The next morning, we got ready early, and I drove the car I had purchased before. As I focused on the road, my phone rang.
"Emily, please get my phone from my pocket," I said, glancing at her.
She reached for it, and my father's number flashed on the screen. Pressing the green button, she put it on speaker.
"Mama!!!" Ashley's cheerful voice filled the car, making me smile instantly.
"Hey, sweetheart, why are you still up?" I asked, mentally calculating the time difference between our locations.
"Mama, I miss you! I can't sleep without you. When will you come back?" she whined, her sweet words melting my heart.
"Sweetheart, I'll come back as soon as my work here is done. I miss you too, Ashley. Just wait for Mama and be a good girl, okay? Don't trouble Grandpa and Grandma," I coaxed her gently.
