Prompt #: 026. Winter
Word Count : 587
Type/Pairing: Bandom mystery… use your
imagination.
Rating/Genre: G/Drama
Song Credit: “Every Time You Go Away”- Paul Young
Completed: 4/15/09
The cold, dry air hit me in the face as I exited the building downtown and walked across the street. It was late November but it had been snowing all day. Bags of gifts hung off my shoulders heavily, but they were no burden. They were presents from my numerous trips abroad to the gang of little rascals at home.
I pictured their red cheeks and bright eyes in my mind and sighed. I missed my kids more than anything. I had not seen them or my wife in almost a month. I was finally coming home for a much-needed vacation.
Soft, white snowflakes fell all around me as the bustle of the city began to quiet down. There were people everywhere along with various irritating sounds, but it was easy to drown them out. All I could think about was the smile on everyone’s face when they saw daddy walking through that door. No one expected me home until Christmas, but I had pulled some strings and got out of there. Maybe a few too many, but . . .
Now not only could I surprise my children but I could make it up to my wife after leaving her in such a bad state last time we parted.
We had a fight. It wasn’t a massive blowout or anything, but it was big enough of an argument that it shook her nerves quite a bit. She almost left me right then and there. Horrible things were said and thank heavens the kids weren’t there to hear any of it.
Needless to say, the whole ordeal made both of us stop and think about the situation at hand. Something had to give.
“Hello,” I announced before entering the house.
“Daddy!” the kids squealed from the living room.
All 3 of them came running and crashed into me with a force almost unnatural for preschoolers. We hugged and kissed and I handed out presents with the front door still wide open behind me.
“Guys go play. Mommy needs to talk to daddy for a second.” She was very serious I could tell.
Her normally well- groomed features were messily windswept from rushing around running errands and doing chores but to me she still looked as beautiful as ever.
I stood silently and swallowed hard waiting for her to say what she needed to say first. There was a million things running through my mind at that moment, but I was dumbfounded by how much I had missed just seeing her.
“I’m sorry,” she gasped in between the tears that started to fall from her eyes as she threw her arms around me.
It felt good to be held again. This time I wouldn’t let our family almost fall apart. I pulled her back for a second and looked at her.
“I’m sorry too, but hey,” I started as I shut the door behind me. “Remember how you wanted to get into real estate?”
“Yeah?” she gave me that puzzled look that she always gave me when she didn’t understand stand what the hell I was talking about.
“Now you’ll be able to.” I nodded with a grin.
“What do you mean?”
“I quit the music business,” I told her finally and it felt good to say it.
Once again she flung her arms around me knowing that my words were about to save our entire family from being destroyed. We stood there in the hallway embracing one another for what felt like the first time in years.