The imagination of a perfect life

Chapter three

Archie smiles to himself as he leans back in his seat. He is on an airplane back to Riverdale. He pulls a few letters out of his backpack and rereads them. They are letters from his family. Most of them are from his wife or his mother but there are also some from his kids and those are the ones he cherishes he most. He's so proud of his eldest who always tells him how good she does in school and how many colleges offered her scholarships. He loves how his little ones misspell words, write letters backwards or even up side down. He put every single picture the twins drew and pictures of the kids which Veronica sent him on the walls of his room.
He wipes a tear off his face before it can drop onto the paper.

"Man, you're one lucky guy. Your family is beautiful"
Tom says as he sees Archie stare at a picture of Veronica, Aurelia and the twins on their fifth birthday a couple weeks ago. Tom shares a room with Archie and is one of his closest friends.

"I know. Thanks though"

"Are they gonna pick you up?"

"No. I'll surprise them"

"Cool. Cool" Tom smiles and pats his friend's shoulder.

"I miss them so much bro. They're my life, my everything, my reason to get up in the morning"

"I'm so happy for you and kind of impressed how you handle that. I mean I don't have kids, I don't have a wife and I still hate being away from home"

"Sometimes I don't even know how I'm doing this. But I have to, it's my job"

Tom smiles again before he puts on some headphones and leans back in his seat.

The next few hours Archie reads the letters over and over again. He imagines how all the moments Veronica or Aurelia talk about would have been with him.

When he walks out of the airport he sees a woman and a kid waiting for their daddy and husband. They drew a sign, hold stuffed animals and tissues. He smiles at the sight. He can't wait to finally hold his family in his arms again.

•••

He places his luggage on the porch and unlocks the front door. When he opens it, he can hear laughing, giggling and the sound of a video game. He sees how the twins stand on the couch and desperately try to beat their big sister at the car race. Archie closes the door behind him and walks in slowly. He stares at his kids for a couple of minutes before he chooses to speak.

"Do I get a hug or do you want me to walk in again?"

"DADDY!" the twins yell in unison and run to Archie. They jumps into his arms and bury their heads into the crook of his neck.
Before Archie can do anything Aurelia wraps her arms around his middle and leans her head against his chest.

"We missed you so much dad"

"I missed you too kids"

He moves Emilia to the other side so he's holding both of the twins in one arm. The other one he wraps around his eldest daughter.
He kisses their heads multiple times before he walks to the couch to sit down with the little ones in his lap and Aurelia next to him.

"Where's mommy?" he asks.

"In the bathroom. Do you want me to get her?"

"No Emmy. Let's surprise her"

"How?"

"Uhm, Benny do you still have that one board game which was always on top of the shelf in your room?"

"The one mommy can't reach?"

"That's the one" he grins.

"Yes"

"Well then we're going to play a game" He explains his plan to the kids before he disappears into Ben's room.

Just a few seconds later Veronica walks back into the living room.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy" Ben yells as he runs towards her.

She giggles and runs her hand through his hair.
"What's up sweetheart?"

"Can we play that board game with the knights and the princesses"

"I don't know"

"Please"

"I think it's good idea mom. Let's play all together" Aurelia suggests.

"Fine"

Ben grins widely and runs into his room with Emilia running behind him.

"Where do they get the energy from?"

"I have no idea" Aurelia laughs as she walks up to Veronica.

Once they're all in Ben's room, Archie just waits for the perfect moment. He hides behind the opened door and watches how his wife desperately tries to reach the top of the shelf. She gets on her tiptoes and kind of fails at keeping her balance. She stubbles backwards. Archie places his hands on her waist to steady her and then spins her around.

"Do you need help baby?" he grins.

Veronica's jaw hangs open. She just stares at him before her expression changes and tears start to form in her eyes.

"Archie" she squeals and jumps into his arms. She wraps her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

"I missed you"

"I missed you too Ronnie"

He kisses the side of her head before she turns it so they can kiss properly. She cups his cheeks while his hands hold her up. Her tears drop onto his face.

"Please don't ever leave again"

He just smiles and kisses her one more time before he sets her down. Veronica holds onto him like she's scared he would disappear if she let go.

"So what about that board game now?" he chuckles.

"Yes, yes, yes" Ben exclaims. He jumps up and down and pushes a chair in front of the shelf. He climbs up and tries to reach the game.

"Let me help you bud"

Archie walks over to him with his arm still around Veronica. He noticed that she won't let go. To reach the game even he has to get on his tiptoes. He hands it down to his son who jumps off the chair with a wide grin on his face.

"Thanks daddy. You're the best"

"I know"

"Come on Emmy" Ben cheers. He grabs his sister's hand and pulls her back into the living room to set up the game.

"Mhh I missed this" Archie grins while he wraps his other arm around Veronica too. He kisses her temple many times, then her forehead, her cheeks and then her lips.

"I love you, so much" he whispers.

"I love you too"

"Oh gosh, you guys are so cute" Aurelia squeals.

"Come here girly"

Archie grabs his daughter's wrist and pulls her into his arms as well. He kisses her head before he lies his down on hers.
She gets taller and prettier every time he returns.