Tango: A Prologue

There wasn't really any reason for leaving at that moment. The sun shone high above them and the wind had remained light throughout their visit. The waves were calm and no one was tired or hungry or even whining. But...she packed it all up anyway: the remnants of Kentucky Fried Chicken with biscuits, each leg with a chunk of meat still clinging to the bone and three half drunk Sierra Mists watered down with melted ice and one still full. These she dumped in the nearby metal mesh garbage can much to the delight of the waiting sea gulls. They dove into the trash to retrieve the delicacies before she was even a decent distance away from them.

She was done. Capping the fallen sunscreen she shoved the towels into her bag. She didn't expect their trip to work any miracles, but if only for the children, she'd expected him to show up. It was so lonely sitting on the blanket watching Stephan and Melanie run across the beach. They knew she wasn't happy and kept their distance. Even now as she waved to them, beckoning for their departure they tripped back along the beach turning their faces to the waves. She sank onto the sand and lay the folded umbrella across her lap. Maybe he was waiting until after lunch.