Well Look Who's Back

Another trip done, another week by myself.  
     "It flew by," dad said.
     "Maybe so, but didn't you miss me?" He stared blankly at me, thinking.
     "Well of course we did.  Did you miss us?"
     "Oh- you weren't here?"  I tried my best to make him think I hadn't even realized they'd left.
     "Come on, I'm sure the twins took great care of you.  You seem very content."  They did, in fact, take awesome care of me, even visiting with me outside of the planned food/water/litterbox times.
     Mom began the unpacking process while dad made another trip down to the car.  They seemed tired, deflated.
     "So mom, how was the trip?"  Mom looked at me, road-weary eyes glazed.  I had my answer.
     "Let me put it this way," dad said, dropping their backpack on the floor.  "We're glad to be home."
     Though it was wonderful to see old friends and visit family and see the ever-growing grandkids, this vacation took more out of them than their road trips usually do for some reason.  They attributed it to advanced age, and for all the grief dad gives me for being an "old gal" I'm not gonna let them live this down.
     Dad's back to the grind, mom will be catching up on all the bills, laundry, cleaning and everything else.  
     Another trip that went way too fast, another much-too-short visit with two of the cutest grandkids anyone could ever ask for.  Through sore butts, wrong turns, hunger, gas stops and pee breaks they managed to not kill each other once again.
     On a more positive note, mom got the soft serve she so looks forward to (it's probably a good thing she can't find good soft serve around here) and dad got his pure maple syrup that mom says should last at least a year (dad just winked at me).
     "The important thing, dad, is that you're back home and taking care of me, right?"  He looked at me, knowing I was right, and nodded slowly.
     "Yes, old girl, that's all that matters."