Saying goodbye to the person you love at the airport wasn’t new to Emily. What was new was the fact she was going to miss Jack more than anything. Sitting within the members lounge at the terminal she sat fidgeting with the bangles that lined her arm while Jack grabbed coffee for them. Glancing out over the concrete runways the sun was barely an orange line on the horizon behind the hills, the four o’clock flight time was a killer yet she wouldn’t miss these last minutes with him.

“Here you go” Yawning she accepted the hot cup, not sure if coffee was what she actually needed right now.

“Thanks”

“You didn’t have to come you know, it’s really early” He held her hand tight in his and she shook her head.

“No its fine, early morning airport runs aren’t new to me and I couldn’t not be here” He sipped his coffee, finding almost ironic they met when she was doing just that.

“That’s true. So helped any useless travellers today?” He teased, and she laughed appreciating the joke.

“Not yet, but it is early” As if on cue a woman walked past with two overfilled gift bags and a small carry on trolley case was being dragged behind her yet one of the gift bags handle way and the contents spilled out all over the floor. Before Emily could put down her coffee cup, Jack was up and helping the lady and seeing the water bottle roll under their chairs Emily grabbed it and handed it over.

“Thank you!” She gushed, despite being nearly double their age the woman fluttered her eyelashes in Jacks direction and ignored Emily.

“You’re welcome” Jack was quick to go back beside Emily as she carried on by them.

“How about you? Helped any wayward travellers lately?”

“Very funny Em”

“I thought so” She hugged his arm, sitting her legs up on the chair beside her. Her smile left her face as she realized there was only half hour until boarding now. “I’m going to miss you”

“I’ll miss you, more than you know Em” Emily snorted as she took a sip her coffee, nearly covering herself with it.

“What?” Jack didn’t find anything amusing about that.

“How sappy are we? I’ll miss you, I’ll miss you more” She mimicked, deciding to try and use humor to get them through this.

“You’re right. Are we one of ‘those’ couples?” He asked, enjoying her smile.

“Oh god we are” They burst out laughing, not because it was particularly funny but it helped distract them. Finally settling down she sat on his lap, leaning into his chest as his larger sized seemed to make her appear even tinier.

“I will miss you” She finally said, staring at the clock in the corner of the room like she could will it slow down.

“I know” He kissed the top of her head, the coconut scent of her shampoo just one of the parts that made up the millions of things he loved about her.

“You’re meant to say it back”

“I thought we didn’t want to be one of those couples?”

“I never said that”

Time, rather than slow down like Emily was hoping instead started to fly by. The minutes were going quicker than the seconds and the beep of the PA had her holding onto him tighter.

“Could passengers for Qantas flight QF915 please make your way to boarding gate six…”

“That’s yours isn’t it?” Emily asked sadly, not daring to look at his face just yet.

“It is. I can wait till they call my name over the PA?” He was serious; boarding last minute was more appealing than waiting the twenty or so minutes for everyone else to board and gave them more time together.

“Think the crew won’t be happy with that. It’s ok, you’re going to have to go on eventually” She got up, adjusting her shirt and picked up his travel on as he stood. “Remember phones off”

“Sure thing” They headed out of the lounge and towards the boarding gate entrance. Unlike the domestic, she wouldn’t be able to watch him go down the corridor and actually board so here was where they’d part. The fact she planned on running upstairs and watching his plane take off was something he didn’t need to know about.

All around families were saying goodbye to friends, fathers and sisters and as the business flyers shuffled past them Emily was holding onto Jack as Greg had held onto her. Desperate for them not to part, she still couldn’t bring herself to look at his face.

“I’ll be back before you know it and call anytime, don’t worry about the time difference. I want to know when Sookie has those pups!” Emily nodded, hating that she was starting to leave a wet stain on his shirt. “Em? Look at me”

Emily shook her head, she had never cried for Greg when he left. She was stronger than this but her body refused to acknowledge that fact.

