The Hudson Boys

Chapter three

"Jess, sweetie, we're here!"

Claire was gently tapping my shoulder as my eyes fluttered opened and I took in my surroundings.

I must have fallen asleep shortly after Claire told me about her eight sons.

...eight sons!

How could I already have forgotten that I am going to be living with eight boys for the next three months?!

Before I have time to think any further and beg Robert to turn the car around and drive me back to the airport, Claire gets out of the car and Robert already starts to carry my bags to the door.

There's no way I can get out of this now.

I take a deep and step out of the car. "I can do this. I can do this. I can-"

Just as I'm about to finish my little pep talk to myself I hear a frantic "watch out" but before I can even register where it's coming from or why someone said it, I feel a sharp pain in the back of my head and the next thing I know, I'm on the ground.

"Oh my goodness! Jess, are you alright?!" Claire is by my side in no time. I don't even get the chance to tell her that I'm fine before she begins to go off.

"Boys, come here this instant! How many times have I told you, if you're going to play ball, go in the backyard! That's why we have a backyard!"

Realizing that I'm still on the ground, I swiftly get up and wipe my legs, making sure there's no dirt on me.

I guess by doing so, I pulled the attention away from Claire because the next thing I know, there are four pairs of eyes starring at me, making me feel very uncomfortable very fast.

"Are you even listening to me?!" Claire turns around, realizing that her sons are starring at me. "See, you've made a horrible first impression. Now say you're sorry to Jess."

All four of the boys avoid look at the ground, making sure that they don't make any eye contact.

Dejectedly they all mumble "sorry."

Seeming pleased with their response, Claire says "Good. Now go inside and get cleaned up for dinner. I'm going to bring Jess inside and show her to her room. See you downstairs at six o'clock and not one minute later." Claire turns to me, a smile returning to her face. "Sorry about that, come on, lets go inside! I'll show you your room!"

As we walk towards Claire's house and make it inside, I hardly hear a word Claire is saying. I'm too busy gaping at her house, if you can even call it that.

If Claire didn't tell me this was her house, I would have assumed it was a hotel. Both the outside and inside of this colossal house are polished to perfection. Entering the house, above us, there is the most magnificent chandelier I've ever seen. It probably costs more than my college tuition.

All around us are rooms, each bigger and more extravagant than the next. There's so much to take in, I don't even know where to look at this point.

Noticing my amazed reaction, Claire chuckles. "It's pretty nice, isn't it? I'll give you more of an official tour later, but for now I want to get you settled in to your room and make sure you have everything you need. Now which do you prefer, elevator or stairs?" Claire has her arms stretched out and her hands pointing in the direction of a beautiful spiral staircase and a clear, sleek glass elevator.

So in shock, I'm surprised I can even utter a response. "St-stairs."

Claire starts to laugh again. "Stairs it is! I guarantee that very quickly you'll realize that this elevator is a blessing, especially if you want to go up to the fifth floor."

Fifth floor?! I've been to malls with fewer floors than that!

After turning down a series of hallways, Claire saying things and me not being able to fully take in what she's saying, we come to a hallway with doors scattered on both sides.

"This floor is where my sons, and now you, live! I made them put nametags on their doors so you could know who lives in what room, but I wouldn't trust them. I wouldn't be surprised if David and Dylan switched them all by now."

We pass all of the boy's rooms. I recognize some of the names from Claire's story, but I don't remember who's who.

"And here we are!" Claire takes out a key and unlocks the door. "I didn't want any of the boys, meaning David and Dylan, to come in here and do something to your room before you got here. I figured locking is was the right call."

The first thing I notice when I walk into the room is the king size bed. My room at home wasn't even big enough for a king size bed. The comforter is a beautiful turquoise color. It's matches the turquoise walls.

"I called your mother and she told me your favorite color was turquoise. If you don't like it, I can have everything changed and you can pick out a theme and some colors and-"

"Claire, I love it! Thank you so much!" I really do love it. The room gives of a homey kind of feel. Mounted on the wall in front of my bed there is a very large flat screen TV. On the left side of the room, there is a beautiful, soft, cream couch. There is also a cream colored vanity and a wooden desk placed in my room.

Attached to my room is also my own bathroom that I'm pretty sure is bigger than my room back in New York.

"Oh, and here's the best part!" Claire runs to the other side of my room. "Here is your wonderful, beautiful, amazing, breathtaking walk in closet! I brought some clothes home from work and put them in the closest for you! Your mother told me your size."

After staring at the closest for a couple seconds, I make my way inside it to find a ton of clothes already hung up inside.

"Now I know it's not much, but I can always get you more or you can go shopping if you'd like!"

Not much? I don't think I've ever owned this many clothes in my entire life!

"Claire, this is so kind of you, really. I don't know how I'll ever repay you!"

"Good thing you don't have to! I want you to feel at home in this house because for the next couple of months this is your house too, okay? Now I really should get going. Dinner is at 6 o'clock sharp! At dinner I'll tell you more information about the house, staying here and such, but for now I'll let you unpack and settle in. I'll see you shortly!" Claire hugs me and then exits the room.

I glance at the clock. 5:06. That means I only have about fifty-four minutes until I have to encounter the Hudson boys again.

Maybe I'll hide in my walk-in closet and they won't even remember I'm here?