The sun woke Michelle from the most restful sleep she had had in a long time. Thoughts of her father, the pregnancy, Lilo and even Luke assaulted her when she opened her eyes. But as she awoke, she remembered her prayer and then she remembered what the day held. A morning hike with Daniel to one of her most favorite spots on the planet, the Waimea Valley and the waterfall. Just thinking about it made her jump out of bed, hop in the shower and race down to the kitchen. She almost knocked Daniel over as she got to the bottom of the stairs.
“Woah—we’re gonna do this again are we?” asked Daniel jokingly as he caught Michelle on the bottom step. “What’s the rush?” He could smell her shower fresh scent and was again instantly captivated by her allure. Her wet hair cast little drops of water on his skin and the sensation sent rockets straight to his heart.
“Oh—good morning! Well,” Michelle brushed by him, not wanting to let herself get caught up in how amazing he looked. She breezed by to the kitchen, calling behind to Daniel. “I want to get an early start so we’re back before dark. It’s sort of an all day thing ...” She disappeared into the kitchen.
Daniel turned and followed her. He was greeted by Kahili, Elizabeth and Michelle, all bustling about filling backpacks with provisions. There sure was an awful lot of food for two people, thought Daniel. He wondered if they were sure it was only a one-day excursion, because they were packing enough for a week.
“Here, put this in that bag over there,” instructed Kahili, not bothering to greet Daniel good morning. She handed him bug spray and a light blanket and nodded her head in the direction of a green backpack on the baker’s rack against the wall. After several more minutes of arranging and packing, Michelle and Daniel bid good-bye to the women and headed out the front door toward the back of the property. The Waimea Valley was nestled at the base of the Waimea River where the Kaiwiko’ele Stream and the Kamananui Stream converged. The Valley was a preserve of natural beauty, filled with gardens, tropical landscape, wildlife, and waterfalls. The Waimea Trail took you straight to the Valley, but locals preferred to hike through the natural landscape. Michelle had hiked the same path since she was a little child. And now, eight years later, she was again hiking the secret path she and her siblings had found so many years before.
“Is this a public path?” Daniel asked, unsure if they were trespassing or not. Michelle looked at him funny, and he realized how it sounded. “I mean, is this on your property or someone else’s?”
“This path, like many of the roads and paths on the island, belongs to everyone. Of course, it overlaps several properties, ours included, but it is meant to be used by everyone.” She smiled and led the way through the terrain. Daniel and Michelle each carried a large backpack full of food and provisions. As they approached the bottom of the first hill, Michelle stopped and began scavenging the earth.
“What are you looking for?” Daniel asked.
“A hiking stick. You see,” Michelle pointed to the crest of the hill in front of them. “These hills are very rocky, and sometimes it’s easy to lose your footing. Having a good stick to stabilize you is very helpful.”
They each found a sturdy stick and continued up the face of the first hill. The red earth and green plant life created a colorful masterpiece that looked easier to scale than it was. After several minutes and lots of maneuvering, they made it up and over the hill. The hike took about an hour and a half and along the way, neither spoke much. The sound of the birds and wildlife was music enough for both of them. The air was cool, and the sun was warm. And just being in each other’s presence was enough enjoyment. There was no need for words.
After hiking along the bottom ridge of a small mountain, they came around a corner, and without saying a word, Daniel stopped dead in his tracks. The waterfall appeared in front of him, majestic and glorious. The top of the fall was about 50 feet above their heads and the water fell freely from an opening between two mountains covered with pine trees and flowers. The fall was approximately 25 feet wide and spilled carelessly over the rough, rocky terrain and into a large pool of fresh water that fed into the Waimea River. The sound of the fall was nothing compared to the sight. And the spray threw a cool and refreshing mist on Daniel as he stood in awe of God’s handiwork. “Wow,” was all he could say.
Michelle had kept walking, having seen the fall her entire life. When she realized Daniel had stopped, she turned and looked at him. There he stood, frozen in complete wonder. She thought she felt more for him at that moment than in any she had yet. “No,” she said, shaking the thought from her head. “We’re here for lunch, that’s it.”
“What?” yelled Daniel, unable to hear her from that distance over the sound of the waterfall.
