Nope! It was exciting!
Mom gave me a “look,” which meant she didn’t think it was exciting. There had been, in fact, several phone calls between my parents and the camp about me and the horse named Jolie, but she was going to let it go—for now. She continued her questions.
“Did you make new friends?”
Yes.
“Are you glad you came? Would you like to go back next summer?”
I put Elvira on speaker. “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.”
I wished I had more words to explain it all. But we’d have time in the car. I was definitely keeping Elvira in the seat with me.
I waved Trinity over. She held out her hand to shake, but instead Mom gave Trinity the biggest hug ever! “I—we—can’t thank you enough for taking such good care of our girl,” Mom blubbered. Yep, tears already.
Did I see Trinity wiping a tear as well? Gah! So she was gonna miss me! And yeah, I’d never ever forget her.
“I have seriously enjoyed getting to know Melody this week, Mrs. Brooks,” Trinity said. “She is truly a gem and a delight!”
Just then Cassie’s voice reverberated out of the same megaphone she’d used during game day. “To all campers and their families, we will begin our closing program in just a few minutes. Please join us around the fire pit!”
CHAPTER 47
Even though it was morning, a fire in the center pit burned brightly. I felt like it was probably a little insulted, saying like, You expect me to perform in the sunshine like this? I had to laugh at myself.
It felt weird sitting around a blazing fire in the morning rather than at night, but it felt so good to have my family sitting here with me! I looked at all the kids and their parents gathered around, and I felt grateful all of a sudden—folks doing these camps all summer so that kids like me, Karyn, Jocelyn, Athena… Noah… could go to camp just like any other kid.
I glanced at the group sitting across from us. Noah sat with two adults who had to be his parents, and a man who looked like Santiago’s twin—just much larger—had to be his dad. Santiago caught my eye and waved. And so did Noah.
Mom whispered, “Friends of yours?”
I touched yes on my board. Twice.
Mom gave my shoulder a happy little squeeze.
On the speakers—I couldn’t believe it—was that song, “Wings.” Noah’s eyes met mine just as Penny, who sat on Dad’s lap looking every which way, asked VERY loudly, “Wow, Dee-Dee. Are these people all your friends?”
And I typed the truth. “Yes, they are!”
Cassie, baseball cap on, walked up to a podium that I hadn’t seen before. It was time. “Welcome, parents, friends, and caregivers! We are so glad you are here to share with us our final activity at Camp Green Glades. Oh, and we’re also glad you decided to show up to retrieve your campers!”
Little murmurs of laughter followed.
“Camp Green Glades,” Cassie continued, “is so very proud to introduce you to this week’s graduates!”
Whoops and hoorays!
“During our week here, we made friends, created art, learned music, rode horses, cruised on a boat, zipped on a line, and hiked in the woods. We learned more about snakes—and skunks—than we wanted to.” She paused as we all cracked up. “But Cleopatra safely found her way home, and Stinky left us a message we’ll never forget!”
Now everyone was flat-out laughing.
Cassie continued. “We sang songs, played Balloon Ball, and yes, we danced!”
She got a lot of whoops for that.
Mom whispered, “You danced, Melody?”
Yep!
Mom’s mouth fell open.
“And we want you to know,” Cassie continued, “that we have treasured sharing this week with your loved ones. The trophies and certificates they are about to receive show their growth and success.”
Now Dad whispered, “You’re getting a trophy, my Melody?”
I tapped, Of course! Well, I hoped I was.
To be honest, as I looked at the lineup of little gold trophies on the table behind Cassie, it was clear that everybody would receive one. Yeah—because we rock!
“We will call the names in alphabetical order by cabin,” Cassie explained, “and counselors will give their campers their awards.”
She opened the folder she held in her hand and paused, I guess for dramatic effect, then shouted, “Let the ceremony begin!” She nodded to Sage, who began playing the song called “Pomp and Circumstance.”
Last year, when we went to my cousin’s high school graduation, Mom cried when that song played. She basically boo-hooed through the whole thing. So as soon as the first few notes of the graduation song played, Mom was already fishing under the seat for a tissue, sniffling.
Dum, da de da dum dum, dum, da de da dum.
I didn’t laugh. I know what any graduation for me meant to her, but that music playing for me today had to really touch her heart. She was going to really lose it when I graduated from high school!
Jeremiah came up first. “What can I say? If every group of guys was as cool as my group, I’d be a counselor year-round.”
His campers belted out, “Panthers! Panthers!”
Jeremiah shook his head in a way that said quit it and I love you guys at the same time, and continued. “Our first graduate is a young man who showed strength and fortitude and mighty slick dance skills! Congratulations, Noah Abercrombie!”
Noah, wearing a crisp new Panthers T-shirt, waved to the crowd as he bopped up to the front on his walker.
I slapped my hands together as best I could. I made Elvira shout, “Yay.” Several times. At maximum volume.
I looked over at Mom, who was looking at me. Her face was a question mark. Mine was a blushing grin.
CHAPTER 48
Noah got more applause as he returned to his seat, catching my eye as he did.
Jeremiah then gave certificates and trophies to the rest of his crew. Malik threw candy to the crowd, even as his mother laughed and scolded, “Now, stop that, son!”