Chapter 9 - The Return
The arrivals terminal at Dulles International Airport was bustling with travelers, luggage carts, and families reuniting.
I stood near the security barrier, my hands clasped tightly in front of me, my heart beating in a steady, joyful rhythm.
Through the glass sliding doors of the international arrivals corridor, a familiar figure appeared.
Tyler walked through the terminal doors, carrying a simple canvas backpack over one shoulder. He looked around the crowded room for a fraction of a second before his eyes locked onto mine.
He didn't walk. He broke into a full run.
He crossed the polished marble floor in three long strides and threw his arms around my neck, burying his face in my shoulder just like he used to when he was five years old.
I wrapped my arms around him, holding him so tight I thought my ribs would crack, burying my face in his hair as tears of absolute happiness streamed down my cheeks.
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"Welcome home, Ty," I whispered against his ear.
"I told you I'd be back, Mom," Tyler murmured, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes with a bright, confident smile. "We won."
