The question leaves me more exposed than the height ever could.
He sighs so deeply I can hear it clearly, as if he were beside me. “There wasn’t a day you weren’t with me, Sadie.”
I let his words absorb down to my marrow before I say, “Milo?”
“Yes?”
“Are we almost there?” I hug the ladder tightly, the wind teasing my hair as if it can sense my nerves.
“Thirty more steps.”
“I can’t do it, Milo.” My voice is ragged.
“Listen, Sadie. You’re feeling fear because it’s new, not because you can’t do it.”
I nod, my knuckles turning white as I cling to the metal. “Okay.”
“Take a deep breath and repeat after me,” he begins. “I am Sadie Summers.”
“Milo . . .”
“No, I’m Milo,” he teases. “I am Sadie Summers.”
I take a deep breath. “I am Sadie Summers.”
“I am strong and smart.”
I lay my forehead against a metal rung. “I am strong and smart.”
“And I’m doing it anyway.”
“And I’m doing it anyway,” I repeat.
“I’m also really pretty.” I can hear his smile through his words.
“I am not saying that,” I mutter.
He doesn’t answer. He just waits.
“Fine.” I sigh. “I’m also really pretty.”
“I agree,” he says, and a small smile crawls across my face that makes me believe I can do this.
I inhale deeply once more, loosening my grip around the ladder, and slowly take the final thirty steps with legs that feel like cooked spaghetti noodles. When I get to the landing, I push my body against the tower so there’s no air between me and the metal and wait for Milo.
He appears beside me, turning me to face him. His grin is wide. “You did it.”
My head is shaky as I nod. “I did.”
He wraps his arms around me. “No, Sadie, youdidit!”
I breathe into his hug and let his warmth calm my nervous system. He doesn’t let go. He just lets me melt into him. I mumble into his chest, “I don’t think I liked it.”
Soft laughter ripples through his body, vibrating against my face. “Trying new things doesn’t mean you’ll love them all. It’s okay to figure out which ones are for you and which ones aren’t.”
He doesn’t let go, but he leans back so he can see my face. “Let’s sit down. I’m sure your legs need a rest.”
I nod.
