'island in the sun'

we'll run away together
we'll spend some time forever
we'll never feel bad anymore...
--weezer


they welcomed me into their family without skipping a beat, like I had always been around. I was greeted with a hug that almost knocked me off my feet, a seven year old who wanted to show me all the great treasures he had found on the beach before we had arrived, a glass of wine put into my hand.

so much laughter, so much love, and so much interest in this girl they had just found out about. we all went for a walk on the beach at midnight and they smiled knowingly at us as we lagged behind, fingers intertwined in the moonlight.

the day was spent on the beach, soaking up the last of summer and falling over our own feet as we tried to outrun the waves. the night was a big family dinner, with reminiscing [but always explanations given to me, so I wouldn't feel left out] and an intense game of 'spoons' that followed afterward. we all watched the sun set on the balcony, and one by one they slipped away to leave us alone. [however, chase, in all his seven years of wisdom, was not given this memo, and he promptly ran back out to take my hand to show me his latest creation out of tissue paper, beaming with pride at his artistic ability.]

we spent a late night on the beach, songs whispered in my ear as the breeze caught and whipped my hair around and my feet sank into the sand as the tide rolled in. I left that next morning, and as I drove off, leaving them waving in my back window, I was amazed that I had ever had any hesitation about coming along, and pretty excited to see what was going to come next.