AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Got it.”
“One…Two…” She counts down with each bounce she makes, preparing to jump up as hard as possible. “…three.”
She leaps up, and I use her momentum to toss her into the air.
She twists in the air just enough to face me as she comes back down.
I get my hands on her, catching her from falling this time, though setting her back to the ground ends up a little abrupt, and she just about twists her ankle.
“Oof,” she says, gripping my shoulders as she lands.
She rights herself quickly and then shakes off her ankle.
“Are you ok? Did you sprain it?” I ask quickly. “Maybe you should sit down?”
“No…” she shakes her head. “I’m fine. Let’s try it again. Just a little lighter transition to set me down, if you can.”
Again, she barely looks at me as she turns around and gives me her back. We repeat the same movement three more times, each a little better than the last, until I finally set her back down gracefully.
The second she touches down, a smile widens across her lips, and her eyes dart up from watching her feet touch the ground up to mine.
“That was perfect,” she beams.
“Yeah, it felt smoother. I think I can handle a twist if you’re up for it.”
“You think so?” she asks, a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.
“There’s only way to find out.”
She nods and then turns again to give me her back.
I lean in over her shoulder right before she starts counting.
“Give the twist as many rotations as you want. I’ll catch you—I promise.”
“I know you will,” she says softly.
I wasn’t expecting that response, but it feels a lot like a breakthrough.
Then she starts counting again.
On the count of three, Penelope jumps, and I toss her up higher than before.
She does a full triple twist, completing the rotation.
I hold up my arms, ready for her to come back down, coaching myself over and over not to drop her.
And then I catch her, gently guiding her back down until her feet hit the ground.
We did it.
We fucking did it.
“Oh my God!” She says, her eyes reaching up to mine.
Her eyes widen and her bright smile beams up at me.
She starts bouncing up and down, her hands on my shoulders.
