Coming Home (#Wattys 2017)

15; Coming Home

As much as Harrison and Carrie appreciated the hospitality from the people working in the American embassy, they didn't want to stay overnight. They wanted to go right home. First, they had to see Billie tonight or tomorrow morning. And second, their injuries were a little much for the politicians to handle. Carrie knew she was probably going to need stitches or surgery once again in her shoulder. Harrison was definitely going to need surgery.

The medics did the best they could with his leg. They were able to remove the bullet without causing him too much pain. But he would need surgery to repair his quadricep.

As Harrison rewrapped her arm, one of the workers came back to tell them that a helicopter would be flying them to a nearby United States military base. They would then by flown to Japan where they would catch a private U.S. flight back to their military base on the coast of Los Angeles.

Not too long after, they were flown to Japan. On the helicopter, they were tended to by more experienced medical personnel. It was determined that Harrison's surgery would also be in part to repair his femur. It was now confirmed that the bullet had hit part of his femur. And the surgeons were going to repair it.

It was 6 hours before they reached Japan. Carrie got more excited as they got onto their private jet. When they got off this one they'd be able to see Billie.

One of the flight attendants handed Harrison a phone. He called his parents and put it on speaker so Carrie could hear. "Mom?"

"Harrison? Is that you?"

He smiled. "Yeah mom. I'm okay. Carrie's okay."

They heard only crying from the other side of the phone. "Are you near Billie?"

"No." Dorothy paused to shed a few more tears. "I'm so glad you guys are okay. Billie's missed you two so much."

"We've missed you guys too. Can you bring Billie to the airport tomorrow morning. Or in 11 hours?"

"You're coming home that soon?"

Now Harrison started crying. "Yeah, we're coming home now."

"I'll have Billie there."

Next Carrie called her mom. "Mom?"

"CARRIE!?"

She smiled with tears now glistening in her eyes. "I'm here mom. Harrison and I are okay. We're a little beat up but we're okay."

Carrie knew Debbie was crying. "We thought the worst. Nobody had heard from you."

"Harrison and I weren't going down without a fight."

"What did they do to you over there?"

She smiled a reassuring smile, now wishing that her mom could see it. "They didn't do anything we couldn't handle."

Carrie then told her mom they should be home in about 11 hours. "I love you Carrie."

"I love you too mom."

They then settled in for the 11 hour flight. To Carrie and her anxiety about making it home to Billie real soon, it would take a lot longer. "Carrie, we have a long way to go," Harrison told her. "We're safe now. And both of us need some rest. We haven't slept good in a while."