After walking for what seemed like forever, we at last came to a small clearing between a pair of families where we had just enough room to stake out a spot in the sand for ourselves. Daddy laid out two beach towels side-by-side on either of side of the umbrella, enough for each of us to have our own. I instantly claimed one of the towels in the middle for myself.
After they had set their stuff down, Elaine and Daddy ran off to jump in the waves. My younger sister had been given swim lessons earlier in the summer. Mommy was already laying on the beach towel to the right of me, flipping through the first few pages a paperback book she had brought along in her bag.