Chapter 27
Campers Reunited
The search and rescue helicopter came back for the rest of the campers and took them back to the bunkhouse. Katherine, Blake, Cole, Daisy, the other campers, and counselors were waiting outside for them. When Cindi, C.J., and the others stepped off the helicopter, they were greeted by applause and cheers, worthy of true heroes. Even though most of the people there didn’t know each other, they started embracing and welcoming them back.
After they had a chance to eat and relax, Katherine asked Cindi to come into her office. She felt sick to her stomach and couldn’t imagine what Katherine would say. “I’ve got some good news and some bad news,” Katherine began.
“Go ahead and tell me the bad news first,” said Cindi as she hung her head down, knowing she was probably going to be fired.
“I’ve have been trying to contact C.J.’s parents. None of the numbers on her forms work. I’ve contacted the police to see if they could locate her father, Sean Valentine. They found that he is locked up in prison on assault charges in Arizona. Apparently, she has an eighteen–year-old brother named Dale, but we don’t know where he is. I’m going to call CPS and ask them to take her.”
“No,” said Cindi. “I will be responsible for her. She doesn’t need to be in foster care. She’s been through too much already. She says her brother will come for her, but in the meanwhile, I’d like for her to stay with me. I’ll be responsible for her.”
“We need to talk to her about that and the proper authorities,” said Katherine.
“Can she just stay with me until we get all the legal issues resolved?” asked Cindi.
“Yes, we can, now for the good news. Cindi, you have been with me as long as I’ve owned the camp. You’ve been loyal, and I know you care about each camper that comes here. I’ve found a major investor who wrote me a huge check and wants me to make this a year-round camp.”
“Wow, who?” asked Cindi.
“Jorgina’s parents. They were waiting for her when she arrived at the hospital and even though she is injured, they are amazed at the change in her. They want her to have a family-like place to live when they are away, which is pretty much all the time. Also, they want her to be away from the media, so she will be able to live a normal life like any other teenager. She’s going to enroll in school with my kids, and we are going to tell everyone she is our cousin. They think that will help keep her out of trouble. Of course, from time to time, she will fly back to Dallas and visit her friends and family, but they’ve talked it over with her, and Jorgina is excited about staying here after the summer is over.”
“I actually think that would be good for her. I think deep down, she’s a good kid. She’s just been screaming for someone to notice her and pay her some attention. You will definitely have to lay down some rules though,” said Cindi.
“So will you stay on and be my first full-time employee? I’d like to offer you the job of head counselor. Both Jorgina and her parents want you here. Jorgina has gone on and on about you to her parents. She will stay with me in our home, and you will train all the other counselors and serve as our crisis counselor. I believe you have seen everything, and can handle anything. We will have to spend a lot of time planning which direction we want the camp to go. I’ve been flooded with calls by parents who want their kids to come here, which is surprising. I think Jorgina’s parents spread the word.”
“Wow, this is really unexpected,” said Cindi breathing a sigh of relief, “but I think it will be an amazing opportunity. I accept.” Katherine’s kids were ease dropping. They came in the office and cheered!
“Great, now call C.J. in please,” Katherine asked her youngest son.
C.J. came into Katherine’s office and began talking before anyone had a chance to say anything. “I’m sorry. I know I did wrong by leaving when you told me to stay.”
“That’s not why we called you in,” said Katherine. “It looks like you don’t have any parents to come for you, and I think we need to call C.P.S.”
“No, please. I know my brother will eventually come for me. I can’t be put in foster care. You don’t know what it’s like to lose everyone and everything you care about,” said C.J. crying.
“Yes, I do know C.J., and that is why I told Katherine I’d like for you to come live with me, if you want to. I know I can’t replace your parents, but I’d like to offer you a forever home, a place you can live until you graduate from high school or as long as you want. I’m offering you a place you can come to during the holidays, or whenever you need some place to stay. I want to be that someone who will be there for you as long as you live. You need to finish your education and although you’re good at taking care of yourself, I think it’s time you had someone to take care of you,” said Cindi as she put her arm around C.J. and drew her towards her.
C.J. cried and nodded. “I’d like to have a forever family, but I still hope Dale comes back too.”
“I know. We’ll help you find him, and he will have a place to live too. It’s going to be alright. Katherine has said we can stay here the rest of the summer, and that we can stay on the rest of the year too because she is going to make this a year round camp. She got a major investor that is paying to keep the camp opened year round, and she wants me to be the head counselor. Can you believe it? You can help out with the other counselors as their assistant. What do you say C.J.?” asked Cindi. “Of course, I’ll contact your father and talk the situation over with him.”
“They found him?” asked C.J. excited but leery.
“Yes, unfortunately, he is in prison on assault charges. He will be there another ten more years.”
C.J. teared up. “He’s really not a bad person.”
“I’m sure of that,” said Cindi, “because he has a great daughter. I’ll take you to see him just as soon as we can, so I’ll ask you again, would you like to live with me?”
“Yes,” C.J. said with a smile. She was sad thinking about her father, but she thought it was time to let someone help her for a change. She loved the outdoors, the camp, and Cindi. Inside, she thought the plan might just work out.
Eugene called his parents, and they said they would be there as soon as they could to pick him up. He had never been good at sports or any outdoor activities but during the course of the last two weeks, he had done things he never thought were possible. He had forgotten all about his suspenders and calculator and made more friends at Camp Clearwater than he had ever had before. Reflecting, he felt like it was the best experience of his life. He decided he would like to become a doctor like Jack and talked non-stop until his parents arrived. Everyone gave him a hug as he gathered his things and drove off.
