Lighting the Flames (24 page)

When Jeremy tuned back
in to what was being said, Scott was showing everyone where
they
’
d be hung that summer.

“
Above the fireplace,
”
Ella called out.

“
It
was Winter Camp,
”
Scott agreed with a smile.
“
You spent most of
your time here.
”

Then Glenn stood, his
posture formal, and asked if he could say a few words. Jeremy
snorted to himself. Like Scott would ever say to the executive
director,
“
No, no, person who is my boss, you can
’
t
talk.
”

Fortunately, Glenn
wasn
’
t into long, wandering speeches.

“
I
want to start by saying thank you to everyone here for coming to
this year
’
s first annual Meira Winter Camp.
”
Before he could say
more, he was interrupted by a wave of cheering and
applause.

“
I
also want to thank the kitchen staff, who have made us some
fantastic meals this week,
”
Glenn continued, setting off more
applause. Everyone turned to the kitchen window, where Nadine,
Corey, and her other foster children, all of whom had joined her
for the day, waved and smiled.

“
And
most of all, I want to thank Scott, Genevieve, and Jeremy for
Winter Camp color war. This was the most fun I
’
ve had outside in the
snow
—
snow I didn
’
t have to shovel, I might add
—
since I was a kid. I
hope we can do it again next year.
”

The cheers grew
louder, and Jeremy made his way to the front to stand with Scott,
nodding his thanks to the families who called his name.
Gen
’
s happiness seemed to light up the room. As exhausted as
they were, it had been worth it.

Then Glenn turned to
Scott and said in a voice that held deeper notes of meaning,
“
Can we
expect this much fun or more this coming summer?
”

“
More,
”
Scott answered, the tense grin on his face melting
into a genuine smile.
“
If you enjoyed winter
camp, summer is even better
—
and warmer. With
absolutely no snow, guaranteed.
”

“
Unless we make some,
”
Jeremy said.
“
With the ice maker.
At night.
”

Gen covered her mouth
to keep from laughing aloud, but he could tell from the way her
eyes narrowed that she was wondering how it might be possible to
make snow during the summer. He already had plans in his notebook
that he
’
d show her later.

Glenn
’
s voice interrupted his thoughts.
“
I hope I see all of
you this coming summer. Scott, I know you
’
ll be here.
Genevieve, Jeremy, what about you?
”

Gen smiled and nodded, setting off some shrieks from
the girls who had been in her cabin the previous summer.

Jeremy had to clear
his throat before he spoke, the words not fitting in his
throat.
“
Not me, I
’
m afraid.
”

Gen spun around and looked at him.

“
Gotta go be a grown-up. Summers off aren
’
t so
easy.
”
He could see a few parents nodding, especially those who
had been campers themselves and missed the freedom of summers at
camp.
“
But I promise to visit
—
if I can borrow
Scott
’
s golf cart.
”

“
Maybe,
”
Scott said, while firmly shaking his head
no.

Glenn said something
else, but Jeremy didn
’
t hear it. He was watching Genevieve. She looked
pale, and angry, and miserable, like the light within had gone
out.

*

He
wasn
’
t coming back for summer camp. This was really it. This was
their last real time together at Meira.

It made sense, even
though she didn
’
t like it. She knew he was stressed, that
he
’
d
had to bargain with his brother to get the week off at all.
He
’
d
had to check his phone several times a day, hiking out to where
there was a reliable signal every time. That wasn
’
t really time off.
That was like hitting pause.

Of course he
couldn
’
t come back next summer. His work, his real life, would
intrude too much, even if he came for a few weeks. And visiting for
the day would never be the same. A lot of former camp staff thought
visiting for the day would let them recapture the experience of
being at camp for the summer, but it never worked. A day never
equaled a summer. Jeremy knew that as well as she did.

For a moment, she
closed her eyes, admitting to herself in the privacy behind her own
eyelids that she didn
’
t think she
’
d enjoy camp nearly
as much if he wasn
’
t there. Second session last year
hadn
’
t been as much fun. A whole summer at Meira without him
would be
…
an adjustment. Or a bigger word than that. Not just an
adjustment for her. It would be incomplete.

Glenn thanked everyone once again, and Scott took
over the attention of the room.

“
If
there
’
s no more announcements, then I think it
’
s time to award the
first Meira Winter Camp color war crown
—”

“
Wait! I have one more thing.
”
Gen opened her eyes
and held up one hand.
“
Can I have three
minutes?
”

“
Take four,
”
Scott replied, gesturing at her to
continue.

