Run and Jump hug
15-year-old Kelly White was bouncing with excitement. Her dad would be home from deployment today, and right in time for her birthday. She was finishing her chores in the kitchen when she heard the door behind her click open. She twirled around to face whoever was behind her and smiled hugely when she saw who it was.
"Hey, Kel."
He said, and he barely had time to put his bag down before she was in his arms.
"Hi, Dad."
She whispered into his neck. He instinctively wrapped his arms tighter around her. He knew she had some anxiety about him going overseas, no matter how many times he did it and was glad that he could put them to rest just by holding her in his arms.
"I missed you, Dad."
He put her down and loosened his grip just enough to kiss her temple.
"I missed you too, kiddo. When did you get back here? You didn't try to dodge Mrs. Wells again, did you?"
He asked, referencing a time when she was 10 and had tried to run away from the kind woman who was looking after her while he was on deployment for the first time since he adopted her. Kelly rolled her eyes at him.
"No, I didn't try to run away. She dropped me off here last night so I could get started on the cleaning and dusting...you always said that a clean house was a comfort to come home to after a deployment, so I took care of it for us."
She grabbed his hand and tugged him towards his room.
"I did your room first. I figured you'd like clean sheets so I made your bed up and aired everything out so it wasn't so stuffy..."
He chuckled, which caused her to look at him like he had grown a second head. He pulled her to him again.
"Thanks, sweetheart."
He said and she relaxed against him.
"You're welcome, dad..."
She murmured into his chest, the sound of his strong heartbeat reassuring her that he was home.