Off the Cuff

‘A couple of years ago, Leila was lying here on the beach. It was a weekday, warm, but not yet sweltering enough to lure hordes of people to the sea. Tens of metres of free sand lay between the various beachgoers. Leila’s sunhat partially covered her face. She saw two young women coming along the beach. They must have been in their twenties and looked Spanish or Portuguese. Or Italian. Tourists, she thought, and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the couple were sitting close to the water. The one at the front was between the legs of the other one, her back leaning against her friend’s chest. Leila’s attention was drawn to the woman in front. She was gently jolting her hips up and down. Her face to the sky, eyes closed, mouth open.’