Page 54 of Drake Eternal

“Call me,” Michael said and mimed a phone call.

“I will.”

The elevator doors closed, and I leaned against the wall, glad to be finally on my way to pick up Sophie and Kate.

I went to the parking lot where my limo was waiting and tried to relax while we drove to the airport. Once there, I made my way to the British Airways lounge, and grabbed some food, taking a seat by a window to watch the runways. Kate and Sophie’s plane was due in half an hour, and so I spent the time eating and enjoying the scenery. Once I was finished, I went down to the arrivals to wait for them to disembark.

Finally, I saw them coming down the escalator to the main floor. When Sophie saw me, she pulled her hand out of Kate’s, squealed and came running.

“Daddy!”

We embraced and I kissed both her cheeks. Kate came to us and the three of us hugged and I kissed Kate warmly.

She looked tired.

“You need a nice warm bath and a foot rub,” I said as I grabbed her carry-on. “Why don’t the two of you have a seat, and I’ll grab your bags?”

“Thanks,” Kate said, and I could see she was really tired.

They sat and watched while I checked out the luggage as it came down the conveyor and on the carousel. I saw their bags and removed each one, before joining them.

“Let’s go,” I said, and we left the terminal, walking to the waiting limo outside. We piled into the limo and Sophie insisted on sitting in the middle seat between us.

The drive to the hotel was filled with Sophie’s stories of the trip, and of the turbulence, the food, and the various people she met along the way. She was such an outgoing child, she made friends with the flight attendants and several older people who were in Business Class along with her and Kate.

I couldn’t keep a huge smile off my face.

When we arrived, the driver stopped at the front entrance and a concierge came with a trolly to collect the suitcases and help us to our room which had two separate bedrooms, a living room/kitchen area and a nice big bathroom. The patio fronted onto the large central green area with palm trees and other blooming plants. A few dozen feet away was the swimming pool, surrounded by a fence. All around the courtyard, lights glittered to brighten the darkness.

It seemed like a tropical paradise.

“Is this my room, Daddy?” Sophie ran into the smaller of the two bedrooms and jumped on the bed. I had ordered a side rail, so she didn’t fall out of her bed during the night out of an abundance of caution.

“Yes, it is. Do you like it?”

“I do!”

I placed Sophie’s suitcase on the table at the end of her bed and she went right to it, so she could remove her toys and books. It was getting close to bedtime, and she knew the routine.

A bath in the big tub with lots of bubbles, brush her teeth, pajamas, a book or three, and then goodnight kisses.

Since I had been separated from her for the past ten days, I got the bedtime duties and was glad to oversee them.

When she was finally tucked into bed, I sat beside her, and she pointed to the first book I would read.

It was one about a big red dog named Clifford and was one of her favorites.

I read two more after, and finally, tucked the blankets around her, raised the side rail, and kissed both her cheeks.

“Good night, Sweetheart. I’m so glad you and Mommy came to stay with me. I was so lonely at night after getting home from work at the hospital. Now, I won’t be alone.”

“We missed you, too, Daddy.”

I kissed her again. “I love you.”

“I love you, Daddy.”

I smiled and turned off the light on the nightstand and went to the door. She turned over with her Olaf under her arm and closed her eyes.

---