Claire let the moment wash over her, the satisfaction warming her from the inside in a way the sun couldn’t. She watched the mother’s rigid shoulders retreat until they disappeared into the blur of towels and umbrellas near the main entrance, the boy trailing behind like a ship in tow.
The chuckles faded, replaced once more by the rhythmic crash and retreat of the waves. And just like that, the air felt lighter. The tension that had been coiled tight in her chest all afternoon unraveled, replaced by an easy calm.