8. Chapter 8
Chapter 8
GRAY
I was supposed to co-lead with Brenda. But now that she was confined to the campgrounds, I found myself leading our group of kids solo. It was a daunting prospect, yet Amy reassured me it was just for a day; a plan for tomorrow was already in the works.
Fueled by determination to compensate for Brenda’s absence, I dug deep and brought all the energy and enthusiasm I could muster to the activities. Case in point—I was half covered in flour as we were midway through a game of flour tag. It was kids against leaders, and I was a favorite target with the regulars. The kids each got a mini bag of flour, and the goal was to cover the leaders in as much flour as possible. We’d take a photo after ten minutes of play and then turn the tables on the kids. Later we’d compare photos to see if the leaders or kids would be champions of flour tag this year. One kid had chased me to the far side of the beach and emptied his bag of flour on me when I crashed into someone. I grabbed my victim by the shoulders to prevent them from falling over.
“I’m so, so sorry. It’s hard to see with all this flour on my face. I hope I didn’t hurt you,” I said.
“No, it’s no problem.” Her voice was a melody amid the chaos.
“Elle?” I squinted, trying to make out her face through the white haze.
“Gray?” Elle replied, her tone a mix of confusion and amusement.
I was so surprised to see her that I forgot I looked like a flour ghost. I smiled and judging by her expression, she was probably wondering if she had stepped into a weird horror film. I attempted to wipe the flour off my face and carried on speaking as if this was normal.
“What are you doing here?”
“Um…I’m here to help with the summer camp. Please can you point me towards Amy?” she asked with a shy smile .
“Oh. I don’t think we usually take on strangers. But as soon as this round of flour tag finishes, I’ll take you to her.”
Before we had a moment to say anything else, a massive flour clump hit Elle. Brandon, a ten-year-old with a good arm, had sent one flying in her direction. Now that she was tagged, several other kids zeroed in on her and flour rained down. She just stood there giggling.
“Elle, you’re supposed to run; that’s why it’s called ‘flour tag’,” I said, as I grabbed her hand to pull her away from the onslaught.
Seconds later, Amy blew the whistle to mark the end of round one. I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. With Amy’s stout frame and hair pulled back into a super tight bun, she looked like a drill sergeant. But, despite her severe appearance, she was a total sweetheart.
Thinking of appearances, I dropped Elle’s hand like a hot potato. I didn’t want her to read anything into it and touching her didn’t help my resolve to keep my distance from her. But the sooner I introduced her to Amy the sooner she would leave. It was sweet that Elle wanted to help, but I was certain Amy would never allow it.
I knew I shouldn’t try to connect with Elle any more than I had already, but a part of me was eager to show her that I was indeed capable of more than just asking obvious questions, so I made light conversation. “Don’t let this go to your head or anything, but in all my years of playing flour tag I’ve never seen anyone transform into a walking, talking snowman so quickly,” I teased as we strolled towards Amy.
Elle chuckled, brushing off some of the white powder. “Is that so? I should probably add ‘Professional Flour Magnet’ to my resume then,” she said, her eyes twinkling with humor.
“Hey Amy, this is Elle. She would like to join us as a leader today. I know we don’t normally take on strangers, but she said she wants to chat to you,” I said, watching Amy closely for her reaction.
Amy looked Elle up and down, her expression thoughtful and reached to shake Elle’s hand. “Hi Elle, so lovely to meet you. Thank you so much for agreeing to fill in for Brenda. I got your paperwork all squared away yesterday.”
“I’m so excited. Thanks,” Elle responded quickly, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.
What? Was this Amy’s “plan”?
“So, the basic run of the day is group games, snack, leader/kid games, a Bible talk, and small groups. I see you got involved with the first half of the leader/kid games. Don’t worry, you can get your revenge soon. You’ll co-lead with Gray. For today, just have fun and follow his lead.”
“Awesome, thanks, Amy,” Elle said.
Amy’s decision to integrate Elle, a complete outsider, into our team—and to pair her with me, no less—set off internal alarms I couldn’t ignore. Intrigued as I might have been by Elle’s vibrant personality, the risks of disrupting our carefully orchestrated routine loomed large in my mind. I needed to address this, and fast.
“Um, Amy, could I have a word with you for a second?” I asked, my voice steady but firm. We stepped away, heading toward the admin tent, a space that felt like neutral ground for such discussions.
Once assured of our privacy, I let my concerns spill out. “What are you thinking, letting Elle join the summer camp?” I couldn’t mask my indignation.
Amy’s response was calm, almost too calm. “I know it’s not our usual practice, but Elle’s paperwork checks out, and we need the help with Brenda being injured.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “There’s a reason we have protocols, Amy. Rules aren’t suggestions; they’re the backbone of order and safety.” My voice was firm, perhaps a bit harsher than I intended, but the gravity of the situation demanded it.
“Well thank you for your input Gray, but my decision stands. I got a glowing report from her pastor in Atlanta and with all her clearances up to date I’m confident she will be a good fit for the role. Besides, she may only be able to help out temporarily. Brenda says she has issues with her van or something.”
“This is a bad idea.”
“If it’s bothering you so much, I can shift things around and pair her with someone else.”
I just stared at Amy lost in thought. Logic screamed at me to agree with Amy’s suggestion, to distance myself from the potential chaos that more time with Elle could bring. Yet, something held me back, an unfamiliar voice whispering against the tide of reason. Before I could marshal my thoughts, I heard myself say, “No, it’s fine. I’ll lead with her.”
