My alarm went off early Thursday morning. The second I came to, I felt like I wanted to throw up. My stomach twirled and twisted. I’d only ever been on an airplane once in my life before, and I still couldn’t believe I was leaving town with Hudson in a couple short hours.
I showered and threw on a pair of jeans and a tank top. It was warm out in L.A., at least according to the internet weather websites. I slipped on a pair of sparkly sandals and threw my long, dark hair back into a low bun. I patted on some tinted moisturizer, creamy blush, and mascara, followed by a slick or two of pink lip balm.
I popped in a pair of green peridot earrings. They were birthstone earrings my father had gifted me on my eighth birthday, and I always kept them safe. I wore them whenever I was nervous or scared about something, and they instantly made me feel better.
I tried to eat a big breakfast, but my appetite was virtually nonexistent. I’d heard airplane food was crap, and I didn’t want to deal with a rumbling tummy when we were several thousand feet up in the air.
I thought about my apartment and what I was going to do with it while I was gone. It hadn’t even occurred to me until then. I emptied out the milk and perishables and cleaned out the refrigerator, taking a couple bags worth of stuff out to the dumpsters. I set my thermostat to a reasonable, energy saving setting, and went around and unplugged as many electronics as I could. I honestly had no idea when I’d be returning, but at least I could leave knowing my apartment, my safe haven, was going to be fine without me.
I rolled my suitcase to the door then perched myself onto my couch, watching out the window for Hudson to pull up. I wasn’t sure what he was going to be driving, as he hadn’t had a car that entire week, and suddenly I began to panic. I realized, too, that I didn’t even have his phone number.
What was I doing? My mind started to race. I didn’t really even know him that well, and I was giving up everything I knew for some good sex and a little bit of attention and ego stroking?
Before I could talk myself out of it, a black Town Car pulled up and honked. Hudson climbed out of the back seat and stretched his legs, looking up towards my apartment building. I realized he probably didn’t know which unit was mine, so I grabbed my bag, locked up, and hurried down as fast as I could.
The second I emerged from the building, his face lit up. The driver came from around the side of the car and took my suitcase, hoisting it into the popped trunk.
“You ready, Brynn?” Hudson asked as he reached his hand out and led me to the car.
I nodded. The whooshing of my heart pulsed in my ears, and I thought for a second I would pass out from the excitement and nervousness that coursed through my body, but I didn’t. I slid into the backseat, across the buttery black leather, and took a deep breath.
“Don’t be so nervous,” he said as he climbed in next to me and took my hand. “I don’t know about you, but I’m excited.”
“I am too,” I said. I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe, like someone was sitting on my chest.
The driver pulled away from my apartment, and I forced myself to look away. It didn’t help that I could still see the building growing smaller and smaller in the distance through his rearview mirror.
“It’s going to be okay,” Hudson laughed as he squeezed my hand. “I can’t wait to show you L.A.”
I forced a smile, but on the inside I was beginning to have a nervous breakdown. I felt like I was going to die.
“Brynn,” he said as he nuzzled up to my ear and whispered my name. He placed his full lips against the side of my neck, kissing it softly, and then turned my face towards his. His lips landed on mine and my anxiety began to melt away a little bit at a time. I needed that. I needed that reminder of why I was doing this. Hudson was amazing and so tuned into me. “You’re in good hands.”
“I know,” I replied between kisses.
He pulled away and reached into his pants pocket, pulling out a brown prescription bottle.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Xanax,” he said. “Take one.”
“Oh, it’s okay,” I said. “I don’t like to take medicine. I barely ever take Tylenol.”
Hudson rolled his eyes. “Brynn, it’s harmless. It’ll calm you down. I take it for flying.”
I watched as he popped a tiny pill into his mouth and dry-swallowed it.
“I guess if you’re taking one, then I will too,” I said. I needed something to calm me down.
He handed me a tiny pill, which I thoroughly examined before placing it on the back of my tongue and dry swallowed.
“It should kick in for you soon,” he said as he squeezed my hand. “And you can have another before we board the plane if you need.”
“I can’t believe we’re really doing this,” I said as I watched the miles and miles of cornfields pass us by. We were at least a couple hours from the Des Moines International Airport.
“You’re going to love it,” he said. “I promise you, Brynn. You won’t regret this.”
Within a short half hour, the Xanax had kicked in and I hadn’t a care in the world. I felt mellow and happy, and any thoughts about life back in Rock River floated away the instant they appeared. My body felt like Jell-O as I cuddled up to Hudson in the back of the Town Car.
I closed my eyes, and by the time I awoke, the driver was dropping us off at the airport.
Wiping the drool off the corner of my mouth and praying to God that I wasn’t snoring, I exited the car. The driver pulled out bags out of the trunk and Hudson gave him a very generous tip.
“Ready?” he asked. His adventurous spirit was nothing short of contagious, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling that I was making some sort of mistake. I was excited, of course, but it didn’t feel real.
We headed inside to check in, and within minutes, the check in area seemed to grow louder and louder as the locals figured out who was waiting in line right next to them like some ordinary chump.
“How can you ignore all of this?” I whispered into his ear. I glanced around and it felt like all eyes were on him.
He smiled. “I’m used to it.”
“Excuse me,” a girl, not much older than eighteen, approached us. “Are – are you Hudson Smith?”
Her eyes were sparkling as she smiled from ear to ear.
“I am,” he said with a friendly smile.
“C-can I get your autograph?” she asked coyly.
“Sure,” he said as he pulled a pen from his pocket.
The girl fished around awkwardly for something to write on, but all she had was the envelope from her boarding pass.
“Here you go,” she said with a nervous giggle. She couldn’t take her eyes off him.
