A Package Deal

No Time Like the Present (Chapter 15)

The flight back home went a lot better than Ignazio expected. Whether it was because Gabby had sent him a text or the fact, he had something to keep himself occupied, it didn't matter. Before leaving for the airport, he had made substantial progress checking out flights and hotels. Using the time on the flight, he focused on proving to Gabby that he was worth keeping around.

***

Pulling into the driveway of his own home, a feeling of satisfaction and happiness persisted 14 hours later. Gone was the foreboding feeling of an empty house and loneliness. Though Gabby may not have been there, he no longer felt alone.

Hauling his many suitcases upstairs to his bedroom, Ignazio dumped the contents of his main bag onto his bed. Soon, clothes flew, with only some making it into the laundry hamper. Leaving the rest of his bags on the floor, he launched himself back onto his bed and groaned. His eyes were scratchy and burned, and his body ached from being stationary for so long. For someone who valued his sleep as much as he did, the constant jet lag was something he detested. No, more than detested, he loathed jet lag. Pulling out his phone and changing the settings, message after message began to come through. However, there was only one he was interested in seeing right away and it was a video.

"Hi. I just woke up not too long ago," Gabby's sweet voice spoke. "I think I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow. Addie and I have been home for about four hours, and I don't know if you can hear this, but—"

Cranking up the volume on his phone, Ignazio brought it closer to his ear. Listening, he could hear Addilyn laughing and squealing at something happening outside.

"Addilyn is still going strong." Crossing her fingers in front of her face and squeezing her eyes shut, Gabby said, "I hope that after eating and a warm bath, she crashes until morning."

Disappearing from the screen because of a black, brown, and tan furry body in front of her camera, "Hey, puppy," was all he heard.

"Ignazio, this is Finnegan," Gabby said, sharing the screen with his Ewok face. "He is my first baby, and I love him very much."

Watching as Gabby moved from her living room, through the kitchen, and out onto a deck, he discovered the reason for Addilyn's exuberant laughter. Wearing a swimsuit, she sat in a chair in the middle of the yard.

"Are you ready?" a man's voice questioned from out of view.

"Yes!"

As water from a sprinkler underneath her chair shot up all around her, covering her head with her hands, Addie squealed and ran straight for her grandmother.

"I'm sending Ignazio a video," he heard Gabby say. "Does anybody want to say hi?"

"Me, me, me," Addilyn hollered, jumping off her grandmother's lap and bounding towards her mother. "Hi, Nazio, Poppa, and Nanny are taking me to the zoo next Saturday. You can come too."

Turning around in a half-circle and holding her phone up higher, Gabby said, "Say hi, Mom."

"Hi, Ignazio," Elly smiled and waved.

"Dad?"

Though he did not smile or say anything, Bob waved and said an unenthusiastic hello.

"Well, I just wanted you to know we made it back home. Text me when you can or call. I must warn you, though, that when I'm at work, I can't answer my phone, and once I'm home, I make it a habit to be present for Addilyn. My family and friends know that if they need to contact me, they are to call, hang up, and then call back right away. Give that a try if you can't reach me." Bringing the phone close to her lips, Gabby kissed it. "I miss you. Try to get some rest on your flight home if you can, and I'll talk to you soon. Ciao."