Chapter 33
Warren Atwell’s Legal Briefs: Take one step at a time when tackling a legal obstacle.
I swayed at the top of the rope ladder, staring at the picture on my phone.
Avery’s landing during her skydiving adventure.
It was slightly blurry, but you could not miss the broad smile on her face as she whooped it up.
The woman glowed. And even though I could not see her eyes through the goggles, I knew they were lit up with delight.
She would be delighted to see me now, clinging to the top of the ropes course. I glared down at Gerald, who stood with the rest of the campers. “This is a ridiculous idea. I do not see how going through the ropes course will help me win back Avery.”
“My poor boy,” Gerald called out. “First of all, don’t look down. Jack has a firm grip on your brake.”
I doubted that, but this was my Hail Mary, and if I died falling off the ropes course, at least I tried something.
“What else do you have in the way of motivation because that first part sucks,” I grumbled.
Gerald laughed. “If you successfully finish this ropes course, I will personally fill out a wedding license waiver for you.”
I brightened. “You will?”
He nodded. “First, you must finish the course, starting with this rope bridge.”
My stomach plunged again. Why did it have to be heights? Why could it not have been something easy like open-heart surgery?
I mistakenly glanced to the side of the bridge and nearly passed out from the dizziness that swamped my system.
I decided to take Gerald’s advice and not look down.
Ever again. I calmed my heart. Went through a cycle of breathing exercises, then reached for the ropes on the side of the bridge.
One step at a time. That is what I needed to do.
One step at a time. One foot in front of the other.
In through the nose. Out through the nose.
I stepped on the first plank. The bridge swayed under my weight. I gripped the guide ropes tighter.
In through the nose. Out through the nose.
I brought my other foot beside the first one, fully standing on the first plank of the bridge. It held.
In through the nose. Out through the nose.
I stepped on the second plank, then the third.
Before I knew it, I was halfway across the bridge.
I could see the other platform waiting for me in a shaft of sunlight.
I hurried to the next plank but missed, my foot slipping off the side of the wood.
The movement knocked off my shoe, sending it tumbling to the ground with a soft thud.
I sucked in a breath. The crowd below me gasped.
“Focus on the plank!” Jack yelled from below. “Put your foot back on it. You got this, dude.”
I nodded but did not trust myself to speak just then.
I carefully placed my stockinged foot on the missed plank and slowly put the other next to it.
Another plank. Then, another. When I was close enough to the other side, I skipped the last plank and jumped onto the platform.
I had overestimated the distance and nearly flung myself off of it.
I grabbed the ropes around the tree and clung to the tree trunk for dear life.
In through the nose. Out through the nose.
“You okay?” Jack shouted.
“Yes,” I managed to squeak out.
“Only two more sections to go!” Jack yelled.
Fucking hell. Two more? I wanted to be done right now. This was for the birds.
As if I manifested him, a bright red cardinal landed not five feet from my position and began chirping out a metallic warning to his soulmate bird, wherever she was.
In through the nose. Out through the nose.
Soulmate.
Eula convinced me that a grand gesture would show Avery how much I loved her.
Wysdom Ward, that redheaded maniac liar, was right about one thing.
I never should have said the words immediately after an orgasm.
Well, I could have said them, but I needed to tell Avery again when we are not overwhelmed by sex hormones.
In through the nose. Out through the nose.
I spied the next length of the ropes course. The rope grid. This was the one that bested Avery. The one that wasn’t safe when she attempted to cross it.
“Have these ropes been secured?” I called out to wherever Gerald waited.
“They have,” Gerald answered.
“You can do it!” Eula clapped.
“You got this, dude!” Taney added.
I ignored the camera in Keegan’s hand and blinked a few times to focus on the grid, one square at a time. I did not need to count all of them or calculate how long it would take me to cross them; it would take as long as it took.
I was doing this for Avery.
And me.
I could not live the rest of my life fearing heights. I had no idea where it began, but I knew where it would end.
Here.
Now.
In through the nose. Out through the nose.
I gripped one rope, placing my knee in the center of the cross-section. It had less give than the rope bridge, and I was grateful for that. I prayed to whoever was listening to help me cross this quickly.
Another knee. Then, another.
I inched forward on my hands and knees until I reached the platform on the other side of the grid and blew out a breath. I had not realized I was holding my breath, but stars blinked in my vision. I needed to get myself under control to finish this.
In through the nose. Out through the nose.
I took a few minutes to gather my wits before turning toward the third rope obstacle - a straight rope with knots every few feet. It hung straight down to the ground and would be how I got off this ridiculous course.
In through the nose. Out through the nose.
I gripped the rope above my head, then wrapped one leg around the rope, then another.
It held my weight. I rolled my shoulders a bit to loosen up, then walked my hands down the rope to the knot in front of my chest. When I had a good grip, I inched my feet down the rope.
Little by little, I hugged the rope, sliding down until my feet were on solid ground.
And even then, I clung to the rope a little longer than needed.
I wanted to be sure I was safe and sound.
A hard clap to my shoulder nearly knocked me over.
“You did it!” Jack yelled in my ear. “You can let go of the rope now.”
Megan stood beside him with my missing shoe.
Eula clasped her hands, and tears welled in her eyes.
Irv and Taney chatted as Keegan circled all of us to mark the moment on video.
I had no idea what he planned to do with the video, but I did not even care if he uploaded it to YouTube for the world to see.
Something broke free in my chest. For the first time in a long time, I felt lighter. Freer. Buoyant. The knot in my stomach loosened.
There was only one thing missing.
The same thing that had been missing at my house.
Avery.