Like He Never Left

chapter 32

Josie's POV

"Josie! Josie!"

Hair whips into my face as I turn around quickly to look for who's calling my name. 

I spot my mother on the other side of the airport lobby and sprint to her. 

"Mom!"

We barrel into each other and collide harshly. 

"Oh my little baby is finally home!" she cries, tears falling down her cheeks. Her arms snake around me, and there's a warmth to them that fills up the pieces of my heart I didn't know were empty.

Home. What a funny word. All this time I'd been away I was using it to describe a place I was never truly happy in, never truly wanting to be.

"I am," I tell her, swallowing my own tears. "I am home."

Our arms loosen around each other, and Mom offers me a big, wet smile. 

"Let's get your things in the car and you can tell me all about Europe."

I nod my approval and shoulder my carry-on and start rolling my suitcase. 

I tell Mom everything that happened in Madrid and that James's company wants him to go to Hong Kong while our feet plod along the black pavement of the parking lot. 

"I really didn't know what to expect when moving away the first time, but I had hope that maybe I'd been given a chance to start over and finally turn my dream of having a family into a reality," I tell her, placing my things in the trunk of her car. "Now I don't even know if I want to go back." I pull the trunk door down a little harsher than intended, accidentally releasing my frustrations on the poor car. 

Sighing, I turn to my mother, who looks at me with a sympathetic half-smile. 

"It's overwhelming," she agrees, "And I feel frustrated for you. I'm just so proud of you." Her hand raises to smooth over the top of my head and then trails its way to skim over my cheek. "I can't imagine how disappointing this is for you, and I can never pretend to know your pain, but this is all proof of how far you've come. The first time you found out you weren't going to start a family, it ruined you. This time, honey, this time, it's just a testament to your strength. Don't get so caught up in the hows and whens right now. Your time will come. Life is just making sure you're ready for it."

I lean into her hand, wrapping my own over top it. "I love you, Mom. Thanks for believing in me."

"And I love you. Till the end of my time and then some."

I nod softly, feeling my mother's words put a spiritual bandage over my heart. 

She's right. My time will come, but I'm not going to worry about it because now it's SueEllen's time. 

"Now let's go home. Someone's going to be very excited to see you."

I smile, knowing exactly who she's talking about, and I can't wait to see him. 

We arrive at the house around one in the morning, and Mom leads me up the steps. She pulls the main door open and lets me go through first. 

I barely have time to let go of my suitcase before Jake pounces, and I let out an excited cry as I fall to my knees on the carpeted floor. Jake's wet nose and sandpaper tongue flick across my face and neck, smelling and licking me at the same time. 

"Jakey Jake, God, I missed you!" I scoop the bundle of happy nerves closer to me, but he's so wiggly that he slips my grasp. He doesn't go far, as he turns around and starts licking my ears. "My good boy, oh I'm home you big lug. I'm home!"