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LAUREL
It’s been a month since we’ve been out of the hospital and Hudson didn’t let me lift a finger for the first few weeks. He did everything and even started working from home so he could monitor me.
Leo stuck around and took care of my sister. At first, I didn’t like them together, but he proved himself. What man steps up and takes care of his girlfriend like this after only a couple of weeks of dating? Few. My sister seems happy, and that goes a long way in my book.
“You’ll never guess what I just found out?” Hudson says, coming into the room laughing.
I wait for him to tell me.
“Divorce papers were served to Lyla.”
Good. I still can’t believe she tried to blackmail Hudson. Did she really think she would get away with it? Not with me around.
“You ready for your first day back at work?” he asks, smiling.
“I’ve been ready. Sick of being stuck in this house.”
The doctor cleared both of us late last week, and after being stuck inside for four weeks, we are both ready to get out and do something productive.
Lacey’s graduation is this afternoon, and then her party afterward. It’s been one hell of a journey, but she made it.
“Well, let’s get going. Don’t want to be late.”
We have planned the party for months, and I hope everything goes smoothly. You only get one college graduation party, and I want it to be perfect for Lacey.
Leo is going to bring her over after the graduation, and we are trying to keep it a surprise, but we will see how that plays out.
As he parks the car, and we take the elevator up, it feels nice to be back here. It’s where the majority of our relationship blossomed, and it is nice to see that we can still work together professionally. Sure, the Lyla thing screwed things up a bit, but I’m back.
The elevator dings and everyone comes rushing toward me. They all give words of encouragement and welcome me back.
“Thanks guys, but I’m sure we have a lot of work to do today. Let’s not harp on me being back,” I say.
Mondays have always been our busiest days, and the phones are already ringing off the hook through the office.
“Hudson Securities, how many I help you?” I answer, sitting down at my desk. “One moment while I transfer you.”
Hudson makes his way into his office and shuts the door to start his morning ritual. The first hour, he almost always starts with responding to emails and doesn’t take calls.
I eat my muffin between calls, and just look around at everyone in the office, knowing this is where I am meant to be. If I never came down to Texas, then I would still work at that awful office with the sexist boss, dreading going to work every day. Things happen for a reason.
As does every other Monday, it flies by and before I know it, it’s time to leave and get ready for Lacey’s graduation. I knock on Hudson’s door.
“Come in.”
“It’s three. We’ve got to leave if we want to change before heading to the college.”
He closes down his computer and follows me down to the car. “Do you think we are going to be able to pull off this surprise party? Leo is trying so hard not to let anything slip.”
“Yeah, we’ve made it this far. I think we are good.”
We rush into the apartment to change into something a little less business like and head straight over to the college to watch the ceremony. My parents arrived on time from their flight, and everyone hollers when they call her name. She’s officially a college graduate.
It’s an hour before they are done announcing names, and they dismiss everyone. Next part is up to Leo to get her to the party.
“Alright, here’s the address, dad. Meet you over there.”
When we get to the party room, everything is already decorated and set up by the coordinator, which saves me some time and panic.
