Chapter 4 – Sophie Is Coming

Lena’s phone vibrated.

She looked down.

Her face changed.

“Daniel.”

“What?”

“Two minutes.”

Daniel immediately turned away from Claudia.

“No. No. We stop now.”

Claudia said:

“Fine with me.”

Daniel looked directly at her.

“Good.”

He pointed toward her towel.

“Please. I’m asking you one final time. Move five metres.”

Claudia folded her arms.

“No.”

Lena stared.

“You cannot be serious.”

“I am sitting on a public beach.”

Daniel took a breath.

“Fine.”

He grabbed one side of the wooden sign.

Lena took the other.

They moved the entire proposal setup six metres farther toward the water.

Claudia watched.

Daniel placed the candles again.

Adjusted the flowers.

Straightened the sign.

Then looked at Claudia.

“Happy?”

Claudia shrugged.

“I never asked you to move.”

Daniel laughed.

Loudly this time.

Lena grabbed his arm.

“Don’t.”

Claudia stood.

“What is funny now?”

Daniel turned.

“No. We’re done.”

“You keep laughing at me.”

“I’m not having this conversation.”

“You started this.”

Daniel looked at her as though he could not believe the sentence.

“I started this?”

“Yes.”

“You walked over to us.”

“Because you were occupying public space.”

“We moved.”

“After arguing for twenty minutes.”

“Because you sat beside us on purpose!”

“You cannot prove that.”

Daniel threw both arms out.

“I don’t need to prove anything!”

Lena grabbed him.

“Sophie.”

Daniel stopped.

At the top of the beach steps, a woman had appeared.

Sophie.

Cream dress.

Sandals in one hand.

Looking around.

Daniel’s entire face changed.

All the anger disappeared for a second.

Lena whispered:

“Go.”

Daniel turned toward the setup.

Claudia said behind him:

“This is ridiculous.”

Daniel ignored her.