I could actually smell it. Something inside me went quiet in the best way.
Dorah pressed her face against the window and gasped. Noah squealed. Ben clapped his sticky little hands against my cheek.
“Mama, is that it? Is that the ocean?” Dorah asked.
“Yeah, baby. That’s it.”
We checked in, dumped the suitcases, and Martin herded everyone straight down to the beach.
I could actually smell it.
***
When I stepped onto the sand and finally saw that endless blue horizon, my eyes filled before I could stop them.
I stood there, letting the wind move my hair, and for about 90 seconds, I felt like a whole person again.
Then Clara’s voice cut through it.
“Emily. Over here.”
My MIL was already stretched across a lounge chair in a wide-brimmed hat, patting the sand beside her as if I were a dog.
My eyes filled before I could stop them.
