by Leanne Davis
The girl then said one night, “You must be really stupid if this is the only job you could get.”
Cami didn’t even lift her head up. “No. I’m not stupid.”
“Dolly Do-gooder then? Trying to make yourself feel good by helping all the sad, little, poor kids.”
“Yup, you got it.” Cami flipped the next page.
“You’re wasting your time, you know. You can’t really do any good for anyone.”
“Then you won’t mind if I continue reading this in peace,” Cami replied, keeping her tone pleasant and her face down as if she were still reading without even giving the girl a blink.
Annoyed, the girl flounced off. Cami learned the black girl’s name was Samantha. She went by Sammy and had no family. Working as a prostitute for drugs, someone found her and brought her to the shelter where she was now a permanent resident and had been for a year. Sammy became a frequent visitor, verbally accosting Cami in one way or another. Cami didn’t react to her bait, not even once. It became a dance that Cami started to almost look forward to. It was so routine that after a few weeks, it was part of her day. Towards the end of the third month, Sammy suddenly announced, “I’m going to have a baby.”
Cami made sure to have a magazine with her to read during the hour she figured Sammy would come to seek her company and interaction. “Oh, yeah? That’s nice. What are you going to name it?”
“Aren’t you shocked? I’m only fourteen.”
She yawned. “Well, I was twelve when I got pregnant, so no, not at all.”
“Twelve. You had a baby at age twelve?”
“No.” Calmly taking a sip of the soft drink next to her, Cami explained, “I was twelve when I got pregnant. I was thirteen when my mother drugged me and while I was passed out, she had someone perform an abortion on me. But at least it wasn’t a dirty, back street abortionist. That’s why I didn’t die or get an infection or anything.”
Sammy’s eyes were as big as quarters by the end of her speech. Cami lifted her head and smiled politely before she continued reading her magazine.
“You… you kind of get this stuff?”
“What? This shelter? Yes. I wish I had access to it until I was thirteen. I was lucky when my mother died. Best thing that ever happened to me…”
Cami started to tell Sammy about her life with AJ and Kate, the Rydells, the ranch and resort, and Charlie. Over the next several months, she wove lots of adventures into her story for Sammy and in exchange, Sammy slowly opened up to her.
“What’s the horseback riding like? I’ve never done anything like that.”
Cami smiled and told her. She described the land that rolled so far in so many directions, you couldn’t see the end of it. At night, the land is so quiet and rural, you could count the few lights you see on one hand. Cami learned that Sammy wasn’t really pregnant either. She just liked to tell a good story and grab the attention for a while.
Cami also realized, to her astonishment, she was the one Sammy wanted to impress the most. She was the one Sammy longed to get the attention from. It was a pivotal moment for Cami. She could help someone else. She could inspire someone else to become different and better, showing them a small glimmer of hope despite wherever they were now. Cami recalled how insignificant she felt when she was all alone and powerless. With no adults around to protect or go to combat for her, she understood how easy it was to fall down and make negative choices because there was no reason or motivation not to. For once, Cami just might have been the one to provide that motivation. To make that difference. To rekindle that hope.
Life was changing for Cami Reed and for those around her too.
Chapter Fourteen
CAMI WENT HOME EVERY few weeks, whenever she had two days off in a row. The employee vacation days were on a rotation basis. One time, while visiting, Cami approached the barns where she found Jack working with a horse. The poor animal seemed to be very upset and was bucking and rearing up alternatively. Its dangerous forelegs were pedaling furiously, like a windmill. Finally, both the horse and Jack seemed too worn out to continue and they took a breather at the same time.
“Why is that horse so crazy?” Cami asked Jack.
“You would be too if you were trapped for months on end in a barn.”
“Oh, is that one of your rescue horses? What happened to it?”
“Some remnant of grisly human waste decided to keep the horse in a dark barn without food or exercise. I can’t figure it out. He was starved, matted with waste and up to his knees in excrement, his skin is coated in general filth, and he’s wasting away from disuse. His hooves went untrimmed and unused for so long, he couldn’t even walk, and they still need more trimming. The condition of this horse was simply disgusting. I can’t even fathom how anyone could do that to such a beautiful animal.”
Cami grimaced. “It sounds almost as bad as the stories of some of the kids I work with…” Cami replied before she started talking about Sammy, Julio, and Janine. When she finally finished, she smiled at Jack apologetically with a shrug. “Sorry, they just—”
“Awoke something in you?”
“Yes.”
“It’s so great to see you, Cami, and to hear you doing so well. We all worried about you and how you struggled after…”
She shrugged. “Yes, well, ironically, my former history gave me a lot of street cred with these kids. I relate to them and I might not have been able to without experiencing it myself. And since I’m barely older than most of the kids there, I think they consider me one of them. I don’t know, but I have a new appreciation for how I ended up.”
“You ever consider bringing some of the kids over here?”
“Here?” Frowning, Cami stared with confusion at Jack.
