The beach had always been her sanctuary; one of the few places where she could switch her phone to silent without feeling guilty. Packing for the trip felt almost ceremonial. She slipped her worn paperback into her tote, the one she’d been saving for weeks but never found the quiet to start.
She poured a thermos of iced tea, tucked in a small snack, and added her oversized sunhat; a floppy straw thing she reserved for days when she wanted to blend into the background. The drive was exactly what she needed.