In the heart of the bustling airport, amidst a tide of weary travellers and tearful reunions, Becky moved with purpose. Her chestnut brown eyes, soft yet determined, darted through the crowd, searching for the one face that meant the world to her: her dad. With a hiking backpack slung over her shoulder and a suitcase in tow, she weaved through the anticipation-filled air, driven by the urgency of connection and the promise of homecoming.
A voice called out her name, and her heart skipped a beat. She turned in the direction of where she thought the voice came from, hoping to catch sight of her dad. However, there was no one she recognized, just a sea of unfamiliar faces beaming with joy in their own little world.
"Becky!" the voice called again, this time from a different direction, the voice moving teasingly closer yet remaining elusive. She strained to hear it clearly, the voice seemingly lost and echoing amongst the frantic hustle of the arrival lounge, her anticipation and excitement building with each passing second.
"Dad!" she calls out, her booming voice carrying through the bustling crowd, the sound filled with longing and joy.
"Ted!" she calls out once more, aware that calling out 'dad' may not have been useful at all. And then, there it was again, that unmistakable high timbre that was her father's voice, this time it sounded so tantalizingly close.
"Becky Jones! Over here! On your right!" the voice called out with exuberance.
Becky turned to her right, and her heart leaped with joy as she was greeted by the sight of her dad's cheerful face. He stood there, a warm smile lighting up his features, clean-shaven with his blond hair parted to the right, the way that made him look ten years younger according to her mom. He was wearing a green puffer jacket that always smelled so clean, the one he liked to wear while minding their grocery store, practical in every way.
Becky ran towards him, the backpack bouncing on her back, and flung herself into his arms. Ted wrapped his arms around Becky, caressing her light brown hair which was an even mix between his blond and her mother's long, dark brown. He was savoring the long-awaited reunion.
"Look at you, not even a four-hour flight can keep you down," Ted said, his voice filled with pride and love. "You probably can run a marathon right now."
Becky clung to her father, cherishing the comforting presence of the man who had always been her rock. Finally releasing him, she looked at her father in detail, impressed that he hadn't aged a bit since the last time she had seen him.
"The flight was nothing," she replied, "I got to catch up on some reading which was delightful, but the last half hour was unbearable. I couldn't keep a lid on my excitement, thinking about seeing you and mom again."
Ted chuckled, his heart swelling with joy. His paternal instincts saw him reach out to take her backpack, but he soon realized how unnecessary that was. Ted looked proudly at Becky, impressed with how much she had grown in her confidence and movements, a sense of purpose in her eyes that had formed during the years she had been away from home.
"You know your mom couldn't sleep at all last night. She was so excited about seeing you again," he said, a smile in his voice. "And, well, she made sure I didn't get much sleep either. She kept waking me up. Asking a million questions, questions of life and death, important things like what to make for dinner and what clothes she should wear to greet you. She reminded me a thousand times to set an alarm so I wouldn't be late to the airport."
Becky smiled at the thought of her mother's enthusiasm, "Mom's always been like that, hasn't she?" she said, her voice tinged with affection.
"She has," Ted agreed, his eyes shining with love as he looked at his daughter. "And she's been counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until you returned home. We both have."
Suddenly remembering something, Ted reached for his phone in the pockets of his jeans.
"I was meant to call your mother to let her know I've found you. I better make that call before..."
Before he could finish, Ted's phone rang to the cheerful tune of 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game'. Looking down at his phone, the name 'Sexy Sally' was flashing impatiently waiting for him to answer. Ted chuckled, shaking his head. He answered the call, greeting her with affectionate words.
"Hey Sally," Ted said, trying to keep the mood light. "I know I'm the very last person you want to hear from right now, so here's Becky."
Ted handed the phone to Becky, who took it with a playful smile. "Heyyyy mom!" she said in a mischievous tone.
As Becky listened to her mother's excited chatter and barrage of questions, Ted helped her to wheel the suitcase.
With a free hand, she untied the university logoed jacket from her waist and slipped it on. The relative chill of the early Minnesota summer caught her off guard, having been away for so long in sunny Southern California.
They began walking towards the parking lot, with Becky continuing her animated conversation with her mom.
"The flight was smooth as a baby's bottom," Becky replied, glancing at her dad with a smile. "Luggage pickup went well, no mixup whatsoever. Yes. Yes. Yep! I had a breakfast burrito in LA before boarding. Oh, and Dad was on time."
Becky winked at her father as they exchanged knowing glances.
"Mom, that sounds wonderful..." Becky replied with affection in her voice. "Anything you decide to cook will be exactly what I want. I'm so looking forward to seeing you. Um hm, yes. Okay, Mom, don't rush, you've got plenty of time before we get back." more excited chatter from Sally ensued before she let Becky go, "I love you too mom. See you soon!"
Becky handed the phone back to her dad, laughing. "Mom is cooking enough food for dinner to feed the whole of Sommerfield." she remarked, "For a whole year!"
Ted chuckled as he pocketed his phone. "That's just one of her many ways of showing her love," he said with a fond smile.
As they arrived at Ted's pickup truck, Becky lifted her suitcase and backpack into the bed of the truck. She then turned to her dad with a hopeful expression.
"Hey, Dad, mind if I drive?" Becky asked, her eyes bright with anticipation.
Ted raised an eyebrow, considering her request. "Do you know the way?" he asked.
"You can be my navigator. I've really missed driving your truck. I've been driving nothing but gutless hatchback hybrids in California." she replied with a hopeful grin.
Ted didn't hesitate for even a moment and tossed his keys to Becky. "Alright then, it's all yours," he walked over to the passenger side which caused him to feel an unusual feeling, "Just yell out if you get tired and we can switch," Ted added.
Becky beamed and eagerly climbed into the driver's seat. The familiar smell of the vinyl seats and the touch of the leather steering wheel brought back a flood of memories, making her feel like she was already back home. She turned the key, and the engine roared to life with a low, throaty growl. Becky turned and gave her dad a satisfied smile.
Stepping on the clutch and shifting the truck into gear, Becky started driving towards their hometown of Sommerfield Minnesota, a place that held so many cherished memories for both of them. The road stretched out ahead, and as they embarked on the long drive home, father and daughter shared a sense of excitement and anticipation for the reunion with their family and the familiar comforts of home.