It was their usual Sunday night routine. Saying goodbye.

Their youngest, baby Ella, bounced in her mother’s arms until her dad leaned over and planted a raspberry on her cheek eliciting squeals of delight.

Jessica’s lips curled despite the heaviness in her heart.

As a pharmaceutical sales person, travel was a part of Jack’s job description that she’d grown to accept. But it didn’t make saying goodbye any easier.

After smothering their other two kids in hugs and kisses, Jack hopped into the waiting hired car with a wave and a smile. Jessica’s stomach clenched as she thought about how exciting his life on the road must be—business meetings with doctors, dinner at new restaurants every evening, nights spent in luxurious hotels.

After their oldest, Connor, was born, Jessica made the decision to quit her job as a nurse and stay home full time. Now with three kids under five, she still loved every moment of her time at home. But that was her. Whenever she said goodbye to Jack she couldn’t help wondering if he found their home life dull compared to his travels.

Did he look forward to getting back on the road?

Jessica felt a tug on her pant leg pulling her back from her worries.

“Can I have a drink?” asked three year old Zoë.

“Of course, Sweetie,” Jessica replied as she patted the girl’s curly blonde head. She grabbed three plastic cups from the cupboard, and as she poured a round of apple juice for the masses her concerns about Jack were quickly forgotten.

On Monday night, the phone rang at precisely six o’clock. Jessica’s heart pounded with anticipation. Whenever he traveled, Jack always managed to sneak away and call home at the same time. No matter what.

When she picked up the phone, Jessica could barely hear him over the raised voices and clinking of silverware on dishes. He was at dinner with clients.

The kids jumped at her legs anxious to talk to Daddy. After each had their turn, Connor passed her the phone. “It’s your turn, Mommy.”

But as soon as she raised it to her ear, she heard Jack say, “Sorry, hun. Gotta go.”  He was practically shouting to be heard. “Dr. Watts is about to leave, and I haven’t gotten a commitment from him yet. I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you.”

She let out a heavy breath but told herself she could wait until tomorrow to tell him about Zoe’s attempt to dress the cat in a princess gown and tiara.

But on Tuesday evening, Jessica returned home at six-ten following what was supposed to be a quick stop at the grocery store—an impossibility with three kids in tow—to find a message from Jack.

“I won’t be able to call back tonight,” his voice rang out. “The only time Dr. Bryson can meet with me is this evening. Kisses and hugs to everyone.” He sounded distracted, as though he was in a hurry to get off the phone.

Her heart sunk.

The tiara story really isn’t that exciting anyway.

On Wednesday evening, six o’clock came and went with no phone call. Even though she knew he was due home the next night, disappointment weighed heavy in her chest. Her first instinct was to worry. He’d never missed a call before. Had something happened?

Calm down. He’s probably busy with a client, her common sense told her.

But then that meant he’d gotten too busy or just forgot to call.

Either option caused her heart to tighten uncomfortably. But she tried to ignore the sensation as she joined in the kids’ lively dinnertime conversation.

A few hours after the kids were asleep Jessica heard a noise at the front door. Her heart thudded in her chest. Who could it be? She wasn’t expecting anyone.

Wiping her dish soapy hands on a towel, she walked cautiously to the front window to check it out.

But before she reached the foyer, the door swung open and Jack walked into the house. Jessica’s breath caught in her throat, and she rushed to her husband throwing her arms around his neck.

“You’re early!” she mumbled into his shoulder. Her heart sped like crazy—partly from surprise but mostly due to the thrill of seeing Jack.

“I couldn’t stand the thought of being away for another night, so I squeezed all of my appointments into three days. That’s why I’ve been so busy.”

And he couldn’t call tonight because he’d been on a plane, she realized. A pang of guilt gripped her stomach. How could she have doubted him?

He dropped his small suitcase and returned her embrace with both arms. “I’ve had enough stuffy business dinners and lonely hotel stays to last a life time.”

“I thought you liked traveling,” she said tentatively.

Jack pulled back and looked into her eyes. “The only part I like about being away is coming home to you and the kids.”

A wave of relief washed over her leaving a warm glow in its wake. Feeling closer to Jack than ever before, Jessica leaned in and pressed her lips to his.

When she pulled away, she couldn’t help smiling. “Do you want to hear what Zoë did to the cat on Monday?” she asked.

And as they cuddled up on the couch together, the sparkle she saw in Jack’s blue eyes as she talked about their life, their children left no doubt in her mind.

Home really is where his heart is.

The End

Learn more about Marcy Bassett-Kennedy at her SHOWCASE PAGE.

She plunked down in her aisle seat and ran a hand through her chestnut hair. A wave of relief washed over her at the sight of the two empty seats beside her. She didn’t have the energy or the desire to make small talk with anyone today, least of all with strangers. All she wanted was to be alone. There was a time when she’d been eager to strike up a conversation with someone she didn’t know, the life of every party, the one who made others feel at ease in social settings.

