Rise

chapter 1

The earth orbits the sun as the bright star keeps close enough to give just the right amount of light and heat to allow for life but far enough away that it doesn’t do damage. The sun keeps a safe distance while at the same time its sole purpose is to exist for the benefit of the beautiful sphere that hangs so majestically in the universe. God designed them to perfectly exist with each other, and I’d come to a place of realizing that even if only for a time, Attie’s existence was heavily dependent upon my ability to protect her and shine light in her direction. At the same time, I had to give her enough room to live her own life. I also knew the connection was fragile and that as I navigated the space just outside her world, if her life were to start to spin out of control, I wouldn’t be able to come closer and intervene without causing more damage. I understood that I was created to be a part of her life, but only at a safe distance.

Looking back at how far Attie had come in such a short time, I was awed. I wondered if her new journey with the Lord had run its course and her life would return to normal—or at least what would be normal to most people. He’d asked her to join him on a journey, and although they’d already experienced a difficult adventure together, we quickly realized that the journey wasn’t coming to an end; it was just beginning.

Our universe, the one that seemed to only include us, was about to be hurled into an entirely new solar system. It started as she stood trembling with a look of panic on her face. She was terrified; it was a fear of what might come and a possible doubt that this particular new adventure wasn’t going to be all that I’d made it out to be. She wasn’t sure that she’d made the right choice. She wasn’t sure that joining me on our adventure had been such a great idea.

“Okay, now all you’re gonna do is stick your arm in there and wiggle it around.” Kent acted out his directions as he spoke. “When the fish latches on, you grab a hold of his insides and pull with all your might. I’ll be right here, and I’ll grab him when you pull him out.”

Attie looked over at me, eyebrows arched high and eyes huge, then looked back at Kent. “Explain what you mean by the fish latching on. What are you describing, exactly?”

“Well, he’s in there protecting his eggs, and he’s gonna think you’re trying to steal them, so he’s gonna bite you.”

Attie’s arms flew out of the water and into the air as if she were a thief throwing her hands up in surrender. “Riley!”

“Yeah?”

“You didn’t tell me that this little adventure was going to require me to literally risk life, limb, and digits.”

“Come on, Charlie, you can do it. It’ll be fun.”

She looked back over at me and stuck out her tongue while Tammy sat next to me laughing.

“Ten bucks says she doesn’t do it,” Tammy said.

“Naw, she’ll do it.”

“No way, Riley. Look at her, she’s scared to death. I can tell ya right now, I wouldn’t be doing it.”

“Me either,” Anne added. “That girl’s crazy.”

My attention focused back on Kent and Attie. “You’re on. I’m in for ten. I say she does it.”

“So he’s literally going to bite me?” Attie asked.

“That’s right,” Kent said with a quick nod.

“And what insides am I supposed to be grabbing on to, exactly?”

“You’ll grab his gills from the inside.”

“His gills?” Her hands opened and closed nervously as she flapped them in the air.

“Yep.”

“Come on, Attie,” Curt urged. “I’ve got your back.”

“That’s so encouraging, Curt … Riley!”

“Yeah?”

“If this is so darned safe, why isn’t your butt in the water with me?”

“I gotta videotape it. Mom and Dad’ll get a kick out of it.”

“Can’t you have one of the girls tape it?”

“They’re taking pictures. Now just shush and get on with it, for cryin’ out loud.”

“You shut your mouth. No urging me to get on with it from people safely sitting on the shoreline, got it?”

“Got it.” I glanced at Tammy, rolled my eyes, and then looked back at my petrified girlfriend.

Kent grabbed one of her arms and led her closer to the catfish den. “Enough wasting time, Attie. Heck, we’ll be lucky if we haven’t scared him off by now.”

“I can’t believe I’m doing this. What in the name of all that’s holy am I doing? I can’t believe I agreed to this.” Of course she was rambling. She always rambled when she was nervous. It was one of the things she was known most for. Well, that and her dramatics. “Normally I’m a pretty smart girl, but this, this is not smart.”

“Come on, Charlie, don’t start psyching yourself out.”

“You can’t be a sissy, Attie. It’s gonna be fun—promise. Now I’ll be right back.” Kent went under water for several seconds before popping back up. “All right, he’s right there. He’s ready for you.”

