HOMECOMING
As he stood outside the Ferngill Military Transition Center in Zuzu City, Kent put his duffel bag down to zip his jacket against the cold wind. The day had finally come, the day that Kent was honorably discharged from military service. More importantly, it was the day he would reunite with his family and begin the next chapter of his life.
The transition wasn't without its problems. The outprocessing itself had gone smoothly enough- along with the discharge paperwork he now held in his hand, Kent also received a commendation for "Bravery and Valor above and beyond the call of duty" and a check for 25,000 gold. The only hitch was that he just found out that the only bus to Pelican Town was out of service. Great, Kent thought to himself, I bet the town drunk wrecked it. As it happened though, a sergeant at the Center was able to secure him a ride on a Joja Corporation supply truck that was heading to Stardew Valley. Oh well, Kent mused, beats walking, I guess.
"Hey there, soldier!" Kent looked up to see a young fellow in a Joja Corp jacket and ballcap approaching. "You must be the guy heading to P-Town, right? I don't normally have passengers, but it'll be nice to have someone along to chat with on that long-ass drive."
Kent gave the young driver a slightly dour look. "If it's all the same to you, I'm just gonna sleep most of the trip. It's been a long morning already and I'm not much on conversation."
"Suit yourself, soldier." The driver turned and started walking toward the truck. "Let's saddle up and get on the road!".
As much as Kent wanted to sleep during the long ride to Pelican Town, it was not meant to be. It wasn't so much that the driver insisted on (quietly) singing along to the radio, but mainly that the whirling thoughts in Kent's mind gave him no peace. Everything he had experienced, especially the weeks that he spent in that Gotoro POW camp, had a profound effect on him. It changed who he was, and that scared him. In his letters to Jodi, he tried to convey his feelings but he could never fully open up to her. He felt if the changes scared him they would terrify her, so he always held back. The physical distance between them made it easier to deal with, but now he was coming home. And what scared him most was that Jodi and the boys might not like the man he has become.
Kent shuddered as he pushed those thoughts from his mind. The doctors and counselors who worked with him after his liberation told him that he would experience these intrusive thoughts from time to time-It was to be expected considering the trauma he had endured. Kent took a deep, cleansing breath and reassured himself that Jodi, Sam and Vincent would love and support him no matter what. He had no reason to believe otherwise.
"Hey man, you're almost home!"
The driver's words brought Kent out of his self-reflection. He looked up to see the "Welcome To Pelican Town" sign as they exited the tunnel. Kent felt a slight surge of excitement tempered with a sense of anxiety. What if Jodi and the boys weren't there to meet him? He didn't get the chance to call her to let her know he would be dropped off at JojaMart instead of the bus stop. The sergeant said he would take care of calling ahead, but what if he didn't?
His fears melted away as the truck pulled into the JojaMart parking lot. Kent got a lump in his throat at the sight of Vincent and Sam holding a handmade "Welcome Home, Daddy!" banner, and Vincent jumping up and down with excitement as he saw the truck pull up.
Then there was Jodi. She never looked more beautiful to Kent than she did at that moment, smiling broadly with a small tear of happiness running down her cheek. Kent didn't wait for the truck to stop as he threw the door open and leapt out, running to meet his loved ones.
He was home.