lifting it back to her ear.
“Sorry about that, Kara. I have time to pass by now, if that works? Do you mind texting me your coordinates?”
“I’m at my house, so you know the place!”
Lena smiled to herself with just how true that statement was. She had spent more time at Kara’s place decorating her Christmas tree than she had spent at her own home in the last two days.
“I’ll see you in ten,” Lena said, and she waited for Kara’s thank you thank you thank you before giving a short farewell and hanging up.
When Lena looked back up at Sam, she saw her friend staring at her, shaking her head ever so slightly.
“You are so going to fake fall in love with her.”