Chapter Three
“Good afternoon, campers! Welcome to Camp Mountainville!”
The greeting came from a pretty, matronly woman of about 45. She was full-figured, had long brown hair, and big, brown eyes that shone when she smiled.
The crowd of Littles cheered as they all gathered around, some coming from cars they’d parked in the front lot, and others being dropped off by friends or a Greyhound bus that had just pulled away.
Maisie had driven her own car in from Denver. It wasn’t a terribly long trip, but she was thankful it was over. At long last, after months of dreaming and planning, she was finally where her heart had longed to be.
She eagerly kept her focus on the woman who stood on a raised platform in front of the main office building, overlooking the grassy parade grounds where the campers were assembling.
Using a microphone to speak, the woman continued, “My name is Chloe Edwards, and I’m the camp’s director. I’m so glad you’re all here.”
The crowd applauded again before the cheers and murmurs died down, allowing her to continue.
“As many of you know, the camp has a new name, new ownership, and a new director. We are now affiliated with that special town down in Texas.”
Maisie cheered again along with the crowd, the mere mention of the fabled Mountainville of the Lone Star State drawing delight from everyone.
“But we are our own institution, under our owner, Grant Baker, and his other partners.”
This brought even more applause. Grant Baker was one of the most famous movie stars on the planet. His action films did wonderful business at the box office. While he used to be quiet about his real-life role as a Daddy, news that his wife, Sadie, was also his Little had long ago leaked. Now, the actor didn’t even try to hide it and was a vocal advocate for the Age Play Community. Maisie had a ton of respect for the guy.
“You’ve all signed up for various packages of care during your week here at Camp Mountainville. Signs are set up, showing you where to go. For example, if you’re staying in a cabin with your partner—or partners,” she grinned and surveyed the crowd, causing some folks to laugh, “then you follow the Lovers’ Lane Trail.” She pointed in the direction of a wooden sign that marked the trailhead. “Now, if you’re super Little and need all the cuddles, attention, and care and you’re staying with one of our camp Aunties, then you would follow the Jellybean Trail where you’ll see lots of women ready to welcome you and give hugs. And change those diapers.”
Some in the crowd giggled and cheered.
“I won’t go through all our options, as you probably already know them. Just look at what package you signed up for, find the corresponding trail, and go have fun, cuties!”
Maisie hollered in excitement along with everyone else before the crowd dispersed and folks gravitated to where they were supposed to be. She was as giddy as could be as she found her correct trail and started down it.
Her adventure was just getting started. And something told her it was going to be magical.
***
The scent of ponderosa pine and blue spruce was in the air as Maisie wandered around a bend of the tree-lined dirt trail to reveal the cabin she’d be calling home for the next five days.
She was still excited, but nervousness was starting to settle in, too. Should she have spent more money to get her own cabin? At least then she could hide out by herself if things didn’t go well, or if she started feeling too shy.
She quickly dismissed those notions, though. Maisie loved people! Making new friends was one of her favorite things in the world. Sure, self-doubt nagged at her from time to time. And this was her first experience being Little in front of others. But that was all part of the adventure, she reminded herself.
Just be yourself, get to know some people, and you’ll be having fun in no time!
She stopped in front of the cabin and drew a deep breath, holding it for a moment as she surveyed the scene.
The aroma of fresh construction still lingered in the air, the way cut wood and building materials have a tendency to do, now mixing with those heavenly scents of nature.
The place looked as new as it smelled.
It was a big log cabin with a covered front porch complete with a waist-high railing and two porch swings spaced out evenly on either side of the door. The structure was set in a large clearing in the trees, and the way it was surrounded by nearby branches and leaves gave it a remote feel. It was towering, with glass windows high over the porch, and she guessed there were two floors.
“Here’s to the best week of my life,” she said.
She stepped forward, but before she could get very far, the cabin’s door burst open, and a woman hurried onto the porch.
“You’re here!” the woman cried.
She bounded down the steps and stopped in front of Maisie.
“I’m here,” Maisie said with a smile.
“Uh. Who…are you?” the woman said. She then laughed. “I’m sorry. I’m just a little excited to be here. I got to the cabin first and I’ve been waiting to meet my roomies and, well…here you are.”
Maisie chuckled. “No worries. I’m Maisie.”
