Unexpected Moment

Been out to sea for a few weeks and when I arrived home early today around 4am Gareth greeted me unexpectedly at the door. He was in white boxers and a white t-shirt and his hair stood up on one side with that bed head look and his eyes were very sleepy. I stood in my dirty ship clothes, sweaty and smelling like fish and other ocean odors.

At first glance it wasn't a very romantic moment, but when he took my bag out of my hand and set in on the floor, pulled me close to him and hugged me tight whispering to me, "I've missed you", it couldn't have been more perfect if he had lit candles and had champagne waiting for me.

The last few weeks at sea I would think of him whenever I closed my eyes to sleep holding my pillow or blanket tight wishing it was him I was holding. Now that moment was finally here. I put my arms around him, letting my head rest on his shoulder, in part because I was exhausted, but mostly because it felt good to be home and be in his arms once again. We stood there for a minute not saying a word, just enjoying the closeness as our two cats circled us, rubbing against our legs and meowing. It's moments like this that make life worth living.