Joey

We landed in D.C. about an hour ago. Jake is a bit hyper, but definitely a cute kid. I'm doing a little better about things, and yesterday's meltdown was embarrassing, but when I found out both my kids know my secret, I felt a lot better. No more secrets, and I can finally breathe. I finally feel safe with Hudson again, but not in the way I needed him through the years.

"Sorry, there's not much space. The kids can share Jakes room, and there's a blow-up mattress in the closet. Joey, you can have mine, and I'll sleep on the couch. I have been called into the office, and Hannah will be picking up Jake." Hudson said.

He's been on the phone almost all day long.

"She's coming here?" I asked frantically.

"She demanded. I'm sorry, if I could work it another way, I certainly would. I told her to meet me outside. There's a restaurant next door if you want to order food, but I shouldn't be gone no more than a few hours." He said, as he went to take my bag to his room.

"Okay, we should be fine." I said.

"Maybe we could go out to dinner tonight?" He asked.

"Sure, we would love that actually." Maybe like a family dinner?

He put on his suit jacket over his holster, which was a reminder that we are two totally different people now. I watched as he clipped his badge on his belt.

There was a knock on the door, and I held my breath. I really don't want to see this woman. "Jake, your mom's here, get your stuff together."

He walked over and opened the door. I lost my breath and wanted to die when I saw her, the woman is absolutely beautiful.

"You're a bit early. I thought we agreed to 3 o'clock, and we would meet outside." Hudson said.

She locked eyes with me, then looked at Hudson.

"I think we need to talk in private." She said, and that's when I took the hint and went to his room. It didn't help, I could still hear them, just like I can still hear Mason and Jake.

"Who is that woman? Jake keeps talking about a Serenity? What is going on here, Hudson?" She asked.

"That woman's name is Joey." He answered.

"Oh my God! That's her? What the hell is she doing here?" She sounds angry.

"That's not your business, Hannah. What I do with Jake during my time, is my business." He said.

"Then who is Serenity?" She askd.

"Well, I guess it's better to tell you before I talk to Jake. Serenity is my daughter, I also have another son." He said.

"What? That makes no sense!" She said.

"I didn't know till this week. They're here now, so I would appreciate it if you kept your voice down." He said.

"We spoke this morning and you didn't mention them, so I guess you made your decision? You're not coming back home? What about Jake? Hudson, I wanted to fix us." She said.

My heart sank.

"We can talk about this later." He said.

"I miss us. It's like you've forgotten about our wedding, our honeymoon, and the first time you got to hold our baby." She said.

"I told you, I can't talk about this right now." He reminded her.

"Please tell me you aren't stupid enough to believe that woman without a DNA test?" She asked.

"Joey and our children are none of your business. I want to talk to Jake, but I wanted to prepare you first, that's all I wanted to say to you." He tried to keep his voice down.

"She will never have the memories I have with you. You're making a mistake, Hudson. I was wrong to do what I did, but you're choosing someone that abandoned you." She said.

"I'm choosing my children, and you're wrong about Joey. She may not have our memories, but she and I shared something I'll never be able to share with anyone else. We may never live as a family, but she always had me. Go home to Greg, and make some memories there, Hannah." He said.

"Greg's gone, I told him it was a mistake and I wanted you back. I missed you and Jake so bad, and it made me realize how big of a mistake I made." She pleaded.

"What you did is not forgivable overnight." He said.

"Well, do I get to meet these supposed kids of yours?"

Hell, no!

"Not now. I don't want you upsetting any of them." He is right.

"I upset them? They're the intruders." She said.

"Don't you ever call my children intruders! Step out in the hall and I'll send Jake out, I don't even want to look at you right now." He almost yelled.

"Oh, grow up Hudson! You already have a family, and I want that DNA test done before you come home." She said

"I never agreed to come home, and you have no say over what I do with my children." He argued.

"You have a son that has loved you since the moment he was placed in your arms. He needs you at home, he needs his dad full time. If those children are yours, they're almost grown. They don't need you the way Jake does, Hudson. We need you." She said.

"When things settle down, we can talk, but not now." He said.

I heard footsteps. "Jake, come on, your mom is waiting for you."

I heard the door open. "Hi, Mom."

"Jake, I'll see you in a few weeks. Be a good boy for your mom." Hudson said.

"This conversation isn't over Hudson." She warned him.

"Well, it's certainly not happening right now. Jake, I'll call you, and Hannah, the check is in the mail. Bye now." I heard the door shut, then open back up.

"I'm not done." I heard him shut the door while she was talking.

The bedroom door opened. "I'm sorry about that, Joey." He stood in the doorway.

I made myself look busy on the phone. "What? I'm fine."

He smirked. "The walls in this place are like paper."

"I'll just check on the kids," I said, as I walked toward the door, but he was standing in the doorway and didn't budge an inch. I looked up at him, and he didn't move.

"I'll just slip past you and check the kids," I repeated myself.

"I'll just, right through here." Does he think this is funny? I tried to squeeze by him.

Instead of moving, he used his finger to lift my chin. "The kids are fine, Joey. I am sorry again for that, she was supposed to meet me at the truck in the parking lot."

"Don't apologize, she's the mother of your son," I said.

"So are you, and you deserve more respect. She only came early to be nosey." He said.

"It's not my business, that's between you and your wife." I looked away.

His fingers left my chin, and he cradled my face. I miss this feeling, so I closed my eyes to savor it.

"She's no longer my wife, I've missed you so much." He said, and I didn't open my eyes for just a moment longer. When I did look up at him, he just stared into my eyes.

"I'm not that girl anymore, Hudson. I'm not here to make waves in your life. I thought you should know about the twins, but as she said, they're almost grown." I pushed past him and went into the other bedroom with the kids.