by Gina Ardito
“Sorry, Mom. I was… “ Cami pulled back and looked at the hardwood floor. She wasn’t confident in what she needed to say. The minute she said anything, the anger would return to her mom’s face.
So, why say it? Why not wait a few days? Maybe a week? A month sounds better.
Her mother was a great woman. Everyone loved her rosy disposition and kind eyes. But when she was angry, her temper could ignite a sodden field.
Cami met her mom’s eyes. She knew there was no way she could wait a minute more. She had to tell her now. “As you know, I’ve been praying for months for a way to afford college.”
Her mom crossed her arms in preparation for battle.
“A few weeks ago, a man came to our school and offered me a way to pay for school.” Her stomach flipped. Just breathe. She turned away and sat against the blue-gingham sofa. Her mom’s insistent stare made Cami sink lower into the cushions. “Please don’t be mad at me.”
Her mom stepped forward. “What have you done, Camilla?”
She swallowed. “I joined the Army.”
Her mom blinked. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I just came from the Department of Defense office. I, um, joined the Army.”
She shook her head. “No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I did.”
“That’s not possible.” Her mom swatted at the air and turned for the kitchen. “You’re only eighteen years old. You couldn’t have possibly joined anything.”
Cami tracked her mother into the kitchen. “I signed on the dotted line less than an hour ago. I have orders that officially make me Beatle Bailey.” She laughed. “Or Private Benjamin, depending if you count my huge wardrobe and manicured nails.” Cami spanned her fingers in the air and grinned.
Her mom reached into the refrigerator crisper and pulled out several bags of fresh vegetables. “Whatever you think you did, you can fix it in the morning. Right now, I need you to go upstairs and wash up for dinner. Your dad will be home soon.” She placed a head of lettuce under the faucet and busied herself with its final shower.
Cami twisted a strand of her curly, golden hair around her finger and sucked in her lower lip. “Mom, I leave next Tuesday.”
“No, you don’t. Your father won’t have it.” Her mom switched to stuffing a naked chicken with wild rice and oranges from a pot on the stove.
Cami’s eyes watered, she didn’t trust her voice. She took a deep breath. “I’m afraid he won’t have a say in the matter. I’m an adult and have signed my rights away. Nothing Dad or you say will change the fact I’m leaving San Diego on Tuesday.” Cami turned on her heel and ran down the hall and up the stairs to her room. She was prepared for her mom to be angry. Anger Cami could fight. Denial was like battling a ghost.
She flopped on the bed and snatched the phone from her nightstand. She wanted to call Trevor. Wait. The anger Cami hadn’t received from her mom would definitely be furnished by her boyfriend. She stared at the phone a moment before dialing. Maybe she’d be wrong.
“Hello?” Trevor said.
“Hi, honey.” Cami rolled onto her back and stared at the U2 poster on the ceiling.
“Cami? I’m glad you called. I just got a weird call from your mom. She said something about talking sense into you.”
“She told you?”
“Told me what? She just called and said, ‘Trevor, call Cami and talk sense into her.’ And then hung up. What’s she talking about?”
Cami sighed. Maybe she shouldn’t have called him so soon. She wasn’t in the mood for his wrath. Perhaps she could prolong the news. “How about we meet for coffee? I’d rather tell you in person.”
A long pause greeted her.
“Trevor?”
“Okay, tonight at nine. Should I pick you up?”
Cami twirled the phone cord around her index finger. She didn’t know how it would go and she didn’t want to end up walking home. “No, I’ll just meet you.”
“Okay, see you at the Corner Coffee at nine. Love you.” Trevor hung up before she could respond, “Me, too.”
She placed the receiver down and grabbed her favorite stuffed frog from under her head. The Pepto-Bismol pink walls seemed to close in on her. Her best friend had told her it was a bad idea to paint them such a bright color. Right now, Cami agreed.
“Oh, Lord. Help me.” He’s going to be mad.
****
Cami sat at the table nursing a sugar-free vanilla latte and a sour stomach. Trevor stared at her with his hazel eyes, obviously waiting for the missile to be launched. She pasted a smile on her face and babbled on about useless information. She told him about her final grades, a dress she’d just bought, and about the way the clutch on her “new” Mustang stuck-anything to avoid the real reason for their meeting.
“Cami, please. Enough!”
“What?”
“Tell me why your mom was so worried. Why’d she call me?” He leaned in. “And I don’t want you to tell me it’s the way you cut your hair or the nail polish you used on your toes. I want the truth.”
Cami took a deep breath. Here goes everything. She didn’t want to look him in the eye and risk seeing the disappointment that would follow her announcement. Focused on her lap, she started, “I don’t want you to be mad, but remember when you told me to get a job. Well, I got one.”
“That’s what this is all about? A job?” Trevor laughed and took a sip of his coffee. “How bad can it be? You’re not doing anything illegal, right?”
She scowled. “Of course not!”
