HOME
"Daddy, dad-deeeee...!"
I'm absent-mindedly making my way to the station exit, when her excited calls wake me from my dazed state of gloom. I look up to see her, my little princess, running towards me, with her arms wide open - precariously dodging other travellers on the concourse. I barely have time to drop my bag, and crouch down, as Yasmin reaches me, and throws herself in my arms. "Dad-deee!" she cries again, breathless, burying her face against my shoulder. I can't stop a shudder of relief at the feeling of this little girl, so trustingly in my arms. "Home." she adds, matter-of-factly, as if she can read my mind. Home. Yes! Here, where my family are, the people that matter the most. Home, where my heart lies.
Speaking of which. I look up from where I'm kneeling, to see that other blessing in my life walk towards us, a soft smile on his lips. My Sy. His hands are stuffed into his jeans pockets, betraying a sudden shyness. I know him so well. He still gets jittery about big dramatic public displays of affection, worried that people will pay too much attention to us. He won't shy away from it anymore, not as much as he used to, but he'd still rather just blend into the background. Our daughter on the other hand does like to be the centre of attention. You could say she gets that from me – we may not share any genes, but sometimes, when her affections make her abandon that almost automatic quietness she gets from Syed, you might get fooled into thinking we do. Her arms are wrapped tightly around my neck and she's smothering me with kisses. "Daddy home!" she repeats excitedly, as if she wants to convince herself I'm really there. I've been away a mere 8 hours, but I know exactly how she feels. I feel it too.
I look up again, to find Syed's tender eyes locking with mine
"Thank you" I mouth to him.
He smiles. "Love you" he mouths back.
Sy knew exactly what I would need after the day I had. I didn't expect him to be here to pick me up, I didn't even let him know what train I was travelling back on. Yet, here he is, with our daughter, being here for me when I need him the most. There's no words to express how much I love him for that.
Still holding Yasmin, I rise to my feet. Without hesitation, and so like his daughter in this moment, he leans in towards me, and forgetting where we are, places a soft swift kiss on my lips. "Welcome back, my love" he murmurs – and like every kiss he ever gives me, it makes my heart soar. After the horridness of this day, the grief and pain I witnessed – and felt – this man, this girl, this family of mine, manage to heal that heart in indescribable ways.
I'm still lost for words as I watch him pick up my bag from the floor. "Let's go home" he says, and settling his hand gently, lovingly, in the small of my back, he leads the way...