Five of Hearts

Chapter 7

I sent Sav a text as soon as I got to work since she was off:

"Got a bunch of shit to tell you. I'm about to start my shift at Break Cup. I'll call you tonight."

I turned off my phone and put it back in my backpack before getting to work. Sundays were usually our slow days. Because Break Cup was a college campus coffee shop, our busy days were during the week when students were going to class. We actually opened a bit later on Sundays and closed a bit earlier. Which was fine by me. I usually needed the extra time to finish assignments on Sundays.

That reminded me. I had spent all weekend with the guys, wholly wrapped up in everything that happened. I hadn't left myself any time to do any assignments and I had two due by Tuesday. I had to get on that.

My shift went by without any hitches. We closed at five anyway, so I didn't have to work long. Either way, by the time my shift ended, my feet hurt and I felt exhausted. I didn't get much rest over the weekend; and I liked naps.

My boss Emilio started to close up and I grabbed my things after cleaning the counter and getting it ready for the morning shift. I was off from Break Cup the next day, with a shift at the library as soon as I got out of school at 2 and a shift at the bar afterwards at 6:30.

I walked out of the door and waved goodbye to Emilio. I turned towards my car and came face to face with Hudson, smiling down at me hesitantly.

"Hudson?"

"There has been a bit of a snag, beautiful. You need to come with me," and with that, he gestured toward his car parked a little ways away. The black Charger from the garage.

"What? What happened? Why?" I asked, but followed him to his car regardless.

"I'll explain everything on the way," he smiled softly.

"What about my car?"

"Don't worry, we'll take care of it," Hudson responded, nonchalantly, opening the car door for me.

Hudson walked around to the driver's side of the car and I wondered if this could be it. Maybe I could crack Hudson. That morning, when Atticus and I got into a screaming match, Hudson said something like "maybe we should tell her."

This might be my ticket.

"Atticus will be able to explain a little bit better, but I don't think last night was the last time you'll stay with us," he glanced at me from the corner of his eye as he drove. "I think you might be staying with us for a while, beautiful."

"What?" A while?! How long is a while? "What about my stuff? My apartment? I can't just up and leave."

"We will take care of it," he responded calmly.

"Where would I sleep? I need space."

"The house has a second story with bedrooms we don't even use," Hudson said.

"Well what about-"

"Hattie, that's enough," Hudson suddenly said deeply. I whipped my head to the side to look at him. I had never heard him speak like that before. He didn't sound annoyed, necessarily, more like desperate and hard and upset. But not at me, at something else. "I told you, we will take care of everything."

We sat in silence for a few minutes as I tried not to look at him out of the corner of my eye. Something was definitely bothering him and I wanted him to know that he could talk to me. I was just about to say something when he spoke.

"Atticus is right, you know," he said quietly, almost a whisper.

He caught me off guard. It took me a moment before I could respond. "Well there's a hot take."