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Abby stormed to the parking lot and was about to climb into her jeep when she heard someone calling after her.

"Where are you going?" asked Jake, after he had caught up with her.

"What does it look like?" she snapped. "I'm going home."

Jake stared at her incredulously.

"You're quitting?" he asked. "Just like that? You're walking away?"

"I made a fool of myself," sulked Abby, fumbling in her pocket for the jeep keys. "I looked stupid, and I made Dennis look stupid. I never should have come!"

"I'm disappointed," admitted Jake, "but not in how far you could throw a little fly, or whatever that thing was. I'm disappointed in you, Abby." He leaned in towards her, searching her blue eyes. "Abby, I've come through hell on earth, and you refused to let me go. My troubles didn't make you run, but only made you fight harder. I've admired you... up until now. This isn't easy for me to say, especially to you, but I would fail you as a friend if I didn't say it. Abby, you're acting like a spoiled child who didn't get her way! Does everything come so easily for you that you're willing to sin over this?" It had greatly pained Jake to say those words. He took a step back, his eyes still intent on her face. "If you still want to go, then go. But, remember this: 'Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him Who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. [2 Timothy 2:3-5]'"

Abby bowed her head in shame and took the keys out of the ignition. Immediately, Jake breathed a sigh of relief. His hands were trembling so hard that he had to stuff them into his pockets to still them. He had risked the anger of someone he needed as badly as Abby, to reprove her of sin. His courage was not lost on the young woman.

"You're right," she repented, getting out of the jeep. "I'm sorry, Jake. I know better than to act like the world, when they lose. Please don't go into a flashback or anything. You straightened me out, so now you can relax."

"I'm all right," he insisted, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. His hands were shaking so much, however, that he had difficulty holding the lighter.

Just then, Dennis located them in the parking lot and waved to her to come. Jake followed Abby back to the tournament, content that he had finally been of some use to his dear friend.

"Where were you?" asked Dennis, as Abby walked up to her coach.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I was miserable and I know it. I lost my concentration for just one second, and the damage was done. I couldn't recover, and everything else just fell apart."

"We still have the fly accuracy and the plug accuracy events," said Dennis, trying to rally her spirits. "It's far from over, Abby. Just try to loosen up a little. Your form will come back."

During the next few events, Abby struggled to regain her shaken confidence, but still lacked the tightly focused concentration that she needed to perform well. After completing the plug accuracy events, Abby's scores were nothing special, but still qualifying for certification. Her lackluster performance had dampened Dennis' expectations, but he still hoped she would find her legs in time to show everyone just how gifted she really was. Abby's last chance in the tournament soon came.

Fly accuracy consisted of three different events: the dry fly, the trout fly, and the bass bug. Each event was designed to test the casting skills that one would need if they were fly fishing for real. As the first fly accuracy event drew close, Abby began to focus in on what she needed to do. Her face became determined and thoughtful, just as she always did back home when preparing to fly fish. Abby put on her green cap and pushed back her long hair, mentally steeling herself to face the water. When Jake saw the familiar routine, he knew this time would be different.

"Wait for the judge," said Dennis, unable to avoid giving her some last minute advice. "Don't retrieve your fly until he calls 'Score.' Place the fly gently. If it sinks..."

A loudspeaker suddenly interrupted Dennis with an announcement for the participants in the ladies division to gather at the casting platform on the lake for the dry fly event. John and Izumi waved to their daughter as she stepped forward when it was her turn. The fly accuracy events were popular with the crowd, and the shore was crowded with spectators who had come to see the skill of the contestants.

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