(2) Overnight Sensation: An All Time Low Fanfiction Romance

Chapter 81: Baggage Claim

        The drive to the airport was enough to kill me. We were both in the back of a taxi, and my arm was curled around my dad's, head against his shoulder. I prayed to the Gods that I wouldn't break down in the back of a random taxi on the way to Washington International Airport. I could feel the eyes of the driver constantly glancing back at my dad and myself. He didn't understand what was going on. Maybe the most he could get out of it was my dad's uniform.

        I couldn't dare look down at the uniform that covered his body. I knew that the duffle bag and backpack that matched were in the trunk. It was the middle of the night, somewhere between eleven and twelve. We both tried to schedule flights around the same time: my plane heading for Mississippi and my fathers for Florida. He was being moved to a base in Florida for some debriefing before a red-eye flight to Germany. I didn't want to think about it.

        The days that led up to the last few minutes that I had with my dad were one's that we always spent together. We didn't do anything differently when I arrived home for the first few days, but just be with one another. Neither of us knows if this would be the last time we got to see each other or not. This might be the only chance to be a family.

        So he cleaned the pool, and I lazed around, helping clean and put away the furniture. I was helping him shut down the place. He shut off the pool, and I helped him put the cover on it. We cleaned out the refridgerator and pantry. We were sure to lock the pool house tightly, and our neighbors generously offered to keep the lawn watered and an eye on the place for us. The utilities were shut off as of last night after we'd taken showers and sorted everything out. The only thing that remained was the lights for our early morning wake up call. For a house that we'd made ourselves comfortable living in, it was depressing as hell to see it empty and dark. Our perfect house no longer looked like a home.

        When I was packing the night before, I couldn't even wrap my head around the idea of this day coming. There are so many people that go to Iraq, and come back in one piece. Some don't even get close to a war zone. But my dad was trained for this -- this was his job. It was to get in there, and save as many people as he could. It was his job to get close to the enemy, like he was sniffing their scent. My only family, trained to kill, and walking around with a big target on his back.

        I cringed at the idea, not wanting to consider the idea while leaning my head into my dad's shoulder. He held my hand comfortingly while gazing out the window. I knew he wasn't a man of many words, but he had a lot to say without having to actually speak. I knew him well enough to know that squeezing his hand lightly, gaining his response was the acceptance that we were both getting used to.

        When I got home, and after we had our long moment in the car, we just dropped the subject in general. It went back to how it a sbefore I left, and it was almost disappointing. It was like the avoiding the elephant in the room. I didn't want to think about it, and I knew my dad didn't want to either. So we pretended like nothing had changed. We just got along, played nice, watched movie and joked around. My dad was sure to not let his sarcasm fade since I had been home a few weeks prior.

        But the thing I did manage to do was slip a note into his carry on backpack before I left the house this morning. It wasn't an impressive note, and I had a hard time writing it, but it came from my heart. I really wanted my dad to see how much I cared, even if we never really expressed it to one another. I hadn't slept the night before, because we were out of the house by ten minutes to midnight. So I had hours to perfect this very flawed note.

        Dad,
        I know that things haven't been great around here and I know that I really suck at explaining how I feel. But I just want you to know that you're the greatest father in the entire world, and I could never wish for any one else. I'm proud of what you do for our country, and even if I acted like I didn't care when I left, I do. I missed you dad, you're my best friend. I'm sorry for all of the terrible, horrible things I said and put you through. I'm sorry for being a terrible daughter. I just want you to know that I love you more than anything else in the world. Thank you for telling me about Kelly, and finally accepting Alex in my life. Thank you for always being there for me, and loving me unconditionally. Stay safe, and it's not goodbye, it's see you later.
        Love your little girl,
        Stella