“How can I kiss you goodbye if you don’t let me go”

“That was the idea” She mumbled into his shirt, stepping back slightly he was there wiping her eyes with a tissue before she could bring her hands up. Finally he looked into her eyes which were brimming with new tears as she stared back into his. “I love you”

“I know”

“You’re meant to say it back” She half laughed, quickly wiping her eyes before his hands cupped her face and his lips met hers, tainted with tears the sweetness of her lip gloss was still there. If she had worried about being one of ‘those’ couples, that was long gone. Her arms went behind his head, gently teasing through his dark hair as she was held against him and more tears wet her cheeks as she was desperate to cling on to him, not willing to end their moment.

“I. Love. You” Jack whispered into her ear as they finally took a breath.

They parted and joined the line in as the security guard checked everyone’s boarding passes. Emily’s lips were still tingling and the guard looked at Jacks pass and nodded and stepping aside he kissed her forehead as she hugged him once more.

“I’ll see you soon ok?” He didn’t want to go, telling his father to shove it all would be a nice idea but it was too late now.

“Yup” He smiled in a way that made her heart stop feeling like it was breaking and started down the corridor. “Jack!”

He turned as she glanced at the security guard who nodded slightly, the older man feeling soft at their obvious affections for each other and she ran back to him, kissing him with much more passion than last time as he picked her up easily. If this was goodbye, what was welcome home going to be like?

“I’ll see you soon ok?” She repeated and he nodded.

“Before you know it Em” He set her down and Emily moved back by the guard watching until he turned the corner with a final wave.

“Thank you” She smiled at him gently, hoping he didn’t think she was a total wreck as used the damp tissue to wipe her eyes again and took a deep breath. To her surprise he pulled out a fresh tissue for her to take.

“See it all the time love, have a good day” He went back to checking passes as the next group of people entered.

“You too Sir” And as she watched his plane disappear into the slowly coloring sky as the band of orange turned into a hot ball which lit up the sky taking over the darkness she really needed that new tissue.

Pulling up onto her drive she was surprised to see Carla’s car there and getting out, her friend had used her key to get in. The sounds and smells of the coffee machine greeted her the second she walked in the door and going to the kitchen Carla was mixing the batter for pancakes.

“Morning?” Emily greeted, patting Sookie as she passed.

“How was it?” Carla studied Emily briefly, she was in one piece but the redness of her nose and eyes told her all she needed to know.

“Horrible” Sighing Emily slumped down onto one of the stools, smiling as her cookbook sat proudly in the book stand in the corner of the counter by the mixer. “You don’t need to say anything else”

Carla looked up at her surprised and faked her innocence, “What? What would I possibly say apart from how someone was never like this about someone else and maybe this is fate giving you another sign someone was meant to be?”

“Exactly that” Emily laughed, thankful Carla had taken the time to come over and be with her. Enjoying a rather early breakfast it was nearly eight when Carla decided to return home and start her actual day.

“Call if you need anything ok?” Carla hugged Emily tightly and was surprised to hear her laugh.

“I’m fine. I’ve been living with Greg going away for like my whole life, we still on for Christmas Eve?”

“Yeah buts it’s Jack, not Greg. Sure are hun” Emily closed her door as Carla quickly wound down the window. “And I’m not meant to say anything but Paul has something to give you from Jack”

Carla winked, not giving Emily a chance to ask more questions and sent the car reversing down the drive. After going for a quick run and checking Sookie was ok, Emily went to her parents’ house. It wasn’t just Christmas for Jack but for them as well as they had booked themselves onto a New Year’s cruise which left Christmas Eve. Emily had been trying to make the take a holiday for years and knowing they had always wanted to go to New Zealand had booked their flights to Sydney as a present and it ended up being turned into a nearly month long trip.

“Are you ok love?” Her Dad put down the tea pot on the table and Emily poured them all a cup as he went to slice up the cake she’d made for them.

“I’m fine” She smiled and hearing the cursing coming from her parent’s room she quickly frowned. “But is Mum?”

“You’d think we were going to Antarctica with the way that woman is carrying on. She forgets these fancy boats have shops onboard and she can actually buy stuff in New Zealand too” Emily laughed and as her Mum joined them looking completely frazzled he had to laugh too.

“Are you ok sweetie?” Her Mum hugged her before sitting, too busy packing she wasn’t sure when her daughter had actually arrived.

“Yes! Why does everyone keep asking me that?” She took a bite of the cake, wishing she had made toffee that was meant to be on top of the caramel icing.