“Oh, wonderful.”

“Remember what I said. Reach on in, wiggle your fingers, and then when he grabs a hold—”

“Drag him on out.”

“That’s right. Drag him out here, and Curt and I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Gotcha.” Attie’s eyes closed, and her head bobbed frantically. “I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.”

I rose to my feet. “Come on, babe, make me proud!”

“One … two … ” She took a deep breath. “Three.” Next thing I knew, she’d disappeared into the murky water.

Kent’s head snapped in my direction in apparent shock. “She’s doing it! I didn’t think she’d actually do it!”

I tried to keep the video camera steady and focused as I excitedly watched and waited for her to pop back out of the water.

“Where is she?” Anne asked.

I quickly glanced over at the girls who stood with cameras ready to snap as soon as she exited the water.

“Give her some time,” Kent insisted. “It can take a second to find the hole.”

We all fell silent as we watched the water … and watched … and watched.

The more time passed, the more worried I got. “Kent?”

“Give her some time.”

“Kent!” Tammy screamed. “Where is she? You go in there and bring her back out this instant!”

Attie’s head exploded through the surface just as I started to sprint into the water after her.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow! Get him off! Get him off! Dear Lord! Curt, get him off!”

Curt and Kent rushed to her as the fish violently jerked around on her arm. It flung her arm around so much that I was afraid the fish was going to pop her shoulder completely out of socket. That really would’ve made her mad.

“Hold on to him,” Kent yelled. “Hold on to the sucker.”

“Get him off!” she shrieked.

“Kent, you get him off of her right now!” Tammy screamed.

“Give me a second; I’m working on it. Stop moving your arm, Attie.”

“I’m not moving my arm—he is! He’s big as fire!”

Curt slid a net up over the catfish as Kent worked at unleashing its grip on Attie’s arm.

Tammy looked over her shoulder at me. “Ooh, Riley, she’s gonna be so mad at you.”

“Naw, she’s loving it.”

“She’s got a fish swallowing half her arm, and she’s screaming her head off. She’s gonna be ticked.”

I ignored the crazy redhead and kept my eyes on the spectacle in front of me. “That’s my girl! You’re doing great.”

“Nobody told me that catfish have teeth! Get him off!”

“He doesn’t have teeth,” Kent said as he worked on prying the fish off her hand. Every time he’d get a grip, it managed to slip out of his hands again. “Heck, Attie, he’s as stubborn as you.”

Finally, the fish let go of the bait, and Attie was freed. Yanking her arm away, she fell back into the water and onto her back. A large smile spread across her face. “Man, that was fun.”

I looked over at Tammy. “Told ya so. You owe me ten bucks.”

Attie’s nose crinkled in a smirk as she made her way back toward the shore. “You’ve got to give it a try, Anne. Heck, everybody’s got to give it a try. It’s scary but fun.”

“How bad did it hurt?” Anne asked.

Attie held out her arm and exposed several small red marks that formed a circle around her wrist. “Oh, it hurt all right, but it’ll be okay. That’s by far one of the craziest things I’ve ever done.”

“And the most redneck thing you’ve ever done,” Tammy added.

“Redneck, huh? Is that why I’m suddenly in the mood for barbecue?”

I kissed her on the nose and got an adorable giggle in return. “Barbecue’s not redneck; it’s southern. There’s a difference.” Attie was shivering, so I grabbed a towel, wrapped it around the catfish warrior, and gave her a hug. “You made me proud.”

“Did you see how big it was, Riley? That thing was massive. He was so heavy I didn’t think I’d be able to lift him, but I did it. I really can’t believe I did it. Another first,” she said proudly.

“That’s right, another first.” I squeezed her tightly to me as Tammy raced toward the water with her camera held up to her eye. “Bring it up here, Kent. I’ve gotta get a picture of the monster catfish.”

He and Curt waded through the water. “It’s a big one. I’d say about eight pounds or so. Not bad for your first time noodling.”

“You mean my last time noodling.”

Kent frowned. “Aw, you aren’t gonna do it again? You’re a natural.”

“No way. I’m moron enough to try just about anything once, but I’m not a total idiot. If that would’ve been a bigger fish, it could’ve really done some damage. I’ll leave the noodling up to you boys. But really, Tammy, you’ve got to give it a go.”

