Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
SUMMER
I’ve slept like hell the past couple of nights, the message on my mirror really did a number on me. I don’t know who is doing it, or what they want. I was the only one to survive that night, I’m sure of it. But this is hardly a ‘prank gone south’ situation.
If whoever is leaving me notes really did take Finn…
“Can you tie my shoe Miss Summer?” One of the boys in my group asks, standing back up with a huff after throwing the strings.
“Sure, buddy.” Bending down, I start with the shoe that’s come completely untied, and notice his fingers twitching as if he’s following my movements. “Do you want me to show you how?”
His eyes widen and he looks around, “I can do it,” he insists, crossing his arms across his chest. “It’s only–Okay, I can’t, but my mom bought these shoes for camp, and I don’t want the other kids to laugh.”
“Ah,” I nod, looking around him just to make sure no one is listening. I lean in real close and whisper, “It took me a while to figure it out too.”
He smiles, and after I give him the instructions twice, he knots the other shoe and launches into my arms. His thin arms circle my neck and he hangs on so long, that for a second, I start to worry he might be crying.
“Thank you Miss Summer, really!” He runs off toward River and their group, my group’s going on an outing with theirs.
Counting all of my kids, I nod to River who claps and gathers all the kids’ attention. I can’t focus on what they’re saying, because Indy’s at the mess hall talking to Jare who’s been around more often since everything with Finn happened.
Nothing’s being said, not even gossip between the counselors.
“Deal?” River says, looking around at all the kids. When they look at me, they offer me a thumbs up and I return it even though I have no idea what it is we’re doing. I’m sure I’ll figure it out.
The kids all shout in various forms of ‘yes’ and off we go, headed toward the trail that leads out to the playground area. It’s a mix of jungle gyms, sandboxes, old tires, swings and even a merry-go-round.
Between myself and River we only have nine kids, two went home sick yesterday, and another four left because their parents caught wind of the missing counselor. But the kids who stayed don’t seem to mind, or care. Actually, they love more one-on-one time with us.
“River!” Molly hollers once she breaks the tree line.
“Indy told me to ask you to go up to the barn, I think the sheriff’s back.
” The first time I met Molly when I got here, I couldn’t believe the resemblance between her and Indy.
The more I got to know her though, the more I realized that the similarities ended with their looks.
My Honey is one of a kind.
River looks my way, “Do you want me to round them up and we can go back to camp?”
“OH!” Molly clicks her tongue, “I’ll stay with Summer and the kids.”
River eyes me, and I know them well enough to know they’re asking me if that’s okay.
“We’ll be fine,” I decide and Molly walks over to the merry-go-round where kids are trying to make it spin so they can hop on.
“I have my cell,” River says, grabbing my wrist and looking at me.
I’m not sure if they’re nervous to leave me alone with Molly, or because the situation has everyone on their toes. Molly’s squealing with the kids as she pushes the metal spinning top. All the kiddos gravitate that way and eventually they’re all spinning and laughing.
This is what camp should be like. Kids giggling, and having so much fun their memories are full of nothing but happiness. Truthfully, I think the younger ones haven’t noticed anything. A few of the older ones have passed curious glances, but all in all, they’ve been kids.
Joining them at the merry-go-round, I can’t help my smile from growing. All of their faces full of glee as Molly spins them around.
“You’re new this year, right?” She asks, and though the question isn’t strange, the way she said it was. As if my being new here is undesirable or something.
“Yep,” I nod, waving as the little boy I helped earlier waves his hand my way.
“Did you know Indy before comin’ here?” She slides her gaze my way, and her expression gives me pause. Her dark eyes are filled with venom, eyebrows drawn down in a scowl.
“Nope.”
“You like kids?” She asks. I’ve not really spoken to Molly before. She’s on the other team of counselors, and our paths haven’t really crossed, so maybe this type of questioning is normal, but my instincts are on high alert.
“Sure.”
She huffs at my terse answers, clearly angling for more from me. “So you don’t like kids, you’ve never worked here before, and you didn’t know Indy before you applied?”