“I’m Naomi. Nice to meet you.”
Naomi was a beautiful, tall Black woman with long straight hair and mesmerizing eyes. Maisie silently noted that she could have easily been a model or an actress.
Maybe she was, though she didn’t look familiar.
“What do you do?” Naomi asked, clearly trying to make conversation. “Oh, wait. Do you want to go inside first? I bet you’re ready to put your bag down.” Her eyes fell to the suitcase in Maisie’s right hand.
“I’m not in a hurry. I was just taking a look at the cabin. It’s amazing,” she said.
“Wait until you see the inside. Come on!”
Naomi excitedly led the way as the women went inside.
“Whoa! You weren’t kidding,” Maisie said. “Look at this!”
The cabin had a high, vaulted ceiling with a wooden beam that ran in the center. The first floor had a living space complete with a large screen TV, a fireplace, and a reading nook. In the back was the kitchen and a hallway that she assumed led to bedrooms.
Upstairs was a loft, but she couldn’t make out what treasures it held from where she stood on the first floor.
“I told you! Now, wait until you see upstairs,” Naomi said.
Maisie left her suitcase on the floor and hurried up the stairs that ran along the right wall and to the loft, following Naomi.
“Okay, this is even better than down there,” Maisie admitted.
There were a few arcade game cabinets, a ping-pong table, some oversized, comfy looking chairs, another TV mounted on the wall, and, best of all, a mini-ball pit!
“I don’t know if I can ever leave this place,” Maisie said.
“Same,” Naomi told her.
Before they could say anything else, the sound of the front door opening reached Maisie’s ears, and she walked to the waist-high wooden railing that ran the length of the loft’s front. Peering over it, she saw another woman entering the cabin below.
“Hello? Anyone else here?” the woman called out.
“Up here!” Maisie yelled down.
The woman looked up and said, “Hey. I’m staying in this cabin with you.”
Naomi and Maisie went downstairs.
“Hey. I’m Naomi.”
“And I’m Maisie.”
The other woman smiled and waved. “I’m Sophia.” She grinned wider. “Yes. Sophia Bennett.” She gave a little bow.
Maisie kept grinning but inside, she was confused. A quick glance at Naomi confirmed that she appeared to be, as well.
Sophia was a pretty, athletic woman in her mid to late twenties, with light brown hair that fell past her shoulders in bouncing curls.
Her smile disappeared and she said, “You’ve never heard of me, have you?”
Maisie winced. “No. Sorry.”
Naomi just shook her head.
Sophia sighed. “It’s okay. I’m not trying to be all uppity. I was just hoping…well…you see, I’m trying to be a social media influencer. And I have two thousand followers!” She thrust out her phone. “And gained two new ones just today. So make that two thousand and two.” She nodded in satisfied triumph.
“That’s great!” Maisie said.
“Every follower helps,” Naomi chimed in. “Hey, give me your info and I’ll give you a follow.”
Maisie agreed that she would, too.
After they’d exchanged info, Naomi said, “Being an influencer sounds cool. I’m wanting to be an actress.” She sighed. “But right now I’m just a tour guide at a movie studio.”
“Hey, that sounds pretty exciting to me,” Maisie said. “Do you live in Hollywood?”
“Well, no. I live in Van Nuys. But it’s not far from Hollywood!”
“Nice! I live in Denver.”
“What do you do?” Naomi asked.
“I’m a boring cyber-security specialist for an investment firm. I keep their money safe and stop hackers.”
“Boring? That sounds exciting!” Naomi said.
“Thank you. But it’s not,” Maisie replied.
“But you fight criminals!”
“Trust me. The most dangerous part of my job is the sexist jerk I work with.” She smiled. “But who cares about him right now? I’m super excited to be right here.”
She walked into the center of the spacious living room and turned a slow circle, taking it all in.
“Ladies,” she finally said. “I think this is going to be the best few days of my life. What do you say? You all in?”
Naomi perked up and said, “Hold on. There are some juice boxes in the fridge.” She grabbed some in the kitchen and then tossed one to Sophia and one to Maisie. “How about a toast? To the best week ever!”
The other women poked the straws into the boxes and raised them.
“To the best week ever!” they repeated.
With that, the three Littles took a drink.