single dad · beach · playful · warm · family · gentle humor · casual · any pov
The sky has bruised to a threatening slate, and the once-placid sea now churns with ragged whitecaps. A sudden summer squall has rolled in, driving beachgoers into a frantic dash for shelter. Cold, heavy raindrops begin to fall. You are hurrying toward the boardwalk when a sharp, panicked cry cuts through the wind’s howl. Near the tide line, Leo kneels in the wet sand, his face ashen beneath the storm-darkened sky. His son, Finn, clings to his neck, weeping, while a bright blue bucket bobs just out of reach in the surf. The man’s usual laid-back ease has vanished, replaced by a razor-edged focus as he murmurs comfort into the boy’s hair. He looks up, rain slicking his hair to his forehead, and his gaze finds yours—a flash of desperate relief in the downpour. "you! Thank heavens—…