She realized she had been talking out loud and quickly corrected herself. “Um, this is a good spot for lunch!” She hoped that fooled him.
Daniel finally broke his gaze and followed Michelle to a clearing under some trees. The spot was within clear view of the waterfall, but out of the way of the sound and spray. “Here, this is it,” Michelle said, setting down her pack and sitting on a fallen down tree. Daniel walked over and joined her, letting his pack fall to the ground next to hers.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. “No, that doesn’t even begin to describe it. It’s amazingly beautiful!”
Michelle laughed and began spreading the blanket on the ground. “The food’s in your pack,” she said. Daniel opened up his pack and sat down next to Michelle as they pulled out the various goodies Kahili had fixed for them. After fixing their plates, they sat back and enjoyed their lunch.
“So,” Michelle said, letting the cool pineapple quench her dry throat. “Tell me more about you.”
Daniel put his pork sandwich down and began to speak. “Well, you already know about my parents. I don’t’ speak to my father, and my mother is so loyal to him that it’s hard to have a relationship with her. And as for my brothers, well,” Daniel trailed off, opting for another bite of his sandwich instead of words.
“I thought you were close to them?” Michelle said, remembering Daniel recounting how his brothers had been his protectors and confidants in younger years.
“We were,” said Daniel. “But because I chose to be a stuntman, my family has decided I’m pretentious and fake like everyone else in Hollywood.” Daniel kept his eyes down as he spoke. “And I’m not, I’m really not. I’m just,” he shook his head. Michelle could sense the frustration mounting as he spoke. “I’m just a God loving guy who’s trying to make a living doing what God created me to do. That’s all.”
Before Michelle could speak, Daniel changed the subject. “So, what about you? Are you still thinking about moving back here? It’s such a beautiful and amazing place.”
“Oh,” Michelle said, surprised by the question. “I really love Hawaii, and I want to move back. But I’ve been having second thoughts. I don’t know that I would have an opportunity to meet someone who would want to relocate from California back here. I mean I have my job and my cat ...” She realized how immaterial her words sounded when she heard them out loud.
“Well, I think anyone would be crazy to NOT want to live here. Heck, I’d love to live here if I could.” The thought of why he couldn’t caused his stomach to turn. “Anyhow, you’re lucky to have such a wonderful and caring family. I really appreciate their hospitality.”
“Yeah,” Michelle snickered, “everyone except for Father.”
Daniel began to wrap up the food as Michelle got up to shake off the blanket. “Well, your father may be strict. But I’d rather have a strict father than one who rejected me completely.”
They began the hike back in silence and Michelle thought about the similarities she shared with Daniel. They both had been in relationships that were less than fulfilling. They had both experienced rejection from their families. And they were both at a crossroads, a turning point in their lives. Michelle couldn’t help but think that God put Daniel in her life to help her. Maybe to help her sort out her own feelings for her family, maybe to help her sort out her issues with men.
“Watch your step here,” Michelle said as they approached an old swinging wooden bridge. Michelle’s mind meandered this way and that, wondering why God would put Daniel in her life if she couldn’t be with him. Or, was He putting Daniel in her life because she was supposed to be with him?
Daniel was enjoying the day so much. He usually felt comfortable talking about his family. But there was something so different, so familiarly different about being with Michelle. It’s as if he had known her his whole life. He wasn’t self-conscious, he wasn’t anxious. He was willing to trust her with his true feelings, no matter how lame or sappy they might seem. And he enjoyed the sound of her voice, the sound of her laugh and the smell of her hair. He watched her walk ahead of him as they stepped on the bridge. The sides swayed gently, and Daniel was amazed at her bravery. Kimberly never would have set foot on a contraption like this, he thought. He looked down to see the height of the bridge and before he could gauge it, he heard the snap.
“Aaaahhhhhh!” screamed Michelle. Daniel watched helplessly as the board beneath her foot broke clean in half and her leg fell through the slats. She grabbed furiously at the ropes on either side of her but was only able to get a hold of one. She swung both her arms onto the rope and screamed as her other leg slipped and fell through the gaping hole. Daniel looked up and saw her dangling, her legs swinging wildly as her hands held the full weight of her body over the whitewater river below.
