I wandered around the brightly lit room, mingling with my husband's family members, laughing at their corny jokes and generally pretending to have a good time. In reality though, I was not exactly the happiest girl on Earth. My eyes kept wandering to the military ornaments that covered my in-laws' Christmas tree. My husband was supposed to have come home three days ago, in time for this party and our baby girl's fourth Christmas. He had been stationed across seas for her first three. I smiled half-heartedly as Cheyenne ran up to me.
"Mommy, Gramma says there's a big s'prise for me tonight" she said excitedly.
I stroked her long strawberry blonde hair and smiled down at her. I had no clue what the surprise was but I was sure if it was from my husband, Cade's, mother, that it would make my daughter extremely happy. I glanced over at my mother-in-law, Misty and she winked at me, smiling. I smiled back at her.
The next hour passed excruciatingly slow. The family was acting very happy and care-free and I tried to play along with them. I knew they missed Cade just as much as I did, so I figured I should be enjoying this get-together just as much as they were.
"Cheyenne, honey?" Misty said finally. "Would you like your surprise now?"
Cheyenne, of course, squealed in delight at the thought of a Christmas present a day early.
"Well, its out in the garage, you will have to go see what it is," Misty told Cheyenne.
My mind automatically flitted to the bike my daughter had been begging for all year and I smiled at the thoughtfulness of the gift. Cheyenne raced out the garage door to find her gift. We all followed at a slower pace. I didn't hear the shriek of excitement I had expected, so I sped up my pace, walked out the door, and stopped. Dead in my tracks. I couldn't move.
There in the middle of the empty garage stood my husband, with our baby girl wrapped tightly in his arms. We had not seen him in over thirteen months. I immediately had tears pouring down my face. My knees felt weak as I rushed over to my family.
Cade's arm wrapped tightly around my waist as I flung my own arms around him and my daughter. I was openly sobbing, as was my daughter. I kept hearing her constantly repeating his name.
"Daddy? Daddy... Daddy?" she said.
It was like she couldn't believe he was really here, in her arms. I couldn't believe it either to be honest. I pulled my face away from his now soaked fatigues to look up into his handsome face. He was still every bit as gorgeous as he had always been. He had tears flowing from his eyes as well as he stared down at me.
"My girls..." he muttered before kissing our daughter's hair and leaning down to kiss me deeply on my mouth.
"God, I've missed you both so much," he said into my ear as he crushed me to his body again, still holding our little girl in his arms.
