Life Together (Completed)

Thirty-seven

***** Noah *****

It has been the worse month of my entire life. I knew having surgery to remove a kidney was going to suck but nothing could have prepared me for the pain I was going to feel. And I don't even mean the physical pain you get after a surgery or during recovery. I mean the pain of being alone without your kids and your wife. Sure, I helped save my half brother. But even those warm positive feelings can't out weigh the complete and udder sadness I've felt without my family. I've never been depressed, but if I had to say a time where I came close it would be this month without my family and my kids.

My kids.

Fuck do I miss my kids, so freaking much. And Liam, I will never get back this month of Liam's baby life. Some days were harder than others. Sure Stacy and Sam visited, alot. And by alot I mean everyday. They definitely helped make me feel a little more comfortable. Especially after the first night alone after I shipped my family off to start our fresh start without me. The house was so eerie and quiet. Painfully quiet. Hell, 15 years ago if you told me I would be praying for a noisy house, I'd tell you you're crazy. Yet there I was this past month just praying to hear my kids run down the hallway. Or the sound of my wife's voice singing Liam to sleep. Shit, I'd even take the sound of her scolding me about leaving the toilet seat up again.

Sure, we have face times and hours and hours of phone calls, but there's nothing like the real deal. I miss Jemma calling me daddy Noah. I miss the girls running into my arms when I get home. I miss Connor's snappy remarks and relentless teasing of the girls. I miss it all. I just have to hold off for five more hours. Sure, that's a piece of cake. Right?

"Welcome sir." The flight attendant gives me a friendly warm greeting as I hand her my boarding pass. She scans it right before I take my walk down the corridor to my plane.

Five more hours.... five more hours and I can see my family. I can do this. I'm repeating my mantra over and over again, trying to keep my nerves and excitement at bay.

I quickly find my seat and throw my carry on into the over head bin. I'm fortunate enough to have the middle seat empty between me and another man. I nod to him and he gets up letting me into the window seat.

The rest of the flight is normal and easy. Just long as hell and my back is killing me. The man in the aisle seat ended up being one of those overly friendly strangers. He seemed like a cool guy but I just couldn't really get into the conversation. My thoughts were filled with images of Carly and the kids running to me at baggage claim with tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces. But as I make my way to baggage claim, I don't see them. I look around nervously and confused.

Where the hell are they?

I continue to look anxiously back and forth hoping to spot them as I wait for my bags. As I'm lifting my last bag off the belt I hear a commotion and a high pitch scream. I'd recognize that scream anywhere. I drop my bag and turn around swiftly just as Jemma is jumping into my arms. Her force nearly knocks me over and I couldn't be any happier.

"I missed you so much Daddy Noah!"

She's practically yelling at me and I start to tear up. The rest of my family has now made it over to us. Maggie and Connor lean in and I pull them tighter to Jemma and I for a big hug. God I didn't realize how much I truly missed this feeling of pure happiness until now. I love them all so much.

My tears are now silently rapidly flowing out of me when I look up and see my beautiful Carly looking at us with tears in her eyes. I can tell she's patiently waiting for her turn to greet me, but she's definitely running out of patience. After another few moments hugging the kids, they start to pull away and I grab Liam out of his stroller and nuzzle him into my chest. He's already grown so much in a month and I hate that I've missed it. But I'm here now. I'm never missing another day in any of their lives ever again.

Lastly, I make eye contact with my wife and she softly smiles at me. I reach out my arm and she practically leaps at me. She's hugging me so tight, I can barely breath. But I don't mind one bit. She's my other half and I've been broken without her. I'm never leaving her side again. My love for my family is unfathomable. I'm honestly never leaving their side again for as long as I shall live.

"Let's get you home baby." Carly whispers to me and I give her the most passion filled PG rated kiss I have ever given her. I need her to know how much I've missed her.

"I love you more than anything. Let's go live our new lives together."

The End

******* Author's Note ********

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has read and followed Carly and Noah's story. I hope you all enjoyed it! I have two more stories already written. I will just need to edit and publish them here. The first one will begin publishing very soon so keep an eye out for it. Again thank you all so much for reading my story and for those of you who took the time to comment, I really appreciate it and it helps me grow as an author. Please feel free to let me know what you think and please don't forget to vote if you liked it! Stay safe everyone!