Page 96 of If Our Hearts Collide

And I like it.

She doesn’t trust freely, and I value her ability to let her guard down around me. I won’t take that for granted.

“Come sit,” I say, lowering myself to the floor. I wrap the band around my fingers, as I think of the right words to say.

“Okay…”

“I know you don’t like the darkness, but you find yourself in that dark space when you shut down during a stressful situation.”

Penny glances away from me. “It’s just that I get scared,” she whispers.

“I know. And I want you to work through those fears. Maybe if you practice being in the dark, you can desensitize yourself.”

“What if I can’t?”

“Just try.”

Her hesitant nod causes my heart to increase its rhythm. Taking the band, I gently place it over Penny’s forehead, tightening it into a secure knot.

I look directly into her eyes. “I want you to listen to me, because I’m being very serious about this.”

“Okay…” I barely hear her.

“If you get too scared, then take your hands and move the blindfold up to your forehead like it is right now. It’s that simple. You have control here, and I won’t let you fall.”

“Promise?”

“You have my word.”

I help Penny stand back up and give her the patience and time she needs to cover her eyes with the band on her own free will.

And she does.

“I want you to relax. And I want you to use all of your other senses to evaluate your environment, all while staying in the present.”

“Okay. I can do that.”

Silence fills the space, and I allow this moment of calm to flourish.

“I don’t want you to think of the darkness as a negative. I want you to utilize it as a way to center yourself and regain focus. Remember, this is about trusting your instincts.”

“What if mine don’t work?”

“The only thing that’s not working is your confidence, Penny. Do you remember all of the moves I taught you?”

She shifts her weight to her other foot, curling her toes into the mat. “Yes, I think so.”

“We are going to practice the same thing but blindfolded. The best approach to self-defense is to escape dangerous situations and not hang around to potentially get hurt.”

Wrinkles form on her brow. “How am I supposed to escape if I can’t see?”

“That’s the point of this exercise. I think you can function in the dark, but just don’t have a lot of practice.”

I can tell Penny is finally understanding the task.

With her blindfold still on, I take a few steps back away from her. Careful not to make a sound, I circle her—slowly.

And when I think she has let down her guard, I jump into her space and watch as Penny mimics the motion in reverse.

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