“The last family vacation she’ll actually want to take.”
I looked at Maya sitting three rows ahead with headphones on.
She hadn’t looked away from her phone in 20 minutes.
“I know.”
The words hurt more than I expected.
By the second day, Maya had already created her own routine.
She ate breakfast with us.
Disappeared to the beach volleyball courts.
Returned to the room to change.
Then met us again at dinner.
I kept catching myself watching her from across the resort.
Not because I didn’t trust her.
Because I wanted to memorize this version of her before adulthood carried her somewhere I couldn’t follow.
The resort looked like it belonged in a travel brochure.
White sand.
Turquoise water.
Families everywhere.
It felt completely safe.
That was where Maya met Liam.
I noticed him before she introduced him.
Unlike most teenagers around the pool, Liam seemed perfectly happy sitting in the shade with a paperback.
Maya walked over to ask him something.
A few minutes later, they were laughing together.
Daniel nudged me.
“I think someone made a friend.”
“I noticed.”
“I’ll try not to embarrass her.”
“Please do.”
An hour later, Maya brought him over.
“Mom. Dad. This is Liam.”
He smiled immediately.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
Then he turned toward Daniel.
“Nice to meet you too, sir.”
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