“I’m afraid of eczema!” Destyny says, by far the most gleeful of all of them now, even, apparently, when talking about eczema.
At the top of the cliff, I hear a whimpering that sounds a lot likeTiberius. He can probably hear Monroe’s voice from up there, so I’m glad the handlers have him. I’m too far over the edge to be able to see them, but I hope they’re keeping him far back.
“Okay, Kate,” I say. “Lean into the rope.”
Kate leans back a few inches, lets out a little whine, then leans back a few more.
“Good,” I say. “Now keep your legs straight, and take one step back.”
“I can’t!” Kate says.
“Yes,” I tell her. “You can.”
She lets out another whine, but then takes one deliberate step backward.
“Great!” I call to her. “Now another.”
Kate builds on her previous success and does it again. She whimpers and then yells out, almost as a roar, “I’m afraid of heights!”
“I’m afraid to talk about money!” Monroe calls out.
“Oh, me too!” Destyny says. “I’m afraid people will know I don’t really understand it.”
“I’m afraid to talk about sex!” Genesis says. “That’s why I always pretend to be above it.”
“That’s because you don’t really understand it,” Destyny says. It’s catty, but it lacks some of its usual bite.
“Now, ladies!” Monroe says. “Remember to support each other.”
I take a look down at the others, making sure their ropes aren’t twisted, and that they’re handling this okay.They’re all wearing climbing shoes with their expensive athletic wear, and they all look like they’ve got good footing.
“Come on, Kate,” I call. “I’m waiting for you to pass me. I know you can do it.”
“I’m trying,” Kate says, her voice shaking.
“Slow and steady,” I tell her, and bit by bit, she eases herself over the cliff.
“Straighten up,” I continue. “You want your body perpendicular to the cliff.” I don’t say parallel to the ground, even though it’s true. I don’t want her thinking about the ground right now.
Kate straightens. “I’m doing this!” she calls, a bit of triumph cutting through the terror.
“You are!” Monroe answers. “We’re all doing this!”
“We’re doing this!” Genesis and Destyny say at the same time, and I catch them giving each other annoyed glances as I make my way down closer to them.
I’m still glad I didn’t let Rich put their ropes next to each other like he wanted.
“We’re doing this!” Calista shouts, the last to join in their battle cry.Then she adds, “I’m so scared right now, but not as scared as I was when I got the divorce. I thought no one would ever look at me the same again!”
“Oh my god, me too,” Monroe says.
“Me too!” Destyny and Genesis both say together, and now the looks they’re giving across the many sets of ropes are mostly confused.
“I’m afraid I’m doing this wrong!” Kate says, that note of triumph vanished again. “And I’m going to fall to my death and—”
Nope. I’m not going to have her panicking them all up here. “You’re not going to fall, Kate!” I say. “No one is going to fall. Feel how tight that rope is? It’s got you.”
“It’s got me!” she answers. “But I’m still scared.”
