Farewell to Coral Shores
By afternoon, the airport shuttle stood waiting at the main entrance.
Leo was there, loading their small bags into the back. When he finished, he handed Maya a small, polished wooden carving of a sea turtle.
"To remind you of your dive," Leo said with a wink.
Maya hugged the wooden turtle tightly against her chest. "I’ll name him Leo!"
On the upper balcony overlooking the driveway, Victoria stood leaning on her crutches. She caught Sarah’s eye as Sarah climbed into the shuttle. There were no grand gestures, no theatrical apologies. Victoria simply placed a hand over her heart and bowed her head with profound gratitude.
Sarah raised a hand in return, offering a warm, forgiving smile.
May you like
As the shuttle pulled out of the resort gates, driving down the palm-lined avenue toward the airport, Sarah looked back through the rear window. The sparkling blue waters of the resort receded into the distance, but the heaviness that had weighed on her chest for the past eighteen months was gone.
She looked down at Maya, who was already sketching on the first page of her new watercolor pad. Using vibrant shades of blue and gold, Maya was painting two turtles swimming upward toward a brilliant, unblemished sun.
