The Homecoming

The Homecoming

         Charlie hesitated then opened the gate and walked up the sidewalk. He reached up to knock on the door but stopped, and thought about the night he left. He was so full of himself; no one could tell him what to do. He remembered the screaming battle he had with his mother, though he couldn’t recall what started it.


         “I’m not a kid any more; you can’t tell me what to do,” he yelled.

         “As long as you live under my roof, “ his mother began.

         He interrupted her. “All right, I'll leave. That’s what you want me to do, isn’t it?” He paused waiting for her reply, but she threw up her hands and walked out of the room. He ran up the stairs to his bedroom, began stuffing as many of his belongs as possible into a duffle bag, and dragged it down the stairs to the front door.

         Oh yes, he remembered that day, and his mother’s last words to him. “Mister, if you walk out that door, don’t you ever even think about coming back.”

         Hot tears began to well up in his eyes. Even though that all happened three years ago, those words still hurt. He turned away from the door and slowly walked back toward the gate. As he reached for the gate latch he heard a dog barking. He turned and looked at the door. A brown and white dog squeezed out through the pet door and ran to him. With one long jump the dog knocked Charlie to the ground and began licking his face. Charlie laughed. “Hi Buddy, did you miss me? I missed you.” He hugged the dog and struggled back onto his feet.

         As he dusted himself off he heard someone behind him. “Charlie, is it really you?” He turned around and saw his mother running down the sidewalk. She looked just like he remembered. He tried to answer but couldn’t.

         “Son, you’ve gotten so thin. Are you all right?” Her eye were shining with tears as she put her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. “I knew you’d come home some day. Come inside and have something to eat.”

359 words

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