When I opened the door, the smell of coffee and the warm air of the café met me. I sat down and took off my scarf. The waitress came and I ordered a cappuccino. Just what I needed on such a cold day. I took a book out of my handbag, my diary.

I shouldn't be here. Here, across from his detective agency. But I hoped to see him, even if it was only brief. Maybe he would be standing by the window. Today is our wedding anniversary and I'm sure he'll do something ... I hope.

I took my wedding ring off my finger and stared at it; It had been 20 years since I first put it on. How I wished to see this day again.

"See you later!" Shouted a familiar voice from outside the cafe. I looked out the window and I thought it was Conan, standing out there with his skateboard and waving to someone. This farewell reminded me of Inspector Megure's wedding day a few days earlier ... I left again.I remembered scurrying past him with a serious look on my face. But my heart was grateful for this brief moment when he was so close to me. Then Ran came to me.

"Mom, talk to Dad.", She said, her face full of sadness and yet full of hope for a perfect family.

"I'm sorry, Ran," I said, trying to hold back my tears. "I'm sorry I can't offer you a better life, but don't need me, we both know that." I left the party and went back to my lonely office. I cried for hours, the last 12 years have been so painful, couldn't he see that? I need love, I need a family, I need a daughter and a man who comforts me when I'm sad, I need a daughter to talk to when she grows up that I can hug and a man with whom I can laugh , I need…

Tears fell on the paper as I wrote the rest of the sentence.

I need him.I put my wedding ring back on my finger and closed the diary, paid and wrapped my scarf, picked up my bag and left. Once more I looked sadly up at the window. I sighed and headed for the park. The park I used to walk home through ... home, how lonely it sounds now.

"Epilog"

Eri walked sadly down the park paths. A gust of wind tore the documents she was carrying from her hand. They landed in front of a man who was kneeling down to pick up the papers.

"Sorry, could you give this to me?"

The man got up and handed her the papers when she saw the ring on his finger. She knew this ring. She looked up and their eyes met, looks full of sadness.

"Eri ..."

"Kogoro ..."

They sat down on a bench, neither of them said anything. The street lights came on and said it was going to be night soon. Finally, Kogoro broke the silence.

"Can you come home again?" He asked. Eri looked at him in surprise."I need you by my side."

Eri looked at the floor.

"I can't deny that I miss Ran ... and that I'd like to spend some time with Conan ... and I can't deny that ..." They looked at each other. "That I'm ready to come home."

"I missed you," she said hesitantly.

"Shall we go now?", Kogoro asked and held out his hand to her. "Ran should be back from Kyoto by now. She's definitely looking forward to a surprise."

Eri took his hand and the two stood up. "Let's go home, our home."

It had started to snow and the reconciled couple walked down the snowy paths, happy about each other's presence.

Ran stared out the window of the detective agency when her parents returned. She smiled. "Happy Anniversary, Mom! Paps!" She called down to her parents who were just coming up the stairs. ran stormed into the stairwell to greet the two of them, a tear of joy fell when she saw her mother holding hands with her father."Ran.", Eri said in the warm way she used to speak to Ran when she was little. "I'm home."