The Book Of Me & You

"Eyes Saying We're Running Out Of Time"

This is it. You will know what Amy decides by chapters end.

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"I'm serious, I can handle it." Jack stated, placing the mug back on the table, eyeing him, "I just have to tell coach I won't be at practice,"

Waving his hand in dismissal, "Thanks, but I think I'm perfectly capable of going myself. Besides - " Ricky took a sip and pushed the chair back to stand, "I've got to go anyway, I gotta get to the nursery before I go to the airport. "

"Does she know you're going to be there?"

"That's what makes it a surprise." He tapped his knuckles against the table, a smile coming to his face, "John's going to be so happy when she steps off the plane!"

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"Now, when mommy comes out, you're going to give her these, okay?" He instructed, handing John a small bundle of flowers nestled inside of crate paper, rolling the stroller to a stop by a desolate chair, as the toddler climbed up them to get a better view, beaming, shaking the flowers as he watched the busy airport goers flood in and out of their destined terminals.

28 minutes later

"Daddyyyy, where mommyyy?" John whined, now sitting on his bottom, the flowers falling from his palms onto the floor.

Picking them up, Ricky placed them on the stroller hood, pushing it back and forth slowly to calm the irritable infant down after a round of peek-a-boo, and a handful of cheerios, failed, "She's coming buddy. She'll be here." He ran his fingers over the top of his son's head, knowing he was getting as restless as he was.

After another 20 minutes of waiting, and watching the terminal Amy was supposed to exit from over an hour ago, he sighed and pointed at the stroller, "Sit right here with Emma, okay? Don't move. I'll be right back."

Taking the 16 steps to the nearest ticket station, Ricky tapped his knuckles roughly against the marble and cleared his throat until one of the attendees came into view. "Excuse me - I need to check when the flight from New York is supposed to land?"

A short blonde with pink streaks on the tips lifted her eyes lazily, tapping a button before turning again.

He let out a deep exhale through his nose, aggravation taking over as she popped her gum and continued to tap on a keyboard. Putting his left palm flat on the counter, he spoke again, "Flight 578 from New York. I need to know when it will land."

Tapping a few more times, she popped her gum again, "That flight landed 4 hours ago."

His brow furrowed, "No, that's impossible. I called my wife when she was boarding - it's supposed to be here by 6"

"It boarded early. Landed four hours and fourteen minutes ago -" She turned the screen to show him - the red line over the flight number with the words Arrived in black and white. "It's right here."

He felt the tug of his pant leg, "Daddyyyy!"

"Anything else?" She rose a brow, peeking over the counter at the tiny child.

He shook his head, "No," taking hold of his son's hand and turning on his boot heel, "No, that's all, thanks."

Returning John to the seat, Ricky glanced inside the stroller at Emma, gnawing on a purple teething ring. John raised his hand, pulling it out of his dad's grasp to scratch his cheek, and looked around again before lifting his eyes up, "Where mommy?" Taking hold of his hand again, Ricky placed it on the stroller handle. "Where mommy, daddy?" John asked again, quieter as he was being led down a narrow walkway.