“Jack left this morning didn’t he? Or is that tomorrow?” Her Mum picked up her tea and took a sip, digging into her own slice of cake.

“This morning, he should nearly at Dubai by now actually”

“And you’re ok?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well we can see how close you to are and after everything with Greg….”

“Mum, I’m fine. Seriously! Yeah I’m going to miss him but it’s two weeks” Her parents nodded and she knew they wanted to say more. It took two minutes of silence at the table and a slice of cake before her Mum did just that.

“Why can’t you find a nice boy who lives here and its always flying off somewhere?” Emily rolled her eyes and her Dad kicked his wife under the table.

“Well Mother that would be too easy wouldn’t it?” Emily stirred, knowing her Mum wouldn’t appreciate her attitude.

“It’s just…”

“I know Mum. I know. It just worked out this way that’s all. Besides Jack and I might break up when he gets back or next month and who knows what will happen when his work here finishes but for now, it’s good. It’s great and let’s just focus on that.” Her Mum smiled at her knowingly and nodded.

“Ok love. But the way that boy looks at you, I think you’ll break his heart before he breaks yours. When you’ve been with someone for thirty years, you know these things” She winked and held her husband’s hand and the rest of the morning was free of relationship advice and opinions from her parents.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to the airport?” Emily asked as she got ready to leave.

“No love, you have fun with Carla at the party. You booked a limo for us remember?” It was more out of guilt. After finding out her parents flight was due when Carla was having her party her parents insisted she go out rather bother over them. The car hire was the result of that.

“I know. I’ll come over before you go ok?” She hugged them both and her Dad shook his head.

“No need Emmy, you don’t need to keep looking after us ok? You’re young go and enjoy life. We’ll call you when we get to Sydney”

“And we’ll send you postcards from each stop!” Her Mum butted in. “Your father’s right. We love you pumpkin but go and have fun”

“I love you guys!” They hugged again.

“We love you too”

Later that night Emily finally got a message from Jack. Sookie had been acting weird most of the night so Emily was sleeping out in the living room to keep an eye on her and she had nearly fallen asleep when her phone beeped.

Home sweet home? I miss you. Sleep tight call you in the morning Love J xx

Don’t get to cold :) Love you xxxxxxx

Morning didn’t come fast enough and barely sleeping, she knew Sookie would be having the pups soon. She hadn’t settled all night, stopped eating and rarely wanted to leave her bed. Yawning she got up to shower, deciding to cancel on Carla’s party after all and she had just got off the phone with her when it rang again.

“Hey babe!”

“Hey yourself”

That wasn’t Jack.

“Stephen?” She had spoken to him on the phone once before, Jacks dislike towards his family wasn’t really extended to his brother but he rarely spoke about them at all. She hadn’t even seen a recent picture; the ones Rosemary could show her were at least five years old.

“Hey Em” Emily smiled, feeling embarrassed for answering the phone like that.

“How’s it going? Enjoying having your brother home?”

“No. He is currently drunk of his tree and throwing up in the bathroom”

“What?”

“Thought you aussies would teach him how to drink” Clearly Stephen had a few as well as the more he spoke the more slurred his words were. Looking at the time it would be around one in the morning so clearly they went out from the airport.

“Well clearly we have some work to do when he gets back. Can I talk to him?”

“Oh right. That’s why I called”

“Why?”

“He kept asking for you. Give me a sec” The flush of a toilet had her holding the phone away from her ear and the tired, rough voice of Jack greeted her.

“Em? Em is that you?”

“Hi babe”

“I shoulda bought you with me”

“Next time” She had hold back her laugh; she hadn’t seen him drunk like this. Ever.

“I love you. You’re beautiful and I miss ya”

“Jack, drink some water and go to bed ok?”

“You’re so smart”

“I know and beautiful?” She teased.

“So beautiful”

A chorus of bye Emily sounded down the phone as clearly Stephen was back with his sibling and hanging up she had to laugh. After having a shower, she debated whether or not to leave Sookie alone. Her temperature hadn’t dropped and while she was extremely restless she wasn’t really starting to nest. Phoning the shelters vet she had her on standby just in case anything should happen and go wrong and then made one of the more important calls of the day.

“Hi Dan, its Em. Give me a call back when you get this, I think the puppies might be arriving in time for Christmas”