5/10/2012 Six Hundred Twenty One

Six hundred twenty one days since I’ve seen my mom and dad. That count comes to an end today.

Bob and I got up this morning and set to getting tasks that we had to do…done. We didn’t rush by any means but we worked pretty steady. We also took our normal computer time in the morning and we took time for showers. I packed a bag with enough for four days and with some things I was taking up to Wilmington.

A little after eleven we got on our way. Our way home. Home being Wilmington.

I saw the first mileage sign about ten miles out.

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We took note along the way of things that changed in the nearly two years since we last passed this way.

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Bob has decided that he’s heading back to the beach tomorrow morning. There’s a fishing tournament Saturday and he has a great need to drown some worms.

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This is fine with me, I need some one on one time with my parents.

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We talk about what we’re having for dinner our first night in Wilmington. There is no doubt we are having Casapulla’s cheesesteaks.

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Its at this mile marker that I realize I didn’t bring anything to wear to church on Sunday. Too far away to turn around now.

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I call mom to let her know we’re just a half hour away.

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I’m going to be spending Saturday afternoon with one of my BFF’s, Cindy. We’re going shopping. I make mental notes of what I need to look for.

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Fifteen minutes to go and we’ll be there. A lump is forming in my throat already. I can’t wait to see them.

We’re inside the town limits. We look to see what has changed and what has stayed the same.

Bob turns the truck onto the street I grew up on. I can see their car in the driveway. Hurry up already, put the pedal to the metal these last hundred yards.

I wait patiently for the engine to cool so that he can shut it off. I tell him I can’t wait and he says, “Go, you don’t have to wait.” Like a flash I’m out of the truck and running up the sidewalk and up the five steps to the front door.

Mom opened the door as soon as I reached the top step. I took a few steps into the enclosed front porch and walked right into her arms. Oh, that hug. Nothing has ever felt sweeter. She clung to me and in return I squeezed her tighter.

Bob walked in and I moved aside so he could get his hug and I turned to Dad. He held me tight and whispered in my ear, “Welcome home babe.” The lump in my throat was so big and tears just slid down my cheeks. We were home. I was home.

All talking at once we settled around the kitchen table. Eventually, Bob and Dad found their chairs on the porch talking about men things and mom and I sat at the kitchen table bouncing from subject to subject.

Tummies started rumbling and talk to turned to dinner. I placed our orders on the telephone and then drove through the streets I played on as a kid to go pick up our cheesesteaks.

As soon as I walked into Casapulla’s, Vicky greeted me with, “I’ve been waiting for you, I knew you were going to be in soon.” Vicky follows the blog and knew we were back in town.

Back at home we sat around the kitchen table again and unwrapped our sandwiches. Oh, that first bite. Heaven. Pure heaven. We haven’t had cheesesteaks since we were home in 2010. Now those of you who have sub and steak sandwich shops where you live, trust me, it isn’t the same. Unless you’ve had a cheesesteak from the mid Atlantic states, my friend, you haven’t had a cheesesteak. We’ve tried subs and cheesesteaks around the country but we don’t do that anymore because we’re disappointed every time.

The men watched TV and I taught mom how to play a card game called Hand and Foot. The guys went to bed around 11:30. We were up till one playing cards.

We’re home. It feels so good. I needed this so badly. It’s going to be a great summer!