Amy eyed me for a moment, her gaze probing. “Okay. I’m trusting you not to scare off the only willing and qualified replacement I have at the moment. Now if you don’t mind, I have the second half of flour tag to commence. ”
I nodded and made my way back to Elle. Not what I had in mind, God. Now I would be stuck with her for the mornings. A thought that made me happier than it should. But despite Weston’s concerns, I could handle this. I just had to keep firm boundaries. No touching for sure. It was probably for the best that I was her co-leader, anyway. Participating in this summer camp was like second nature for me so I could easily keep an eye on Elle and ensure she was holding up the mission and values of the camp.
As usual, the rest of the morning went by in a blur of activity. Today’s talk was about the birth of Jesus, and Elle and I led our small group together. Or should I say Elle led the small group, and I watched. The kids were enamored with her and directed most of their questions her way.
“Miss Elle, why was Jesus born in a stable?” little Tobi asked, his eyes wide with wonder. “If He’s so special, shouldn’t He have been born in a castle or something?”
Elle ruffled Tobi’s hair and answered, “You have a point, Tobi! It does seem odd, doesn’t it? But you see, God doesn’t care about fancy things like we do. He’s more interested in our hearts and our relationship with Him. Imagine if Jesus had been born in a castle, surrounded by guards—it would be hard for regular people like us to approach Him, right? So, God chose a simple stable for the birth of Jesus, making everyone feel welcome and at ease when connecting with Him. Besides, fancy things can be distracting, and maybe God wanted us to focus on the love and the message Jesus brought rather than where He was born.”
The way Elle effortlessly responded to the children’s questions amazed me, her genuine faith shining through each answer. Perhaps, I was too quick to judge her? I might owe Amy an apology.
“Miss Elle, how did the wise men know where to find Jesus?” Sam chimed in, raising her hand high.
Elle beamed at her. “What a brilliant question, Sam! They followed this amazing star that God placed in the sky. Isn’t it incredible how God can use even the most unexpected things to draw us closer to Him?”
As the day progressed, I grew increasingly impressed with Elle’s faith and her ability to make it relevant to our young audience. Her enthusiasm inspired a newfound eagerness to deepen my own faith. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t get her out of my head these past few days? God must have put her in my path for a reason. Perhaps the summer camp was it ?
Either way, Weston was not going to like this.
After our discussions, Amy gathered everyone together, and we all said our goodbyes.
Elle tapped my shoulder. “Hey, we’re done here, right? I think I’ll head out,” she said, her voice warm and friendly. “Thank you for letting me hang out with you guys, especially with my van causing me so much trouble. I needed a good laugh.”
“If I’m honest, I didn’t think it was a good idea to have you on the team. But I’m willing to admit I was wrong. It was a pleasure having you. Will you be joining us again tomorrow?” I asked, genuinely hoping she would.
“Well, I hope so. I’ve got some issues with my van, and I might need to find a more affordable place to stay elsewhere. I’ll need to sort that out before I can commit to anything. Thanks again, though.” Elle waved and started to walk away.
“Hold on a moment. What’s wrong with your van? What do you mean, ‘accommodation elsewhere’?” I asked, curious.
“I’ve been living in my van, and they’re sending it to a mechanic inland. So, I’ll need to find somewhere else to stay for the next ten days. ”
I chuckled. “No kidding! I just dropped my car off at the repair shop on Saturday. I know how you feel. You can always stay at the leader’s hostel. It’s a few dormitories on the campgrounds, about a mile from here. It wouldn’t cost you anything if you’re helping with the camp. That’s what I’m doing while they fix my car. But most of the leaders stay at the hostel for the duration of the summer camp.”
“Brenda mentioned something about free accommodation, but I wasn’t sure what that entailed.”
“You should chat to her about it.”
“Alright, hopefully everything will work out and I can stay for the rest of summer camp,” Elle said.
“Great. And if you need help with your van or anything else, call me. Let me give you my contact information. Do you have your phone with you?”
“No, I left it in Mabel. I figured things might get a little messy around here,” she replied, pointing to her flour covered face.
Frustration filled me as I tried to think of a plan. “Oh man, I don’t have my phone either.” But then an idea struck me. “Wait, the flyer has my details. Hey Josh! Could you please grab a flyer from the registration table for me? Thanks, buddy. ”
Elle hesitated. “Please don’t go out of your way. I don’t think I’ll need help.”
“No trouble at all,” I reassured her, as I caught sight of Josh returning. “Look, he’s already back. Thanks, Josh! I owe you, dude.” Josh grinned and scampered off in the other direction. Turning back to Elle, I handed her the flyer. “My phone number and email address are right at the bottom, next to my name.”
She took the flyer, her slender fingers brushing against mine as she did. Her eyes scanned the page, and I watched her face, searching for a sign that she’d found my details. As she read, a fleeting expression of surprise, or perhaps confusion, flashed across her features. I wanted to understand what was bothering her. I waited for her to confirm she had seen my details, but she just continued to stare at the flyer.
“Everything okay?” I asked, dipping my head to get her to look at me.
Elle shook her head as if she was dismissing some thought. “Yeah,” she said distractedly and then she turned and walked away. Not another word. Did I say something wrong? This woman was so confusing. Perhaps this was a friendly reminder that Elle was the opposite of predictable.
Not for me. I could be her friend, though.