That alone made me smile.
Teenagers rarely called anyone sir or ma’am anymore.
“You don’t have to be so formal,” I said.
“My parents say manners never hurt anybody.”
His parents joined us a few minutes later.
His mother, Rebecca, apologized for interrupting.
His father, Chris, shook Daniel’s hand.
Within half an hour, we were all sitting beside the pool talking as though we’d known each other for years.
They had brought Liam to the same resort every summer since he was eight.
“He knows this place better than the staff,” Chris joked.
Liam rolled his eyes.
“Dad exaggerates.”
“Barely.”
By our third day, seeing Maya and Liam together had become normal.
They spent most afternoons together.
Daniel leaned back in his chair.
“I haven’t seen her smile this much in months.”
Neither had I.
That evening, the resort hosted beach games just before sunset.
Music drifted over the sand while families gathered near the water.
One of the biggest attractions was the banana boat ride.
Every 15 minutes, a speedboat pulled a bright yellow inflatable across the bay while riders bounced over the waves.
Before anyone boarded, a resort employee in a blue polo gave the required safety briefing.
“If anyone feels unwell during the ride,” he said, “don’t try to tough it out.”
He pointed toward a rocky cove farther down the shoreline.
“See that white building?”
Most people barely looked.
“That’s Blue Cove Clinic.”
Then he added,
“If there’s any medical emergency on the water, head there immediately. It’s much closer than returning here.”
The briefing ended.
Nobody seemed especially interested.
Everyone just wanted to get on the water.
A little later, Maya and Liam walked over together.
Both were smiling.
“Liam has a question,” Maya said.
Liam looked at us.
“Would it be alright if Maya and I took the last banana boat ride before sunset?”
I glanced at Daniel.
He shrugged.
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