The next morning, Eric woke up to soft snores. He smiled as he stroked Jessica's hair, and kissed Mia's head. He extricated himself gently and stretched. He groaned as he felt his back pop, heading into the kitchen. He looked at his watch.
Four hours until departure time.
After cooking breakfast, Jessica padded into the room. She rubbed her eyes while hugging Eric.
"Good morning."
Eric chuckled while watching her sit down. "So I'm Eric and she is mom?" He teased while setting a plate in front of her. She groaned in response, looking down at her plate. "Shut up."
A whisper. "Dad."
Eric sat next to her, taking her hand. He stroked her hand with his thumb. "I'll always come back to you."
She didn't answer, simply nodding as they ate.
After Mia was up, Eric got ready. He checked his gear, sighing as he slumped against the wall.
"It gets harder every time."
