Camp Little Willow

Chapter 19

     We're in the art tent when the post arrives. Only five littles get replies from their relatives. Kelsey skips around the room, showing everyone her letter. Annie and Daisy huddle by a bench, heads together as they read their mum's letter. Alfie is showing Zack and Jonah the postcard he got, it's one where you can get your own picture printed. His parents, little sister and their dog smile from the postcard, 'we miss you!' printed above them. Harry is sat crossed legged on the floor, beaming at the letter he got from his uncle.

     The rest of the littles look like they're on the brink of tears, except for one. I head over to where Nellie is continuing the activity we set before the post arrived, gripping her pencil just a little too tightly.

     I sit down beside her and wait. I know that if she wants to talk about it, she'll bring it up.

     "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Nellie asks softly as she colours in the stethoscope around her older self's neck.

     I keep my eyes on the paper as I answer, "I don't really know. Maybe work with animals. What do you want to be?"

     "A doctor."

     I nod my head even though Nellie hasn't lifted her eyes from the paper once since we handed out the letters.

     "The doctors help my mummy sometimes," she pauses and turns towards me ever so slightly, "Do you think that's why she hasn't sent me a letter? Maybe she's busy with the doctor." She sounds so genuine that I don't know how to answer.

     I give Nellie, what I hope is, a reassuring smile. "I don't think she's with the doctor. Sometimes some letters can take a little longer than others, it depends where they're coming from. If you live further away than the others who got letters, then yours will take a bit longer to get here. Does that make sense?"

     Nellie nods and then turns her attention back to her picture. Her grip on the pencil loosens ever so slightly.

     I join Zoe and Zack at the front of the tent just as he's clapping his hands together, getting the littles' attention. "OK. It's time to pack up, we're going to the playground for a little bit before dinner." The littles start to put their colouring pencils and bits away, buzzing with excitement about the playground, the lack of letters almost forgotten.

     I check my phone, we still have an hour until dinner, but I get why Zack's called it. Nellie was the only one still working on her picture, the rest of the littles were either hyper from their letter or moping around; the playground is the distraction they all need right now.

*

     Zoe sits down on the grass beside me, the littles rushing off to their favourite part of the playground. We haven't spoken much today and not at all about last night. She wasn't in the cabin when I got back, even though it was gone midnight, and I fell asleep before she arrived. Despite her lack of sleep the night before and late bedtime last night, she's surprisingly chipper today.

     "So, what's wrong?" Zoe asks.

     I sigh. I haven't told her about the text on Saturday either and it just seems like effort to dredge it all back up now.

     "Come on, I'm not just here for the good times, I'm always here." Zoe smiles hopefully and I cave. I guess she's right. Plus, she's the one who told me to give Ryan a chance, so maybe I should let her know that we had our first kiss last night. . . And maybe more than just the first. So I tell her everything in a hushed tone.

     When I've finished, Zoe is grinning. "Eeeek! This is so great! I'm glad you guys cleared the air." 

     "I know. I can't believe I thought he only wanted to date me as revenge." I cringe as Zoe laughs beside me. 

     "I love that boy, but trust me, he's not smart enough for that kind of plot twist," she smirks as I nudge her playfully. "Do you fancy milkshakes tonight?" 

     "Can't, I'm on duty. Tomorrow? And maybe I'll invite Ryan, seeing as you guys already know each other, it might make it easier when he meets the guys," I say hopeful. Despite my new found trust in Ryan and the new level of our relationship, I'm still nervous about the idea of him meeting everyone, especially the guys. 

     "It'll be fine, the guys are a bit hot headed when he's around, but once they know about you two, I think they'll cool off." 

     "I hope so," I sigh. "Anyway, where did you get to last night?" 

     "Oh, I just went into town to get my milkshake and mozzarella fix," Zoe tells me. 

     "By yourself?" I just can't picture Zoe sitting in a booth by herself at Old Jack's, she's the most social out of all of us and it doesn't sound like her at all.

     "As much as I love the guys, the silence was very welcome." She shrugs. I guess she has a point. 

*

     Dinner is pasta bake and baguettes that are still warm from the oven. It's feel good food and I can't help but smile while eating it. Zoe takes the girls back to the cabin after dinner while I head to ours and take a hot shower. Hopefully the girls are just as drained as I am, I could do with an early night.

     I pick out some fresh pyjamas and my clothes for tomorrow and pack them into the backpack I take on my duty nights.

     When I get to the cabin most of the girls are sat on their beds, waiting for the bedtime story. Zoe passes me Cinderella with an apologetic smile. "They don't want to hear anything else."

     I groan while opening the book up. I don't have the energy to read about a princess finding her true love and living happily ever after, but I also don't want to deal with any upset littles tonight so I read begrudgingly.

   They're asleep within minutes of me finishing the story and so I send Ryan a text about tomorrow night and then snuggle under the covers for the early night I so need.