Teddy looked totally embarrassed even though it was his idea.
“Aw, are you having cold feet? Don’t you trust me to have your back?” I asked. “Because I completely trust you.”
“Well, yeah, yes, sure.” He looked at Zoe. “I do.”
We were given a choice of woven friendship bracelets, which we tied on each other’s wrists, then walked away so the next couple could get camp hitched.
“That was fun. Will I see you later, summer husband?”
He leaned into me whispering, “I can’t wait to consummate our marriage.”
I stood on the small hill on the sidelines watching the mayhem. I noticed that the carny, a young guy controlling the Tilt-A-Whirl ride, was flirting with a counselor and not paying any attention to the kids. When I looked to see if any of the Cubs were on the ride, I saw a cape, worn by one of the campers, caught on a link in the chain that attached the car to the mechanical arm. The camper tugged on the cape, but it didn’t come loose. He tried to get the attention of his friends, but no one noticed. His face became pale. I saw him open his mouth in a scream, though I couldn’t hear it over the ruckus.
I realized I was the only one who saw what was happening and ran toward the carny shouting, “Stop the ride, stop the ride!”
The carny looked at me like I was a lunatic.
Pushing him aside I said, “How do you turn this thing off?” The control panel had a big red emergency button, and I slammed it with my palm. The ride screeched as the tin-can cars slowed, shuddered, and finally banged to a full stop.
The campers shouted to turn the ride back on.
The carny yelled, “What the fuck, lady!”
As I ran toward the kid, I shouted, “Radio the infirmary, and call 911.” I ducked under the support bars to reach the boy whose lips had begun turning blue.
Holy shit, it was Nate, Bethany’s son. I couldn’t untie the cape—it was pulled too tightly around his neck. I was trying to rip it without putting more strain on his throat when I remembered I had a pair of crafting scissors in my pocket. Quickly but carefully, I snipped away at the fabric until he was free. Nate slumped in his seat, and I instinctively slapped his back. He coughed and grabbed his throat. He was pale but his lips were no longer blue.
Teddy appeared by my side and unclipped the seatbelt. “Nate, buddy, you’re gonna be fine. The doctor’s on her way.”
The camp medical team surrounded Nate and immediately began checking him, carefully inspecting his neck and listening for any difficulty with his breathing. I noticed his throat beginning to bruise. I wanted to stay to make sure he’d be okay, but the medical team had everything under control. Bethany appeared, murmuring in Nate’s ear and holding his hand.
Teddy put his arm around my shoulder. “Come on, we’re in the way here. We need to let the professionals do their job.”
As we walked, I started to shake, and when I saw the concern in Teddy’s eyes I began sobbing.
Teddy said, “Let’s get away from the crowd. The infirmary’s probably empty since everyone’s with Nate.”
He led me into an examination room. I couldn’t control my shaking. Teddy held me against his chest while rubbing my back, his head resting on top of mine. He let me cry. I hiccupped trying to catch my breath.
“Here, sit down. Try taking slow, deep breaths. I’ll get you some water.”
He handed me a cup, and I slowly drank, trying to collect myself, but only one word came out. “Nate.”
“You saved his life.”
A deep shudder racked my body. Teddy stood directly in front of me. His calm presence and his hands firmly on my thighs grounded me. He said, “Bethany and everyone at Woodlands are lucky you’re here this summer.”
The screen door slammed, and Nurse Ella yelled, “Is someone in here?”
“It’s us, Ted and Lori . . . she needed a moment. How’s Nate?”
“Fingers crossed that the worst case is a sore throat and a bit of bruising, but we decided it was prudent to send him tothe hospital to make sure he’ll be okay. Thank goodness you saw what was happening.”
I started crying again.
Ella took my wrist, checking my pulse. “I know what happened was a lot. You may be in shock. Would you like a sedative?”
I shook my head. “No. No, I’ll be fine.”
