“Come on, do you want to make us cry?” Mia asked Hannah.
Caitlin continued. “You know the drill. Put the items you brought with you in the middle of the circle.”
This part of friendship circle was Caitlin’s favorite. It’d been Hannah’s idea to bring something once a week to share with one another. The girls often made things in the arts-and-crafts building like pot holders, painted rocks, and little clay pots, and some of those items had been offered up in weeks past.
Sometimes the items weren’t the kind you could keep though. One time, Libby had brought all four of her lip gloss tubes and a compact mirror, so the girls could try different flavors. Another time, Caitlin shared a small book of children’s poetry she’d had since she was a little girl. She’d brought it along to camp to read, in case she got homesick. After she’d put it in the circle, the girls had passed it around so each one could read a poem out loud.
Now, no one spoke as each girl gathered her items. It was as if the girls knew the silence made the moment all the more special.
Caitlin reached into her shorts pocket and pulled out the headbands. They were made out of nylon cord and braided, in three different colors. One was daffodil yellow, another one poppy red, and the third one hydrangea blue. She placed them in the middle of the circle.
From her little backpack, Mia took out something wrapped in paper towels. When she pulled the corners back, the girls saw she had brought brownies, the exact same ones they’d had in the dining hall the night before. Mia set the brownies in the circle.
Hannah opened her journal and tore out three pages, one at a time, and folded them before placing them in the circle. At the top of each page was one of the girl’s names, written in Hannah’s prettiest cursive handwriting. “You can’t read these until you’re on your way home,” she whispered.
And finally, Libby placed three of her barrettes into the middle of the circle. She often wore the cutest barrettes to keep her pretty blond hair from falling in her eyes.
The girls took turns until all of the items had been picked up.
“Can we eat our brownies now?” Libby asked.
“I think we should,” Hannah said. “Chocolate will make us feel better.”
“And just think, we still have to get through the final campfire tonight,” Caitlin said as she picked up her brownie. “Seeing who gets awards will be fun, but I’m afraid the rest will just be …”
“Sad,” Libby said. “I know. I overheard the counselors talking. They’re going to ask campers to stand up and share their favorite memories.”
“Let’s all share funny ones,” Mia said. “Like, I think I’ll share the time when the fat squirrel chased Hannah into our cabin.”
“Oh, that’s a good one,” Libby said, smiling. “What did you do to make the squirrel so upset with you, anyway?”
Hannah laughed. “Nothing, I swear. Remember, I told y’all he was just sitting there, by the tree outside our cabin, and he looked so sweet. I wanted to get as close as I could, and then he started running. But instead of running away from me, he ran toward me. It was crazy!”
Caitlin laughed. “Then you came screaming into the cabin, like you were being chased by a pack of wolves or something.”
“I had nightmares for days about that evil squirrel,” Hannah said with a shudder.
Everyone laughed.
When the music started playing a moment later, indicating free time was over, they all grew quiet. Caitlin looked around at the circle, wishing she could make time stop. She didn’t want to go. Mostly, she didn’t want to have to say good-bye tomorrow. She took in each of her friends, wanting to capture the moment in her mind forever.
Libby, like a sweet and dainty violet.
Mia, like a strong and bold sunflower.
And Hannah, like a bleeding heart, tender yet lively.
Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t you dare cry, Caitlin told herself as she slipped Hannah’s note along with the barrette from Libby into her pocket. The other girls put their things away as well, and then, as Libby stood up, she held out her hands for Caitlin and Mia to grab as they got to their feet.
Caitlin reached down and helped Hannah up. Then the four of them stood there for a few seconds, hand in hand, underneath the canopy of the pine tree branches. The warm summer breeze kissed their cheeks as they turned to go, and Caitlin couldn’t remember a time when she felt so happy and so sad all at once.
Dear Caitlin,
On the first day of camp, you came over and said hi to me. You were the very first person I met. I’ll always remember that. You were soooo nice to me.
I was terrified that I wouldn’t make any friends. I know I’ve told you guys about how I really didn’t want to go to camp. I thought I’d rather go to Mars instead of New Hampshire, because I’d probably fit in better on Mars. Now I have to go home and tell my parents they were right and I was wrong, because going to summer camp was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And you were a big reason for that.
I’m gonna miss you like the moon would miss the stars if they decided not to twinkle in the night sky. Please, please, PLEASE write to me. A lot!
Your Cabin 7 BFF,
Hannah
As Caitlin finished reading Hannah’s note from their very last friendship circle, she thought about the award she’d been given at the final campfire. Friendliest Camper — the only one that was voted on by every single girl at camp. When Caitlin’s camp counselor, Deena, had presented the award to her, she’d said that although Caitlin had her core group of friends, campers said again and again that she’d been helpful and kind to everyone she came in contact with during her six weeks at camp. Deena said she’d heard stories about Caitlin pitching in to help someone with a craft project or assisting with chores when it wasn’t even her turn.
Along with a certificate, the counselors had given her a special flashlight to say thank you for being one of the bright lights at camp. “Keep shining,” Deena had said as she handed it to her.
