Epilogue
Hollywood Dish with Ferris Biltmore
The video starts with Ferris laying back on a lounge chair sipping a fruity drink. “Hello, bitches, I’m popping in for a quick vid from here in beautiful Belize. I don’t have a lot of time because I have a very full schedule of relaxing today. But I had to share some a-MAH-zing news with you. I heard from my insurance broker’s brother’s best friend, who works at Galaxy Studios, that Radio Silence wrapped today and even though they’re not even in post-production yet, Hollywood is already abuzz with Oscar talk. Hudson knocked this one out of the park, people, like I knew he would. Which brings us to our first segment: I Knew He’d Kill it, Bitches!
“No graphics today because I refuse to make graphics when I’m on vacay. Anyway, here we go. I knew he’d kill it, bitches! You … you naysayers, you non-believers, you … haters of all things good and pure in the world. You know what you can do. That’s right, you can suck my left nut because Hudson freaking killed it. He killed it!! Everybody’s talking about it. They’re saying Peter Ma is the new Scorsese and Hudson is the new Leo. The new Leo, people!” He lowers his voice to a whisper and says, “Leo.”
“I also got a text from my dog walker, whose boyfriend’s sister works for someone who’s sleeping with some nerd at that drab SETI place up in Mountain View, you know, where Hudson prepared for Radio Silence and fell in love with his permanent leading lady, the beautiful, smart, and talented Allegra Cammareri, who I know totally forgives me for all the terrible shit I said about her when she and Hudson first went public, because in the last six months since Hudson made his now-infamous speech, telling the world he has dyslexia and defending his lady, I’ve done nothing but be on her side. Where was I going with his? I think I’ve had too many daiquiris. Or too much sun. Or both…”
He clicks his tongue a few times, then says, “Oh right, the text. Anyway, apparently the second the movie wrapped, he picked up Oscar and flew directly to Silicon Valley, where Allie is hard at work on her next huge science discovery. Her family is having some big meal for him to celebrate, then he, Allie, and Oscar are going to sneak off to the mountains for a few days of making up for lost time. Which brings me to my next segment: Give Them Their Privacy, People.
“Seriously. Give them their privacy. They’re madly in love and they deserve it. So if you happen to be staying at a cabin nearby or see them out for a walk, just put your damn phones away and let them enjoy this special time together. Okay?! Just let them have this. Unless you’re planning to send me the footage, that is. Then all bets are off.”
Allie
There is one thing I hate in this world: spiders. But I’m working on it because it really isn’t their fault I’m scared of them. I’m also over my blinding hatred of liars, because the truth is, we all lie from time to time. And the truth can be complicated. It’s not always cut and dried. For example, earlier this evening, Hudson made me a very romantic dinner of overcooked steak, undercooked baby potatoes and carrots with way too much dill. And when he asked how everything was, I said, “Perfect,” which wasn’t exactly true, on account of the food tasting pretty bad, but was absolutely true because the two of us are spending four days at a secluded cabin in the mountains. (Well, the three of us, because little Oscar Mayer, who I love fully and completely, is here too.)
We’ve been official for six months now, and even though he’s had to be away a lot of it filming, and I’ve been crazy busy with work, this has, by far, been the best six months of my entire life. When we’re not together, we talk on the phone every day, usually until way too late in the night. Sometimes, he’s in Mountain View at a condo, and sometimes he flies me to Malibu for the weekend, where he’s teaching me to surf. Now that his movie has wrapped, we’re going to start house-hunting in San Jose, near my parents, but not too near. That’ll be our home base, but we’ll also spend as much time in Malibu as we can too, because … Malibu.
Gershwyn has met someone too. Well, he’s always known her, but I guess they finally realized they were perfect for each other. Nola, Hudson’s stylist. So it’s happily ever afters for both of the Finch brothers.
Speaking of happy endings, I just heard the shower shut off, which means Hudson is going to be walking out of that en suite all steamed up. I quickly try to arrange myself on the bed so I look alluring. I’m wearing a silk nightie he gave me for my birthday, and I have to say, I’m feeling pretty sexy this evening, and it’s not just because of the lemon fiesta coolers we had with supper.
The door swings open and he comes out, dressed in only a towel. My heart surges with joy, as it does every time I see him like this, because I know he’s all mine, in a way he never has been or ever will be with anyone else. Our love is so strong that there aren’t enough trolls on the Internet to break us up. Our love is forever.
He gives me that panty-melting grin. “Wow. You look incredible.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” I tell him, patting the bed beside me.
“That you look incredible?” he asks.
“No, that you do,” I say. “Although, I wouldn’t mind if you lost that towel.”
He puts his hand on the part tucked around his waist. “You mean like this?” He whips it off and drops it on the floor, leaving him totally nude.
“That’s exactly what I meant.” I gaze over his entire body, fully appreciating the view as he strides over to the bed. “God, you’re perfect. You know that, right?”
“Nobody’s perfect.” He lowers himself over me and kisses me on the neck, in the little spot that drives me wild.
Before I completely lose my focus, I say, “Normally, I would agree with you, but in your case, perfection.”
He lifts his face up and opens his mouth, but I hold a finger up to his lips. “Facts aren’t up for debate.”
“In that case, let’s have sex instead.”
“Deal.”
And now he’s kissing my neck again and working his way down my body and I know I’m in for one of the best nights of my life. Because the way he loves me is exactly what I need. He’s thoughtful and caring and generous. He puts me first every chance he gets. And he shows me how much he wants me every time we’re alone together. And there are days when I still pinch myself that I get to be with him, but each day, I trust this a little more. Because I trust him. And I’m the person he can trust too. We’re each other’s soft place to fall. We cheer each other on and pick each other up when things get rough. We’re exactly what true partners should be for each other. And I’m grateful every day that he walked into my office all those months ago because this love is a love that was worth the wait.
THE END