Camp (10 page)

I scraped lines into the icing on the piece of cake I’d taken, then rested my fork at the edge of my plate.

“What’s the matter, Amy?” Patsy asked. “Aren’t you eatin’ that cake?”

“I’ll take it,” Donnie said.

I pushed my plate over.

“Just a minute.” Rory reached across the table. “Who said you could have it?”

Donnie tightened her fingers around the rim.

“Give it here,” Rory demanded.

“No. I called it first.” Everyone jerked to attention as Donnie’s fingers curled around the plate, her knuckles whitening.

“Quit it, you two,” Patsy said. “How ’bout you share it?”

“How ’bout you mind your own business?” Rory countered as Donnie shielded the plate with her arms.

“How ’bout you mind your manners, Rory, or no ice cream party for you.”

“How ’bout you quit telling me what to do, Patsy. You’re not my father.” Rory stood up. She reached across the table, pushed Donnie’s arms out of the way, and grabbed the plate. Campers applauded when it hit the floor.

Jessica giggled. “Nice play, Shakespeare.”

Rory glared at me. “Clean it up, Amy. It was
your
plate.”

“But it was
your
fault, Rory,” Patsy said. “So go on and get some napkins to clean it with, or you’ll be alone in the cabin tonight while we’re making sundaes at Mr. Becker’s house.”

“You can’t keep me from that party.”

“Oh no? Just try me, gal.”

I wanted to jump up and throw my arms around Patsy.

“It’s your choice, Rory,” she went on. “Clean up now, or no party later.”

Rory slinked away. I was surprised she surrendered for an ice cream party. She took a couple of steps, then shot a grin back over her shoulder as if she had heard my thought. “You girls think I’d miss Patsy weaseling her way into Mr. Becker’s house? No siree. I’m gonna be there when the sparks fly. Wouldn’t wanna miss that show.”

“And just what show are you talkin’ ’bout?” Patsy asked. Rory walked on, leaving Patsy’s question in the air. But then she turned and looked at me, hatred glowing in her eyes. “And you, Amy Becker, you should’ve eaten your goddamn cake,” she called. “This is
your
fault.”

I didn’t believe her then. This time I knew I wasn’t to blame. It was my mother who had stopped me from eating that cake. Would I ever be able to get her off my shoulder?

We headed for the owner’s house at the edge of camp, a hike beyond Nancy’s cabin, past the bend in the lake. I walked with Donnie, behind Fran and Karen. Rory and Jessica took the lead. “Hi-ho. Hi-ho. To Mr. Becker’s we go.” They sang full out, as if Rory had dropped her anger on the trail, as if she had forgotten to pretend she was no longer young.

“I think her father beats her,” Donnie whispered. “Beats her and makes her do stuff. Sex stuff. Maybe that’s why she’s so mean. But no one’s supposed to know.”

“Then how do
you
know?”

“Jess told me. Last year, visiting day. Rory’s folks didn’t come—they never do—and I actually felt kinda sorry for her, even though I really hate her guts. So I offered to share what my parents brought—peanut butter cookies, Twinkies, Devil Dogs— all sorts of good stuff. And Rory, she got so angry when I said I was sorry no one visited her, you know what she did? Threw my tin of cookies and ran out of the cabin. All those cookies, the one thing my mother baked special for me. And I was so mad I said I’d kill her. And I meant it too. But then Jessica— would you believe?—she calmed me down and told me about Rory’s father. Said she wasn’t supposed to tell anybody. Rory had sworn her to secrecy. But I guess Jess thought I deserved an explanation, since Rory sure wasn’t gonna apologize.”

From across the lake, a loon called as Patsy sneaked up on us. She put her arms around our waists. “Well, hey there, gals. Nearly scared me to death, that silly bird.”

“Me too,” Donnie said. “Those loony loons still make me jump, even after seven summers.”

We walked on, our steps in sync, the only sound the pressing of pine needles, a giggle up ahead. “You’re awful quiet, Amy.” Patsy broke the silence that closed in on us. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing much.” I twirled my flashlight in figure eights as my stomach curled in on itself. How could a father abuse his own daughter?

“Sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” I knew not to talk about what Donnie had said. Patsy loped ahead to Fran and Karen.

“The way I see it,” Donnie went on, “camp’s the only place where Rory can strike back. Know what I mean? Feel powerful. And this summer she’s sure taking it out on you. So I figured you deserved an explanation too.”

I nodded, not realizing Donnie would miss my gesture in the dark.

“Can I ask you something?” Donnie questioned.

“Sure.”

“Why’d you take it from her? The initiation, I mean. Why didn’t you scream while we were still in the cabin, or … I don’t know … do something to stop her?”

I had no answer. Only a picture in my mind: a little girl on Daddy’s lap.
Merrily, merrily, do as you’re told. Do as you’re told, Amy. Do as you’re told.
Memories. Images.
And don’t you ever talk back to your mother. Her life hasn’t been easy. She’s lost so much. She deserves whatever happiness we can give her.
A blip of my mother plumping cushions on the sofa.
Stay in your room, Amy.

Secrets of my mother’s past. What had she hidden from me? What had she lost? Cousin Robin seemed to know. She had dangled my mother’s secrets on the tennis court. Yet I had no idea what they could be.

“Why didn’t you try to stop the initiation?” Donnie asked again.

“I … I’m not sure.” I shivered as we walked in silence toward our ice cream celebration.

Aunt Helen and Uncle Ed lived in The Lodge, a great stone house in a clearing in the pines. “Welcome! Welcome, girls!” Aunt Helen motioned us in. I was grateful to be lumped with the girls now, having dreaded my aunt’s singling me out as family.

