3 AM Eastern Standard Time

"Hey, Mom. I'm home" he says quietly. I'm asleep in my bed, but open my eyes quickly to his voice. I see his grown-up self, freshman year of college behind him now, backlit in hall shadows in the doorway. He bends down to kiss me, and I reach up to hug him. All of my ducklings are home. He then goes to his sibs' rooms to say hello, again. Nobody is upset to be wakened. I hear pleased young voices greet each other. My oldest lifts the youngest, sound asleep, from her bed to hold her in his arms. She barely wakes and hugs him back. Then he bundles her among the stuffed animals, and she falls instantly to sleep again. She tells me about in the morning, pleased.