Chapter Five
The first day of camp was officially in the books. And from where Daniel sat on the front porch of his office/sleeping quarters late Sunday evening, things were looking pretty good. Not only had the rain moved out, today’s indoor activities had been a huge success. Thanks in large part to Blythe.
She’d encouraged him to release control and allow others to help, resulting in a Welcome Roundup that was far better than anything he would have thought up on his own. It was a tradition he’d like to see continue. Never had he seen so many happy kids in one place. Campers and volunteers alike had played get-to-know-you games, taken part in a crazy team-building exercise involving Hula-Hoops, and indulged in s’mores and ice cream sundaes.
No doubt about it, Blythe was a creative genius. Daniel was more than impressed with the way she’d embraced not only her role as a camp companion, but the entire camp experience. He sure could use someone with her creativity on his team all the time.
Unfortunately, she’d only taken on the role as camp companion to help out. He couldn’t let himself forget the real reason she was here.
As overseer for the Ridley Foundation, the future of Camp Sneffels rested heavily in her hands. Would she fault him for not having something like the Welcome Roundup already in place?
Taking a sip from his can of ginger ale, he stared out over the darkened, now-quiet camp. And while he knew he should be asleep, too, he had too many thoughts running through his head, making sleep nearly impossible. So rather than tossing and turning, he’d decided to come outside and, hopefully, relax.
With the rain long gone, stars twinkled overhead, while a nearly full moon filtered through the pines, bathing the camp in a white glow. It didn’t get much more peaceful than this.
Leaning back in his camp chair, he closed his eyes. He needed to get some rest. Tomorrow was the first full day of camp, and he wanted to be a part of everything. To see the kids’ faces as they explored all the adventures Camp Sneffels had to offer. To share in their excitement and ease their trepidation.
The snap of a twig jerked him to attention. Wildlife of all kinds lived in this area. Everything from raccoons to elk to bears... No telling what was out there.
Peering into the shadows, he spotted a lone figure moving along the path. When his eyes finally focused, he said, “Blythe?”
Clad in yoga pants and a bulky sweatshirt, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Fists balled, she said, “Don’t ever do that again.” The words came through gritted teeth.
He bit back a snicker. “Would you rather I send a Morse code with my flashlight?” He clicked the pocket light on and off.
“Very funny.”
He stood from his chair and stepped off the small wooden porch to meet her. “Isn’t it kind of late to be out?” It had been after eleven when he crawled out of bed.
Exhaling a breath, she said, “I couldn’t sleep.”
“Welcome to the club.”
She smiled then. “Thought I’d get a cup of hot water from the chow hall and make some chamomile tea.” She held up a tea bag.
“Sorry, chow hall’s closed.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped.
“However, I have some cups and a small microwave in my office.”
She peered up at him, hopeful. “May I?”
“Sure.” He returned to the porch, holding the screen door as she stepped inside.
“What are you doing in your office so late?” Turning, she watched him as he followed.
“This isn’t just my office—it’s also where I sleep.” He continued toward the counter and retrieved a paper cup from the overhead cupboard. “I’ll be right back.” Shoving aside the curtain that separated his sleeping quarters from his office, he moved to the sink and filled the cup with water before rejoining her.
“No rest for the weary, huh?” Her brow puckered. “How come you don’t have your own cabin? Like the one you initially put me up in.”
“Well...” Wondering how much he should tell her, he placed the cup inside the microwave and punched a couple of buttons before facing her again. “Actually, that was my cabin.”
She looked confused. Then her eyes widened. “Wait, you gave me your cabin?”
“What else what I supposed to do? I didn’t think it was right to put you in the staff quarters. You’d have no privacy.”
“Oh, and you have privacy here? You work and sleep in the same place.”
He lifted his shoulders. “It’s not like I’m in here that much. When I am, it’s mostly in the evenings, so I don’t have far to go to stumble into bed.”
There was an air of suspicion about her as she continued to watch him. “Except I’m not in your cabin anymore.”
“Like I said, this just makes things easier.”
The timer beeped.
She held up a hand. “I’ll get it.”
“I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done,” he said as she pulled her cup from the microwave. “Not only for volunteering to be a camp companion, but for helping put together what I think was an amazingly successful Welcome Roundup.” He rubbed the back of his neck, which still felt weird with his hair so short. “Honestly, there’s no way I could have pulled that off on my own. Thanks for encouraging me to include the others in the planning process.”
“Things did work out quite well.” She tore open the tea packet and plunged the bag into the hot water. “Although, I should probably be thanking you.”
“Why?”
She wrapped her long fingers around the cup and held on to it like a lifeline. “Because it’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun.”
His brow lifted. “Even the zip-lining?”
She puffed out a laugh. “Especially the zip-lining. Terrifying as it was, I found it very freeing.”
“How so?”
She was quiet for a long moment, as though carefully choosing her words. Finally, she leaned her backside against the counter. “I was diagnosed with lymphoma just after my thirteenth birthday.”
