Colin reached over, snagging a notepad from Nate. Without a word, he scribbled something down, then rose to his feet. The campers watched as he stepped forward and tossed his paper into the fire, the blaze curling around it in an instant. He turned back to the group, his expression unreadable.
“I just want to add this,” he said finally, his voice carrying over the sputter of the fire. “None of us know what someone else might have gone through in their lives. What kind of pain they may carry around inside. They might have been bullied or abused. They might have been mocked or tormented in ways we can’t even imagine. I got shot. But someone else’s wound may have been way more painful than mine, even if the scars aren’t as easy to see.” He leaned toward the circle of campers. “So, let’s also get rid of our tendency to judge, to criticize, to exclude, or to disapprove.” He pointed at himself. “I’m an ex-cop and a current prosecutor. Judging people is what I do for a living.” Then he pointed at the fire. “But notthisweek.”
A few campers applauded. Others nodded in quiet agreement. Colin met Joshua’s gaze for a brief moment, then sat back down beside his husband and took his hand. Joshua turned and kissed his cheek. “I love you,” Colin whispered, then he drew in a long inhale, watching the firelight dance across the faces of the campers.
“All right,” Colin said after a long pause, his voice carrying just enough authority to get their attention. “Let’s head back before I have to write up a bunch of rule-breakers on our very first night.”
A chorus of groans and dramatic sighs followed, but the campers got to their feet, stretching and brushing ash from theirclothes, still buzzing with the warmth of the fire and the night’s shared moments.
As they began their walk back to the cabins, the only sounds were the crunch of footsteps on the trail and the distant chirp of crickets. Then, out of nowhere?—
“Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of beer …”
Laughter rippled through the group as Nate’s voice rang out against the night sky. A few campers joined in while others groaned in protest.
Colin groaned. “Oh my god, notagain!”
Joshua smirked. “Well, youdidgive him your permission.”
“Is it too late to take it back?”
Joshua clutched his arm, laughing, as the group disappeared into the woods, their off-key singing echoing into the night, blending with the rustling leaves and the sound of the nearby stream.
Chapter 14
Overnight Campout
Monday
The following morning when Joshua walked into the dining hall, at least a dozen campers hovered around the table where Colin and Trent were sitting. Above their heads, a large handmade sign read:Overnight Campout! Sign up here!Colin was talking, gesturing as he described the activities that he and Trent had developed for their campout. “Trent is bringing along his portable telescope. We’re going to do a little stargazing AND learn a bit about how to navigate by using the stars!” He pointed to a box. “Inthereare enough s’mores toppings to keep anyone happy! Plus, to keep track of all you guys, we’ve got a ton of glowstick stuff. I’m also going to teach you a few first aid strategies in case you’re ever out camping, and something goes wrong.”
Joshua laid a hand on Colin’s shoulder and bent to whisper in his ear: “Better send them off to breakfast before the Verdun staff starts to bitch.”
“OK,” Colin told the campers. “Boss man here says it’s time for breakfast.” He waved the boys toward the food service line. “So off you go before I get into trouble.”
Joshua flopped onto the seat next to him. “You all set for this overnight thing?”
“Sure! Why wouldn’t I be?”
“How many are you taking?”
“Twelve.”
“That’s a lot of kids,” Joshua said. “It’s a third of our campers!”
“That’s how many signed up,” Colin said with a shrug. “Alex signed on, too. Oh, and by the way. I got confirmation this morning for the campground rivalry baseball game. We’re playing Timber Ridge Campground the last Friday we’re here.”
“We should do a joint cookout after the game. Hot dog roast or something. I’ll talk to the Verdun cooking staff and see what I can set up.”
“Screw them! They’ll charge us twenty bucks a plate! It’s just hot dogs, burgers, beans, and fries. Let David’s kids handle it!”
“Well, all of it but the fries. Davy can handle that. What time do you guys plan to leave?”
“I’m thinking after lunch. Around two p.m. That’ll give us time to get camp set up and do a bit of exploring and storytelling before we cook dinner.”
“How far out are you taking them?”
“Oh, a couple of miles from camp, at least. If we can still hear Jeff snoring, we’re too close. I want it to be far enough away that it feels like an adventure. We’ll row across the lake, then catch the river and follow it down a ways. Not too far.”
