The bustle of the airport surrounded Ricky, but it barely registered. His heart raced with excitement and a tinge of nervousness as he stood near the arrivals gate, eyes scanning every face. The weeks without her had been long and quiet. He tried to fill the emptiness with late-night songwriting sessions, aimless guitar strumming, and binging old movies they used to watch together. The apartment felt too big, too empty, even with all his music playing in the background. He’d even tried rearranging the living room just for something to do, but nothing could shake the feeling of her absence.

Ricky adjusted his retro sunglasses, despite being indoors, trying to keep his cool as he glanced up at the arrivals screen for the hundredth time. His hands fidgeted with the strap of the worn leather bag slung over his shoulder.

Then, he saw her.

She emerged through the sliding glass doors, pulling her suitcase, looking slightly tired but as beautiful as he remembered. Ricky’s heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, he broke into a wide grin and pushed through the crowd.

He wrapped her in a tight hug before she could even put her suitcase down, the familiar warmth of her body something he’d missed more than he could explain. “Welcome back, world traveler,” he whispered, his voice soft but full of emotion. “You have no idea how much I missed you. I swear, the apartment was way too quiet without you.”

He let out a small chuckle, loosening his grip. “I probably smell like coffee and exhaustion, but I couldn’t wait.” With a quick kiss to her forehead, he grabbed her suitcase, keeping his other hand on her back as they walked out. “Let’s get you home. Takeout and a movie? I saved the good stuff for when you got back.”