All she wanted was to see her kids, hold them, kiss them, and tell them how much she loved them. That, and to sleep in her own bed, on her own pillow, and wake up in her busy, chaotic, messy house with her kids making noise and needing things from her.

Only, she couldn’t imagine sleeping in that bed next to Eric.

“Ms. Greyden, your tea.”

Eileen opened her eyes. “Thank you,” she said as the flight attendant placed the cup and saucer on the small table beside her seat and gave Eileen a smile.

“You’re welcome. Please let me know if you need anything else before we take off.”

Eileen picked up her cup and saucer and took a sip. The only other thing she needed right now was answers. In less than three hours, she would be standing inside her own home, face-to-face with Eric, and she had no idea what to do. She placed her cup and saucer back down and let her head fall back against the seat. Why was she the one with sweating palms, nervous and afraid to face her husband, when she wasn’t the one who had been fucking Lauren Andrews?

* * *

“Mom!” Cameron yelled as she opened the front door, his feet thundering across the upstairs hallway.

She placed her purse on the table by the front door and looked up to the top of the stairs into his shiny, grinning face. He raced down, skipping steps two at a time and making her cringe, until he launched himself over the last five and landed with a thud, knees bent and hands on the wood floor inches in front of her. He sprang back up like lightning, his arms wrapped around her middle, his ear planted against her heart.

“I missed you,” he said, squeezing her ribs so hard it hurt.

“I missed you too,” she said into his hair as she hugged him.

Without releasing her, he turned his head and looked up into her eyes. “I’m sorry about Aunt Clare. Are you very sad?”

Eileen swallowed back a hot swell of tears and smiled down at her youngest. “Thank you. And yes, I’m very sad. I wish I’d been a better sister.”

“Don’t cry, Mom.” He buried his face against her.

She hugged him harder and kissed his head.

“Mom?” Paige called from her room upstairs. “Are you here?”

“Yes!” Eileen called back.

“Sara, I have to go,” Paige said, presumably into her phone. “Ryan!” Paige yelled, pounding with her fist on her brother’s bedroom door. “Mom’s here!”

Eileen closed her eyes and smiled; it was good to be home.