Ben felt his heart break as Mary and Lillian disappeared into the airport the next day. Tears filled his eyes and he swiped at them as he waved one final time. She was taking his heart back to America with her. He didn’t think he could let her. He had to fight the urge to run in and see if any flights were available. He could do his job anywhere, he had no real ties in Portugal, no family and no obligations. He could do it.

But he turned and walked away as Mary finally disappeared into the security clearance zone. They’d spent as much time as possible together, he had her contact details and she had his. It wouldn’t be forever. He scuffed his feet as he walked back to his car, his entire body deflated. The normally tall, proud man was a shadow, he almost appeared to be 50 years older he’d sunk so far into himself.

Tenants came and went in the apartments. Some were fun, others irritating, some were attractive, but none had changed his life as much as Lillian and Mary. He knew being at home was going to be the hard part so he bought a bottle of wine and went to the beach, waiting for the planes to fly overhead. He knew what time Mary’s flight left.

Two planes flew overhead at the correct time, one coming in and one leaving. He waved the two beautiful women away, raised his glass one last time, and fell back to the sand, under the umbrella he’d pulled out of the car. Putting the cork back in the bottle, he decided he couldn’t put it off anymore. It was time to head back to the empty villa.

The silence at the villa was deafening and Ben quickly turned on his telly. He tried not to go to the barn but found his feet taking him there. He sat down, the bottle somehow in his hand once more. Sitting at the table he saw the wall where he’d made love to Mary, knew the bed would hold her scent. He knew his own would as well.

Slugging back more wine, Ben tried to tell himself it would ease, that he’d find a way to bring her back and that the pain would end. His lawyer was working on it now. He decided he needed more wine and went into his kitchen to search for some.

* * *

Mary watched the landscape of Portugal disappear, the sea full of jellyfish, and wondered when she’d see that coastline again. They had stops in Munich, one in New York, and another in Charlotte. It was going to be a long day and her mother was already doing her head in. She scoffed to herself, doing her head in, a term she’d picked up from Ben.

She ordered a glass of wine as soon as the flight attendant started passing them out. Taking a deep gulp, she wished she’d ordered something stronger. This tasted of the cardboard it came in. Setting the too-dry beverage aside, she decided to try for watching a movie on her tablet. Her mother had the window seat and Mary couldn’t see much of the view outside of the plane.

Mary knew she was trying to distract herself and the effort didn’t work. She missed him already and she’d had to hide her own tears more than once. Lillian had shed them the moment Ben disappeared from view and she’d held her daughter’s hand.

“I’m so sorry we have to leave him, darling. I’ll see what your father and I can do once we get home. Have you decided on where you’re going?”

“No, we haven’t decided if he’s coming to me or me going to him. It’s easier and quicker for me to go there. He’s missing some papers and it depends on how long that will take to sort out.” Mary had looked away, another instance of tears making her hide.

“We’ll get it done, honey. I promise.” Mary knew there wasn’t much her mother could do but knew she’d do what she could. Her mother had made a promise, she’d keep it.

Going back to West Virginia after being gone so long was eye-opening for both women.

As they drove up the winding mountain road to get to their town they both looked at the area with new eyes.

“How long has that house been collapsed, Mary? That’s new isn’t it?” Lillian was pointing out a house that everyone knew because it was painted a bright orange and green. You couldn’t miss it sticking out of the side of the mountain.

“That’s been down for years now, Lillian!” Walter said from the driver’s seat.

Mary looked at him, shocked. “You’re joking! Has it really?”

“I guess you get used to seeing something and don’t notice changes after a while.” Mary heard something in her father’s voice and looked at him closely.

He was looking at her mother as though he’d never seen her before as they sat at a stop sign, waiting for a load of coal trucks to get out of their way.

“I sure have missed you, Lillian. I’m so glad you’re home.” Lillian had been looking out of the window and now she turned to her husband. She had the same look.

“I won’t lie, sweetheart. I loved it over there. I’d go back right now if I could. But I wouldn’t want to go back without you. Never again. I kept turning to you, wanting to point something out to you and you just weren’t there. I hated that part.”

