A/N: This pairs with Not Giving Up, Just Giving In but that story isn't required reading for this little drabble. You can thank cedfiafics for so thoughtfully reviewing each chapter of that story recently and getting it back into my head. And after you're done thanking her, go over to her page and give her stuff a read if you haven't already!
Also, I can't remember how old I made Sofia in that story and I don't feel like looking it up. Soooo mid-twenties!

Friday
mid twenties

Cedric was coming back today. He had been gone an uncomfortably long time. Sofia had spent six months alone with a toddler and a very enthusiastically growing babe in her belly. Of course, she hadn't truly been alone. Beyond her born and unborn children, the people of the island treated her as one of their own. Her son ran, dark hair in a mop that curled around his ears, between her and the other mothers of the island. Each offered him affection or admonishment, but each comment ended with a firm kiss to his forehead and a sloppy kiss to the cheek from him in return. It caused Sofia to smile through when the women would flock to her pregnant belly, each offering their unsolicited but well-intended advice. She had an open invitation to nearly every home on the island for any meal and to help with her rambunctious son.

But even without being truly alone, Sofia missed her husband. He was an absent part of her routine and waking up alone was something she had never wanted to experience again. It was only supposed to be two weeks. Two weeks without waking up to the smell of caffe in the morning, without the afternoons spent reading together while their son took his nap, without the family walks on the beach after dinner. The thought of two weeks was manageable. She had kissed him goodbye like she would see him again in two weeks.

But his mother wasn't coping well and needed his help for longer. And then affairs of his house had to be transitioned in name to him but in function to his sister. And then the seas were too rough to travel. And then his mother couldn't bear for him to go away.

Sofia understood. Of course, she understood. She always understood. But she was tired of understanding and she wanted her husband home.

But it was Friday. It was finally Friday and Winifred had been sated and the seas were calm and the ship was pulling into the harbor. And Sofia could see him. Her son tugged on her arm, but she held to him tightly until the ship was docked. When she finally let him go, he ran. She had never see him run so fast, meeting his father on pier and leaping into his arms. Sofia followed after as quickly as she could and was almost remiss to interrupt the clinging hug between father and son.

Almost.

Cedric caught her eyes and smiled before extending out his free arm to draw her in. They kissed; a soft and long awaited thing, closed mouthed and hinting of heat to come. But a third pair of lips pressed against them and broke them apart with laughter. Cedric dropped to a knee and pressed his hand to Sofia's growing belly, kissing it softly and murmuring about how much the babe had grown. He stood and took his son's hand in his. Sofia took the boy's other hand and the three walked off the pier towards their home. Sofia had to fight the urge to skip from the joy that she felt. Her heart was finally whole and full again.