Being friendly wasn’t something Caitlin thought about really. It’s just how she was. She liked doing things and meeting people and helping out when needed. Getting the award made her hopeful that maybe things at the Arts and Communications Magnet Academy (ACMA for short) she’d been accepted to wouldn’t be so bad. If most of the girls at her camp had seen her as friendly, hopefully kids at her new school would too.
“What are you reading?” Isaac asked Caitlin, snapping her back to reality. Her eight-year-old brother sat next to her in the family’s minivan.
“None of your business,” Caitlin said, sticking the note back in her pocket.
“Is it something from your new boyfriend?” Isaac teased.
“It was an all-girls camp, genius,” Jessi, their older sister, said from the backseat behind Caitlin and Isaac.
“Well, maybe she snuck out in the middle of the night and found a boyfriend,” Isaac said. “Charlie said that’s what they do at camp. Sneak out in the middle of the night. Did you do that, Caitlin? And if you did, were you scared wolves or bears might eat you?”
“That’s enough, little man,” their dad, Mr. Rogers, said as he looked at the kids in the rearview mirror. “I’m sure she did not sneak out at night. And Caitlin’s right. You don’t need to be getting into her personal business.”
Their mom, Mrs. Rogers, turned around from the passenger seat and looked at Caitlin. “You okay, honey? You haven’t said much. I know you had fun, since your letters told us so. You sad to be leaving?”
Caitlin nodded and looked out the window. “Yeah. It was hard saying good-bye to my friends.”
Hard didn’t even begin to describe it. Once they’d said their tearful good-byes after breakfast, Mia, Libby, and Hannah had gotten on a camp bus to go to the airport, where they’d catch their flights home. Caitlin was the only one of the four who lived within driving distance. Camp Brookridge was about three hours from her home in Connecticut. She’d felt a little jealous of the three of them
getting to spend more time together on the bus, though she knew they’d all have to say good-bye eventually.
“Where’d you get the barrette?” Mrs. Rogers asked. “Never seen you wear anything like that before.”
Caitlin instinctively reached up and touched Libby’s gift. Her mom was right; she didn’t usually wear anything in her hair. But she’d clipped it in that morning, because it seemed like the right thing to do.
“You need a trim, don’t you?” Mrs. Rogers said. “I’ll get an appointment scheduled for you next week before school starts.”
“What about school shopping?” Caitlin asked. “I really need some new jeans. All of mine are too short.”
Her mom looked at her dad before she replied. “We might have to wait a month or two before we do that. The weather will still be nice for a while. You can wear shorts and skirts, right?”
Caitlin was so shocked by that response, she could hardly think straight. Did her mom really say she had to wait for new clothes? They always went clothes shopping the last week of summer. It was as much of a tradition as having waffles with strawberries on the first day of school. Did her mother actually expect her to wear clothes from last year on the first day? Who did that?
“Dad, I’m hungry,” Isaac said. “Can we stop and get cheeseburgers?”
“Ew,” Jessi said. “You know I’m vegetarian now, Isaac. Find someplace where I can get a salad. Okay, Dad?”
“We’re not stopping,” he called out. “Your mom packed sandwiches for all of us.”
Confused, Caitlin looked at her little brother. He just shrugged his shoulders, like he didn’t know what was going on either. Their mother never brought food along on a road trip. Why do that when it was easier to stop on the way? That’s what fast-food places were for — and they never got to eat at them any other time.
“Okay, is someone going to tell me what’s going on before I start screaming to strangers on the highway that I’ve been abducted by aliens?” Caitlin said. “First we’re not going school shopping like we have every year since Jessi’s been in school, and then Mom actually packed sandwiches for us to eat?”
“Yes, they’re in a bag in the way back,” Mrs. Rogers said. “There’s also a little cooler filled with bottles of water. Can you please start passing stuff around, Jessi?”
“Mom,” Caitlin said. “Please. Enough about the sandwiches. What is going on?”
It was quiet for a moment before Mr. Rogers finally replied. “I suppose we should explain. Your mother and I have decided to tighten our belts.”
“What does that even mean?” Caitlin asked. “Are you going on a diet?”
Mr. Rogers laughed. “No.” He rubbed his stomach, which wasn’t exactly flat. “Though I could probably use a few less cheeseburgers in my life, now that you mention it.”
“Caitlin, wake up,” Jessi said, leaning forward and slapping her sister on the shoulder. “Don’t you get it? We’re broke. We don’t have any money. That’s what he means.”
“We’re not broke,” Mrs. Rogers said with a sigh. “I really don’t want you kids to worry. Don, please reassure them. Tell them everything’s fine.”
“It is fine,” he agreed. “But things at work aren’t exactly smooth sailing right now, so we’re socking away money just in case.”
“In case you get fired?” Isaac asked.
“He’s not going to get fired,” Caitlin said. She bit her lip. “Are you, Dad?”
“Let’s put it this way,” Mr. Rogers said. “My plan is to stay employed. Now, whether I work for my current company or a different one, we’ll have to wait and see. Jessi, you got those sandwiches? I’ll take a turkey with cheese, please.”