“No way, sister. I’ll live vicariously through you and your antics.”

Attie’s bottom lip protruded as she made sad eyes toward her best friend. “I guess that’ll do.”

“So can we do something girlie for a change?” Anne asked. “Let’s go soak up some rays while the boys play.”

I grabbed Attie as she turned to go. “Forget something?”

“What?”

I held up her Salvaged bracelet. “Don’t you want this back?”

“Of course. I’m glad we took it off. That fish would’ve yanked it right off my arm.”

I secured it in place around her wrist.

“It just so happens that the bracelet hits just the right spot,” she said.

“The right spot?”

“That’s right where you used to kiss me, before you were allowed to really kiss me.”

“It is?” I lifted her arm, moved the bracelet a little out of the way, and kissed her wrist. “Is that where it was?”

“It was a little lower.”

I kissed her again. “There?”

“A little higher.”

“Here?” My lips were millimeters from her skin.

“Right there.”

My lips grazed her skin one last time.

“You two are completely grossing me out,” Tammy groaned. “Save it for when you’re alone.”

Being alone was something I had a whole new appreciation for. Now that Attie and I were actually an item, all of our alone time had to be spent outside the house. The new rules laid out by my parents and Joshua meant that not only were we never alone in the house, we also weren’t allowed to touch if we were inside. Therefore, we were spending a lot of time outside. Practically sun up to sun down during the end of summer was spent exploring riverbanks, walking to the playground, working in the yard—anything we could come up with. I’d never enjoyed mowing the lawn more in my life, and even Attie’s scars were starting to get a little bit of color due to the sunlight. All the time outside was definitely a good thing.

Tammy yanked Attie out of my grasp and dragged her toward a small hill at the side of the riverbank. I watched as they laid their towels on the ground and made themselves comfortable before joining the guys in a game of football.

(Attie)

“Now who is this playing on the iPod?” Tammy asked as we lay out on our towels.

“Chris Tomlin,” I said, reaching over and turning up the volume.

“I like his voice. This isn’t so bad for Christian music.”

“He’s one of my favorites.”

“Mine too,” Anne added. “I saw him in concert a little while back. He was great.”

I glanced over at Riley and the boys playing ball by the water. “I would love to see him in concert. You might even want to see him in concert, Tammy. He’s just your type.”

“And what type is that?”

“Good looking,” Anne offered.

The bright light reflected off the water and stung my eyes, so I turned my attention back to Tammy. “And he plays guitar—you like that.”

“He’s hot and he plays guitar?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“And he’s a Christian?

“Yes.”

“And he sings Christian songs while standing on stage looking good and playing guitar?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t go then.”

“Why?” we asked.

“It kinda defeats the purpose of going to a Christian concert if you’re lusting after the guy on stage, don’cha think?”

Anne sat up, laughing. “Tammy, that’s ludicrous. Only you would think of something like that. Who does that?”

“I did,” I confessed. “Just before the car accident, I went to see a musical in New York. It was called The Rock and the Rabbi—”

“The Rockin’ Rabbi?” Tammy asked. “Was it some guy dressed like a rabbi dancing around the stage?”

I laughed at her misunderstanding. “No. The Rock and the Rabbi, not the Rockin’ Rabbi.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, it’s the story of Jesus and his disciple Peter. It was great and the music was incredible, but the problem was the guy playing Peter. He was extremely good looking. I felt guilty the entire time because I was sitting there thinking a disciple was attractive. One of Jesus’s disciples, for crying out loud. I was completely disgusted with myself.”

“Well, he wasn’t a real disciple,” Anne said. “I don’t think you should feel bad about that.”

“Anne, he was standing on stage singing ‘You Are the Christ,’ and all I could think about was how completely drool-worthy he was.”

She laughed and shook her head. “Well, yeah, that’s pretty bad.”

“So back to this guy playing right now,” Tammy interrupted.

“Chris Tomlin?”

“Yeah, him. I’m Googling him tonight when I get home. I’ve gotta see what he looks like.”

“You’ll be an instant fan,” I promised.

“Time to turn.” Anne flipped over onto her stomach and made herself comfortable again. “I bet Tess would swoon over him.”