Charlie’s mom almost didn’t recognize him when she picked him up. “You look like you are skin and bones,” she said when she looked at him. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, and even he was surprised at what he saw. His face was much thinner and he actually had the beginnings of some muscles. Instead of slumping over as he usually did, he threw his shoulders back and walked like a man to his car peering at newly grown muscles. His mother said, “Oh baby, let me get your suitcase for you. You’ve been through so much; you don’t need to be lifting anything.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it,” Charlie said with pride as he flexed his arm muscle. He felt more confident than he had ever before in his life. Before leaving, he asked Katherine for Sarah Beth’s and Maria’s numbers, and she gave them to him. He gave everyone a hug, a smile, and a flex as he left.
Cody called his mom, and she said she would get there as soon as she could, but that it might take a while. Cody couldn’t help but notice Katherine’s pretty thirteen-year-old daughter Daisy standing in a corner. He walked over to her and said, “You know I hurt my lips while I was lost in the wilderness.”
Naively, she took a closer look and leaned in to take a closer look. “Really?” she asked.
“Yes, so you better kiss me and make it better,” Cody said with a c
rooked smile.
Daisy didn’t know whether to laugh or run away, so she stood there frozen with her brows knitted, and laughed.
“Haven’t we met before? You sure do look like my next girlfriend,” he continued.
“Where’s the bathroom?” asked Luna. “I think I’m going to throw up. Daisy, don’t go falling for any of his stupid lines,” she added as she looked her way.
“You know it’s a good thing I’ve got my library card,” said Cody. “Because Daisy, I’m checking you out.”
Cindi rolled her eyes, sighed loudly, then she and C.J. busted out laughing.
Their laughter didn’t stop Cody. He kept spitting out lines like a runaway train. “I’ve been blinded by your beauty, Daisy. I’m going to need your number for insurance purposes.” Cody continued, “So give it to me,” he said as he pretended to enter it into his imaginary phone.
“I guess he’s back to his old self,” said Cindi. “Luna, did you reach your parents yet?”
Luna’s eyes looked straight down. The mood in the room became cold and tense as she hung her head. “My mom said she too busy to come get me. She said that I still have a few more days before I’m supposed to be home. I told you there is bad chemistry in my family. I had made up my mind that I was going to do whatever it took to get along with her and that I would forgive her for all the times she let me down. I nearly got killed and she doesn’t care.” She turned her head away so no one could see her tears.
“Don’t worry, Luna. You can stay here with C.J. and me. It will all work out. She’ll probably change her mind. I could call her if you like,” offered Cindi.
“It won’t do any good. You don’t know her. She doesn’t want me and never has,” said Luna.
“I’m sure that’s not true,” said Cindi.
“Yes it is,” insisted Luna.
“There’s no such thing as an unwanted person. I’m sure there is someone who wants you, and I want you to know you can stay with me as long as you want,” said Cindi.
“Thanks,” said Luna. She accepted the offer and gathered all her things and asked where she should put everything.
“Katherine is letting is have the bunkhouse all to ourselves. We will have plenty of room to stretch out. I need to check on Jorgina, Sarah Beth, Jacob, and Maria before we get everything situated,” said Cindi.
Katherine noticed Jack walk through the door. He looked tired. “Thank you for all your help. You saved several kids lives. I don’t know what we would have all done without you.” With a long pause Katherine continued, “I’ve been thinking; it would be nice to have a camp doctor on staff here to deal with emergencies. Would you be interested in the job? I not only would like for you to stay here at the camp, but I really need you to stay too.”
He bit his bottom lip holding back a smile and said, “You really want me to stay on here?”
“Yes, like I said, you saved the day; for that matter, you saved my entire camp,” said Katherine.
“In that case, I accept your offer. Yes, I will stay on as your camp doctor.”
“Great, I’m going to renovate one of the boy’s bunkhouse, and we can make part of it living quarters for you and the other part a clinic if you think that would work,” offered Katherine.
“Can I still keep my cabin I built?” asked Jack.
“Of course, you can,” she said.
“I’ve called the hospital and checked on Jacob, Sarah Beth, and Jorgina. They are all doing fine. The hospital is giving them all VIP treatment, and they say everyone will be fine,” said Jack. “Let me get cleaned up, and we can all go visit them.”
About that time, Cody’s mother and sister drove up, and he got all his belongings. He tried to give all the girls and women hugs before he got in his car, but Luna pushed him away. He shrugged like it was her loss and not his. Then he went back to Daisy and said, “Do you believe in love at first sight?”
She just laughed and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Well if you need me to I can walk by you again I will before I get in my car,” he said chuckling.
“Good bye, Cody,” Cindi and Jack said as they smiled and waved as he walked out.
“He’ll never change,” said Cindi. Luna agreed and then looked over at Daisy.
“That poor girl, I can tell by looking at her that she’s already got a bad case of Cody-itis and let me tell you it’s a pain to get rid of,” said Luna as she looked at her with pity.
Jack went back to his cabin using one of Katherine’s four-wheelers and some of Katherine’s helpers went with him, so he could get his out of the mud while C.J., Luna, and Cindi showered and rested.
When Jack returned, he no longer looked like a wild mountain man with raggedy clothes but was clean shaven, and wearing a freshly starched shirt and a clean pair of jeans. Cindi took a double take and couldn’t help but smile at how handsome he looked. She thought she must be dreaming because he looked like an older even more handsome version his brother. Her heart began to flutter, and she felt her cheeks redden.
She, Luna, C.J., and Katherine all went to see Sarah Beth, Jacob and Jorgina, who were recovering nicely. They were all amazed at how great and different Jack looked. He talked to their doctors and reported the good news that they should all be able to go back to their homes in a day or two.
**********