“Then let’s hear it. I doubt I’ll be mad.” He raised his cup and drained the contents into his mouth.
“I enlisted in the Army.”
Luke warm mocha sprayed through his lips all over Cami and the table.
She sputtered and ran for napkins, grateful to get away for a moment. She looked back at him. His eyes were locked on her position. With hesitation, she returned to the table. “So, you’re mad?” She wiped her face and shirt.
Trevor snatched one of the napkins from her hand and dabbed his mouth. His defined jaw was tense, his tan skin red. “Mad?” he said with a forced calmness. “I don’t know if mad is the right word.” He glowered at her. “Sit down, Cami!”
Here it came.
“What would possess you do something so stupid?”
Yeah, he was angry.
“Mom, Dad, my guidance counselor, even you...” She pointed at him. “You were all on my case to get a job to pay for school. I needed money for college and they offered me the G.I. Bill. Now, I have the money issue under control.”
Trevor ran a hand through his short brown hair and sighed. “That isn’t what I meant.”
“I know.”
“Why now, Cami? We were supposed to get married next year. That’s going to be kind of hard with you living in the Middle East.”
She coughed. “I’m not going to the Middle East.” A thought she wouldn’t allow herself to consider. She wasn’t joining the military to fight, but to go to college.
“You don’t know that,” he said. He looked around the room for a moment. “You’re now their property. Not mine.”
She sighed and reached for his hand. “Look, we can still get married. Maybe it won’t happen next year, but why not? You can always join me where ever I’m stationed.” She tried to smile, but probably just looked in pain. “And it won’t be Iraq or Afghanistan. Or anywhere dangerous. I asked for stateside.”
“That’s not how it works,” Trevor said. “I’m supposed to get a job, and you’re supposed to come with me.”
She pulled her hand away and glared at him. “What a piggy thing to say.”
“Look, I’m sorry. But you were wrong to go off and make such a big decision without consulting me. We’re supposed to be engaged.”
Cami held her bare left ring finger in the air.
“You know what I mean.” He glanced around the room again; this time she followed his gaze. People were staring.
Cami lea
ned forward. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t consult you. But I knew you’d just talk me out of it.”
“You bet I would have.”
Annoyance churned within her, but she tried to stay calm. “Well, I didn’t want you to. I’m happy with my decision.” His heated stare pitched her composure in the trash. She stood. “You can either deal with it or move on.”
He grabbed her arm and pulled her back into her chair. “Knock it off, Cami. I may be angry, but I’m not trying to break up with you.”
Her head swam. She didn’t know what to think. She wanted this chance to get out of Alpine. To try something new. To have a chance at a real education. No one wanted that for her. They just wanted her to do things their way.
“Why can’t anyone be happy for me?” she asked.
Trevor pressed his lips together and waited a moment to speak. “I love you, Cami. Your mom loves you. This isn’t about us being unhappy for you. This is about us missing you.” He laced her fingers through his. “It’s about our future.”
“I love you too. I just want to try something different. I have a great opportunity and God has opened the door. Please try and support me.” She squeezed his hand. “I beg you.”
Trevor rested his head on her fingers. His eyes moist. “Okay,” he whispered. “I’ll try.”
****
It was Monday and Cami would leave in less than twenty-four hours. Elaine ran around the house like a kid with a sugar high. It was only eight in the morning and she’d already washed three loads of laundry, dusted, fixed breakfast and packed Cami’s luggage.
The family and all of their friends were coming around noon for a farewell barbecue. Elaine wanted everything to be perfect.
Okay, that wasn’t it. She loved her daughter and would miss her an enormous amount. She couldn’t help it. Even more than that, she worried for her safety. She didn’t want her only child to die on some barren hillside in the Middle East.
Her husband hadn’t been much help. Floyd seemed to embrace the idea of Cami serving her country. He’d even helped her buy everything he thought a young soldier should have. Good running shoes, a duffel bag, and a phone card. He wanted to get her a haircut too, but Cami balked.
While Elaine cried, Floyd beamed. A lot of help he is.
“Cami,” Elaine heard her husband say from upstairs, “I put your duffel bag in the car.” They’d all agreed to pack the car the night before so they wouldn’t have to worry about it in the morning.
Elaine heard her daughter bound down the steps in the other room. Her eyes glazed over. She pictured her five-year-old with blonde pigtails, sliding down the banister. Tears filled her eyes. Cami entered the kitchen doorway and Elaine turned away.
“Hey, Mom,” she said.
Elaine wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and looked back at her daughter.
Cami’s sandy-blonde hair was pulled back in a hair clip and her green eyes danced with excitement.
She’s beautiful.
“Need any help?”
Elaine shook her head and returned to removing the husks from the corn. “No, honey. This is your day. You just relax.”
Cami stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Elaine’s neck, resting her chin against Elaine’s hair. “Mom, I hope you know how much I love you.”
She choked. “I know.”
“And I’ll miss you so much.”
Now the tears flowed. “I’ll miss you too.”
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