To say Jim was anxious would have been a total, complete understatement. Pam slept quietly with her head on his shoulder as he impatiently flipped through the array of badly worn magazines in the seat pocket in front of him. He occasionally looked out the window, the scenery eventually going from green mountains to warm, soft fields, and indication that they were getting close.

He tried to sleep, tried to make up for the lack of it from the weekend with Pam, but only dozed off for a few minutes at a time as his thoughts always ran back to the place where they were headed.

Home.

Home, a word he hadn’t been able to experience in an entire month. Home, where a certain little boy, who at that moment was crying for his mom and dad, was waiting just as impatiently as his dad was. For Jim, the past month made him appreciate all that he had. He vowed, during the many sleepless nights, the lonely weekends, the quiet mornings, to never take home for granted again. No more petty arguments, no more senseless irritants. Life had become complicated over the years, and he vowed to remember the little things that had made him who he was.

He felt Pam squeeze his hand, and he looked down at her to find her peering up at him through sleepy eyes. He shifted to wrap his arm around her, bringing her closer to him.

“It feels like this flight is never going to end.” he said as he pressed his lips to her head.

“Tell me about it. I have an armrest stabbing into my side, and I have to pee…again.”

Jim laughed as she got up and walked back to the bathroom for the third time during their flight.

“Would you like a beverage, sir?”

Jim looked up to see the flight attendant scooping ice into a small cup.

“Do you have grape soda, by chance?”

She smiled and began to pour his drink.

-------------------------------

Jim turned the corner onto Emerson Avenue and it took all he had to not slam down on the gas and make it home faster. After what seemed like ages, they finally pulled into their driveway, and Jim couldn’t help but grin. It was 8:00, and he hoped Jackson was still awake. They decided to leave their luggage in the car, mainly because Jim couldn’t wait to see their little boy.

Debbie sat in the living room reading a book when they walked into the house. She smiled and stood up as they entered the room.

“Welcome home!” she said, and Jim walked over to give her a hug.

“Thank you, Debbie, for everything. Is he asleep?”

“Yes, he cried himself to sleep about a half hour ago. The poor little thing’s been so sad all day.”

Jim winced at her words, and quickly turned around and walked briskly to Jackson’s bedroom. He slowly opened the door, cringing at the squeaking noise it made. Jackson lay curled up into a ball on the lower half of his bead. He was clinging to his blanket, something he hadn’t done in months. Jim walked over and sat at the top of the bed, picked up his son, and placed his sleeping body in his arms. Jackson stirred, but didn’t immediately wake up. He carefully placed Jackson’s arms around his neck and whispered into his hair.

“Hey, buddy. Will you wake up for dad?”

Jackson’s eyes fluttered open, and it took him a second to realize what was going on.

“Daddy?” he asked, not quite all the way awake.

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m home, Jackson.”

“Daddy! Don’t leave ‘gain, ‘kay?” Jackson cried as he tightened his arms around his dad’s neck.

“I’m not. I’ll never leave you again. I missed you so much.”

Jim looked over at the bedroom door when he heard it open, and Pam quietly walked into the room. She too sat down on the bed, and Jim shifted to include her in their embrace.

“Hi, Mommy. I missed you.”

“I missed you too, honey.”

“Daddy? Did you remember my present?”

Jim laughed at the straightforwardness of his son.

“As a matter of fact, I have it right here in my pocket.”

Jackson unwrapped his arms from around his mom and dad, and waited patiently while Jim took his time removing something from his pocket.

It was a leash, and it only took Jackson a few seconds to realize what it was for. He hopped up and down in Jim’s lap, too excited to even speak.

“You know what this is, buddy?”

He just nodded, a huge grin on his face.

“You promise to take care of if like a big boy?”

He nodded again.

“Okay…then we’ll go pick up your new cat tomorrow!”

“No cat, dad! A dog. I want a dog!”

“Okay fine. We’ll go pick up your new dog tomorrow.”

Jackson wrapped small arms around his mom and dad again.

Jim had never been so happy to be home.