The four girls sitting closest to the driver’s seat decided to perform a concert for the rest of the group. Only, no one actively listened to them and they all sang exceptionally loud at the top of their lungs and not a one belted the song on key.
He had a set of earplugs in his bag. Too bad they were in the cargo area under the bus or he’d give them to Landon. Switching his gaze to the rear of the bus, he saw Mike engaging a group of the boys in a conversation about an upcoming all-star baseball game. He continued watching the youth group, making sure no one sat alone, excluded from a conversation.
Enough time had passed that he could move and sit by Trixie without rousing any suspicions. He sat in the empty seat behind her and tapped her shoulder. “Having fun?”
She turned and smiled when she saw him. “Loads.”
“They're a noisy bunch, aren’t they?”
“Yes, but what youth group isn’t?”
“None that I’ve ever known. It’s good to see them happy and carefree.” He leaned forward to hear her better, resting his arms on the seat in front of him.
“I agree. They face more pressures than I ever did at that age. It’s unnatural.”
“We’ll see if they’re still smiling when we tell them about the no phone rule.”
She snickered. “They’ll moan and groan, but will barely miss them once they get busy.”
“Did you get my email with the schedule for the weekend?”
“Yes. I printed it out and stuck it in my purse.”
He pulled his folded copy from his pocket and pointed to the final co-ed event for the night. “After the campfire devotion, gather all the girls and walk them back as a group. Pastor Gray warned me that in the past, this is a time couples try to sneak off.”
“Do we have any couples in the group?” She craned her neck to look around.
“Not officially, but there are a few interested in each other or talking, but not dating. I can’t keep up with their terms for it.”
“I’ll let Jessa know and we’ll keep a close eye on them.” She reached for the schedule. “I’m assuming an outside unwind time is out of the question?”
“That’s up to you. Have you been to this camp before?”
“Lots of times.” Handing him back the paper, she shifted in her seat. “At least once a year from sixth grade through twelfth.”
“Are the cabins close together? It was hard to tell from the online map.”
“The girl’s cabins are spread out, but the boy’s are fairly close. The cafeteria and game room separate the two sides.”
“Anything else you can tell me?”
Her eyes gleamed. “Be prepared to walk and get your exercise for the next week in one day.”
“Why?”
“There’s a hill nicknamed Cardiac Ridge because of how steep it is. It runs between the main camp and the the big pavilion, so there’s no avoiding it. ” A loud squeal distracted her for a moment and made her glance up front, but she turned back to him realizing it was girls being girls. “I ran for the track team in high school, and I even found myself out of breath some days after running up it.”
Thinking about some of the youth, his mouth tightened. Jake had asthma, Melanie was recovering from a broken leg, and Keegan had a weight problem that prevented him from too much physical exertion. He didn’t want the trip ruined for them if they couldn’t make it up the hill. “Are there any considerations for those with physical limitations preventing them from going up?”
“They have a utility cart that shuttles kids up and down.” She smirked. “Will you promise not to think less of me if I admit I used it a few times when I didn’t need to?”
“Nope, because I plan on using that service myself if it’s available.”
She cackled. “Old man.”
He raised his brows. “Careful there. You’re the same age.”
She shot him a sideways stare. “Didn’t you turn twenty-four in April?”
