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.”

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,

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