But that was then.

This was now.

Jenna hated what she’d become since the divorce. It was one of the main reasons why she’d decided to pack up and move to Atlanta. She needed a fresh start, a chance to reinvent herself in a place where the memory of Drew’s infidelities wouldn’t shadow her every step of the way. The booming city was exactly what she needed-a place where no one knew her business, and furthermore, no one cared.

Her pulse thudded in her ears as the gravity of the situation finally hit her. She was starting over. Moving to a city where the only person she knew was her sister, Meg. Since she’d made the decision to move two months ago, she’d tried not to think about what would come next. Sure she had a good sum of money in the bank from the divorce settlement and an apartment that she’d prepaid for the first six months, but then what? Get a job? Write the novel she’d always talked about? Go back to school? The possibilities were endless.

Too endless.

For seven years she’d been so busy being the good doctor’s wife and obsessing over their unsuccessful attempts to have a baby that she hadn’t had a chance to figure out who she was or what she wanted from life. But now she had all the time in the world…and it scared her to death.

Jenna’s chest tightened uncomfortably and her breaths came quick and shallow. Who was she kidding? She wasn’t the type of person who could start over. She should get off this plane right now and ask her parents if she could move back in with them. At least then she wouldn’t have to face the uncertainty of the future and the possibility of failing at what she did next-just as she’d failed at her marriage.

A sudden bump on the elbow jolted Jenna back to reality. She glanced up at the source: a black carry-on bag being pulled by a pair of brawny shoulders.

“I’m so sorry,” the owner of the bag and the shoulders said as he craned his head to face her.

“That’s okay,” she mumbled, sinking back in her seat to be alone with the panic still swirling in her chest.

But he didn’t move on.

“Jenna? Jenna Miller? Is that you?” she heard him say.

She couldn’t remember the last time anyone called her by her maiden name, so it took a minute to register that yes that was her name-again.

By the time Jenna looked up, the man had turned full circle and was pushing his bag back up the aisle until he was beside her. Now able to get a good look at his face, a wave a familiarity washed over her.

“Doug?” Jenna asked feeling some of the tightness in her chest subsiding. “Oh my…Doug Saxon. I haven’t seen you since… high school graduation? Has it been that long?”

She and Doug had gone to the same small town high school. Although they hadn’t been close, with several mutual friends they often found themselves hanging out in the same places, going to the same parties. Doug looked much the same as he did when she last saw him. His sandy hair was cut shorter now, but it still curled slightly around his ears. And he’d managed to maintain the trim physique that Jenna had secretly admired as a teen.

“It has. It has. How’ve you been?” he asked casually.

As she looked up into his warm brown eyes, Jenna thought about his question. How was she? She was alone for the first time in seven years. She was scared out of her mind. But the realization suddenly hit her; she could handle this. After what she’d been through-she could handle anything.

Like a balloon pricked by a pin, she felt all of the tension that had been building released in a sudden rush. “I’m okay, Doug,” she answered truthfully. “And you?”

“I’m good. Just heading back home to Atlanta after visiting my parents. They keep bugging me to move home, get married, give them some grand babies. You know the drill.”

Jenna chuckled, feeling more at ease than she had in some time.

He looked at her intently, his eyes searching her baby blues. “You know, it’s weird; I was thinking about you the other day. It’s really great to see you.”

“Would you like to sit down and catch up?” She was so shocked to hear the words come out of her mouth that she nearly turned to see where they came from.

His full lips spread into a smile. “Sure.”

Doug settled in beside her, and as they chatted about mutual friends and his life in Atlanta, Jenna felt warm, comfortable, and wondered why she’d never considered dating Doug in high school.

“So why are you going to Atlanta? Meeting your husband?”

The question hit her like a blow to the chest. It was a perfectly reasonable question, she knew. Most people their age were married. But back in her hometown, everyone knew about the divorce, so she hadn’t had to deal with the questions. She realized that now she was going to have to get used to it.

She took a deep breath. “No. I’m divorced, so it’s just me.”

Doug’s eyes filled with concern. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she replied with a shrug of the shoulders. “Actually I’m moving to Atlanta, and to tell you the truth, I’m pretty nervous about the whole thing.” It was the first time she’d admitted it to anyone, and it made her feel a little better.

“Well don’t be.” he replied. “It’s a great city. You’re gonna love it.”

“I hope so.”

“Since you’re new to The Big Peach, maybe I could take you out and show you the sights sometime.” A slight smile tugged at his lips.

Jenna’s heart sped. “I’d like that, Doug.”

And as the plane took flight, her heart soared along with it.

Yes, things were looking up.

She was starting over.

The End

Learn more about Marcy Bassett-Kennedy at her SHOWCASE PAGE.