“Divorced. One son who spends the summers here with me.”
“Don’t tell me, his name is Theodore Charles Mooney the fourth?”
“No, she was having none of that. Assheput it, she didn’t want any of my family’s rubbish on his tiny shoulders. Instead,shechose Max, just like every other boy in his class and his cabin. She thought she was being original, I guess the joke’s on her.” He took a drag. “What’s your story?”
“Married my college sweetheart, had Zelda and Hazel, and became a full-time helicopter mom as you pointed out when we first met. Working at Woodlands is the first job I’ve had in ten years. Anyway, they’re the reasons I’m here. What do you do in your real life?”
He let out a sardonic laugh. “When I’m not fighting over Max with her, I’m a soccer coach.”
“I’m curious how you ended up spending your summers in another country taking care of other people’s kids.”
“Sometimes you need to escape from your everyday life, and sometimes that escape becomes part of your life. I’m happy when I’m at Woodlands.”
That hit a nerve. There was something about Ted that made me feel I could trust him. “I’ve done the same thing. Escaped my real life.”
A truth shiver ran the length of my body. That was the first time I had admitted out loud that I was happy to be on a break from my husband.
We stood quietly in each other’s company until there was nothing left but the butts. I guessed Ted was now my smoking buddy.
8Campfire Karaoke
Iawoke to the shrill beeping of my cheap alarm clock and turned it off immediately, aware of how thin the walls were.
I chose to get up almost an hour before the rest of my cabinmates so I’d have the bathroom to myself. I also had time for a brisk walk around the campus before meeting Abby, Maggie, and Roger for coffee.
The only activity in my day that didn’t require me to think was getting dressed. I slid open a drawer, pulled out a white Hanes V-neck men’s T-shirt and a pair of kelly green Soffe shorts. I grabbed a hoodie and laced up my sneakers in the hallway. I stood on the porch, took a deep breath, and was off. On the side of the road, I saw Abby talking on a cell phone in her car, in the only spot where she could get reception. I waved and picked up my pace.
It was 6:30, and a light mist blanketed the grass. I was trying to remember the last time I’d walked in the morning dew when I heard a motor. I moved to the side of the road thinking it was Abby, but it was Jack and Marilyn in a golf cart. They pulled up beside me.
“What’re you doing up so early?” Jack asked.
“I like this time of the morning, it’s peaceful, no one’s up—well, aside from the two of you and Abby.” I pointed toward the idling car.
“Yeah, this time of the morning is sacred for camp directors. Another successful day has passed, and a new one’s beginning,” Jack said. “Where’re you off to?”
“For a walk down to the lake before breakfast.”
“Where’s your radio?” Jack asked.
“In my room. I didn’t think I’d need it this early in the morning.”
“You should always have it with you. You never know when you might need to contact someone. What if you needed help?”
It felt less like advice and more like a scolding. “I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll take it with me next time.”
“Okay. If you’re by the lake and need someone, Mike’s down there in his trailer,” Marilyn said as they drove off.
I wanted to believe the Bergers were looking out for my best interests. But instead, I thought, there goes my peaceful morning walk. It occurred to me that the Bergers pretty much owned me for the next eight weeks.
I cut across the girls’ campus and ran down the hill to the path that led to the lake. Running always gave me a feeling of freedom, and I needed to feel that sensation. When I reached the water, I stopped at the edge, leaning forward with my hands on my thighs to catch my breath.
“What are you doing in my front yard?”
My racing heart jumped. “You just scared the crap out of me,” I said, turning to face a man wearing a camp hoodie, unzipped, no shirt underneath, and green plaid pajama bottoms slung low on his hips. “You must be Mike.”
He stood straight and saluted me. “At your service. Why’re you alarmed? I live down here. I’m the one who should be surprised. You’re Lori, right?” He gave me a once-over and smiled, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. “I don’t usually get early morning visitors. Join me for a cup of coffee, freshly brewed?” He ran his hand through his bedhead hair.
“Thanks for the offer, but I have a standing date for coffee,” I said as I jogged off.
