wrenching loss would be there every day for the rest of my life. Maybe not as bad, but still sitting there in the bottom of my stomach.
Sighing to myself and squaring my shoulders I opened the door.
"Hey, anyone home?" I yelled as I walked in, dropping my Sea Bag at the bottom of the stairs.
A deathly silence filled the house for a moment then a shriek erupted from the kitchen. Chrissy darted into view and screamed again, "Nathan!" She ran and threw herself at me wrapping me in a bear hug.
She'd changed, a lot. I was surprised at how much she'd grown. In my mind's eye she was still that twelve year old bugging me to help her with her homework or that coltish sixteen year old always on the phone. Now, this was a grown woman. I had problems wrapping my mind around the fact.
Hugging her back I held on for dear life. Drinking in her strength and love.
She was followed quickly by three more. Elizabeth and Johnny joined her in a group hug. Even little Marla, wrapped herself around my leg. How did she even remember me I wondered?
Over Chrissy's shoulder I saw my mother come into view. Standing in the kitchen drying her hands on a dish towel. Her lower lip trembling, a large tear flowing down her cheek. At only forty she was still a beautiful woman. I could understand why my dad had fallen in love with her. Nothing in this world has ever looked as good as my mom at that moment.
I broke away from the kids and made my way to her. She held out her arms and I fell into them. We held each other, I let her cry as I squeezed.
For a moment, I was a little boy again, home, safe, and warm.
Everyone gave us a minute but it couldn't last and soon the kitchen erupted into a thousand questions and comments, burying me in the sound of home.
I mentioned the Big Wheel in the drive way. Marla's eyes grew as big as half-dollars. She immediately turned and ran for the front door. It was nice to see that some things never changed.
"I have to tell her every day," Mom said.
Trying to answer everyone's questions was almost impossible. It was like trying to juggle beach balls. A quick perusal had let me know that Ashley wasn't visiting Chrissy. A secret part of me had hoped she’d be there.
Fifteen minutes later Dad walked through the door. "Whose truck is that?" he demanded. Then froze when he saw me. He held there for a moment before pulling me into a tight hug that seemed to last half the night. We looked at each other and smiled. My Dad had to look up at me, we both realized it at the same time. I felt like I’d just been accepted into the most important club in the world.
Mom started crying again, the kids started yelling and once more I was reminded of what home felt like.
After things calmed down again I broke out the presents. Giving Johnny a Buck Knife with USMC on the blade. He looked at it in surprise and wonder. Dad gave me a crossed eyed look then relented and smiled. Johnny at fourteen was more than old enough for such a knife, besides what were brothers for if not to push the boundaries.
Each of the girls got a silk scarf, different colors. I kneeled down as I gave Marla hers and told her about it being packed on a camel across the mountains and that I thought she deserved a big girl present instead of another toy. Her eyes grew big with wonder as her smile made my heart melt.
Elizabeth at twelve tied it around her hips and gave a saucy wiggle. The girl was going to be a killer when she got older. Johnny and I were going to be kept busy beating the boys back.
"That's where Ashley got the scarf," Chrissy exclaimed. "She wouldn't tell me," She continued, giving me a strange look as she fingered the fine fabric.
"That's right. She sent me a care package, including cookies. It was the least I could do."
"She did? She didn't tell me that."
"Where is she anyway? I thought you guys were tied at the hip," I asked innocently. No way did I want Chrissy to know that I was interested in what Ashley was doing. There is some kind of
Sighing to myself and squaring my shoulders I opened the door.
"Hey, anyone home?" I yelled as I walked in, dropping my Sea Bag at the bottom of the stairs.
A deathly silence filled the house for a moment then a shriek erupted from the kitchen. Chrissy darted into view and screamed again, "Nathan!" She ran and threw herself at me wrapping me in a bear hug.
She'd changed, a lot. I was surprised at how much she'd grown. In my mind's eye she was still that twelve year old bugging me to help her with her homework or that coltish sixteen year old always on the phone. Now, this was a grown woman. I had problems wrapping my mind around the fact.
Hugging her back I held on for dear life. Drinking in her strength and love.
She was followed quickly by three more. Elizabeth and Johnny joined her in a group hug. Even little Marla, wrapped herself around my leg. How did she even remember me I wondered?
Over Chrissy's shoulder I saw my mother come into view. Standing in the kitchen drying her hands on a dish towel. Her lower lip trembling, a large tear flowing down her cheek. At only forty she was still a beautiful woman. I could understand why my dad had fallen in love with her. Nothing in this world has ever looked as good as my mom at that moment.
I broke away from the kids and made my way to her. She held out her arms and I fell into them. We held each other, I let her cry as I squeezed.
For a moment, I was a little boy again, home, safe, and warm.
Everyone gave us a minute but it couldn't last and soon the kitchen erupted into a thousand questions and comments, burying me in the sound of home.
I mentioned the Big Wheel in the drive way. Marla's eyes grew as big as half-dollars. She immediately turned and ran for the front door. It was nice to see that some things never changed.
"I have to tell her every day," Mom said.
Trying to answer everyone's questions was almost impossible. It was like trying to juggle beach balls. A quick perusal had let me know that Ashley wasn't visiting Chrissy. A secret part of me had hoped she’d be there.
Fifteen minutes later Dad walked through the door. "Whose truck is that?" he demanded. Then froze when he saw me. He held there for a moment before pulling me into a tight hug that seemed to last half the night. We looked at each other and smiled. My Dad had to look up at me, we both realized it at the same time. I felt like I’d just been accepted into the most important club in the world.
Mom started crying again, the kids started yelling and once more I was reminded of what home felt like.
After things calmed down again I broke out the presents. Giving Johnny a Buck Knife with USMC on the blade. He looked at it in surprise and wonder. Dad gave me a crossed eyed look then relented and smiled. Johnny at fourteen was more than old enough for such a knife, besides what were brothers for if not to push the boundaries.
Each of the girls got a silk scarf, different colors. I kneeled down as I gave Marla hers and told her about it being packed on a camel across the mountains and that I thought she deserved a big girl present instead of another toy. Her eyes grew big with wonder as her smile made my heart melt.
Elizabeth at twelve tied it around her hips and gave a saucy wiggle. The girl was going to be a killer when she got older. Johnny and I were going to be kept busy beating the boys back.
"That's where Ashley got the scarf," Chrissy exclaimed. "She wouldn't tell me," She continued, giving me a strange look as she fingered the fine fabric.
"That's right. She sent me a care package, including cookies. It was the least I could do."
"She did? She didn't tell me that."
"Where is she anyway? I thought you guys were tied at the hip," I asked innocently. No way did I want Chrissy to know that I was interested in what Ashley was doing. There is some kind of
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