Within minutes, a line had formed, but it wasn’t for checking in. People were lining up to meet Hudson. It all happened so fast, and soon I realized we were out of our little Rock River bubble. This was what it was going to be like from now on.
As Hudson politely signed autographs and hugged fans, I began to second guess everything. I was a simple girl. I lived a simple life. I wasn’t sure I was cut out for all of the stuff Hudson had to deal with on a daily basis. I felt my throat swell as I struggled to breathe. I needed another one of those magic pills he gave me earlier.
“I’m going to run to the restroom,” I said as I pulled his arm. I thought about running off.
“Brynn, wait,” he said as he spun around and reached for my arm. “We’re next in line. We need to get checked in.”
There was definitely no getting out of this now.
“Okay,” I said as I replanted my feet firmly behind him.
“Alright, everyone,” he said as we were motioned to move ahead. “I’ve got to get checked in now.”
The mob let out a collective sigh as people walked away, camera phones still snapping a gazillion photos.
We got ourselves checked in and headed to security. Because of Hudson’s celebrity status, we were given a VIP pass to cut in line and get through security quicker. It was probably more for their benefit than ours, since he was making a stir everywhere he went.
“Didn’t think I’d need any kind of special security in Iowa,” he laughed as we were escorted through a special security lane and rushed through.
“It’s not every day people like you come around,” I reminded him.
We made it through security and headed towards our gate. It wasn’t hard to find since there were only three terminals in the entire airport.
He reached over and grabbed my hand.
“Are you nervous?” he asked with a laugh. “Your hand is sweating.”
“Oh, sorry,” I said as I yanked it away and wiped it on my jeans. “I’ve only ever flown once before.”
“It’s fine,” he said. “I fly all the time. Nothing bad has ever happened. It’s actually kind of fun.”
We found our gate and took a seat as he positioned himself away from the view of the general public and slipped on a pair of dark sunglasses.
“Does the sunglass thing actually work?” I asked.
“I like to think it does,” he said as he leaned back and rested his face in his hand.
I crossed my legs and stared out the window, watching the plane as it pulled up. My left foot began to jiggle nervously as the thought of flying out of Iowa really hit me.
“Now boarding for flight 742, Delta Airlines, Des Moines to Los Angeles,” a flight attendant stated over the speaker system. “We’ll begin with our first class passengers.”
“That’s us,” he said as he tapped my knee and stood up.
My heart was pounding hard in my chest and my face felt flush. There was absolutely no turning back now. I needed a sign that I was doing the right thing, but the space around me was spinning and all I could focus on was the back of Hudson’s gray shirt.
We walked down the jet bridge towards the plane and were greeted immediately by two flight attendants who seemed more than happy to help us find our seats.
“You want the window or the aisle?” he asked.
I shrugged. Everything was a blur, and I couldn’t quite think right then.
“You can have the window,” he said. “Since you don’t get to fly much.”
I climbed in and took my seat, buckling myself in. As soon as he sat down next to me, other flyers began filing on and the plane was filling up fast. I could hear the chatter of men, women, and children and the shuffling of bags and carry ons. I felt trapped between the window and Hudson, and even if I wanted to flee, there was no way I’d be able to get through the swarms of people and back towards the jet bridge.
“You need another pill?” Hudson whispered to me. “You’re breathing really hard.”
I nodded, closed my eyes, and waited.
“Here you are,” a flight attended showed up with a couple of bottles of Evian. “Let me know if you need anything else. We’ll have an inflight meal ready for you shortly after takeoff.”
Hudson handed me a pill and then a bottle of water. The ice cold liquid rushing down my throat instantly cooled me and brought me back down to earth as the pill settled in my belly. I was going to be okay.
The cabin grew louder as the flight attendants began shutting overhead storage bins and securing the plane. The engines fired up and my ears began to pop. The dry air made my throat a little scratchy, so I tossed back a few sips of cold water. Hudson reached over to squeeze my hand and flashed me the most beautiful, comforting smile.
He leaned over and kissed my forehead.
“I can’t wait to get you home with me,” he whispered.
I felt a little better knowing he was so excited to take me with him, but it still didn’t quash all of my fears. Everything had happened so fast and in the heat of the moment. I was afraid of what I’d gotten myself into. I closed my eyes and prayed for a sign.
As if on cue, my phone went off in my purse.
“Oh,” I said as I pulled it out. I had a text and it was from Luke.
––––––––
SORRY I’VE BEEN SUCH AN ASS. I LOVE YOU, BRYNN.
––––––––
My heart raced at the sight of those words.
“Is that from Luke?” Hudson asked. He had read the text over my shoulder.
“Yeah,” I said, clutching the phone close to my chest and embarrassed he’d read my message. “I called him to tell him I was leaving town.”
“Why would he say he loves you?” he asked. The plane’s engines were growing louder, almost angrily, as Hudson’s face contorted. “What did you talk about?”
“I wanted him to hear it from me,” I said. “That was I was leaving.”
“Or you wanted to give him a chance to tell you to stay.” For someone who hardly knew me, he knew me well.
“It’s not like that,” I lied. “I just thought I should do the right thing and tell him over the phone that I was leaving. He’s one of my best friends.”
Hudson took a deep breath as he leaned back in his chair, shifting uncomfortably. I never realized he had a jealous side to him.
“You need to turn your phone off,” he said. “FDA regulations.”
I shut my phone down and tossed it in my bag, kicking my bag under the seat in front of me. I leaned back into the wide, leather seat and turned to look out the window.
Luke loved me and now Hudson was pissed. It was funny how everything could change in an instant like that, when you least expected it.
The plane taxied to the runway as I gripped the arm rests and prayed for the Xanax to kick in. Within seconds, we were mid-air, going higher and higher and heading west into the great unknown.