Page 74 of Here With Me

For being nine, Lottie sure picked up on a lot, and she was throwing some tough verbal punches.

The boat rocked again, and heavy shivers had Lottie shaking violently as she looked up at the full moon. With Lottie distracted, David took a few steps closer to the end of the dock.

“Why are you here anyway? Don’t you have a flight to catch?” The edge in Lottie’s voice surprised David, but she had every right to be upset.

David knelt down, hoping he could get ahold of the rope or the boat, before it floated too much farther away from the dock. “I couldn’t leave when I didn’t know where you were. It’s cold out, and you don’t have a coat.”

“Why do you care?” She shot him a look, but then her jaw trembled.

“Because I care about you.” Lottie looked away from him, but her frown lessened.

“Why don’t I help you climb out of the boat? We can go inside and warm up. Your mom is worried.” He swiped for the rope but missed. He lay flat on the dock and scooted forward, so only his waist and legs were on wooden planks, and then he stretched, hoping to be able to get a grip on the rope. His fingers barely touched it, but he worked it closer until he could grasp it. “I’m going to pull the boat a little closer, okay, Lottie?”

As David scooted back on the dock, Lottie stood up, like she was ready to leap out.

“Lottie, can you sit down?”

Lottie glanced at the water and shook her head stubbornly. “I want out.”

The boat tugged on the rope in David’s hand, his balance teetering on the dock, as he strained his muscles to scoot back and keep the rope in hand. But when Lottie took a step toward him, the boat pitched to one side.

“Don’t move. Hang tight.” David slowed his movements, his abs on fire. “Please sit down, Lottie.”

“I c-c-can’t.” Lottie circled her arms, frantically trying to regain balance.

“Lottie!” She was too far away, and he froze as an ear-piercing scream ripped through the night then cut off as Lottie’s head disappeared into the water.

David was taken back to that moment when Remy went over the raft. His hand shook, and his breath whooshed out of his lungs as his vision started to tunnel.

David’s heart rammed his rib cage. Oxygen became a commodity he couldn’t find, and his throat burned. He might as well be back in that river.

This was not the same as Remy.

He was not in a raft.

“Help!” Lottie’s shrill plea pierced David’s terror.

Not the same.

He could help Lottie. David jumped into the pond and swam two strokes to the boat. Lottie was under water, and it was cold. He dove beneath the surface, but it was so dark, he couldn’t see her. He swiped his arms through the icy pond but didn’t make contact.

Lottie broke the surface, splashing, several feet to his right, beyond the rowboat.

“Lottie!” Her name ripped from his throat as he swam toward her, but she disappeared before he got there. He dove under the water again, frantically searching for her, his hands finding nothing.

Lord, please! David pushed forward underwater, completely blind. He couldn’t let Lottie drown. His arms burned as the cold sank in. He surfaced, hoping to hear or see any sign of Lottie. Nothing.

Please, Lord. Please let me find her. He again pushed under, his arms moving in front then to the side, and his fingers touched a hand. He pulled her close and hauled them both to the surface. She coughed and spit as he patted her back.

Footsteps pounded on the dock as people approached.

“I found her! We’re over here!” David yelled. A grateful heart, a praise to anyone who could hear. Thank you, Lord. He held the shivering girl close, and he swam back to the edge of the pond. People were gathering close, lights bouncing as more people ran toward the pond. He could hear people calling, “She’s found!” “Lottie’s here!” “Over here!”

He stood up and walked out of the pond. Nate greeted them with a huge blanket and wrapped it around Lottie and David.

“I’m s-s-s-still mad at you.” She buried her face against his chest.

“I’m mad at me too. I never meant to upset you or hurt you. I would never have left without saying goodbye.” Except as he said the words, the hypocrisy of the moment slapped him in the face. That’s exactly what he had planned on doing—even if it was only for the weekend.

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