Page 13 of Forgiving Paris
Jessie’s heart skipped a beat. “I think I can figure it out.” They walked across campus to her dormitory, and he waited outside. Up in her room she slipped into a pair of jeans and her most sturdy sneakers.
The whole time she never stopped smiling. An adventure that needed a change of clothes? This was another reason she loved spending time with Gabriel. He took her on day trips in the city and outside it. One day they were walking along the Seine, another it was a stroll through the Louvre. Today… well, she had no idea what Gabe had in mind, but she was sure it would be unforgettable.
Most Parisians got around by bus or train or the metro. In the few weeks they’d been dating, Jessie and Gabe usually took public transportation. But today they headed south of the city in Gabriel’s car. Jessie liked this the most, the chance to be alone with him, side by side on an adventure. So far they’d had their best conversations in the car.
She thought he was going to ask her about her story, the one she had only touched on before. Instead, he kept the conversation light, chatting about their different classes and how quickly the summer semester was going.“I want to see Indiana.” He glanced at her as they drove. “It must be beautiful.”
“It is.” Jessie stared ahead at the forest land on either side of the roadway. “Not like this. Not like Paris. Obviously.” She thought for a moment. “The cities are very different. But Indiana is lovely, Gabe. It is. In spring it smells of lilac and in the fall the colors make an artist know the truth. That only God could create red and orange and yellow and blue. All the hues. It’s peaceful and gentle.” She smiled at him. “Indiana is home.”
“I think I’d like it.” He kept his eyes on the road. “As long as you’re there, ma belle.”
Jessie leaned back into her seat. Her time here was flying by and when fall came, she would have to go home. But how could she leave Gabe? Would he really come see her in Bloomington? Or would she find her way back here? Right now neither option felt like a possibility.
All the more reason to live in the moment. Jessie faced Gabe again. “So, where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” His eyes shone.
Less than an hour after leaving the city, Gabe took an exit and a few minutes later they pulled into a parking lot. The sign at the front said:AVENTURE FLOREVAL. “We’re here.” He parked the car and turned to her. “La belle forêt.”
Her French was nowhere as good as his. But she’d studied the language in high school and college, so she knew enough to keep up. “The beautiful forest.”
“Yes. Very good.” He laughed. “Only… this time we’ll see it from thetopof the trees.”
They climbed out of the car and Gabe met her near her door. The weather was sunny and cool today. Maybe sixty-five degrees. She shaded her eyes and stared at the trees beyond the parking lot. “Wait… a ropes course?”
“Actually, many ropes courses.” He winked at her. “But don’t worry. I’m taking you on the intermediate one this time.”
“Oh, good.” Jessie’s stomach did a flip. “Did I mention I’m not a fan of heights?”
“Which is why we won’t go too far up.” He took her hand and they headed to the entrance. “Just seven meters off the ground.”
“What?” Jessie laughed but she followed him. “Seven meters? And I’m… supposed to walk on ropes up there?”
“With me, Jessie.” He stopped and touched her shoulder. “You’ll be safe with me.”
And so she was.
After a quick briefing, she and Gabriel climbed into harnesses and up a series of wooden pegs till they were at least twenty feet in the air. Jessie didn’t look down. “So this… harness is going to catch me? If I fall?”
He was an arm’s length behind her. “I’llcatch you if you fall.” His voice was strong and soft, all at the same time. “The harness is only a backup.”
“Nice.” She was teasing him, but deep inside his promise made her feel safe. He was there. She wasn’t going to fall. “Okay… so what’s first?”
Gabe looked beyond her. “Looks like it’s the chimpanzee swings.” They stopped, balancing on a thick branch.Gabriel read the sign. “For this part of the adventure, hold on to the ropes and move forward from one swing to another.”
“Great. Piece of cake.” Jessie’s legs trembled as she tried to balance herself. “You really think I can do this?”
“You can, Jessie.” He put his hand on the small of her back. “Go on. Jump to the first swing!”
Jessie had never tried anything so crazy in all her life. How had she let him talk her into this? Just then she caught a glimpse of the ground. She didn’t want to fall, and she couldn’t go backwards. Gabe was right. The only way through the course was to do it. Full on, with everything she had.
She held her breath for a few seconds and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she made a lurching motion toward the swing-size platform. With her hands still on the ropes, somehow she landed upright on the swing. “I did it!” Adrenaline pushed through her veins and the shakiness faded. Yes, she could handle this course. She could.
“Watch me, Gabe!” She jumped to the next swing and the next and another. All the while Gabriel kept up behind her. They both had played sports in high school. Gabe had been a striker on the soccer team and Jessie had played tennis. Together, they played soccer on the school’s summer intramural team.
“I knew you could do it!” Gabe sounded proud of her. They reached the end of the swings and found a sturdy spot on another branch. “Okay…” He didn’t sound winded. “Read the sign. What’s next?”
A breeze brushed over them and the branch swayed. Jessie held on to the ropes and squinted at the wooden plaque.THE TARZAN LEAP. She didn’t want to waste time. They were actually conquering the course. But if the breeze picked up, they’d both be in trouble. She kept reading. “Grab a liana, swing and jump, while grabbing onto a net a few meters away.”
