Part 2

Ricky had fallen asleep almost immediately after they got home from the hockey game. She couldn't blame him. He had been up since 6am and spent the whole day doing rigorous training before coming home to find out that he was going to play a 90 minute hockey game. She insisted on driving home, and both boys fell asleep in the car. A sight that made not only her face smile, but her heart as well.

It was simple moments like these that made her appreciate her small little family. Simple moments like making breakfast together, or Ricky making coffee, while she got John ready for school, or watching the two boys skate together after one of Ricky's games, or seeing John sit on Ricky's lap while he showed him how his design program worked; heck watching the two of them do anything together really. Every day she fell a little bit more in love with her cute little family. It was the easy way the three of them worked as a unit that just made life seem so happy at the moment.

However, having a lot on her mind she had a really hard time falling asleep. She still didn't know how to respond to that email. Finally after restlessly tossing for several hours she got out of bed at around 2 am, poured herself a glass of wine and opened her computer.

She began googling that lady Jane Shaw and her magazine. What she found left her in complete and utter awe. Her google results showed images of her travelling through various different parts of the world, in communities she had no idea even existed. She read through an article about a small tribal community in Africa who still lived exactly the same way they did hundreds of years ago, with minimal influences from the rest of modern day society aside from a few reporters and journalist like herself, or tourist who knew about the tribe and wanted to see their way of life for themselves. She clicked on an interview she did with another magazine. She briefly read about her life growing up in a small community and having this 'itch' to do something bigger. Was this woman her journalism soul mate or what? And now she was given an opportunity to never mind travel with her, but be part of her latest research project? If this was life's idea of a bad joke, she sure wasn't laughing.

Ricky found her there more than an hour later.

"Amy? You alright babe?" he walked over to her, kissing the top of head.

"Yeah, I just couldn't sleep" She rubbed her eyes not realizing how much time has passed

"You okay? It's past 3"

"Fine, you should go back to sleep though, get some more rest" She placed a hand over his that were resting on her shoulders, looking up at him.

Ricky however wasn't going back to bed without bringing Amy with him. He laced his fingers with her and gently pulled her up, leading her towards the couch in the living room. She snuggled up against him once they were settled together.

"This doesn't have anything to do with that weird email from earlier, does it?" His chin rested on top of her head.

This forced her to sit up so she could look at him. She moved on the other end of the couch bringing her knees up to her chin and hugged them. She hasn't sat like that in years.

"Kind of"

"Okay?" He raised a questioning eyebrow

"So….my professor in college, actually she was my thesis supervisor – apparently recommended me for a research opportunity" Amy started. Ricky stayed quiet because it would seem that being recommended for a research opportunity could hardly be a bad thing, so he figured there would be more to the story.

"Apparently this journalist, actually she's seems pretty amazing. Her name is Jane Shaw and she just started this new magazine, it's all about well it's basically the kind of thing I was working on in my undergrad, anyways she has all these amazing editorials, which is what I've been doing for the past hour – you know just reading all these really great pieces she's written and it's just well she seems like a really cool person you know – and that other people whose written for her magazine well they seem pretty cool too…"

Amy wasn't making any sense and Ricky had a hard time following her. But he knew better than to tell her that he had no clue what she was talking about. Instead he waited it out since he figured Amy's words will eventually catch up to whatever was going on in her brain at the moment.

"Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that I've been given the opportunity to work with her on one of her research projects. I guess Professor Shanahan thought I would be a good match for the job"

…And there it was. Amy finally gathered herself enough to put together a coherent sentence.

"Okay….this is a bad thing because?"

"Ricky you've seen my portfolio, why do YOU think my professor would think that?"

"Because you're a great writer and you take breath taking photographs?" Ricky said a bit uncertain where Amy was trying to go with this.

Amy sighed. Did she honestly have to spell everything out? "No Ricky, because of the work I did on third world countries. Which is exactly where this research project is to take place. In Guatemala, for three weeks"

"Oh"

"Yes. Oh" Finally Ricky was starting to get it.

"Well when would you have to leave?" Ricky asked after a moment, trying to help her think this through. It was an opportunity she obviously wanted to take.

"That's all I know Ricky. She didn't really go into any details, just gave me a phone number and told me to contact her if I was interested"

"So contact her. What's the big deal?"

"Ricky you know I can't go!" Amy said raising her voice

Ricky however stayed calm and nonchalant "Who says?"

"I just got back from New York after being away for four years" Her eyes growing bigger in disbelief. It was as if Ricky had just told her she needed to live off bugs for a month. It also frustrated her that Ricky could be so calm about this. As if he didn't realize what that she would have to leave them. Again. For almost a month.

"You've been back almost a year"

"Yeah but what about you and John? I can't leave again! Especially now that everything is going so well between us. Besides what are people going to say?!"

"Lots of people with families go away on business trips all the time. And who cares what anyone else think?"

"Not for three weeks!" What the hell was he doing? He was supposed to be consoling her not infuriating her giving her some sense of false hope that she can actually do this.

"You're busy with work and you've just started your training…whose going to take care of you and John?"

Her words seemed to make Ricky chuckle.

"First of all I know it might not seem like it, especially lately because I've come to rely so much on you for getting stuff that needs to get done…but I'm a grown man I can take care of myself and an 8 year old at the same time. And you of all people should know how much support we have when it comes to John. I'm sure we can figure something out for three weeks"

"What if its longer? Sometimes they say one thing and then deadlines gets pushed…"

"Look we'll deal with that when we have to deal with that. At least set up the meeting to see what this is all about. Who knows, after you hear what she has to say maybe it wouldn't be what you thought it was. There's no point of freaking out over problems that don't even exist yet"

Amy let his words sink in. He was right. What if she goes to the meeting and she realize it's not what she wants to do at all? She was letting her assumptions about things get the better of her.

"Stop being more mature than me. I'm supposed to be the reasonable one. I don't like it when you take my job" She said, crawling towards him to cuddle.

"You know it's not my favorite role, I'm more of a place your bets without thinking of the consequences kind of guy. But sometimes you leave me no choice. Just don't let it happen again" He quipped giving her another kiss on the head.

Amy sighed and then check the time it was just past 4:30 which meant they've been sitting there for almost an hour.

"Is it too early for breakfast?" She asked looking up at him

"It's never too early for breakfast…or late for that matter" Ricky chuckled. "Come on, I'll make you some eggs and bacon"

"Pancakes too?"

"Don't push it missy" He said getting up off the couch "but sure…just this once" He led her by the hand towards the kitchen.