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“I’m glad you all came here; I saw this last night from the hotel and thought it looked like a good time.”
I turn my head and see Pope, all freshly showered and in jeans and a henley.
He holds up his phone. “We’ve got a Skip the Line pass. Let’s do this.”
As he passes by me, he takes my hand, and we move swiftly through the line with all the other’s who purchased tickets ahead of time.
When we get to the front, he holds me back as the others step into the large round glass cabin, and the doors close.
He looks back. “Ours is next.” Ours. “Getting you alone is not an easy task.”
My mouth is suddenly dry, and I’m not sure I want to get in the damn thing, let alone tell him what I need to.
But he moves us in and to the center, and the doors close, leaving me no way to escape.
“You played like I always knew you would.”
He sits down on the bench in the center. “Felt numb most of last season. Tonight was different.” He pats the bench. “Sit and relax.”
“I’ll sit, but I’m not promising I’m going to be able to relax.”
He nods to the glass in front of us as the wheel begins to move a little bit faster, lifting us higher and higher above the streets of Las Vegas with its millions of twinkling lights illuminating the iconic landmarks that, until right now, I’ve only seen in movies.
“John Paul, I need to tell you something,” I begin.
“Not yet,” he says, linking his fingers with mine and pulling me up with him as he stands. “Let’s get one full rotation under our belts first. Just take in all of this place.”
So, that’s what we do. We rise to five hundred fifty feet above ground, where time seems to stand still for a moment as we sit in a bubble made of glass, swaying ever so gently as we stand together and take in the panoramic view. The giant wheel continues a graceful descent, offering a new perspective on the spectacles below.
I glance over and see him looking at me.
“What do you think?”
“As kids, we were fearless, but when Nora came into my life, that changed. Outlets needed to be covered, cords hidden so she didn’t see them as a toy. Her crib couldn’t be near the blinds, or she might get the strings caught around her neck.”
I can’t help but fall a little bit more when I see the look on his face.
“That’s terrifying.”
I nod my agreement. “Once she was out of that and crawling, then walking, gates were needed so she couldn’t get to the stairs, the kitchen, or the bathrooms. Her bed needed railings so she didn’t fall out and hurt herself.” I look out over the spectacular view before us. “Nora’s hundreds of miles away and surrounded by water, and I’m not stressing. I made sure she learned to float and swim before she could even walk. I know she’s happy because she’s with people who love her like I do.” I nod to the glass. “This? This should terrify me. The thought of some freak thing happening while I’m up here causing me to be a little unable to be there when she no doubt needs stitches one day or just needs a hug because it’s been a rough day at ‘work’ or when she falls for a clueless boy who breaks her heart and didn’t even know she’d given it to him to begin with.”
He frowns.
“But I’m not afraid we’re going to fall out of the sky.” I don’t add that it’s because he’s here, but I think he knows that.
His thumb runs across the back of my hand as we’re again stopped, suspended in the air, watching the twenty or thirty people from two cabins, pods, cars—whatever they’re called—empty out onto the platform. I’m jealous of them in a way. Their feet are on the ground, and they’re feeling relief while I’m standing here, feeling all the warm and fuzzies being overtaken by the anxiety that’s lived inside me since Pope returned to Walton.
When the wheel begins to move again, we bypass the platform.
Fingers still entwined, he walks us back to the red cushioned bench and sits clearly prepared for our chat. “Do you mind if I go first?”
“Yeah, sure, go ahead.” I sit as I think, Because I’m in no hurry to see you look at me differently than you have been for the past week.
“I have a meeting with Kevin Seward scheduled for Tuesday morning. I can’t put him off any longer.” I nod, and he continues, “I want you to press charges. Kal physically injured you.”
“I’m fine. It only hurt for?—”
“And then they hurt you here”—he touches the side of my head—“and here”—he places his hand above my heart—“when they asked you to resign. They don’t get to do that to you.”