“Help me,” Michelle screamed as her eyes looked to Daniel for help.
Daniel quickly tried to close the twelve-foot gap between them. But more planks failed and plunged into the swift moving water as he got closer. He looked down and guessed the bridge was about 100 feet above the water. There was no way she would survive. His mind raced and his eyes caught the knot of the rope above Michelle’s hands. “Stay calm, I’m coming,” Daniel said, trying to reassure her.
He could hear her whimpering and his heart beat heavily. “Don’t move, just stay calm.” There was only one plank in the next seven feet of distance between him and Michelle. Using all of his martial arts and stunt training, Daniel balanced one foot on each rope and began traversing across the knotted twine until he could straddle Michelle. He assessed the situation and quickly knew what to do. Taking his belt off, he strapped it around his wrist. He needed to secure the belt to the knotted rope but didn’t know how. Daniel looked around feverishly, trying to figure out what he could loop the belt through that would be secure enough. And that’s when he saw it—his purity ring. He hadn’t thought about it since the other day. And now, here it was, shining in the brilliant sunlight like a beacon of hope. He quickly took it off and slipped the belt through it, securing one end to the knotted rope
“Here,” he said, taking his other arm and reaching it down to her with his legs balanced on either side. “Take my wrist.”
“I can’t!” screamed Michelle, terrified to let go of the rope.
“You have to, take it!”
“I’m afraid! I don’t want to let go!” Michelle cried, terrified of what might happen.
Daniel saw her fingers slipping and realized he had to move fast. “Michelle, look at me,” he commanded.
Michelle lifted her tear-stained face up to him and looked directly into his eyes.
“I will not let go of you. I’ve got you. You’ve got to trust me.”
Michelle shook her head, not sure what to do. Daniel continued. “Do you trust me, Michelle, do you trust me?”
Finally, Michelle nodded and slowly lifted her fingers off the rope, freeing her right hand. Daniel reached out and clutched it between his just as she released the rope. She let out another scream as he began hoisting her up. He used his tethered hand to grab her other wrist, and once she was securely out of harm’s way, he untethered himself. Holding her with one hand and the rope with the other, they made their way quickly over the rest of the bridge. When they got to the other side, Michelle turned around and threw her arms around Daniel. She shook violently against him, and he wrapped her in his strong embrace.
“Are you okay?” he asked, checking her head, her arms, and her legs for any sign of damage or injury. Michelle just nodded as tears ran down her cheek. “Are you sure?” He pulled Michelle back and then placed a hand on her belly. “Did you hurt your stomach?” Again, she shook her head and cried, signaling to Daniel that she was physically alright. Emotionally was another story. She fell back into his arms, and they held each other for several more moments, neither wanting to let the other go. Then Michelle pulled away, remembering her mother’s words: be a Godly woman.
She again thanked Daniel for saving her, and the two began their hike back to Trinity Ranch. They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts about what had just happened. They had been scared. Scared for themselves, scared for each other and scared of losing each other. And then the embrace. They knew there was something strong between them. They both felt it. But neither one of them had dared to speak it out loud.
The ranch came into view at the end of the trail when Daniel stopped and spoke. “Michelle,” he said as he turned toward her.
Michelle stopped and pulled a long sip of water from the bottle hanging from her belt clip. “Uh-huh, what is it?” she asked distractedly. Michelle was doing everything in her power to keep from getting close to Daniel, but it was getting more difficult with every word, spoken and unspoken.
“I think you should go see a doctor. I mean, with that type of fall, you just don’t know ...” Daniel’s voice faded.
“Oh no!” Michelle said, waving off his chivalrous words. “I’m fine. Really,” she laughed. “I mean I don’t feel anything but grateful. A little scraped up maybe, but otherwise just grateful.”
Daniel looked her straight in the eyes and spoke again. “But what about the baby? Don’t you think you should get checked to make sure that the baby is okay?”
Michelle stopped. She had forgotten about the baby. For just a few moments as she enjoyed the peacefulness of the island and the comfort of hiking with Daniel, she had forgotten all about being pregnant. Her expression changed from one of having no cares to one of fear.
Her hands instinctively went to her stomach.