Torn [SHAWN MENDES]

~30~

Yasmin was rushing around the bedroom doing some very last minute packing. "Did you notice if I put my black Manolos in one of my bags?"

"Ummm, no. I wasn't really paying attention. Sorry," Shawn said from his perch on the bed.

"What if I accidentally put them in your suitcase. Can you check?"

Sighing, he got up and opened his one piece of luggage and looked for the shoes. "Not in here, babe. It's getting late. Why don't you throw another black pair in whichever bag has room?"

"Smart!" she said as she darted into their spacious walk-in closet to retrieve the back-ups.

The car service dropped them off at the international departures entrance, which was where they had to split up. Yasmin was headed to Italy; Shawn and Piper were going back to Canada. Yaz did her best to bite her tongue about him returning to his hometown so soon after his last visit, because she knew he'd go whether she approved or not. Plus, it was his parents anniversary, and he was excited to be there to celebrate with them.

"Since you're going to be there a week, try to get her on Toronto time," she instructed. "Your last visit was short so I understand why you didn't do it, but you'll be there long enough for her to adjust this time."

"I promise to try. I read that I should keep her awake during her afternoon nap time today so that she is tired at night."

"I'm still a tiny bit hurt that you're going back to Canada instead of coming to Italy with me," she pouted.

He kissed her cheek. "If Rosie was already working for us, that plan would have worked out. Without a nanny, it wouldn't be particularly fun or romantic. We'll all go on your next trip. I promise."

"I'm holding you to that!" She shook a manicured finger at him. "Time for goodbyes, which is the part of my job that I hate."

Hugs and kisses were exchanged before they went off in separate directions, since Shawn and Piper were departing from a different zone at LAX. Yasmin's flight was leaving an hour before theirs, so Shawn got settled in a seat at the gate and took the baby out of her stroller.

"Are you excited to see your family again?" he asked her.

She smiled up at him in response.

"Grandma said we're going to a pumpkin patch tomorrow and that we might go on a hayride. They have all sorts of farm animals there, so it's a little like a zoo."

"Dog!"

"Yeah, there might be dogs," he said.

"Dog dog dog dog dog!"

He laughed. "I wish your mama was here to hear this! She might reconsider getting a puppy."

"Dog, Da! Dog!"

Her insistence was a little surprising. Was she referring to Hendrix? Had she actually made the connection between being at the airport and visiting his good boy? It was hard to know how much a one year old understood, but he was certain his daughter was a genius. A small bark sounded behind him, so he turned and saw there was a woman with a tiny pup on her lap. That must have been the dog Piper was referring to, but she was still the smartest baby ever.

Their flight was pretty easy, though he had to read every board book in the diaper bag a dozen times to keep his toddler quiet and awake so that she'd sleep that night. When they arrived at Pearson, his mum and dad were waiting at the baggage carousel with big smiles on their faces.

"I cannot believe we get to see our sweet grandbaby for the third time this fall," Karen gushed as she took Piper in her arms. "You're spoiling us!"