Rendezvous

sixty-seven | ice

Part I - Ice

Given my contract in Paris, I had a job waiting for me when I returned to Los Angeles. My bank account is expanding, and my rank was even higher.

My greatest accomplishment was that I put in so much effort that I was advancing in my career to a rank much higher than my actual age.

After Nana died, Alexis and Micheal decided to move to LA. Mostly because we all wanted to be close together.

Speaking of Hudson, he's eight years old now, more mature, no longer obsessed with dinosaurs only because he turned into one.

the sweetest one

11:31 a.m.

"Put your seatbelt on," I say as I roll my eyes at his remark.

"Allie please!" he begs as he puts his seatbelt on. "Mom is not letting me sleepover at Josh's this weekend."

"Does Mom know this Josh kid?" I ask as I look straight at the road.

"No..." he says disappointedly knowing where I'm going with this.

"Well, there you go then," I say in matter-of-factly. "Have his Mom call Mom... Or you know what, have his Mom call me."

"Really?" he asks excitedly.

"Really," I say with a smile as I stop at the red light. "Leave mom to me."

Incoming call from Alex...

"Hey, you're on speaker Hudson's with me," I say as I pick up the phone connected to the car.

"Hey guys," Alex says sweetly. "Anything exciting you have planned for today?"

"We're having a pool day with the kids today at Jay's," I say as I continue to drive. "I called you earlier—"

"Yeah, sorry I've been busy. I took on extra hours at the bank— And it's been hectic," he says with a pensive sigh. "Call me when you get the chance tonight alright?"

"Yeah— I will," I say, with my eyes furrowed, noticing his worrying tone.

"Bye, have a good time," he says I hang up.

"Bye, have a good time," Hudson mimics him, causing me to turn to him with a confused smile.

"What was that?" I ask.

"He's so annoying, I don't like him," Hudson says truthfully.

"What? You only met him once," I say.

"Thank god," he says causing an involuntary chuckle to escape my lips.

"Is this mom talking?" I say as I narrow my eyes at him.

Alexis wasn't particularly fond of Alex either, but she knew not to get involved because Alex has been nothing but sweet and loving.

"No," he says. "But mom hates him too... Don't tell her I told you."

"Right," I say with a small smile as I look to my right. "Oh, Venice Beach is packed today. We haven't gone in a while."

"I went last week," he says as he looks at the beach. "We always go."

I fake gasp, "Who's we? I thought Venice Beach was our thing."

"Lana and I," he says causing my heart to drop a little. "When you left we'd go there whenever we miss you."

oh

Hudson was extremely excited to move to Los Angeles to be close to me and I just...left him. I think I deserve to carry the guilt with me.

"Sometimes when I go into the water, I see her cry..." he says when I fell silent.