Spiritual Networking

Spiritual Networking - Chapter 19

Chapter 19


HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
do u have plans 4 2morrow?

MilliVanilli:
Skype @ 9 with client
nothing n afternoon except for design
but no rush

HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
do u feel adventurous?

MilliVanilli:
y?

HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
wanna go indoor climbing w/me?

MilliVanilli:
u mean scale a wall
4 no reason other than it is there?

HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
YEAH!!
u will <3 it!!

MilliVanilli:
i will fall
on my face
SPLAT

HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
lol no
i won’t let u
i promise

Millie had wanted to do this since Paul had mentioned he climbed, she didn’t want to do the outside mountains, but the indoor sounded fun. However, she was still somewhat frightened of going out. She had gone out with Paul several times over the past few weeks and each time it was easier. But, with a new destination, one she had never really considered visiting, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach nagged at her.

HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
mil it won’t be that crowded
unless there is a b-day party or something
if we r early should be pretty empty

MilliVanilli:
i want 2
just nervous

HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
u trust me?

MilliVanilli:
yes
i know
and i trust God
OK
i’ll go

HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
:-D
i promise u will <3 it!!!



The next afternoon, Paul knocked on Millie’s door. If she thought he looked good in a suit and tie, he really looked good in his shorts and snug t-shirt ready to climb a mountain. Millie took his advice and dressed in long shorts and a t-shirt as well, her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She was as ready as she would ever be. Although she was a little nervous, Paul eased those nerves when he leaned forward and kissed her.

“Ready?” he asked when he breathlessly pulled away, still holding her close enough to feel her heartbeat.

“Yeah. You promise I won’t fall?” Millie asked with a grin.

“I promise,” he assured her as he walked with her to the car.



Moments later, he was standing at the base of a rock wall at his favorite indoor climbing club, helping Millie into her harness and protective gear. For a somewhat intimate experience, Paul was trying to keep his hands and mind to himself. He was not going to allow one of the climb instructors this close to Millie. He knew them all pretty well and he knew they would find the experience more enjoyable than she would.

Henry and Chris were the instructors on duty today and although Paul did not need help, he knew the policy of the club was to have someone on the floor with the repel ropes in hand, just in case of any problems or an accident.

Paul bought Millie some gloves before they began, although most people did not use gloves, Paul wanted to protect Millie’s hands as much as possible. These gloves had the ends open allowing for better grip with her fingertips, while her palms and most of her fingers were protected from calluses. He told her if she wanted to do this with him again he would buy her climbing shoes, but her tennis shoes were fine for her first climb.

She was ready, and Paul loved the look of excitement and anticipation on her face. He did not think she could ever be more beautiful, and each day she would do something and it would stop his heart... today, it was the look on her face the moment she was in her harness and ready to go.

“Ready?” Paul asked with his hands on her shoulders, what he really wanted to do was pull her off to the side and kiss her thoroughly, like a woman should be kissed. Yet before he could do that, Millie was already reaching up without any instruction. “Wait, lets go over things first,” Paul said, putting his hand on her arm that reached towards the orange handhold. “Let’s go over the rules first.”  

“Rules, OK. What rules? I thought you just come here and climb up the wall.” Millie was eager to just get started.

Paul chuckled, “Uh No. First of all, a lot of people forget to use their strongest muscles when climbing.”

“Their mouths?” Millie said with a smile as she reached out and stroked his bottom lip with her finger.

Tempted to softly catch her finger in his teeth, Paul smiled and leaned down and gave her a quick kiss instead, which resulted in him getting some catcalls from Chris and Henry, ending the kiss sooner than he would have liked.

“No, not your mouth, your legs. People think this is all about hands, but you need to rely on getting good footholds to help relieve some of the weight and pressure from your hands.”

“OK, use legs, check. What’s next, oh great one?”

“Remember your fingers and hands need to hold you close to the rock, while your legs stabilize you and push you up the rock.” Paul demonstrated several footholds. “And don’t forget, whatever feels comfortable, just go with it. Well, except for holding on to your harness ropes. DON’T do that!”

Millie smiled up at him, “You speak from experience. OK footholds check. Don’t hold the ropes, check.”

“Your hands,” Paul picked up her fingers and caressed them with his fingers and thumbs, “Naturally you will want to use the crimp hold,” Paul dropped one of Millie’s hands to free one of his own allowing him to demonstrate the crimp hold. “But, try not to. This strains your fingers. Instead use the open hand grip which does the same thing, but with less pressure on your joints.”

“Keep hands open, check.”

As Paul continued describing the remaining holds, he demonstrated the techniques on the various grips. Millie was eager to learn and caught on quick.

Moments later, they were both scaling the side of the wall, side by side. Sometimes Paul was in the lead pointing out holds to Millie, and other times Millie was showing Paul how fast she understood his instructions.

After her first scale up the wall and ringing the bell, Paul showed Millie the different colors. “Now last time, you put your hand and foot where it was convenient. This time, I want you to try and use the route marked with the blue tape.”

As Millie climbed the blue route, it was more difficult than just putting her hands and feet wherever she could. Paul was following the more difficult orange route and as chance would have it, at one point in the routes they crossed over each other. Paul was careful not to encroach on Millie, but he wanted to pass her as there was a competition at stake. The last person to  ring the bell would be cooking dinner.

Paul knew Millie only had about eight more holds to go to the bell, the only way he could beat her was if he crossed over her. Suddenly without warning, Paul’s arms were on holds encompassing Millie. Before she had time to become anxious of what was happening, but long enough for Paul to enjoy having her in his arms so to speak, he gave her a kiss on her surprised face, said, “I love you,” and scurried up the side of the wall to his bell.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! I owe you dinner!” Millie yelled up to him as he grinned down at her. She began repelling down the wall and said, “Last one down makes dessert.”




Later that night, as Millie grilled some pork chops, baked sweet potatoes and made a salad, Paul was standing next to her making her ooey gooey triple chocolate brownies. “I don’t understand why it took us so long to figure out we lived close. I swear, every time you made brownies, I could smell them, but I never put two and two together.”

“I know. But, I wouldn’t have been ready to meet you until it felt right,” Millie nudged him with her shoulder.



Over the past few weeks, their relationship had grown into a cherished, loving romance. Not only were they attracted physically, but they enjoyed not only chatting, and conversing, but also just spending time in each others company.

Sure making out was fun, but at the end of the day, when they went to their separate apartments, Millie and Paul knew their relationship was stronger than those built only on physical desires. Even though they were adults, and could easily fall into bed, they made a commitment early on that they would only sleep with each other as husband and wife.

Paul and Millie talked about a future, marriage, children, finances and even more about religion. Every topic under the sun, except for being apart. There was no reason either one of them expected to be apart... they were in love.