His hair was damp with sweat.
His cheeks were flushed.
And he was running confidently.
Not walking.
Not struggling.
Running.
Beside him was a blonde woman.
She had her hair pulled into a high ponytail and wore black leggings with a matching blue shirt.
Their hands were joined.
Their fingers were intertwined.
They were smiling at each other.
I stared at them.
The announcer’s voice echoed through the speakers.
“Here comes another team finishing strong!”
Daniel laughed at something the woman said.
She squeezed his hand.
I looked down at their shirts.
Beneath their race numbers were four words.
**TEAM D & L.**
Then the announcer called out their names.
“Daniel and Laura!”
The woman lifted their joined hands triumphantly.
They crossed the finish line together.
Immediately afterward, she turned and hugged my husband.
Daniel wrapped his arms around her.
They looked completely comfortable together.
Familiar.
Happy.
I watched a volunteer approach with their medals.
