Page 45 of The Pilot & the Athlete

Epilogue

One YearLater

Paul watched from the stands as Shay climbed onto the starting block, preparing for her eight-hundred-meter freestyle final in the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. His nerves tingled with anticipation. Shay had worked hard the past year and was ready to prove she could be the top swimmer in this race, possibly break a world record. He’d stayed close to Colorado Springs whenever he could. They never got enough time together, but they’d grown closer and more in love every time they were together.

Her mom, Sally, grabbed his hand. “I’m so nervous.”

He smiled over at Sally and Shay’s dad Jeremy, seated to his right. There was an empty seat on his left. They’d secured a ticket for Darian. Hopeful. Darian had kept his distance from Paul throughout the past year. When Paul was on ops, Darian would get together with Shay and their parents. Shay claimed he was meeting with their pastor and softening. Paul prayedthat was true. Shay had been hopeful he’d come today. He’d never missed the World Championships.

“She’s going to do amazing,” Paul said.

“Fire,” her mom said, and they all laughed.

Suddenly somebody brushed against his left side. Paul looked over. His jaw dropped. “Darian?”

“Darian!” Sally’s mom cried out. She reached over Paul. Darian gave her as good of a hug as he could.

“Hey.” He waved to his dad, released his mom, and focused as the race was about to begin.

Paul sat there, praying to know if he should say anything or just be grateful the man had come for his sister.

“You got this, Shay!” Darian hollered.

She glanced around. She hooted and did her cute bump both fists together and then thrust two fingers in the air. ‘Thank you, brother,’ she mouthed.

Paul smiled. Darian being here for his sister was the right thing. He hoped her goggles didn’t fill with tears.

Shay got into position along with the other swimmers. He prayed for her to do her best and for everyone to be safe. Then the horn sounded, and they dove in. He cheered and let Sally use his hand for stress relief.

Eight hundred meters felt like a very long time, sixteen lengths of the pool, but it was only a little over eight minutes. Darian sat stiffly beside him, but he cheered with the family, louder than the rest of the crowd.

The swimmers were at the halfway mark and Shay was a head length behind the Australian swimmers.

He was surprised when Darian leaned close to his ear and muttered, “I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt Shay any more by hating you.”

Paul never took his eyes off the pool when Shay was swimming, but this muttered apology tore his gaze from the pool to Darian. He swallowed and said, “I accept your apology.”

Darian nodded to him, slapped him on the shoulder, then focused on the race.

Paul was stunned and grateful. He watched Shay slice expertly through the water, gaining on the leaders, and sent up a prayer of gratitude. She was inches behind when she turned into the bell lap. Shay led the competition through the last length of the pool.

He couldn’t sit. He surged to his feet, screaming for her. One-hundred meters to go, but she always finished strong.

Jeremy was gritting his teeth, watching his stopwatches and the clock on the wall. He shook his head at Paul. She might win, but she wasn’t going to get the world record.

Paul focused on Shay and yelled along with Darian.

Suddenly, she burst forward a head length. Racing ahead of the competition, she only got faster. By the time she lunged for the wall, Shay was a body-length of front of everyone.

The stadium broke into screams and applause. Paul heard the announcer screaming above the din, “Eight minutes, three seconds, and twenty-eight milliseconds. That’s a new world record for Shay Cannon from America!”

Everyone screamed even louder. Paul cheered until his throat felt raw.

Shay looked up into the stands and pointed at him and her family. She grinned and hugged the swimmers around her, pulled her cap and goggles off, and then launched out of the pool, holding her hands up.

She pointed at him and her family again, and then she was running for them.

Paul hurried around Darian and down the few rows to the bottom of the stands. Bending low, he caught her as she jumped and lifted her over the barrier and into his arms. She hugged him fiercely, getting his shirt and pants wet, and he couldn’t have cared less.

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