Page 55 of Savage Heart
I lean back on my hands, watching the flames, and listening to the laughter and chatter of the kids. The fire burns lower, and the marshmallow sugar crashes start hitting all at once.
Charlie claps her hands.
“All right, listen up, campers,” she says in her cheerful camp-director voice. “We’ve got Parents’ Weekend in forty-eight hours—that means our time together is almost up.”
The reaction is immediate.
Groans. Actual booing.
I notice that Linc is just looking around, watching the other kids’ reactions, but he doesn’t boo.
“You’ll get to show off everything you’ve learned. And you’ll all spend one night sleeping under the stars,” Charlie continues. “Your moms and dads right here on the ranch.”
One of the kids gasps. “They’re sleeping outside?”
“Yes,” Charlie says sweetly. “And before anyone asks—yes, we’re cleaning first.”
Silence. Then—“The whole ranch?”
“Remember last year? We made cleaning fun,” Charlie says. “Even if your parents weren’t coming, we’d be cleaning because camp is almost over.”
More boos.
Teddy chimes in. “This ranch has survived droughts, blizzards, and cattle stampedes. It will survive your parents.”
That gets a laugh.
Grady stands and dusts off his jeans. “Here’s the deal. Tomorrow we clean just enough so nobody thinks we live like feral animals.”
Charlie looks around the circle. “Bunkhouses, bathrooms, common areas . . .” She flips open her clipboard. “Tomorrow morning we’ll divide into teams. If I find mystery socks, abandoned boots, or anything that smells like it died in a corner—”
“Noooo,” someone cries.
“—I will personally assign latrine duty,” she finishes.
The kids groan again.
Teddy strums his guitar. “On the bright side, your parents will see how tough and capable you all are.”
“And happy,” Billie adds.
I can’t even begin to imagine how it’ll be with Iris staying overnight. This is the first year we’ve done this with the parents. Maybe she won’t come.
“I can’t wait for my mom to get here,” Linc says, like he’s reading my thoughts. “I hope she wants to ride.”
I hope she doesn’t. Lady mourned almost as much as I did when Iris stopped coming to the ranch. It’d probably be best if I don’t let her see Iris this time either, or she might not recover.
Billie: Is it over yet?
Charlie: We’re almost to the finish line
Cameron: Today nearly did me in
Me: Some of these kids have crazy skills tho
Grady: Agreed. I could use some of them as assistants, and the rest, I hope I never have to see again in my lifetime
Charlie: Crazy how some are just like their parents. Like Bobby Roy. Is he not the pint-sized twin of Millie Claire or what?
