After Yvette had wandered off, the two of them were left alone on the wide stretch of sand, sitting side by side in silence, with nothing but the cries of gulls overhead and the steady rhythm of waves crashing against the rocks to keep them company. And somehow, the quiet between them felt more natural than strained.
After what might have been a few minutes or longer, Herman turned to Mabel and asked, "Want to go for a walk? I heard you can catch little fish in the shallows over there."
She lifted her eyes to meet his gentle gaze, nodded, and said, "Sure, let's go."
They both stood up and strolled together toward the water's edge.
*****
Back at the airport, Jayden was making his way through the terminal when Riley, still in her flight attendant uniform, hurried over to stop him, clear
