The sun was warm on their skin as they reached the beach. The water sparkled, inviting them in.
“Race you to the water, old lady!” Zaid called out to his mother with a playful grin, already starting to jog.
“Old lady? We’ll see about that!” his mother shot back, gathering the folds of her long dress.
Zaid started off at a light run, purposely holding back to let his mom feel like she had a chance. He glanced over his shoulder, expecting to see her lagging far behind. Instead, he got the shock of his life. His mother was sprinting, her sandals kicking up sand, a look of fierce determination on her face. She blew right past him, her laughter ringing in the air.
She hit the edge of the water a full second before he did, splashing into the shallows and immediately whipping around to splash
