Chapter 3: Dad Comes Home
The day before our fifth birthday, my dad, who had been stationed at an Air Force base in Alaska for years, suddenly came home.
The minute he stepped through the front door, the scent of snow and jet fuel clinging to his parka, my mom burst into happy tears. She’d been up since sunrise, stringing balloons, taping up hand-drawn signs, and prepping enough food for a whole soccer team. His boots thudded on the floor, and for a second, Mom forgot about the casserole burning in the oven—she only had eyes for him. When Dad wrapped his arms around her, the room seemed to fill with warmth you could almost reach out and touch.
My mom, who was busy preparing the birthday party, was overjoyed.
She pulled us into a bear hug so tight I thought we’d float right out the window, balloons and all. I caught Lily’s eye, and for a split second, everything felt perfect. Dad was home. We were together. Even the Alaskan wind couldn’t shake that feeling.