Chapter 19 #2
“What do you mean, you don’t know? You’ve lost Kaylee? You had four girls with you at the start of the day, and you didn’t notice that one was missing?” I tried to keep my voice level as my stomach twisted.
“She’s probably with her brother.” Jasmine shrugged as if it was no big deal.
“Right, she has a twin brother.” I asked Abby, “Who’s the DL for the eight-year-old boys?”
She flipped through her paperwork. “That would be Jeremy.”
I unclipped the radio from my shorts pocket. “Jeremy, come in for Lori. Jeremy, please come in for Lori.”
“Hey, Lori, Jeremy here.”
“Do you know where Kyle Bloom’s group is?”
“Yep, I’m walking with them to dinner right now.”
“Is Kaylee with them?”
“She sure is.”
“Thank you.” I turned to Jasmine. “You and I will have a conversation later when we’re back at camp.”
“It’s no big deal. She was with her brother.”
I took a deep breath to calm myself. I was about to tell Jasmine to stand off to the side and wait for Kaylee, when I saw her walking up the hill, happily chatting with Kyle.
I wasn’t angry with Kaylee; after all, she was only missing her twin.
But I wished I had the authority to fire Jasmine on the spot.
What I could do was add her name to the Do Not Resuscitate list so she wouldn’t be asked back.
Zelda tapped me on the shoulder as I counted out five tickets for Genie and her campers.
“Mom, can you come with me to the bathroom?”
“Sure, give me a sec.” I handed the rest of the tickets to Abby, asking her to cover for me. “How’re you feeling? Did you have a fun day?”
“Okay. You told me I had to change the tampon every three hours.”
Walking with Zelda to the bathroom reminded me to put my grievances in perspective. No one was hurt. Everyone was where they were supposed to be, and I was grateful to be with my daughter on the day she got her period.
I’d deal with Jasmine back at camp.
When the buses pulled up in front of the gate leading to Girls Camp, I was relieved to be back home. Home. I was surprised that after only a few short weeks, I considered Woodlands home.
The cramps had subsided, but there was still a dull ache in my head that wasn’t helped by the endless singing and chatting on the bus. I couldn’t wait to take a hot shower and crawl into bed.
Marilyn was there greeting everyone asking, “Did you have fun?”
I counted heads for the umpteenth time that day as the girls tumbled off the bus. It reminded me of arrival day, watching a stream of girls descend the stairs. I was proud of how far I’d come and confident that I knew what I was doing.
I pulled Jasmine aside before she walked up the steps to her cabin.
“You had one job to do today, take care of four campers, and you managed to screw it up. I wouldn’t be as angry as I am right now if you at least owned up to it, but the fact is that you were unconcerned about a missing child.”
She blankly stared back at me.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” I couldn’t believe how much I sounded like my father, or worse, Jack.
“You’re overreacting. Everything turned out fine.”
“I just gave you an opportunity to take responsibility, and you didn’t. I have no choice but to write you up.”
She crossed her arms. “What do you think Bethany and Marilyn will say when they find out one of your campers was lost?”
She was calling my bluff—I’d underestimated her.
I stared directly into her eyes and abruptly turned away, nearly bumping into Marilyn, who said, “Lori, can you meet me in the lounge after you tuck in your bunks?”
Was I in trouble? Had Marilyn overheard my conversation with Jasmine? “Sure.” I caught up with Bethany. “Marilyn asked me to meet her later in the lounge. Do you know why?”
“Huh, me too. I wonder what that’s about.”
“I was afraid that maybe I did something wrong,” I said.
“Are you kidding? You’ve been busting your ass ever since you got here. We all have,” Bethany said.
I paused for a second. “Thanks.”
Marilyn and Jack stood at the back of the staff lounge facing the group with big smiles on their faces. It looked like all the DLs from both Boys and Girls Camp were already there as well as Bob, Teddy, Mindy, and Gilda—the senior staff.
When Abby and I walked in together, Jack said, “Our outstanding lower camp DLs have arrived. What can I get you ladies to drink? We have sodas, iced tea, and juices.”
I whispered into Abby’s ear, “We’re outstanding while everyone else is inside sitting.”
“Come on in, we have plenty of food for you,” Marilyn said.
I stood next to Mindy and said softly, “I don’t want a stinking 7UP. What I need is a gin & tonic.”
“Once the Bergers leave,” she said under her breath.