Cool air attacked us as we entered the humongous main room, a testament to pre-air-conditioning, old-fashioned construction. I rubbed the goose bumps on my arms, impossible to smooth in the presence of a moose head mounted high above the massive stone fireplace.

Moose eyes seemed to follow me as I studied the two staircases flanking the room. They led to a balcony. I strained to see what was up there. Doors. Lots of doors upstairs—bedrooms and bathrooms, I assumed. Nothing but a kitchen and the main room downstairs, with Mr. Moose standing guard.

Aunt Helen flitted around as if she thought she was supposed to be doing something but didn’t know what. We stood in pairs, not knowing what we were supposed to do either. No chairs to sink into. Only an upright piano in the corner, angled under one of the landings, a long table with bowls and sundae fixings under the other, and a bear rug—head and all—by the fireplace. Were we supposed to sit on the floor? On the bear?

“Uncle Ed’s not back yet,” Aunt Helen jabbered. “He went to get the ice cream. Drove on over to the general store for you girls, and honest to goodness, you certainly do deserve it, what with you winning senior inspection and all. Though I do wish Robin and her bunkmates could be here too. But anyhoodle, I’ve got your party set up over there.” Aunt Helen pointed to the table as I glanced to see if anyone else had caught her
anyhoodle
.

Jessica’s hand covered her mouth. Rory slapped it down. “Behave, Jess,” she said too loudly. “It’s rude to giggle when Mrs. Becker’s nice enough to give us this little shindig.”

“Well, it’s my pleasure, girls. So make yourselves comfortable.
Mi casa es su casa
, as they say in … ummm … Spain. Isn’t that right? So let’s see.…” Aunt Helen cupped her chin and looked around, as if noticing for the first time this room devoid of furniture. “Why don’t you girls get settled on the bear rug.”

“Why, thank you, Mrs. Becker,” Patsy said. “It’s right nice of you to have us over this evening.”

“No problem at all. So sit down, girls. Ed should be back in a jiff.”

Rory pulled Jessica to the bear. They sat by its head, facing the door, Rory’s legs spread-eagled around the bear’s skull. She stroked it as if petting a dog. The rest of us scrunched like a litter of pups toward the back of the rug. Once we were seated, cross-legged, Patsy settled herself behind Rory. I noticed my counselor tuck her legs to the side, like a girl in a meadow, waiting for someone to bring her a picnic basket.

Aunt Helen moved to the table. She fiddled with plastic spoons, rearranged paper napkins. “Now where in the dickens is that man?” she muttered. “One little errand—ice cream and sodas—and he’s gone for over an hour. Probably chatting with every counselor who’s out for the evening. Why it’s a wonder that man ever gets anything done with all the gabbing he does.”

“I think she means flirting,” Rory said, twisting to face Patsy, who addressed Aunt Helen. “Don’t you fret now, Mrs.

Becker. I’m sure Mr. Becker’ll be arrivin’ right shortly.”

“Thank you, dear. And please, call me Helen.”

“Yes, Helen. I’m sure he’ll be along soon.”

“I’m just sorry to keep you girls waiting.” Aunt Helen stacked and restacked bowls, picked up plastic spoons, and fanned them in a paper cup.

“No problem, ma’am,” Rory said. “We don’t mind waiting for your husband to get back. No siree. Not one bit.”

Someone must have suggested we sing. As if a leader raised a baton, we started in the same breath:

Swing low, sweet chariot,

comin’ for to carry me home.

Swing low, sweet chariot,

comin’ for to carry me home.

We didn’t hear Uncle Ed’s car pull up behind the house. We didn’t hear him walk around front. “Ah, the voices of angels,” he said, toeing open the door. “I could listen all night.”

“What in the world took you so long?” Aunt Helen called from the corner by the party table. “I swear, I’ve got a good mind to do all the errands myself from now on. Leave you here next time to entertain our guests.”

“Why, that would be a pleasure, my dear.” Uncle Ed hugged grocery bags as he crossed the room toward Aunt Helen. “An absolute pleasure,” he said with a wink as he passed our huddle. “Keep singing, girls.” He unloaded treats onto the table behind which Aunt Helen stationed herself. “The voices of angels. No sweeter sound in the world.”

We worked our way through “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho.” After the last
walls came tumblin’ down
, Aunt Helen invited us to step up for ice cream.

Uncle Ed dashed from the table. “You too,” he said to Patsy, offering his hands to guide her from the rug. A familiar gesture, followed by a flicker of memory: a picnic. A long time ago. Before Charlie. Robin and I sit on the grass. My parents on a blanket with Aunt Helen and Uncle Ed. My uncle gets up and holds his hands out to my mother, helps her to her feet.

Now I watched him help Patsy. “Why thank you, Mr. Becker,” she said, her drawl suddenly making my stomach flip.

“Such formality. My goodness, Patsy. Call me Ed.”

“And the show begins,” Rory said.

We lined up for our second dessert of the day—two too many, my mother would have pointed out.

“Ed, come on back here and help me scoop this,” Aunt Helen said. “It’s hard as a rock. If you were going to take your time at the store, least you could’ve done is pick up the ice cream first, let it soften a bit while you talked yourself out. Now how in the world do you expect me to serve this?”

“Allow me,” Uncle Ed offered.

Aunt Helen moved from behind the table.

“Why not let me help, Mr. Becker? Ed.” Patsy pushed in next to him.

Aunt Helen stalked over to the bear rug as if on a mission.

“What?” Jessica asked when Rory punched her arm.

“Nothing. Forget it,” Rory answered. “What flavors you got there, Mr. B.?”

I turned to watch my aunt fluff the rug as if it were a quilt. She straightened the bear’s head. It drooped to the side. She righted it. It fell again.