Up above were their enemies. Gulls and terns and all sorts of seabirds, wheeling and squawking and demanding in no uncertain terms that these people depart and let them at their prey.
No way.
The school children were taking turns to toss bread further down the beach, filling the birds’ stomachs and distracting them from tastier prey.
All along the line of honour umbrellas were being shaken upwards. Umbrellas… Scores and scores of them in every colour of the rainbow, covering the tiny turtles’ flight and preventing any daring gull from getting near.
And one by one the turtles were reaching the waves, stopping momentarily in shock at the first touch of foam-and then charging gamely on. Each one was two tiny inches of turtle, heading for the horizon.
Sapphire Cove couldn’t protect these little ones once they reached the sea, but once there they had a chance. A chance of one day being as huge as their mother and returning here years hence to breed themselves.
Abbey and Ryan climbed from the car and stood on the grass verge, looking down at the spectacle before them.
Jack, safely held between Janet and Sam, saw his mother and crowed with delight-and then went right back to crowing with delight at the turtles.
Abbey’s eyes filled with tears.
‘Did you ever see such a sight?’ she whispered to Ryan. ‘Our turtles. Oh, Ryan, it’s a miracle.’
‘It is indeed a miracle,’ Ryan agreed softly, his arm firmly around Abbey’s waist and his eyes moving from the turtles to his brand new son-and then back to his wife.
And he held her close and kissed her, and kissed her again.
‘Life is,’ he said.
Life is a miracle.
Marion Lennox
Marion Lennox has had a variety of careers-medical receptionist, computer programmer and teacher. Married with two young children, she now lives in rural Victoria, Australia. Her wish for an occupation that would allow her to remain at home with her children, her dog and the budgie led her to attempt writing a novel, and she is now published regularly. She also writes nonmedical stories for Harlequin Romance as Trisha David.