Laid out on the kitchen counter were several pizzas and an assortment of sushi. I was a bit of a sushi snob. In my real life I’d never consider eating a tuna roll from Costco, but right then it looked extremely appetizing.
Once everyone had food and drinks in their hands, Jack stood in the middle of the room and said, “I want to thank everyone for their hard work these past couple of weeks. I know I don’t always say the right things.”
There were some snickers coming from the crowd. Mindy whispered in my ear, “You think?”
It was difficult keeping a straight face.
“I admit I have trouble expressing myself, but Marilyn and I want you to know how much we appreciate you keeping the campers safe and happy.”
Those were the first kind words I’d heard from Jack since I’d gotten to camp. I whispered in Mindy’s ear, “Did you tell them to act civilized?”
She mimed zipping her lips.
Jack and Marilyn walked through the room, personally thanking everyone.
“Lori, we think you’re doing a fantastic job. My instincts were right on target when we met. You’re a great addition to Woodlands,” Jack pumped my hand as he spoke.
I wanted to point out how disrespectful he had been the other day, but frankly, sometimes it was smarter to keep my mouth shut. “I appreciate the compliment.” I held up my plate. “And the sushi.”
When the Bergers left, Bob stood by the window watching them walk to their house. “They’ve closed the cottage door. We can relax.”
There was a collective exhalation and nervous giggles. The atmosphere in the room instantly felt lighter, the chatter grew louder, and people began laughing.
Teddy strode toward the door.
“Where’re you going?” I asked.
“I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
Bethany and Mindy were right behind him.
Teddy returned, balancing a case of Heineken on his shoulder. He stopped at my side and whispered, “Meet me tonight?”
“I’m not feeling well. Can we meet tomorrow?”
I was surprised by how disappointed he looked. “Sorry you’re ill. Is there something I can do?”
“Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t cure.”
“Tomorrow it is.”
Bethany carried a shopping bag full of jungle juice and gin. Within minutes everyone had a beer or cocktail in hand.
Abby whispered, “I’ve had enough fun for one day. I’m going to bed.”
“Okay, I’m going to have one drink and call it a night.”
I joined Teddy and Bob.
“How are things going for you guys?” I asked.
“I don’t know about Bob, but trip day always leaves me knackered. It’s nice to be here with everybody knocking down a few beers,” Teddy said.
“Trip day being over is huge. We successfully made it past the first big milestone of the season,” Bob said.
“I don’t understand,” I said.
“A third of camp is over.”
I laughed.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“I thought only my homesick campers counted down the days, and it turns out the head of Boys Camp, a self-proclaimed lifelong camper, is doing the same thing.”
“It’s not about drawing an X on the calendar. For me, it puts into perspective how much time I have left to achieve the goals I’ve set for myself this summer,” Bob said.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what’re your goals?”
“There are the corny ones, you know, like personal growth. But the others are all camper related. Mostly I want to encourage campers to come back to work when they’re eighteen.”
“Self-actualization—that’s a very evolved ambition for a grown man who wears shorts and Tevas for a living,” I said.
Bob’s eyebrows arched. “I give you an honest answer and you mock me.”
“Actually, I’m really impressed. You’re making me feel a bit shallow. I have only one goal, and that’s to make it out of here alive,” I said.
“Aren’t you being a bit melodramatic? I’ve been here for two decades and Bob for over ten years, and we’ve never come close to any life-or-death experiences,” Teddy said.
“Well, I’ve been here for a little over three weeks, and I’ve already come face-to-face with a bear and an irate camp director, so you gentlemen are not reassuring me,” I said.
“Touché,” Teddy said.
Mindy joined us and handed me another cocktail. I was buzzed, and for the first time all day, I felt no pain.
“I’m so jealous that you had the entire day to yourself. What did you end up doing?” I asked her.
“Forget about my day—I heard Zelda got her period today. Mazel Tov!”
Teddy and Bob backed away from our conversation.
I felt the tears welling up in my eyes once again. “I know it’s silly, but I can’t seem to stop crying.”
“For what it’s worth, I think that’s a natural reaction. The end of your daughter’s childhood and all of that. I think it’s really sweet.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that. I’m going to head out before I become a blubbering mess again.”
In bed I took a deep breath and felt a little bit better, acknowledging and understanding why I cried so much, mourning the loss of the two women whom I had loved most in the world, my mother and my grandmother.
I hoped that this would be a transforming summer for my daughters, molding them into the strong, smart, resourceful women they were named for.
I thought my mother and grandmother would be pleased to know that they were my role models.