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Will grinned and adjusted Seb’s little cap to get a look at his face underneath the brim. “Seb looks like he’s enjoying himself, so I’d say it’s worth it.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t worth it, but I never thought we’d be these people.”
Will winked. We angled towards the lap of the sea on the sand until the water was kissing our ankles, then continued north to where we’d spotted the boys in the ocean, bobbing on their boards at the back as they waited for a solid set. I put my head down so the brim of my visor better blocked the bounce of thesun off the sand and powered ahead. The beach was quiet, and we had our pick of places to set up, so I dropped my bags and laid out a couple of towels as Will dug a spot to stick the umbrella. After freeing Seb from his carrier, I sat in the shade with the baby between my knees and pulled out the infant sunscreen, applying it to his nose, cheeks, and legs.
Will set his board upright in the sand with a grunt, then collected Seb from the towel as soon as I’d finished with the SPF. “What do you reckon we introduce the little guy to the ocean before I join those bozos in the back?”
“Yes! Let’s do it.”
Excitement fluttered in my chest as I jumped to my feet and peeled off my T-shirt and shorts to reveal my bikini underneath. Baby’s first saltwater swim was a big moment for parents around here, and I skipped ahead a few years to picture Seb signing up for the Nippers program at the Valentine Bay Surf Life Saving Club. The idea of being there with Will when Seb reached that milestone made my heart space open with pride.
We waded into the water until it was waist deep, with Will holding Seb tucked protectively against his chest the entire time. When the cool water tickled the baby’s toes the first time, I tensed as he drew up his legs and snuggled in closer to Will.
“Maybe it’s too cold?” Will mumbled, and he dipped a little to sweep Seb’s legs into the water.
Seb squirmed, and we exchanged a concerned look.
“Let’s try once more,” I suggested, “but if he’s not feeling it, I’ll take him back onto the sand and get him dry.”
Will nodded as he curled his large, tanned arms around Seb and sank with him into the water. Will kept his eyes on me, watching for Seb’s reaction in my own, and when the baby blew a happy raspberry and smacked an open palm on the surface of the water, I gave Will a grin and two thumbs up. Seb seemed much happier with Will’s body heat against him, and he began tokick his legs. I pretended to scold Seb each time he splashed me, which only made his little arms and legs flap harder.
When we were thoroughly wet, and Seb’s giggles had morphed into whimpers, Will curled the baby up towards his face and blew a soggy raspberry on his tummy. It was a move that usually got us a bout of gutsy giggles, but Seb squirmed and pulled away.
“I think he’s had enough,” Will announced. “Let’s dry him off and get him something to eat.”
I tweaked Seb’s little toes and dragged my legs through the water in the direction of the sand, Will keeping pace beside me. “I was just about to suggest the same thing.”
Under the umbrella, with Seb dry and playing with a squishy plastic toy, Will picked up his board and took a couple steps towards the water before pausing and turning his head. Salty paths of water dripped from his hair down the back of his tan neck, travelling the lines and dips of his muscled back.
“I won’t be long,” he assured me. “And I’ll keep an eye on you. Just stand and wave if you need me to come back in.”
I rolled my eyes and lifted Seb’s arm to imitate a wave. “Go. Have fun. We’re totally fine here.”
I watched as he disappeared into the ocean, arms flexing as he set the board on the water and stretched his long body on top of it then paddled with practiced form past the swell.
I sighed and ran my hands over Seb’s soft curls. “Your daddy is a beautiful man,” I told him. “More beautiful since you came into his life, if you can believe that.”
I dug around in the bag of baby stuff and pulled out a container of cooled, steamed broccoli florets, then handed one to Seb. Among the stack of parenting books Will had delivered to the loft a few days ago was one about a feeding strategy called baby-led weaning. Soft broccoli was one of the suggested finger foods for babies Seb’s age, and much to both Will’s and my shock, he’d loved it at first taste.
Making sure Seb was securely wedged between my thighs and against my stomach, I leaned back on my hands, dropped my head back, and took long breaths of salty air. That expansive feeling across my chest, the one that felt so much like pride for Seb, was still there. It triggered a sense of presence I’d only ever been able to find on the yoga mat, but whenever I closed my practice, that hard-won contentment faded away. I didn’t know what was happening exactly, but I was certain it was fleeting, so I took careful notice of the way the sun felt on my upturned face and internalised the vibration of the morning, hoping I could recreate it after it disappeared.
A spray of sand hit my leg, followed by something—or someone—tripping and falling onto my ankles. My eyes flew open, and my arms circled Seb protectively, drawing him closer to me and turning his face from the flying sand. “What the—”
“I’m so sorry!”
A harried-looking woman ducked under the umbrella and picked up the tiny girl who had tumbled over my feet. She brushed the sand from her chin and smoothed the hair back from her eyes as the young girl twisted away and demanded with wordless wails to be put back on the ground.
“It’s her first time walking on sand, and she’s so independent that she won’t let me hold her hand. She has to doeverythingherself.” The woman gave me the kind of smile that saidyou know how it is. “Are you all right? She didn’t hurt you, did she?”
I flapped my hand and offered the little girl a smile. “No, not at all. She’s a cutie.”
“Like a hurricane is cute.” The woman snorted affectionately and deposited the girl on the sand. She immediately squatted down to get a better look at Seb, who offered her his half-chewed piece of broccoli. I plucked it out of his grip before our little visitor could accept it.
“That’s sweet, buddy,” I said with a laugh, “but not exactly hygienic.”
The woman chuckled and shook her head. “Say hello, Sienna.”
The little girl mumbled something nonsensical, and Seb babbled something in return.
