Sunday in New York

September 1st

Almost a month later, Hudson and I were sitting by the bay window listening to the rain tap against the window softly, while I read a book and he took a nap. A lot had happened last month, I impressed my boss and the magazine so much with my bit on the Black Keys, I got offered a permanent job with Rolling Stone Magazine. And Hudson and Jules were visited by Food Network magazine and interviewed.

I was lying in the curve of his body as I read Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises but had soon closed the book and turned to Hudson.

"Hudson?" I quietly spoke, not sure if he was asleep or not.

"Yeah?"

"What was your mother like?" I asked.

He smiled and was quiet for a moment. "She was...amazing. She was an amazing mother. She was a housewife...she used to stay home and whenever I'd come home from school she'd have something sweet that she baked just before I got home. She was a fantastic cook, she taught me everything I know." He lightly laughed,
"And she used to put on her best dress and her pearls and listen to Harry Belafonte as she cleaned up the house. Even with nowhere to go, she just liked dressing up; wearing a dress, jewellery, her signature red lipstick. And her voice was like silk, she had this way of speaking and I don't know if it was the cadence in her voice and her eloquence, but she had a voice that put angels to shame, especially when she sang. Before she served me supper, she used to sing Little Tommy Tucker and before bed she'd sing You Are My Sunshine...but now I can't even bear to listen to that song anymore..."

I sat up and turned toward him. "She sounded like she was a wonderful woman. I would've loved to meet her."

He smiled and placed his hand on the side of my face. "I would've loved that too."

I hesitated to ask the next question, but I was curious so I took in a deep breath. "You said that she passed when you were 13. What happened to her? If that's alright to ask."

He lowered his eyes and went very quiet, he turned his head and looked out the window. "She killed herself."

My heart dropped and I closed my eyes. "I'm so sorry." I whispered, placing my hand on his knee.

"My father didn't give her the attention she deserved. He spent all his time with another woman...when my mum found out, she was devastated."

I didn't say anything, I just listened to him talk more and more about her. For close to two hours he told me stories about her, he laughed, he cried. This was the side of him that I never seen but knew of, this was the side he kept hidden for a long time. We've been together for two months now and being able to have talks like this was a sign that our relationship wasn't going to be some short-lived thing, because you don't share stories like these with someone you don't intend on spending a long time with.

I made us some tea and came back and sat with him by the window. "I'd love to go to England. That's always been a dream of mine, to spend a couple weeks in the countryside, writing, drinking tea. That'd be the life for me." I smiled.

He softly smiled and held my hand. "I'd love to take you there."

I smiled and took a sip of my tea.

He then got up, "I'll be right back, I got something for you."

"Okay." I lightly laughed, turning my book over and reading the back.

He soon came back and had a small box, placing it in front of me as he sat back down. "Go on, it's yours."

I bit my lip and smiled, carefully taking it and lifting the lid off the box. I grinned as I lifted out keys on a keyring. "Hudson?"

He smiled. "We've been dating for two months but like I said before, I feel like I've known you all my life. I'm asking you to move in."

I nodded and took in another deep breath. "This is...big."

"I know, I'm not saying you have to make a decision right now, but it is something I've put a lot of thought into...I mean, if you were to move in, this place has two bedrooms so whether you wanted to share a room together or not, there's an option. Or, or the second bedroom could be made into an office for you. I know how you like to keep things organized and in your small apartment it's hard...take your time."

I smiled sheepishly. "This is just new for me...I mean, with Eric, we were together for years and we never once talked about moving in together."

He just nodded.

"I'd love to." I smiled, leaning in to kiss him.

He looked at me with surprise. "Really? You're not just doing it because you feel pressured?"

"Never. I love you Hudson, and this'll be good for us." I softly smiled.

He started to laugh as he pulled me into a hug. "Great! I'm so excited now!"