Her words hit him more strongly than any physical blow and had him taking a step back until he bumped into the desk. “You had cancer?”
“I did.” She blew into the steaming liquid. “As a result, my already overprotective parents became even more so.” Lowering the cup, she continued. “When that happens, the kids either become huge risk takers or they become like their parents. And, for the most part, that’s the route I took.”
“The safe one.”
She nodded.
“No wonder you were so hesitant when we did the team-building exercises.” He shoved a hand through his hair, feeling like the biggest jerk in the world. “And getting up on that zip line platform must have been a major feat for you.”
Those amazing eyes homed in on him. “I told you I was afraid of heights.”
“Wow.” He really was a jerk. Feeling as though he’d lost whatever strength he might have had, he sank into his office chair. “I am so sorry, Blythe.” He met her gaze. “As an adventurer to the core, I sometimes forget that not everyone is like me.”
“No need for apologies.” She started toward him, just close enough to toss her spent tea bag into the wastebasket beside the desk. “Because something happened to me when I was alone on that platform. That young girl who’d once been so trusting and fearless made herself known again. And I can’t tell you how good it felt.”
“Kind of freeing?”
“Yes. Like it was okay to trust in something or someone besides myself.”
“You know, the Bible tells us to put our trust in God, not ourselves.”
“Something easier said than done.”
“That’s where faith comes in.” He found himself grinning then. “Who was it who asked me where my faith was earlier today?”
That made her laugh. “It was me.”
<
br /> “Mm-hmm. And look how that turned out.”
“All right, point taken.” Her slight smile warmed his heart.
“Good. Now, why don’t I walk you back to your cabin.” He moved toward the door and held it open. “Because if we don’t get some sleep soon, we’re both going to be hating life tomorrow.”
* * *
Under a breathtaking blue sky, Blythe held the hands of the two campers who had been entrusted to her care as they moved along the pine-needle-covered path through the woods, headed for Adventure Haven Tuesday afternoon. What a glorious day for an adventure.
Blythe could hardly believe those words had crossed her mind. A week ago, they wouldn’t have. But between the awe-inspiring mountain views, serene meadows and idyllic forests of Camp Sneffels, her way of thinking had been transformed. Add in Daniel’s little pep talk about trusting in God, and she’d been forced to take a hard look at herself.
She’d gone to sleep Sunday night thinking of Peter in the Bible. How he’d been able to walk on water so long as he kept his eyes on Jesus. When he focused on the storm raging around him, he began to sink.
Blythe had a habit of focusing on life’s storms—or the potential thereof. Yet, she was beginning to see just how much more abundant life could be when her eyes were fixed on God.
Again, she took in her surroundings. She couldn’t imagine growing up in such a place, yet Daniel had done just that, not far from here, on a ranch outside of the town of Ouray, surrounded by more adventures than she could ever imagine—all of which he’d taken full advantage of, apparently.
It seemed his life had been the antithesis of hers. While she was sheltered, he’d been free to explore just about everything nature had to offer—white water rafting, ice climbing, mountain climbing... Even now, she found it difficult to wrap her brain around such a lifestyle. And that his parents actually let him do all of that.
The man was fearless.
Now, it was her turn to indulge in all of those adventures she’d never had the chance to participate in before. And she was having the time of her life. It was as though she was reliving her one and only summer camp experience. Except this time, she was getting to participate in the fun and adventure that the other camp had failed to deliver.
With the sounds of happy children echoing throughout Adventure Haven, she looked from nine-year-old Chloe on her right to eight-year-old Evie on her left. Yesterday, their first full day of camp, they had conquered the challenge course and dominated canoeing. This morning they’d rocked horseback riding with Daniel’s big brother Noah. Now that rest time was over, it was on to the next adventure.
“Are you girls ready to give the zip line a try?” She peered down at their sweet faces.
“Yes!” Chloe, who wore a pink scarf over her barely there blond hair, didn’t even hesitate.
Little Evie, though, had a much more subdued reaction. “I don’t know.”
“Tell you what.” Blythe crouched beside the girl with short golden-brown hair. “Let’s just go have a look at it. Maybe that will help you decide.”
Pushing her tortoise-shell glasses farther up her nose, she looked from Blythe to Chloe, seemingly pondering the suggestion. After a moment, she said, “We can go look.”
The camp had two zip lines. A larger one and a smaller one. Since Chloe and Evie were both on the petite side, Blythe steered them toward the smaller, less intimidating version.
As they approached, they heard the whoops and hollers of other campers as they zoomed through the trees between the platforms.
Still holding their hands, Blythe looked from one girl to the other. “Sounds like everyone’s enjoying themselves.”
“This is going to be so awesome.” The anticipation in Chloe’s voice was impossible to miss.
Evie, however, stopped in her tracks as they neared the tower.
Sun peeked through the rustling leaves overhead as Blythe studied the child. Apprehension filled Evie’s light brown eyes, which was something Blythe was all too familiar with. Still, she wasn’t sure how she should handle this situation.
