The Homecoming

Hi everyone! Happy Friday! I had hoped the audiobook of His Perfect Gift would be released by today, but unfortunately the review isn’t complete yet. I was trying to figure out what to do, and found this old quickie I wrote years ago, which I thought would be appropriate since Veterans’ Day was yesterday. It was written for a Playground piece so it’s un-beta’d.

­­The Homecoming

“Thank you for flying Atlantic Air.”

Frederick Wentworth took a deep breath and smiled.  He was home…well, almost home.  After six months serving in Afghanistan, he wanted nothing more than to see his wife, Anne and their daughter, Sophie.  Sophie had been only two months old when he left and although Anne sent photos and emailed him videos, he knew he’d missed so much.  What he wanted most in the world was to grab hold of them both and to not let go.

The other passengers were rising from their seats, so he stood and took a step into the aisle to open his overhead compartment, retrieving his daypack and slinging it over his arm.  As he turned carefully so he didn’t hit someone with the large camouflage backpack, a man behind him eyed his pack and smiled.

“What branch?” the man asked.

“Air Force,” he replied.

With his response, the stranger nodded and extended his hand.  “Thank you for your service.”

Frederick accepted the handshake and smiled.  “Thank you.”  The thanks were always a welcome surprise.  He’d been stationed in places where he received dirty looks for being in uniform.  Those stations had always been harder on Anne.  In time he’d learned to ignore it, but she took it to heart.  She’d always had a tender heart.

The passengers began slowly filing toward the door, and he took his place in line, slowly shuffling toward the door, his anticipation growing with every step.   His family was waiting for him!

“Have a nice day,” the stewardess chirped out with a false smile.

He gave her a nod and took a step off the plane into the hallway, closing his eyes for a moment as the summer heat and humidity hit him.  With another step, he felt the air conditioning from the terminal mix with the outside air and opened his eyes as he began walking up the slope.

Anne was so close.  He knew she was, but walking through the airport seemed to take forever.  Was it logical that seemed to take no time at all when he left, but an eternity now?

Finally, the security scanners came into view and he followed the signs.  Frederick could see people waiting for and greeting their loved ones just feet away and began scanning the crowd.

He had just began to look when he heard his name, and pivoted to see Anne standing directly in front of him about fifty feet ahead, holding Sophie in her arms.  She was smiling widely and he didn’t have to see his own face to know that he was smiling as well.

His steps carried him forward, faster and faster, until he finally had them both wrapped in a firm embrace.  Tears were flowing from his eyes, and he could feel Anne softly sob.

“I love you,” he said into her hair.  He felt her soft, warm skin and brushed his lips against a tear rolling down her cheek.

“I love you, too,” she mumbled against his chest.  The part of his heart that had been missing was suddenly returned.  His heart was rejoicing because it was full again, and he held her to him a bit tighter, not wanting to let go.  He then spread small kisses on her eyes and her forehead before bestowing a kiss to the top of his daughter’s head.

Drawing back a bit, he looked into Anne’s eyes and leaned in to claim her lips for the first time in six months.  His heart swelled as he savored the feel and taste he’d been deprived of for too long.

She gave a sigh and he reclaimed her lips once more.  He’d missed their daughter, missed Anne, missed the feeling his wife evoked with the simple touch of her lips.

There was nothing more he could ask for.  He was home.