Chapter 5

We crunched and slipped our way along the pebble beach, picking things up and either pocketing them or lobbing them into the water, as appropriate. I wondered, if there had been anyone else but us on this lonely stretch of coastline, would they have thought us a family? Two dads, raising a presumably adopted daughter? Would they think we were sweet? Or would they look away, disgusted?

Then I reflected anyone observing us would probably be too hung up on the fact that one of us was dressed as a Viking to even think about alternative family dynamics.

“It’s great, her still wanting to do this sort of thing,” Ian said, watching the stone he’d just skimmed as it skipped across the water, bouncing roughly twice as many times as my best effort before sinking with a plop.