I looked back out to the water. I’d never heard a woman talk about infertility like this. Most of my friends had children, and a couple were pregnant. I had assumed the others either didn’t want them or weren’t ready to start trying. I considered my handful of childless friends. Had I been super callous not to discuss it with them, or even worse, to argue with them about why I didn’t want kids? What if I had friends who were suffering like Marie obviously was? I was suddenly hit with how self-centred I was.

Mental note: be a better friend to my childless friends.

Marie continued. ‘I felt quite useless for a long time, and all the while my beautiful husband was right there with me, telling me how much he loves me, no matter what.’ I looked at Gary out in the barely there surf, showing Josh the ropes of proper beach swimming, and I had a newfound appreciation for him. Marie sighed. I figured I should say something, but I wasn’t sure what the appropriate something was. Still, the silence hung heavy in the air.

‘Marie, I am so sorry to hear that. Thank you for telling me.’ I hoped it was adequate.

‘Well, I feel like we’re becoming friends, Sarah. It’s also good to talk about it. So, thank you for listening. And you know what? I think we may even have a happy ending to this whole thing.’

‘Really?’

‘Well, at the start of the year we signed up with an adoption agency, and because we’re happy to take an older child, not just a baby, they said we could have a placement as soon as December.’ She grinned.

‘Oh my god, Marie! That is incredible news.’ I pulled her into a sideways hug, and she tipped her head to touch mine.

‘Right? I mean, nothing is set in stone yet, but the thought of actually becoming parents sometime soon – it’s …’ She had tears in her eyes, and I tightened my grip on her shoulder. She smiled through the tears and left the rest of her thought unsaid.

It felt so good to share her news, and even though I had only known her a few days, I agreed with her. She was becoming a good friend.

Eventually, the seafarers dragged themselves onto dry land. Josh was smiling as he towelled himself off, and I tried to keep my eyes on his face and not his lean, muscular body. ‘How was that?’ I asked, looking up at him and shielding my eyes from the sun with my hand.

‘Awesome!’ he replied. ‘Did you see us body surfing? Gary taught me – it’s so cool!’

‘Well, if you liked that, wait ’til you come out to California and we take you to a real beach! You’re gonna love body surfing in Santa Barbara!’ said Gary.

‘Is that a serious invitation?’ asked Josh.