After four months away Nikki and Nathan were finally back in Seattle. After clearing customs and picking up their bags Nikki ran through the arrivals area.
"Mom," Nikki shouted, throwing her arms around Evelyn.
"Welcome home darling," Evelyn greeted with equal enthusiasm.
"Ma," Nathan said.
"Welcome home Nate," Evelyn smiled, giving him a hug.
"Where are Owen and Teddy," Nikki asked.
"Waiting for you at home," Evelyn said, "I wanted the ride home with just the two of you."
"Thanks for picking us up," Nathan said.
"I need a good look at you," Evelyn replied.
"Mom," Nikki groaned.
"Nikki you have a tan," Evelyn said.
"Only took four months of African sun," Nikki replied, "for the first time in my life I have a tan."
"The curse of the red heads," Evelyn smiled.
"Only took what four sun burns," Nathan teased.
"I'll drop Nathan off then take you home," Evelyn said.
"I'm ready for a real shower with lots of hot water," Nikki said.
"The buckets suck," Nathan agreed.
"Real shower or a bubble bath," Nikki said, "get all the dust out of my hair. Why was I always brushing dust out of my hair?"
"It's everywhere and you wore a hat," Nathan said.
"It's even in my ears," Nikki laughed.
They chatted with Evelyn as they walked to the car Nikki enthusiastically recounting the trip to her mom with Nathan chiming in once in a while.
Evelyn was relived, four of five were safely in Seattle. Only one child was out of her reach. Four kids, two grandchildren home safe.
Pulling into the driveway Evelyn woke Nikki up she had fallen asleep on the drive.
"Welcome home squirt," Owen bellowed from The porch.
"Owl," Nikki called running to hug him.
"Good trip," Owen asked.
"Amazing," Nikki replied.
"Welcome home," Teddy greeted with a hug.
Nikki turned to look at her nieces, "what happened to my little Allison and Amber? These aren't my nieces Owen what did you do with your kids?"
"We're here auntie Nikki," Allison called.
"How do I know you're my Allison," Nikki asked.
"Because you're my auntie Nikki," Allison replied.
"In that case. I'm home munchkin, where's my hug," Nikki asked.
Allison leapt at Nikki who caught her in a tight hug.
Owen smiled and remembered the words Meghan used to say to Nikki when she got home. It was almost the same phrase.
"Your mom and I are making you salmon," Teddy said, "get what you need then go use our tub with the jets for a good bubble bath. The first bath after being in the field for months always felt good."
"The four of you would fight over baths and showers," Evelyn remembered.
"Meghan had me sit in the tub fully dressed to reserve it for her," Nikki giggled.
"She would," Owen chuckled.
"Then once she had her bath she would come sit in my room with me and tell me stories," Nikki smiled.
"What's your plan," Evelyn asked.
"Bath, do something with my hair that isn't up," Nikki said, "then cuddling with my nieces and telling them stories."
"Sounds good," Evelyn smiled.
Nikki went to the basement to get the stuff she needed. Jeff would be there in a couple hours so she wanted to soak up all the family time she could now.
Teddy smiled, "she's grown up."
"She has." Owen agreed.
"Did you hear what she said to Allison," Evelyn asked.
"It's a mix of what Meghan and I would say to her," Owen smiled.
"It's weird being on this end waiting for the letters and emails," Teddy said.
"It was hard," Evelyn agreed, "four of you to worry if I didn't hear. Teddy you were the worst about telling me you were okay."
"I didn't want to bother you," Teddy said.
"The first time Owen brought you home you were one of mine," Evelyn said.
"I wasn't ready to let a mom in yet," Teddy said.
"I know," Evelyn agreed.
Just before dinner Jeff knocked on the front door.
"Hey," Nikki said shyly. The confidence that Nathan had watch grow over the last four months vanished as soon as Nikki's boyfriend appeared.
"Nik I missed you," Jeff said, giving her a hug and a kiss.
"I missed you too," Nikki said, "how was your summer?"
"Good," Jeff said, "not the same without you. How was Kenya?"
"Amazing," Nikki said, "we should look at going together one summer. They could use engineers and teachers."
"I'll stay here," Jeff said, "I don't do dirt and tents."
"Not being dusty for the first time in months is nice," Nikki admitted.
"You're done school now," Jeff said, "two degrees."
"Debrief and final reflections on Monday," Nikki said, "then I have to move into Blue Pine."
"And I move in tomorrow," Jeff said.
"You do," Nikki smiled, "ready?"
"I could stay here tonight," Jeff suggested.
"Julie is at her moms and moving out tomorrow," Nikki agreed, "we could do dinner with everyone. Nate is coming for dinner then you and I could watch a movie. I'm jet lagged."
"Movie in your bed," Jeff whispered.
"I'm going to fall asleep the moment I lay down," Nikki said.
"Then I can hold you for the first time in months," Jeff said.
"That would be good," Nikki agreed. She was looking forward to just being held, she had missed hugs and kisses while she was away. While many of her classmates had been single and had hooked up in Kenya Nikki had looked forward to going home to Jeff. But while she was away she had become close friends with Brett Wilson, another math teacher who had also gotten a job at Blue Pine Middle School for the upcoming school year. Nikki would be teaching sixth grade math while Brett taught a mix of sixth and seventh grade. While her classmates had suspected something between Nikki and Brett she had insisted that it be kept to friendship. Brett had respected her limits and that she was in a relationship and accepted being friendzoned.
Over dinner that night Nikki and Nathan shared their stories of Kenya captivating the little girls with their pictures of the wild life from the day they had gone to a remote village to do vaccinations. They had seen giraffes, elephants and zebras.
"When I'm big can I go be a helper in Africa two," Allison asked.
"You can," Teddy smiled, "how would you help?"
"Can I teach like auntie Nikki," Allison asked.
"If you go to school for it," Owen said.
"Did you go help daddy," Allison asked.
"I did," Owen said, "in Iraq. It's in another part of the world called the middle east."
They continued catching up on the last four months and sharing stories over dinner and desert until the two travelers started to yawn.
Getting home that night Nathan opened his computer and pulled up a new email.
Dear Meg,
I know I haven't written in a couple weeks. I've been in Kenya with doctors without borders. This trip was different from my others. Nikki did her global teaching experience in the same camp. You would have been so proud of our little sister, she trained local teachers and taught older kids math, I even got her helping with vaccinations. I still miss you every day. I'm hoping to go back to Iraq soon to help out again, it's where I feel closest to you. I hope your still out there. Maybe you're reading these but just can't respond. You should know that everyone is doing well. Our nieces are growing like weeds, Allison looks more like Teddy all the time and Amber is all Owen. Owen and Teddy are happy with their girls, the four of them are an adorable little family. You were right all those years ago when you said they would be happy together. We may have another Owen and Teddy situation with Squirt, there's a guy in her cohort that was really into her in Kenya and they start teaching at the same school in two weeks. I think she should be with Brett and not Jeff who she's been dating for a few years and is now living with. It's so weird to see her be grown up enough to teach middle school and live with her boyfriend. I really don't have a lot to say about myself. I go to work and spend a few months each year volunteering somewhere that I can really be useful. I still find more meaning in my volunteer work than being in the hospital. That was our dream, to use our skills to change the world for the better. I'm still holding on to that dream, we should have done it together. I may have let you down in so many ways, ways I will always regret. I won't let this dream of ours down. I miss you every day, I wish you could have been in Kenya with us. I hope you're happy, safe and loved wherever you are.
I love you with all of my heart always and forever,
Nathan.