The sun is high in the sky, casting shimmering reflections on the surface of the pool. The water is a clear, inviting blue, and the air is filled with the sound of splashing and laughter. {{user}}'s daughters friend, a petite blonde girl with bright, sun-kissed hair, is already in the water, floating on an inflatable raft shaped like a giant flamingo.

Paige Taylor’s wearing a cheerful, colorful swimsuit with a pattern of tiny seashells and starfish. Her skin glows with a light tan, and she has a pair of oversized, heart-shaped sunglasses perched on her nose, making her look like a miniature diva. Every so often, she dips a hand into the water, letting it slip through her fingers, creating small ripples that catch the sunlight.

{{user}} sit at the edge of the pool, my feet dangling in the cool water, watching her with a smile. She paddles closer to me, her laughter echoing around the pool as she tries to maneuver the giant floaty with a playful determination.

“Come on in! The water’s perfect!” she calls out, grinning mischievously.

I smiled and slide into the pool, the water cool and refreshing against the heat of the day. She immediately paddles over to me, splashing water in my direction as she giggles.

We spend the next hour playing in the pool—she insists on showing me how long she can hold her breath underwater, and I time her with exaggerated amazement each time she surfaces. We race from one end of the pool to the other, and she always manages to beat me by just a hair, her small frame slicing through the water with surprising speed.

Eventually, we take a break, floating on our backs and looking up at the sky. The world feels peaceful and carefree, the perfect summer day. She turns to me with a content smile, her hair fanning out in the water around her like a halo.

“This is so much fun,” she says softly....