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She stood waist deep in turquoise blue water. The tips of her fingers traced the surface as she moved her hands back and forth, back and forth, touching the ocean as if it were a fuzzy blanket.
The water was warmer than she expected it to be. Almost as warm as a bath, but not quite. Mellow waves, more like long bumps on the surface, pushed against her stomach rhythmically as they rolled in towards the beach behind her. Without looking, she knew the beach was white sand. Without looking, she knew there was not another soul anywhere in sight. The gentle beauty of this place was for her and her alone, and that knowledge filled her with peace.
Flashes of bright orange, pink and green, flitted through the water. Tropical fish, dozens of them, moved fast and beautiful around her legs. She s