“Yeah. Here. We could reserve some of the cabins and you could bring some of those kids here for a… I don’t know, a summer camp or the equivalent. They could learn how to ride the horses, and work with the ones in need… you know, just to get out of the city. Lots of city kids have never experienced nature and probably couldn’t imagine anything like this place. It might give them a new perspective, a spark of hope, a chance to see a new way of life. And you always refer to them as your kids so why not?”
Cami all but launched herself at Jack in her haste to hug him. “Yes. Yes, oh, my God. Yes.”
Jack stepped back and smiled, a pale reflection of Cami’s heart-soaring jubilation. “You like my idea then?”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking about when Sammy and some of the others asked me to tell them more stories about this place. They love my stories, even if they are more like fairy tales for them. They can’t take vacations or go to new places and for most of them, the concept never even crossed their minds. I certainly never knew a place like this existed, not until I found my dad. So the offer and generosity of providing that for these teens is nothing less than inspiring. Oh, Jack. I’m sure the shelter will help defray the costs involved and—”
“Maybe we could help raise the funds here. Set up some kind of ‘stay at our resort’ or ‘take a horse ride with us’ and reserve a portion of the profits for the camp… our camp, Cami. But we’ll have to work hard and fast if we expect to make something happen this summer.”
“I want to more than anything, Jack.”
“Me too,” he grinned. A bright sparkle made his eyes shine with excitement. Something Cami hadn’t seen in a while.
“I have no idea where to start.”
“Lucky for you, I do. But I’ll need a lot of help.”
Jack put his hand out to shake hers and they shook with a nod and a smile. “You got it, Jack.”
“Let me put Thunder away before we sit down and make a list. We have to figure out the logistics: what we need, and the best way to start…. I don’t know, let’s dream big and see what we come up with.”
“Shall I meet you at your house?”
“All right. See you in a few.”
They met at Jack’s house and discussed all the activ
ities and necessary sleeping arrangements. The huge list seemed to go on and on. Half of it was either unfeasible or too complicated to be scheduled so quickly in the near future, but it was a good start.
“This will enrich these kids’ lives. Expanding their horizons in so many ways and experiences they might not have otherwise. I’ve never had anything to offer them.”
Jack paused and looked at her as they were finishing up. Cami flushed and dropped her head. “You sound an awful lot like my wife when she used to talk about herself.”
“Erin? Because of her learning disability?”
“Yes. Different root causes, but the same lack of self-confidence and pride.”
She nodded. “Yes, that rings pretty true.”
“Well, you should know this then: Cami, just your being here has been a blessing to all of us. I can only imagine how miserable my son would be without you in his life.”
Cami flushed and smiled. “Yes, but you’re mostly proud of what he’s accomplished and where he’s at right now.”
“Yes, I won’t deny that. But I’m also very proud of the relationship you two share. I’ve seen how much you both care about each other. That's richer than anything you can buy. But I know what you mean. I always wanted to do something… something more than I have done. I was born and raised here, and so privileged. Believe me, now I see that more than ever before. And yet, aside from giving money to charity, which we all do, I’ve wanted to do something more fulfilling. Rescuing the abused and injured horses has finally provided that for me. But doing what you’re suggesting could be so uplifting for all who might be involved.”
They shared a smile. “We’ll do it.”
When Cami left Jack, her heart was bursting with excitement as she rushed over to her parents’ house.
“You’ll never guess what I’m going to help organize.”
A sense of accomplishment and pride elated her. She loved what she was doing and being. For once, she wasn’t just waiting around for Charlie to return so she could restart her life. Being so busy with her night hours at the Shield Shelter, she never could get enough sleep. The plans for a future camp were a full-time job, too. There was much to arrange, including acquiring official permission and getting a list of the state’s requirements for such a venture. Everything had to be legal, too, and required a certain type of insurance as well as other unexpected costs, should anything go terribly wrong. Their first step was meeting with a lawyer. Cami quickly learned how valuable the Rydell support was, since there was no way this could have ever happened otherwise. It was a staggering investment compared to her hourly wage.
“Are you okay with that?” she asked Jack. She was stunned by the high costs involved after their first meeting with the lawyer.
“You’ll gradually get more comfortable with the numbers. You have any idea what the enterprise that your dad runs costs?”
“What do you mean?” Cami scrunched her face up in puzzlement.
“The orchards he manages and the fields he looks after? They represent a substantial asset and expense. Really big numbers. All of it is totally under your dad’s supervision. Just pointing it out. You’ll eventually get much more comfortable as you become used to it.”
And Cami did get better at it. She created spreadsheets to keep track of all the expected, as well as the unexpected, expenditures along with the set-up costs, and the insurance, taxes, and licensing. The maze of red tape seemed endless. But the more Cami managed to accomplish, the more confident she became. She finally presented the proposal she and Jack devised to Kianna. Kianna nearly fell off her chair, she was so thrilled and astonished to hear what Cami suggested.
“This…” Kianna could not finish her sentence. “I had a feeling about you, Cami Reed, but this is so far over and above and beyond. It would be the most thrilling and amazing adventure. I can’t begin to imagine the smiles on all their faces, being able to experience something so amazing and positive and nurturing to the soul. Thank you. For…”
“Whoa. We haven’t pulled it off yet. Hold off with your thanks until the day when we are ready to open the camp, okay?”
