Heaven Can Wait || Eddie Munson Story ||

Coming Home

3 months later

"Thanks for picking me up from the airport, Uncle Wayne," I say again as we head inside. I try to resist the urge to look over at AnnMarie's trailer, but I can't help it. Her car is parked out front but her bike is gone. Weird, considering it is snowing out.

Wayne helps me carry everything in and I pull my stuff back into my room. I place everything on my bed and look around. Surprisingly, it's good to be back. I look over at my nightstand and pause. My picture of AnnMarie and I is missing. My eyebrows furrow and I duck down, looking to see if it fell under the bed or behind the table. Unable to find it, I rub the back of my head and look on my dresser for it. That's weird. I know I left it.

I open up my suitcase and start unpacking. I take out the bags of souvenirs I got the gang, mostly candy, some postcards for Nancy, and a mug for Robin. I pull out a satin sash I bought for AnnMarie and lay it out carefully on my dresser, hoping she will like it. I hear a knock on my door.

"Yea?" I call and Wayne opens the door slowly.

"Hey, do you mind taking some canned goods down to the community center? I had promised AnnMarie I would drop them off by today, but I forgot you were coming in. I've got them boxed by the front door."

I gulp slightly and he must see the hesitation on my face because he crosses his arms over his chest and leans against the door frame.

"I doubt she will actually be there today, she just wanted me to donate some cans. Also, you have to see her eventually."

I nod and shake my arms out. He's right. That was the whole point of all this. Go out there and make something of myself so I can make the girl proud. Come back here and get the girl. Phase one is complete now on to phase two.

"Stop on the way home at the grocery store and pick up some of those chocolate drinks you like," Wayne called as I moved to the front of the trailer and collected the box to be donated. I drove my van to the community center. She groaned a little at the start up, but otherwise she is still golden. I tapped the steering wheel as I drove, my stereo playing.

Once inside the community center, a nice old lady directs me to the appropriate spot to make my donation and I leave the box with another woman. I scan the area and there are no signs of AnnMarie anywhere. Shoulders slummed, I go back out to the van and drive to the grocery store.

I jump out and head inside, searching for the Yoo-hoo. I come up behind a young woman with a baby strapped to her front in a carrier. She's bent over slightly looking at something on the bottom shelf so I can barely see her, but the baby is quietly fussing. As I search for the Yoo-hoo I can hear the woman humming one of my bands songs to her baby. Her voice is soft and sweet as she hums and it sounds very familiar. I furrow my brow as I tilt my head slightly and listen more closely. She turns and walks away down the aisle and for some reason I follow her. As I watch her, I realize I know that gait. My brain tells me it's wrong, but it's all so familiar to me. The woman's features are still mostly hidden with her back turned and her hair is up in a bun, a bandana tied around the base of her head. One of her hands comes up to her baby's head and I can make out a mop of curly dark brown hair. The woman suddenly turns to the side to reach up and grab something off the shelf and my heart stops before it jump starts and takes off again.

"AnnMarie?" I call, and take a step forward. Her hair is slightly darker, a ting more red and she seems to be glowing more than I remembered. Her body has changed but in the most delicious ways. I look down at her flared hips and her rounded breasts and try not to openly gape. A baby girl is strapped to her front with dark brown curls, her little feet covered with pink socks. AnnMarie's hand comes up to rub them protectively as she turns to me.