I turn to look at her, “Is there something you want to ask me, Molly?”
“Why are you here?”
“It’s a job.” Keeping my answers short, I focus on the kids. Especially the ones turning a little green.
Softly stopping the spinning metal top, I chuckle and have the ones ready to bring up their lunch carefully step down. River brought a cooler up with popsicles, and I’m not above bribery.
“Who wants popsicles?” I ask, earning a cheer from the little crowd. They all rush to get off and surround the cooler before I can even get there. “Alright, alright! You all forget your manners or something? Make a line.”
The popsicles remind me of my own youth, the clear wrapped sugar goodness all in bright colors. Pulling them apart, I cut the top off and hand each kid one until they’re all happily munching on the sugar ice.
Molly didn’t say much after that, but the entire conversation rubbed me wrong.
Thankfully I was able to avoid any more of her questions, mainly because the kiddos needed bathroom breaks, and were pretty tired by the time we got back to camp.
They ate dinner and crashed right at lights out today.
I’ve enjoyed taking care of them, and in a way, it feels like they’re all my little brothers and sisters.
Tomorrow they all get introduced to the horses, which I’m excited for. These kids are going to love Burst and Beam, and everything they learn will likely stick with them for the rest of their lives.
I’ve been sitting by the barn for the past hour. The sun’s gone down and now the only light is from inside the barn, and the moon. Lightning bugs flicker every now and again, but for the most part I’m sketching whatever I see, with the light of the moon as my guide.
Voices carry near the divide between the Turner personal homestead and the camp.
“…promised!” Someone shouts, it sounds a little like Molly or maybe Zaye, but I’m not sticking around to find out. Plus, what would she be doing out here so late? Her cabin’s on the far side of the camp. “I did… you asked.”
“…follow simple instructions…” that voice doesn’t sound familiar at all, and I almost pause my stride, but shake my head.
I don’t want to be the asshole that’s caught listening to someone else’s private conversation, so I stand and brush the dirt off my ass before heading to my cabin.
“Please!” She hollers, and I have to remind myself to keep walking. Whoever it is sounds upset, and I’m not in a place to be giving advice between lovers.
Blocking out a conversation I know I shouldn’t listen to is harder than it sounds. I keep hearing bits and pieces, and I’m trying like hell not to want to piece them together.
“Summer!” River’s voice carries over the otherwise quiet space and I tuck my head into my shoulders before turning around. They gnash their teeth together and widen their lips, “shit, I didn’t mean to be so loud.”
The voices stop, replaced by hurried footsteps. My first instinct is to see if I can spot who was talking as they leave, but instead I chuckle quietly and turn to River. “Everything alright?”
They nod and look toward the barn. “I don’t think Indy’s doing okay though.
The police called and asked us to come back in cause they had a few more questions.
Then when they were done, they said they’d call if they needed anythin’ else, she told them she had a few questions of her own and pulled out a whole damn list! ”
My lips threaten to tip up, but I mash them together and sigh, “I’m sure there’s a lot she wants to know. Wouldn’t you, if something like this was happening on your watch?”
River tilts their head for a moment and eventually nods, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
We stand there for a while, neither of us speaking, but with River it’s not awkward, or making me want to rush to fill the void. There’s something about them that makes me feel at ease.
“Look, I’ve known Indy for four years now,” they start, turning to look at me head on. “She’s always been more of the suffer in silence type, but I’ve seen the way you look at her, and vice versa. Do me a favor, check on her, will you?”
I guess we haven’t been subtle. I feel like we’ve had little opportunity to really make the gossip scale tip our way. Then again, River pays more attention than anyone I’ve ever met, save for maybe Santi.
“I don’t know what you mean.” I try, going for denial.
“I’m not askin’ you to marry the woman,” they scoff, “just let her know she’s not alone.”
“What makes you think she’ll listen to me?” I ask, genuinely curious if they’ve seen something I haven’t.
Their eyes roll my way, and they smile, “Call it a hunch.”