Mary was shocked, her mother hadn’t told her any of that. She’d even begun to wonder if her mother was considering a divorce she’d been so carefree and happy. She’d worried over it but now she knew her mother had truly missed her father and had been filling her time until she came home to her husband.

“You guys are going to make me cry again and I’ve cried enough today!” Mary was exhausted but she could feel her eyes stinging once more.

Going back to her old home, the home she’d shared with her parents her entire life, was odd to Mary. It was the same but somehow everything had changed. She kept looking around as the weeks passed, trying to figure out what was so different about the room. She even went so far as to ask her father what he’d done to it, but he’d not stepped foot in it since she’d left. She finally realized, after talking with Ben one night on Skype, that it was her that had changed, not the room.

Mary looked at herself in the mirror on her dresser and realized she looked the same but her whole worldview had changed. People were just people, no matter where they were. There wasn’t anything truly exotic about the places or the people in them, it was just that they were different. Fascinatingly different, but not so different that they were somehow not as good as being from the other place.

Something else had changed and Mary knew it for certain when she woke one morning and had to run straight for the toilet. Retching her guts up, Mary mewled, knowing what the sickness meant. So did her mother.

A knock came at her bathroom door and with a weak voice Mary replied, “What, Mom?”

“I guess you barely had the strength for that. I also guess you brought something more than a stolen heart back with you, didn’t you?” Lillian’s voice sounded pleased but concerned.

“Will you take me to see Doc Baker later, Mom?” Mary’s voice quavered.

“I sure will. When are you going to tell Ben?”

“I don’t know.” Mary pushed her hair out of her face, trying to stop the room spinning.

“Well, he’ll figure it out sooner or later. You’re going to have to stop playing around, my love, and make a decision.”

“Why are you so calm about this?” Mary’s voice broke off as she dived for the toilet once more.

Lillian paused, waiting until the sounds stopped. “You done?”

“I think so. Now, why are you so calm? I’m pregnant for fuck’s sake!” Mary was panicking, knowing it had to be true, test or no test.

“It’s my grandchild, I don’t have to stay up in the night with it,” Lillian cackled as Mary opened the door and glared at her.

“You might have to if I run away from home!” She stuck her tongue out now that she’d brushed her teeth and washed her face.

“I don’t think I’d mind. I told you Ben would make pretty babies. I’d bet on it!” Lillian held her daughter’s hand. “Now when are you going to tell him?”

“Soon, Mom, soon. Let’s go see the Doc first.” Mary shuffled to her room to change and headed out to the doctor.

* * *

“Yep, you got a bun in that there oven of yours, Mary. Who’s the lucky father?” Doc Baker, Mary’s doctor her whole life, grinned at his favourite patient.

“It’s a long story. When will this sickness stop?” Mary held her hand over her rebelling tummy.

“It should ease by your second trimester, but sometimes it’s for the duration. Try decaffeinated tea and some toast, sweetie. That should help you settle. Maybe some saltine crackers if your blood pressure remains as good as it is now. I’ll see you back in a couple of weeks, alright?” The doctor had turned away, his white hair going in fifteen direction as usual as he sought out something he’d just put down. Finding his prescription pad he began scribbling words on a prescription pad.

“Why in a couple of weeks? I’m pregnant, not sick!”

“Here, this is for your prenatal vitamins, take them! Especially while you’re sick. You’ll need the supplements they provide. And you need to come back so I can check on you and the baby, make sure everything is okay. Hear me? You don’t skip your visits, young lady! I know you hate needles but this is not the time!” He shook his wrinkled finger at her and Mary supressed the urge to stick out her tongue. Doc Baker handed her a sticker of a cartoon dog and opened the door. “You be good, Mary, and come back for your check-ups!”

Mary nodded, staring down at the sticker the doc insisted on giving her, and stared at the doctor as he walked away. Yeah, she was home. With a bounce in her step Mary walked out to her waiting mother. With a nod, she confirmed the world truly had changed for far more than just her. The tears in both their eyes were tears of happiness and hope. This was truly life-changing.