All the Cuts and Scars We Hide by Garry Michael

Eighteen: Kai

I Won’t Let Us Fall

Wyatt laid the straps and harnesses on the ground while performing an inventory of everything we needed for this jump with laser focus. After going through the steps with me one more time, I couldn’t help but notice how nervous he looked. He was biting his thumbnail as he glanced at our gear for what seemed like the tenth time.

“Are you nervous?” I asked, and he jolted his head up to meet my eyes, uncertainty written all over them.

“No, I just want to make sure that we have everything we need. Safety first, you know,” he answered.

I was about to say something when Brad finished laying the blue and yellow sail on the ground. Its width covered twenty feet of the patchy land on top of the hill. Heavy-duty cables ran from the sail down to sets of harnesses with metal locking carabiners on each end.

“It’s so nice to finally see you back up here,” Brad said, giving Wyatt a tap on his shoulder once he reached us.

“Me too. Life, you know? It always gets in the way,” Wyatt said.

“You okay though?” Brad asked.

Wyatt nodded ‘yes’ and stole a glance at me to assure me everything was fine.

“That’s good, bro. Just holla if you need anything. We’re here for you.”

I’d heard that Marines, and the military for that matter, supported each other. Watching Wyatt and Brad’s interaction convinced me of that strong bond, and I momentarily forgot my fear of jumping. I can't believe I’m about to jump off this cliff... on purpose... for fun.

And as if they could read my mind, Wyatt and Brad glanced in my direction.

“Let’s get you boys set up,” Brad announced.

“It’s okay, bud. I got it,” Wyatt said and Brad gave him a thumbs up before heading back to chat with his other friends.

Wyatt grabbed the harness from the ground and lifted it for inspection once again. “Let’s get you strapped,” he said.

“Strapped? That’s kinky,” I teased.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Kai, this is serious,” he said, his voice firm even though there was a sparkle in his gaze.

“I’m just kidding. I get chatty when I’m nervous.”

“I just don't want anything to happen to you.”

His eyes held mine and an overwhelming emotion prevented me from saying anything. It wasn’t what he said, but the way he said it, like he would really be devastated if I got hurt. My eyes stung and my heart pounded. I was afraid, but no longer about the jump. I was afraid of something completely different when his grey eyes were staring at me. I buried the feeling that was starting to percolate in the deepest part of me. I couldn’t afford to entertain it. All I managed to do was nod.

Wyatt continued to strap me into my harness starting from my legs to my waist, then to my shoulders. He started pulling to make sure they were secured and once he was satisfied, he put on his own harness.

There were so many layers about this man. I was learning how each new layer was as beautifully complex as the last.

“Don’t be afraid,” Wyatt assured me as we walked toward the edge of the cliff for our take-off after we’d attached ourselves to his paraglider.

The thing was, jumping off the cliff with just a piece of fabric and ropes separating us from the ground was the least thing that I was afraid of.

No.

It was the idea that I would do anything for this man that scared me the most. I looked down and everyone looked like ants from where I was standing. It made me feel small. The expansive blue sky without a single cloud and the wind blowing on my face sobered me up just as Wyatt continued.

“I won’t let us fall,” he told me as he checked our connections one more time.

Something told me that I already had.

“Do you trust me?” Wyatt asked, his smile rivaling the sun beaming down on us.

“With all my life.”

Wyatt grabbed both of my hands and wrapped them around his waist resting on his abs. “We’re gonna be running until there’s no more land. We’ll drop for a little before the wind catches our sail,” he continued.

“Got it.”

“On three,” he said.

I nodded.

“One, two, three.”

I kept pace with Wyatt when we ran to the edge of the cliff dragging our sail. And just like he said, we dipped for a few seconds causing my stomach to drop, and I squealed with the rush of adrenaline. My arms were still wrapped around him while I buried my face in his back. He maneuvered our sail, angling it to catch the best drift and after a couple of attempts, we were lifted up and into the warm air streams.

It was exhilarating! Never once had I imagined I’d jump off a cliff with just a piece of cloth and dozens of strings separating me from the ground. Well, that’s not it, I was wrapped around the most beautiful specimen of a man I’d ever met. ‘Do you trust me.’ he’d asked earlier. Call me crazy, but I did. I’d only known Wyatt for a couple of weeks, but I did trust him. He was so damn excited and dare I say happy when I said ‘I’m all in.’

“Woooohoooooooo!!!!! I’m flying,” I yelled, spreading both of my arms out.

Wyatt laughed at my excitement when he glanced over his shoulder at me. “We are flying!”

I was torn between leaving my arms out or wrapping them around him. In the end, I wrapped them around him, probably tighter than I should have.

He grabbed one of my hands and brought it to his lips. The soft caress of his skin made my whole body tingle.

I am so screwed!

Wyatt lowered his left hand and that made our sail go that direction. He pointed to the majestic Mount Rainier in front of us, which was covered with snow at its highest elevations even on summer days. Once again, the exquisite surroundings made me feel insignificant.

“Thank you, Wyatt,” I squeezed him tighter and leaned against his back once again. “This is so incredible, and probably the best thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“Anything for you Kai.”