Rendezvous

forty-three | second chances

I couldn't help the small smile that formed on my face as he carried himself toward us, cuteness radiating off him.

I crouched down to his level, as he stood there shyly waiting for me to start the conversation.

"Hi buddy," I say softly as I hold his little hands in mine. "What's your name?" I ask, attempting to shake up the conversation.

"Hudson," he says over pronouncing the syllables, making goosebumps rise on my skin.

"You named him-" I look up at my mother, and she gives me a warm smile with a nod as she continues to wipe away her tears, then to Lana.

after my dad

"You're very handsome, Hudson," I say as I wipe away the blue pigment of what seems like paint on his face.

"I know," he giggles making us all chuckle. "You look like mommy," he continues as he places his hand on my face, grabbing my nose.

"I do?" I ask as I look up to my mother before shifting my gaze back to him and he nods enthusiastically.

Alexis walks toward us and places a hand on top of his head, "That's because Alina is your big sister sweetie."

"I have a sister?" he says with his face lightened up.

Kids never ask how or why because, in the end, complicated histories are uninteresting to their young minds.

"You got the best one out there," she says as she crouched down next to me. "The kind that will always be there for you, and take care of you," she continues, looking at me this time.

"Can I get a hug?" he asks shyly.

I open my arms wide and he falls right into me as I tightly wrapped my arms around his tiny figure. I felt myself melting into him rather than him into me.

"I'll go get Nana," Alexis says leaving the living room before Hudson and I break away slowly.

"Who's that?" he asks, pointing at Lana.

I stand up and lead him to the couch, and have him sit between us.

"She's a...friend," I say, looking at Lana then back to him. "A special friend."

"Can she be my friend too?" he asks.

"Can you?" I ask Lana with a smile.

"Of course I can," she says before extending her hands to him. "I'm Lana."

"Lana," he tries out her name on his tongue. "I'm Hudson," he says confidently takes a hold of her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Hudson," she says formally making him giggle.

"My sweet girl," I hear her voice and my heart jumps.

"Nana, I made new friends!" he exclaims as he runs toward her.

"Let's go meet them, shall we?" Nana says as she led him back into the living room.

I rush toward her and wrap my arms around her tightly as she squeezed me, I heard her sniff.

I break our embrace and swipe along her tears, "Don't cry, Nana, I'm right here," I say holding back my own tears with a chuckle.