It Doesn't Do Well to Dream

Chapter 28

Peyton situated her suitcase in the corner of the small room and explored the s pace as she stalled going downstairs. Just for a minute.

There was a certain level of care to the space that differed from the mansion. This was a family home. Everything, from the quilt and the bed frame, the dresser with knickknacks and a selection of books, had been picked purely based on love. On comfort. Their possessions appeared caringly used. Like they lived.

It wasn't that the mansion didn't have a style. Obviously it did. But parts of it looked more like a museum than a home.

She decided to get new throw pillows for the couches and a table runner for the dining room. Something with color. And pictures. She and Lex needed to hang up some personal photos.

Peyton resolved not to put any of her packed clothes away for the time being. With any luck, they would find her attacker sooner rather than later and she wouldn't have to intrude on the Kents for long. Their voices drifted up to her and she centered herself before forcing herself down the stairs; she didn't want to appear rude so quickly after they welcomed her in.

Martha and Jonathan stood in one corner of the kitchen talking in hushed tones and Clark cleared his throat right when Peyton entered the room. Martha smiled at her and Jonathan winced at the sight of her neck.

"Did you get everything put away alright? I'm sorry the room is a bit small."

"Absolutely not," Peyton protested. "The room is perfect. Is the quilt homemade? It's beautiful."

Martha's smile grew.

"Jonathan's mother made it."

Peyton looked to Jonathan and stopped herself from pulling her shirt collar up over neck as his eyes flickered away again.

"Your mother is an incredible quilter."

Jonathan swallowed and nodded before he made himself look back at her. In the eyes.

"She was," he agreed. "Thank you."

"You want some tea?" Clark asked as he walked over and opened a cupboard. Peyton caught a glimpse of spices and bottles and tea boxes. "Mom says honey is good for sore throats."

Peyton moved over to a chair and hovered a moment, uncertain, before she sat down.

"I still sound rough, huh?"

"Well," said Clark, "you did get... you know... almost strangled."

"I think Clark means if you're in pain, let us know," said Martha. "We have medication as well."

Peyton smiled.

"Tea with honey sounds great."

Clark grinned and filled their kettle with water while Martha and Jonathan watched their son in amusement. Having never been nearly strangled before, Peyton didn't even know if honey really fixed her kind of sore throat, but it was a sweet gesture and she didn't mind tea.

"So," Jonathan crossed his arms as he leaned back against the counter and raised a brow, "do the Luthors not have enough cameras in that giant mansion of theirs to figure out what monster did this?"

Martha shot a glare at her husband and Peyton pressed her lips together as she managed her facial expression. He at least referred to the attacker as a monster instead of Lex.

"I'm a Luthor now too," she said just to make the point, "so I guess it's on me as well. But even people like us are susceptible to things like security camera blind spots."

To his credit, Jonathan's expression flickered in shame and he tensed as he pursed his lips.

"That's not- I didn't mean it like that," he defended. "You'd just think they'd have a bit more security given how many enemies they make."