“You must be Marcus and Maya,” she said, stepping forward to hug Maya gently before extending her hand to me. “I’m Sarah Hayes. Thomas called me from the cockpit satellite phone before takeoff.”
“Welcome to Wilmington,” Sarah said warmly. “Daniel talked about you so often that I feel like you’ve been part of our extended family for years. We are so very glad you are finally here.”
Maya accepted the flowers with delight, burying her small nose in the fragrant blossoms. “Thank you, Miss Sarah! These smell like the garden Mama used to grow behind our old house.”
Sarah wiped a tear from her eye and smiled at my daughter. “Your mama had wonderful taste, sweetheart. Come on, our truck is parked outside, and the beach is waiting for us.”
We drove across the coastal causeway as the morning sun sparkled across the Intracoastal Waterway. Pelicans glided in formation above the tidal creeks, as Elena had always described them.
