Darius rode to the airport in his car seat, facing the back of the car. He couldn't see most of what was outside the window, just the tops of the cars and the sky above them. Tobias hummed and played some music that Elena enjoyed. Some soft-spoken indie folk artist with a gentle voice.
"She'll be tired," Tobias said, speaking to Darius through the rear-view mirror. "But she'll be happy to see you."
Darius had never seen an airport before. At least, he didn't think so. In his previous life, he didn't remember anything from before the accident when he was very young. Everything was new and yet it was familiar at the same time, creating a strange feeling.
When they arrived at the airport, there was a large number of people. Tobias picked up Darius instead of trying to make him walk through the crowds, since it was easier that way. International arrivals. There were people everywhere waving signs and flowers and cheering.
They had their own sign, the one they made earlier that day with the bronze medal written next to her name. Darius had insisted that detail be included in spite of his very limited toddler vocabulary, somehow communicating the importance to Tobias.
All of these families were gathered at the international arrivals section. Since everyone else was taller than Darius, he was unable to see the arrivals door, so Tobias picked him up and placed him on his shoulders so he could get a good view.
"You'll see her first, buddy. Tell me."
Darius watched the arrival door and felt nervous. He was not sure why he felt that way. She was his mother. He had known her for three years, but he was now aware of her in a way that he hadn't before. She was an Olympic athlete. A long-distance runner. His mother. That was an odd combination of familiar and unfamiliar.
The arrival door opened and a crowd of travelers came walking through. Then he saw her. Elena. She was very tall, although all adults were taller than him. However, she was actually quite tall, even compared to the average height of adults. She was thin, as many distance runners tend to be, and had her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. She wore her Team USA jacket and had a roller bag and backpack. The medal case was visible in the backpack. Her face showed she was tired but alert as she scanned the crowd. And then she spotted them.
Her entire face lit up as she walked faster, almost jogged. "My boys!"
She dropped her bag and Tobias put Darius down. Elena quickly bent down and spread open her arms. Darius ran to her with his unsteady toddler gait. She grabbed him and hugged him tightly.
"I've missed you so much, baby," she said. Her voice was filled with emotion.
Darius experienced the hug and all of its details. Her arms were strong in the manner of a runner and she smelled of airplanes and coffee and something floral. She smelled warm and safe and real. That was his mother. Olympic Bronze Medalist. Hugging him like he was the medal.
Elena held Darius on her hip and kissed Tobias. "I've missed you too."
"That's impossible," Tobias replied with a grin.
"Not possible," she agreed with a smile.
They left for the car with Elena holding onto Darius and pulling her roller bag behind her and Tobias taking her backpack. She was talking and animated now and her exhaustion was forgotten as she asked about everything.
"How has he been? What have I missed? Did you watch the races?"
"Oh boy, you have no idea," Tobias said with a grin. "Wait until you hear about the 400m finals."
Elena looked interested. "What happened?"
Darius simply watched her as he absorbed every detail. The way she moved with efficiency and no waste of motion. The way she spoke with warmth and interest. The bronze medal case was in her backpack now. She finished third in the race, but looking at her with her family, she appeared to have won gold.
As they approached the car and got Darius into his car seat (rear-facing), Elena climbed into the passenger seat and turned around to look at him. She reached her hand back and held his small hand as Tobias drove and told stories.
"He went nuts during the 400m," Tobias said.
"Jumping on the couch yelling U-S-A."
"Then I asked him which runner...and he tried to say Quincy...called him Kinky."
Elena laughed loudly. "He what?"
"KINKY! KINKY! KINKY! Like that, jumping up and down."
She continued laughing hard. "That's cute." She gazed lovingly at Darius. "Do you like watching track, baby?"
Darius nodded enthusiastically.
"Do you like watching Momma?"
Another serious nod, bigger this time. She softened.
Tobias asked if she was doing okay after everything.
"Tired. But good." She paused. "Third place wasn't what I wanted, but being able to stand on that podium and hearing the national anthem made it worthwhile." She glanced at Darius. "And coming home to you two? Priceless."
"He loves watching races," Tobias said.
"Completely obsessed," Tobias replied. "He was glued to the screen the whole time."
"Most three year olds can't sit still for a 400m."
"This one could," Elias said.
Elena smiled. "Wonder who he gets that from."
However, she seemed to notice something unusual about Darius.
As they pulled into their driveway, Elena saw the welcome sign in the window. "You made that?"
"Actually, Darius 'helped' me," Tobias said.
"Helped" was somewhat generous, but nice, and Elena understood it.
After dropping her luggage by the door and stretching, Elena stated, "Good to be home."
The house smelled like Tobias had prepared dinner. "Did you cook?"
"I tried to. It's warming."
She kissed him again. "You're the best."
Elena opened her backpack and retrieved the medal case, the black case featuring the Team USA emblem. Darius instantly focused on it, and Elena recognized that fact.
"Want to see it?"
She lowered herself to Darius's level and opened the case. The bronze medal rested inside with the Olympic rings visible and "Paris 2024", "Women's 10,000m", and her position engraved on it. The medal was substantial and heavy.
"This is a bronze medal, baby. Third place out of the entire world." Pride was evident in her voice; however, there was also the underlying sense that she had hoped for gold, but this still meant something to her.
Darius carefully reached for the medal, and Elena allowed him to hold it, albeit with her close supervision. The medal weighed heavily in his small hands. The medal of an Olympic champion. His mother's Olympic medal. He was holding Olympic hardware at age three, and surreal wouldn't begin to describe that experience.
Elena removed the medal from Darius and wrapped the ribbon around his neck. The medal was too large for Darius and hung well below his waist. "Now you're an Olympian too, baby."
Darius stared at the medal in the mirror in the hallway. He looked at himself -- a very short child wearing a very large bronze medal -- while Elena and Tobias smiled at each other.
"If you want to run like mama," she said lightly, without pushing further, just pondering.
Darius nodded seriously. More seriously than a three-year-old should. Elena noticed and shared a quick glance with Tobias, but didn't follow up.
Darius looked at himself in the mirror with the medal around his neck. Not bronze. Gold will come later. Years from now. For now, it was enough. His mother's medal. His mother was home. His family was together.