My body felt free in this moment, like I could do anything. I could’ve flown if I only opened my arms.

The moment was quiet. There was no human voices polluting the area besides my family’s. My dad took pictures of my mother. He always thought she was a pinnacle of beauty though she thought she never was. She poses anyway knowing her husband won’t let her say no. 

My brother rests his chin on his fiancé’s shoulder watching the waves roll over themselves. He plays with her fingers like the keys of a piano, one beat on one finger and another on the next. 

I walk over to the water and I look for shells and unique rocks I can take home. I am reminded of a quote from my favorite book, Twist and Shout: They rolled back with the water, tumbling in the undertow, the sun glancing off of them. They were like little jewels being pulled in, something strange and glorious, and Dean knew if he went closer he’d see them half-shelled, missing their pieces, the smudged insides exposed. Those shining insides, like God had pressed his thumb in, leaving his shimmering fingerprint.

My brothers fiancé screams and then laughs, “look it’s driftwood!” She tries to run to it but gets pushed back by the icy water and laughs again. She runs along the shore to try and catch it but gets stopped by the boulders forming a wall between her and the other side of the beach. I try to catch up to but end up getting my pants soaked. Our bodies soaked up the sun and its warm rays. 

“Sara, let me take a picture of you,'' my dad yelled over the sound of the water. 

I stood, posed in a funny position. I got serious and sat on one of the logs and let the wind take my hair as he took pictures of me. 

“Now a silly one,” I stuck my tongue out and my dad laughed. I ran to Mom, gave her a hug and said,

“Grandma would’ve loved this right?” She smiled and started to cry. “Yes, she would’ve been so happy.” 

The water once again pinched our toes, pulling back in a silk like fashion, flowing freely wherever it chooses. 

The water roared and now that I think about it today, I think it was Grandma telling us she loved us. The wind being her arms and wrapping them around us. I sat and let the wind take my hair once more, smiled and thought to myself I could fly if I just opened my arms. Once more I was happy.