Gen jumped behind the woodpile and dragged a
cardboard box out into the room. Jeremy moved to help her, but she
stopped him with a shake of her head.

“
Traditionally, we have camp shirts,
”
she said, dusting
her hands off on her ski pants.
“
And while
it
’
s
not T-shirt weather right now, unless you
’
re
Jeremy
—”

She glanced over at him and her mouth went dry. He
was holding his notebook and her phone, standing against the wall
of windows that looked out over the dying bonfire. His attention
was on her, that intense focus that felt as if he was touching
every part of her, all at once. She had to clear her throat before
she could continue.

“
Anyway, I hope you
’
ll take these home to
wear when it gets warmer, and maybe even bring them back next
summer.
”
Gen opened the box in front of her, the same one
she
’
d pulled out of the storage pit.
“
A word to the laundry
kings and queens in the room: these have not been set with a final
wash. So keep them away from heat. Wash cold, turn them inside out
and tumble dry low
—
or hang them on a line the first time,
okay?
”

She reached in and
lifted the top shirt, holding it up by the shoulder seams so
everyone could see it. It was a Camp Meira shirt, with the camp
logo on the chest where a pocket would be if it had one. Gen had
screen printed additional images onto the front, adding a menorah
with candles to the pine tree and campfire of the Meira logo. Above
the menorah it read,
We lit
the flames
…

The Gen turned the
shirt around so everyone could see the other side. A larger image
of a campfire filled the back, and the words around the image
read,
for next
summer
’
s bonfire! Meira Winter Camp 2014.

“
Nice. Limited edition, too.
”
Jeremy had moved to
stand next to her, and his proximity made her nervous. Which was
ridiculous, she told herself.

“
Handmade,
”
Gen added, handing out shirts to the adults.
Jeremy picked up the folded pile of children
’
s sizes to help her
distribute them. The parents were exclaiming about the lettering,
which was done in old-fashioned swoops and curls, as if each word
were made of ribbon. A few were asking Gen how
she
’
d managed to make them all so quickly.

“
Practice.
”
She checked sizes and made sure each adult had a
shirt that would fit them.

Scott took one from
the stack in Jeremy
’
s hands and held it in front of him.

“
This is terrific.
”

“
Thank you,
”
Gen said, glancing at him.

“
No,
thank you. You and Jeremy
—
this
was
…
this was really something else. I owe you
one.
”

“
One? Like an extra day off this summer?
”
Gen tried not to
look at Jeremy after she spoke, but she couldn
’
t
resist.

Scott raised one brow
while the corners of his lips quivered a bit.
“
Maybe. If you
don
’
t steal my golf cart.
”

“
Steal a golf cart? Impossible!
”
Jeremy tried to look
aghast, but his expression oversold the attempt.
“
I
—
Gen
would
never
do such a
thing.
”

Then Glenn tapped
Genevieve
’
s shoulder.

“
Did
you get a shirt, Glenn?
”

“
I
did, but I wanted to ask you something. How do you calculate the
winner? How much is each color war event worth?
”

Gen
’
s mouth opened, but
she didn
’
t know what to say. Color war event values were a closely
guarded secret, shared only with the people who ran color war each
summer. But Glenn was the boss.

Fortunately, Scott
came to her rescue.
“
Sorry, Glenn. We can
’
t tell.
It
’
s
a camp secret. But if you come this summer, and help us run color
war, we
’
ll tell you everything.
”

Glenn
’
s smile was immediate and very contagious.
“
I would
really like that, and I
’
ll make sure to clear
my calendar when you have the dates.
”

“
You
should definitely judge some of the events,
”
Jeremy said.
“
Oh! You
can set up the scavenger hunt! I
’
ll tell you all the
good hiding places.
”

“
There were things on that list that
couldn
’
t be found,
”
Scott added.
“
Where did you hide
everything? In the treetops?
”

“
Maybe.
”

Then Glenn turned to
Jeremy, a serious expression on his face.
“
That reminds me. I
know you
’
re not able to come back next summer, Jeremy, which is a
shame, but I do want to ask you a favor.
”

“
Sure.
”

“
How
do
you hot-wire a golf
cart?
”

Scott
’
s mouth dropped open, and Genevieve squeezed her lips
together to keep from laughing at his expression.