Time I Came Home

I almost ran to the portal. I have been away from my family for too long. It was only a year but to me it felt like a decade. With my cap on my head and a suitcase at hand, I stepped through the portal and found myself standing before our front door.

My heart was about to burst with happiness and I haven't even seen my family yet! I rang the doorbell numerous times as I was in a hurry to finally hold them in my arms.

I waited impatiently for my daughter, Rina, to open the door. She would always race her sisters to the door and greet the visitor with a breathless smile. Once she even tripped on the way to the door but she still got up and managed to be the first to the door. I smiled at the memory.

The door finally opened but instead of seeing my sweet girl, I was staring confused at an unfamiliar little boy around my daughter's age.

Who was he? My daughter's playmate?

I saw the boy's eyes widen in shock and what I thought was admiration. I was confused until I saw what he was looking at: the patch sewn on my left shirt pocket.

'Ah I guess he knows', I thought to myself.

"May I come in?", I asked. The boy only nodded, seemingly still awestruck, and stepped aside, letting me in. I took off my shoes and socks and set my cap and coat beside the door.

When I stepped in, I inhaled the sweet lemony fragrance that was always present in the house. My wife loved the fragrance so she always made sure our house subtly held its scent.

I bit back the urge to shout the infamous line, "Honey I'm home!". I wanted them to be surprised to suddenly bump to me in the house. The house was eerily quiet save for the slight creak on the floor under my feet.

I looked around and saw that the interior had undergone a great makeover.

The once beige walls were now pale blue. Instead of the old classic theme we had last year, we now had a homey modern theme. I wasn't really surprised since my wife had been wanting to redecorate the house since forever.

'It seemed my wife enjoyed redecorating the place', I thought to myself.

Finding myself parched, I headed straight to the kitchen which, like the rest of the house, was fully redecorated. There were plenty of techy appliances I have never seen before, but that was probably because I was satisfied with a cabinet. stove, pots, refrigerator and an oven. Now, there were shiny appliances and gadgets I didn't know how to use.

'I've got plenty of time to get used to this', I thought to myself. After all, I was finally staying for good.

I  went to grab a glass of water before I sat down by the dining table.

'I wonder how they'd react?"¸ I mused. I reckon they would be ecstatic. My wife always wanted me to quit my job. She said it always took me away from my family.

"You miss so much of our lives your children would grow old and you'd miss it!", she said in reprimand.

I shook myself out of my thoughts when I noticed the boy come in the kitchen. He seemed to want to burst out questions which I feel is about my line of work.

"Where are the others, young lad?", I asked him.

"Out", he said simply. I could see his effort to hold his questions in but it wasn't long before he burst one out.

"Are you really a quester?", he asked in curious awe. I only nodded in reply with a small smile in my face.

When I was younger not many knew about being a quester. Most didn't even know it existed. My father was a quester so it made sense I'd be one too.

My mother died giving birth to me and so my father always brought me in his trips.

Questers are like interdimensional workers. We are hired for different purposes. Sometimes we hunt for treasure, sometimes we resolve interdimensional dispute. We even go on quests for rescue or mystery solving.

It is a very exciting and high-paying job, but it is also dangerous. I've had many comrades who have fallen in the hands of monsters. That is also another reason why my wife wanted me to quit.

I've done some thinking on what my wife told me and I realized I didn't want to miss my children growing up. I could find a normal job here in town. It would be a hard adjustment to go from an adventurer to a humble town folk, but I knew I could take it for my family.

"What's it like?", he asked, obviously eager for a story.

Thinking I might as well humor the boy while I wait for the others to come home, I told him of my many quests. I told him of robbing ancient tombs in another dimension. I told him of my narrow encounters with Death. I told him of the wonderful view of nature-themed dimensions.

While I was telling of my tales, I recognized the same expression of fascination I'd see on my daughters' faces when I told them of the quest I'd gone on. We have this tradition where, on the night of my return, we would sit by the fireplace and I'd tell them of my quest.  I always kept a diary of my adventures so I would be sure I won't miss a detail.

I was about to launch another story when I heard the front door being opened. The boy got up and ran towards the door, shouting "Mommy! Mommy!"

"Mommy?", I thought confused.

"Did my wife have another child without me?", I asked myself, feeling a sharp pain in my chest. I immediately shook that thought away. I know my wife and she'd never abandon me...

...right?

I heard them shuffling around the living room and that was when I decided to make an appearance. There were two women. The boy was hugging a woman I think was around her 30's and the other was a woman around her 50's.The woman was also holding a small girl whose face was buried in her mother's shoulders.

 'Rina', I thought fondly.

"Rina!", I called out to the little girl. I was surprised to see that the little girl did not budge from her mother's shoulder. However, the elderly woman quickly turned to me and seemed to recognize me.

'Huh. She looks like an older version of my daughter', I thought, finding it funny. The humor quickly faded when a horrible thought flashed through my mind.

"R--ri-Rina?", I asked, this time the older woman. She nodded and ran to me. I welcomed her into my arms as grief clutched my heart.

It couldn't be.

"Daddy!", she cried in my chest. The other woman seemed surprised while the little girl peeked curiously over the woman's shoulders.

I immediately rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her, even if I needed comfort too. I tried to be strong and keep my tears in, but eventually they came flowing freely. I buried my face in my daughter's shoulder and I cried.

 I mourned for all I've missed in my family's life.

When we finally calmed down, we pulled apart giving each other sad happy smiles.

"This is my daughter, Bree", she introduced the woman who looked like she didn't understand what was going on.

"These are my grandchildren, Jax and Jenna", she introduced the young boy and girl.

'Oh my Lord! I have great-grandchildren', I thought in shock.

I finally asked the question whose answer I dreaded to hear, "Where's your mother?"

Rina smiled at me sadly and motioned for me to follow her. She led us back to the front door and motioned to a jar on a table.

"She said she wanted to be the first you'll see when you finally come home", she explained sadly.

I full on sobbed. I took the jar and clutched it to my chest.

I mourned for my wife, thinking on how she must have suffered with my loss.

I mourned for my children, thinking on how they grew up without a father.

I mourned for our family, thinking on how I could never make up for my absence again.

I mourned for myself, thinking on how I knew I would never forgive myself.