Then she remembered what Daniel had said when they were up on the platform and she asked him what they did if a child didn’t want to participate.
We give them a pep talk. Encourage them to give it a try. But we’re not going to make them do anything.
Of all people, Blythe should know how to be sensitive to Evie’s fear.
She knelt to the girl’s level. “Evie, I know exactly how you’re feeling, because until a few days ago, I felt the same way. I went up on that platform, and I was scared.”
The girl looked at her, her bottom lip protruding slightly.
“But once I saw someone else do it and how much they enjoyed it, I decided it might be worth giving it a try. And you know what?”
“What?”
“I felt like I was flying. It was so much fun. They gave me a harness to wear and a helmet, so I was nice and safe. Now I can’t wait to do it again.” She paused, allowing a moment for her words to sink in. “So, what do you say?”
Evie shook her head.
Chloe stepped in then. “Why don’t we just go up on the platform and look around? That would be okay, wouldn’t it, Evie?”
The eight-year-old considered her friend’s question for a moment. “I guess so.” She took hold of Chloe’s extended hand, and the two of them raced up the wooden ramp that led to the platform. They were moving so fast that Blythe practically had to run to keep up with them. Surprising, given Evie’s trepidation.
“Good afternoon, ladies.” Daniel greeted them on the platform.
Blythe hadn’t expected to run into him. “What are you doing here?”
“Just filling in for Ian while he runs an errand.”
“Oh.” Something about his easy smile and rugged good looks seemed to mess with her mind, stirring up a litany of starry-eyed scenarios. None of which she should be having, about him or anyone else. That wasn’t like her.
Add that to the growing list of strange things she’d done since arriving at Camp Sneffels. Her little heart-to-heart with Daniel two nights ago had definitely been unexpected. She didn’t make a habit of telling people about her cancer. It was done, over with, a thing of the past. Yet there she’d stood in his office, not only spilling her guts about her cancer but gushing about how being here had changed her. Even if it was true, she wasn’t used to opening herself up like that.
“Are you ready for some zip-lining?” he continued.
“We’re just checking things out,” said Chloe. “See if we think it might be fun, right Evie?”
Blythe smiled at the older girl, appreciating the fact that she didn’t belittle her friend, but acknowledged her trepidation as something that was perfectly okay. Which it was, but some kids wouldn’t have reacted that way.
“Well, let me explain to you girls how this works.” In the shade of an aspen tree, Daniel proceeded to walk the girls through each of the steps, the same way he’d done with Blythe on Saturday.
When he finished, Chloe looked at her friend. “What do you think, Evie?”
The younger girl remained quiet, her gaze lowering.
Blythe could see the disappointment in Chloe’s eyes when she looked up at Daniel and said, “Maybe another day.”
Evie jerked her head up to face her friend. “You can do it, Chloe.”
“No, it won’t be as fun without you,” she responded.
Blythe’s heart practically puddled right there. She exchanged a look with Daniel, knowing they’d just witnessed something pretty special. The selfless act of a friend.
Watching Evie, Blythe could tell she didn’t want her friend to be disappointed. Now she was trying to muster the courage to rise to the occasion.
Come on, Evie. You can do it.
After a long moment, Evie squared her shoulders and smile
d at her friend. “Let’s do this.”
“All right, let’s get you geared up, then,” said Daniel.
While he rigged up Evie, Blythe assisted Chloe. “That was a very nice thing you did. Putting your friend before yourself, understanding that it’s okay for her to be nervous.”
The sweet little blonde shrugged. “That’s what friends do. Good or bad, they look out for each other.”
Blythe simply stared at the girl, feeling as though she’d be thrust into the past. Miranda had once said those same words to her. And in that moment, Blythe realized that keeping her heart closed off to this child was a losing battle.
Chapter Six
Despite all of the adventures he’d taken part in all over the globe, Daniel had never been more invigorated than he was right now. From the top of the zip line platform, he watched campers running to and fro, their laughter washing over him like a refreshing waterfall on a hot summer’s day. They were having the time of their young lives. Exactly what he’d hoped to achieve when he’d first envisioned this camp. Here, they weren’t cancer patients. They were simply kids.
Looking across the expanse to the opposite platform, he saw Chloe and Evie wearing huge smiles as they high-fived each other after their zip line adventure. And there was Blythe, right beside them. She hadn’t needed any coaxing this time. Instead, she’d propelled herself off the platform without the slightest hesitation.
“Thanks, boss.” Ian, one of his college-age volunteers, moved beside Daniel, ready to resume his duties at the zip line.
“You get everything taken care of?” Daniel removed his safety harness.
“Yes, sir.”
“Good deal.” He started down the ramp. “We’ll see you at dinner.”
Approaching the bottom of the ramp, he spotted Blythe and the girls coming his way. Considering that he’d been hoping to spend a couple minutes with Blythe, he was more than grateful Ian had returned when he did.
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