I stumbled backwards as Susan threw her arms around me. "Wow, uh, I
missed you to, Susan," I said, patting her on the back.
She stepped back and smiled at me through her tears. I was about to ask her what was wrong when Abby knocked her out of the way and leapt into my arms. I could feel her tears on my neck.
"What's going on?" I asked.
Abby kissed me. "We thought you were dead," she said, dragging me into the apartment.
I crinkled my brow. "What?"
"There was a plane crash. They read out a passenger list. You were on it." Abby seemed to have become suddenly inarticulate.
"I missed my plane," I told her. "They must have thought I was on the plane because I had checked in. But I didn't get to the gate in time. I rented a car."
Abby just smiled at me, her eyes shinning with tears.
"I'm gonna go," Susan said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow for Christmas dinner." She gave me another hug. "I'm so glad you missed your plane." And she was gone.
**********************
"Daddy!" Bry shrieked as I stepped into her room. I scooped her up and covered her with kisses. "Mommy missed you so much," she said.
I sat down on her bed. "What about you?" I asked. "Did you miss me?"
Bry nodded. "I wanted you to be home for Christmas," she said. "I made you and Mommy presents at school."
Last week, Bry's pre-school teacher had given Abby the already- wrapped gifts that Bry had made us.
I gave Bry another kiss. "I get to open my present tomorrow, don't I?" I asked.
Bry nodded again. "Tomorrow's Christmas."
*********************
"Shhhh. . ." I put my finger to my lips as Abby tripped over the coffee table.
Abby grinned and placed the last present under the tree. I was eating the cookies and milk that Bry had left for Santa.
The three stockings hung on the wall were full and there was an impressive amount of presents under the tree.
We finished setting up at about midnight and Abby took my hand and led me to the bedroom. She had made an allowance for Christmas Eve and let me stay the night.
As we lay in bed with our arms around each other, I realized that I hadn't been this excited about Christmas since I was ten years old.
"Merry Christmas, Abby" I whispered.
She snuggled closer to me. "Merry Christmas, John."
I buried my face in her hair. How did I ever live with out her?
She stepped back and smiled at me through her tears. I was about to ask her what was wrong when Abby knocked her out of the way and leapt into my arms. I could feel her tears on my neck.
"What's going on?" I asked.
Abby kissed me. "We thought you were dead," she said, dragging me into the apartment.
I crinkled my brow. "What?"
"There was a plane crash. They read out a passenger list. You were on it." Abby seemed to have become suddenly inarticulate.
"I missed my plane," I told her. "They must have thought I was on the plane because I had checked in. But I didn't get to the gate in time. I rented a car."
Abby just smiled at me, her eyes shinning with tears.
"I'm gonna go," Susan said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow for Christmas dinner." She gave me another hug. "I'm so glad you missed your plane." And she was gone.
**********************
"Daddy!" Bry shrieked as I stepped into her room. I scooped her up and covered her with kisses. "Mommy missed you so much," she said.
I sat down on her bed. "What about you?" I asked. "Did you miss me?"
Bry nodded. "I wanted you to be home for Christmas," she said. "I made you and Mommy presents at school."
Last week, Bry's pre-school teacher had given Abby the already- wrapped gifts that Bry had made us.
I gave Bry another kiss. "I get to open my present tomorrow, don't I?" I asked.
Bry nodded again. "Tomorrow's Christmas."
*********************
"Shhhh. . ." I put my finger to my lips as Abby tripped over the coffee table.
Abby grinned and placed the last present under the tree. I was eating the cookies and milk that Bry had left for Santa.
The three stockings hung on the wall were full and there was an impressive amount of presents under the tree.
We finished setting up at about midnight and Abby took my hand and led me to the bedroom. She had made an allowance for Christmas Eve and let me stay the night.
As we lay in bed with our arms around each other, I realized that I hadn't been this excited about Christmas since I was ten years old.
"Merry Christmas, Abby" I whispered.
She snuggled closer to me. "Merry Christmas, John."
I buried my face in her hair. How did I ever live with out her?