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HOMECOMING
Sadie
After my bags were packed and I’d said good-bye to Mom, who was upstairs in her apartment, D2 joined me on the front porch. When Wayne arrived, D2 hugged me hard before easing himself into the plastic chair beside his front door.
“Next time you see me, I’ll be running marathons,” he said, letting go of my hand.
“Don’t get too fit, or I won’t be able to keep up with you.” I smiled to try to break the hurt of parting. As we drove away, I looked back. D2 was sitting in the same chair, his back ramrod straight, waving. I brushed a tear from my eye and waved back.
Then I picked up my phone.
Ronnie answered on the second ring, and I launched right into my carefully chosen words. “Hi. Thought you’d want to know that I’m going home. Mom and D2 are set with an army of personal helpers. They don’t need me any longer.”
“Excellent.” Ronnie’s voice was light and cheerful. “Have you booked your seat yet? Maybe we can fly together.”
“That would be great but I’m leaving tonight. Can you join me?”
“Oh.” That single note sounded truly regretful. “I can’t leave yet. Tomorrow is Lettie’s birthday.”
“I forgot,” I lied. “You can’t miss that.”
All week I’d been hearing how eight-year-old Lettie was looking forward to Ronnie doing hair and make up for all the kids at her birthday party. Ronnie was the main attraction.
Knowing I had to keep her close, I suggested lunch the following week.
Her voice perked up. “I’ll be home on Sunday at the latest. Lunch on Monday, then?”
* * *
Friday nightin July and the flight was packed. I ate a light dinner and settled down to sleep. By the time we reached the coast, I was refreshed and keyed up, anxious to see Simon again.
He was waiting at the end of the air bridge, a bunch of red roses in his hand. I dropped my bags and threw myself into his arms. He hugged me so hard I thought my ribs would crack.
“I’ve missed you,” he said.
I drank in the smell and sound of him. “Not as much as I’ve missed you.”
“You left with one bag and came back with two.” He picked up my new garment bag.
“Wedding dresses,” I explained.
“Plural?”
“Yes, I got the one Mom liked, the one Ronnie liked, and the one I liked.”
He shook his head, but his voice wasn’t reproachful. “You do like to shop, don’t you?”
“I do, but Mom paid for these.”
“Really.”
“Really,” I said. “She surprised me, too. She wanted to contribute something seeing as I told her I’m paying for the wedding myself.”
Simon hefted the garment bag over his shoulder, handed me the roses, and took my roller bag.
“We’re going for a picnic,” he said.
“At midnight?”
