Ricardo stares at his email, immediately awake. "Alicia," he says, rolling over and pressing a kiss to his wife's neck. "Hey, can you wake up, my love?"
She groans and stirs. "What? What's wrong?"
He kisses her again and then holds his phone out to her. "I'm going to Peru," he says, nuzzling into her. "I've got to leave, like, right now."
She frowns and rolls over. "Excuse me?"
Things move in a rush from there. He has to hurry from room to room, kissing the kids goodbye, promising them toys and pictures, before he's out the door and rushing for the airport. It's a journey, he has so much ahead to do for 3LW. The flight back home is going to be a mess, he can tell already, but it's an adventure and he he hasn't traveled like this in years, so he decides to sit back, enjoy it.
He makes the most of his international phone plan where he can, calling Alicia a couple times, recording videos for Instagram. On the way home, he sits back and just takes it all in, reflecting on everything he's seen and experienced. Soon he'll be back in Pennsylvania, with Alicia and the kids, but until then, he sits in this small airport and enjoys, temporarily, being an average traveler that no one here really knows.
The sun is on his back, warm and comforting, and he tilts his head back, enjoying it. He peeks an eye open and smiles, turning the flash off and taking a picture of it, sending it to Alicia.
Almost immediately he gets a response. That's the meanest thing ever.
Love you, he replies back, grinning.
Sigh. Love you too, she says.
He laughs, feeling her crankiness through the few words. I'll be home soon.
I'll have the snowballs ready for you.
He smiles and puts his phone away, listening for his flight announcement. He can't wait.