Kianna nodded, pressing her lips together and shaking Cami’s hand. “Agreed. Now what can I do to help?”
“Probably lots more than I can. I know how to coordinate with the necessary agencies and non-profit groups, but you have a lot more experience with the whole system and the players. So, I don’t know how to ask this, but have you got any rich donors?”
“Some. And I also know a few successful fundraisers.”
“I think we’ll need them all.” They exchanged happy grins before sitting down and starting a new list. Weekly meetings soon became necessary to discuss the numbers involved, as well as the more mundane tasks of how much food to buy, and all the other items that were needed. They also needed a way to transport all the kids there. The logistics were doable. It wasn’t long before Kianna visited the ranch. She couldn’t wait to see it and meet Jack. Her eyes grew huge as she stood at the gate, staring over the long, wide pastures of grazing horses and white fencing, alfalfa fields, and picturesque outbuildings. Even Cami paused to take it in. She was used to it but could never take it for granted.
“You call this slice of paradise your home?”
“No. I call that over there my home,” Cami replied as she pointed to AJ and Kate’s house beyond the gate. It seemed rather ordinary: a modest, two-story farmhouse on two acres of newly-planted trees and green grass. “This ranch, however, is my boyfriend’s home. I have free use and access to it at all times and yes, before you ask, it’s pretty spectacular.”
“And the owners are really offering us this place at no cost at all? I imagine they could charge a rather hefty price, whatever they chose, really, if they wanted to.”
“No. The only costs are as we discussed: food and incidentals, but the rooms, the grounds and most of the activities, including the horses, are being provided by the Rydells. Jack offered use of the horses and a chance to care for them on the ranch’s dime, but looking after all the needs of the kids requires the assistance of Shield Shelter. However, I think we can work things out.”
Kianna shook her head. “This is incredible. I can’t wait to tell the children and foster parents.”
Cami smiled, staring out. “Neither can I. Come on, let me show you around, including all the new facilities and food prep areas. Plus, I know you’re dying to meet Jack and the horses. You’ll never forget them.” Together Cami and Kianna went, adding items to their lists and exploring the entire ranch and resort inside and out. They tried to include every possible hidden cost to work it into the budget they needed to formulate. Then they would put together a proposal for any potential backers. They also had to prepare a formal presentation for business ventures in the local area of the shelter and all around River’s End.
Kianna had a diverse background. Community organizing was a major part of it. She earned two degrees: a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in social services. She knew countless contacts in the community, after seeking their services and recruiting volunteers, including businesses and organizations who were inspired to help in a more philanthropic way. Kianna was a key player in making it all happen, while Cami was the intermediary, linking her to Jack. The work to prepare for the camp occupied many hours and Cami could only do it on the side. It was like working at another full-time job. After clocking out from the graveyard shift, Cami slept in until the early afternoon. Then she dealt with any issues regarding the camp, working all afternoon and into the evening. The level of leadership, responsibility and decision-making that were required became a challenge at times. It was a fast learning curve and she received little to no mentoring. Kianna helped with some of her questions, but almost everything Cami had to do was new to her and there was no advice manual for it.
The rest of her time was mostly spent bonding with the teens and other residents in the house. Cami had to maintain a relationship while keeping some professional distance, a
n artful skill which compelled her to seek advice from Kianna. Kianna was a trained counselor and she often helped Cami find her own solutions to best assist the teens and at-risk youth she wanted to help. She wasn’t all cuddly or sorry for them. A strict sense of guidance and boundaries, as well as rules and accountability were stressed more than not. It was exhausting at times, and Cami doubted just about every single interaction she had. She would often discuss them with Kianna to analyze what she did right and wrong, learning a bit from each situation, which prepared her and gave her more confidence for the next encounter.
Often in the course of their discussions, Cami revealed memories of her childhood. They started to come out slowly, bit by small bit, and Cami gradually opened up and talked to Kianna about it. First, as an employee to her employer, but later, she considered Kianna more of a mentor than her employer. Eventually, she became more of a counselor and Cami became more of a patient. Cami never considered what counseling could do for her, but after observing how much the teens benefited from it, she started to realize how valuable it was. The only difference between the homeless residents of the house and her was her good luck. That was the game-changer. Lucky for Cami that AJ Reed was her biological father and her stepmother was Kate. All the other factors faded since it was really just the luck of the draw. That was all that separated her from the minimal existences of the many she tried to help. Some were so troubled and lost, suffering from neglect, disease, and substance abuse, fleeing abusive relationships, addicted to drugs and unwanted pregnancy. The list of screw-ups and problems just went on and on.
But now, Cami was part of the solution.
The sacrifice for Cami, however, was her time. She barely had enough of it to speak to Charlie and even that was made difficult with the time difference of ten hours. When Charlie was up in the morning, Cami was leaving for work, and vice versa. They tried to connect, but more often than not, Cami was interrupted by urgent calls she had to take. When she found the time to contact him, her time frame clashed with Charlie’s again. Usually, it just didn’t happen.
