Laughing, I straddle the old, rusted beam like Hudson, mimicking how his legs are hooked around the lower supports.
“You okay? I know tonight wasn’t easy.”
It was a lot easier than it should have been. I care about Hadley, but the relationship wasn’t serving either of us anymore, so it was time to call it quits.
I shrug. “I’m alright. I already had plans to end it with her this weekend anyway.”
“You did? Then why go on the double date tonight?”
I stare out across the river. “I don’t know. Maybe I just wanted to experience a double date with you.”
A hint of sadness crosses his face. He looks back out across the water, lost in thought.
“How’s Hadley?”
“Sad, but otherwise okay. She went to the party with Katie and Maggie,” he admits.
She must not be all that sad. Not that I want her holed up at home blaring sad love songs and working her way through a gallon of mint chocolate chip, but I thought maybe she’d take some time to decompress and reflect.
Guess she is just more upset she got dumped in general.
“I’m glad she’s alright. That wasn’t how I wanted it to happen, but I just couldn’t do it anymore, ya know?” I lean my head back against the beam and close my eyes. I feel foolish for letting things go on so long with her, but it is what it is. I can’t change the past.
“I get it. But healing starts now.” His face lights up, mischievousness curving his lips. “Which is why I got you some presents.”
I crack one eye open to look at him. “Oh no, should I be worried?” I ask teasingly.
Hudson gasps dramatically while clutching his invisible pearls. “I’m offended by your lack of faith in me.”
I let out a loud laugh. “Do you or do you not remember giving me a rat for my twelfth birthday, just because I said it would be cool if Master Splinter were real?”
“Hey! It took me three days to catch that thing in my dad’s shed. I begged him not to put out rat poison. Figured I could save a life and give you a thoughtful gift. Win-win, dude.”
“Our cat ate him after I screamed like a girl and dropped him in the backyard,” I deadpan.
He shrugs. “It's the circle of life and the thought that counts.”
I can’t help but laugh, because as weird as a gift that rat was, it really was thoughtful.
“Alright, what did ya get me?”
He grabs a yellow bag with the local dollar store logo on it and starts pulling out random items, passing them to me one by one until my lap is full. It takes me a moment to realize what he’s done.
“Okay. So, I got your favorite beef jerky, the shareable bag of M&M’s, a character juice with one of the ninja turtle heads on top, and a DVD ofLadybugs.That last one was an impulse buy.” His cheeks tint pink with embarrassment, but I’m filled with awe.
“You got all my favorites,” I say, my voice a little raspy. “Even the ninja turtle juice. I stopped drinking them because Hadley said they were childish.” I swallow, a swell of emotion threatening to spill out of me.
“You don’t think all of this is stupid?” He’s rubbing the back of his neck, looking unsure of himself.
“No, Hud. I‘ve never gotten anything this thoughtful before. Thank you.”
He smiles brightly before reaching back into the bag and pulling out one last item. “In that case.” He hands it to me. I raise an eyebrow when I see the small purple cylinder.
“Bubbles?”
“Yeah. Remember when we went to the fair after my parents had to put Juniper down?”
I nod, remembering how I dragged him to the county fair to take his mind off losing his dog and hopefully make him smile.