Caitlin reached over and fingered the bracelet, hidden underneath the sleeve of her hoodie. Maybe it could bring some luck to her family, she thought. She didn’t want her dad to lose his job. He worked at the hospital in town, as a manager in the accounting department. And although Caitlin didn’t know exactly what his job entailed, she knew he didn’t complain about it very much, and he seemed to like the people he worked with.
Once everyone had their sandwiches, Mr. and Mrs. Rogers started talking among themselves about a neighborhood meeting coming up. Caitlin looked at her turkey sandwich and decided she wasn’t very hungry.
Isaac leaned toward his sister while he munched on his peanut butter and grape jelly lunch. He looked up at her with his big brown eyes and long eyelashes. “Caitlin, I’m scared,” he whispered. “I don’t want us to be broke. I’ll really miss french fries if I have to eat sandwiches forever.”
She patted his scrawny little leg. “It’ll be okay,” she told him. “You and I can go for french fries sometime this week, how’d that be?”
“You got some money?” Isaac asked.
“Yeah, I have a little bit. Enough for some fries, anyway.”
Suddenly, Caitlin felt guilty about spending the money her parents had given her for camp. They probably needed it now and wished they could get it back from her. What would they say if they saw the bracelet? Would they be upset she’d spent money on something that wasn’t even entirely hers?
Nah, they’d understand. Wouldn’t they?
When Caitlin walked into her house for the first time in six weeks, she stopped cold. The faint smell of fresh paint hung in the air as she stared in disbelief at the maroon walls in the family room. It was quite a change from the white walls they used to have.
“Do you like it?” Mrs. Rogers asked. “I painted just about every room in the house while you were gone.”
“What? Why?” Caitlin asked.
“After fifteen years, it needed to be done. I really wanted to get new furniture and window coverings too, but with the uncertainty of your father’s job, this was all we could do right now. What do you think?”
“It’s very … red,” Caitlin replied, not wanting to hurt her mom’s feelings. She thought it made the room look really dark.
“But doesn’t it look nice with our black leather furniture?” Mrs. Rogers said. “I wanted to find a way to give each room a makeover without spending a lot of money.”
For months before Caitlin left for camp, her mother had been obsessed with shows on the decorating channel, especially one called Spiffy in a Jiffy. Now Caitlin knew why; her mother must have been planning this project for a while.
“Hold on,” Caitlin said. “You didn’t paint my room, did you?”
“No, I knew you’d want to choose the color, so I waited for you to get home. I’d like to get it done before school starts though, so tomorrow we’ll go and pick out the color and then you can help me.”
Caitlin groaned. “Do I have to? Mom, I just got home.”
“I know you did, but I want to get this done.”
“How long does it take?” Caitlin asked. “To paint a room?”
“It’s an all-day project, at least,” she said. “So don’t make any plans for the next couple of days.”
Caitlin’s whole body slumped. That was not the answer she wanted to hear. After all, she had e-mails to read. Television shows to watch. As much as she’d enjoyed camp, she’d been looking forward to getting back to the technology she’d gone without for six weeks. And then there were those chocolate chip cookies she wanted to bake.
“Painting is really fun,” Isaac said, who had come in and sat down on the couch. “Can I help, Mom?”
“Sure you can,” she said. “You did a great job helping me with your room.”
“Does Caitlin have to go through all of her junk like I did and decide what she wants to get rid of?” Isaac asked.
“Yes, she does.”
Caitlin didn’t want to hear any more. It made her exhausted just thinking about all the work she’d have to do in the coming days. Or maybe it was the fact she’d hardly slept the night before. The Cabin 7 girls had whispered into the early morning hours, and since it was their last night, the counselors hadn’t stopped them.
Mr. Rogers came through the door, carrying
Caitlin’s suitcase and tote bag. He set them down. “Here you go, Peaches. I’m guessing laundry is in your future today, huh?”
“Great,” Caitlin mumbled. “And the fun just keeps coming.”
“Where’s Jessi?” Mrs. Rogers asked.
“She went to her room,” Isaac said.
“Caitlin, when you go upstairs, will you remind her that tomorrow night we’re volunteering at the soup kitchen? I want to make sure she doesn’t make any plans.”
Caitlin shook her head, confused. “Soup kitchen?”
“You’ve heard of a soup kitchen before, right?” Mr. Rogers said. “It’s a place where people go when they’re down on their luck and need a good, hot meal for free.”
Caitlin looked at her mom. “What do you mean, we’re volunteering?”
“I mean,” Mrs. Rogers said, “that we’re going to help out by cutting up vegetables, serving food, wiping down tables — whatever they ask us to do.”
Caitlin suddenly felt like she’d been transferred from summer camp to work camp.
Her mom continued. “While our belt-tightening may be a bit painful, I want us to remember we have a lot to be thankful for and that there are others a lot worse off than we are. We’ll leave here around four thirty so we can check in there at five o’clock. Okay?”
Caitlin could only nod before she said, “I’m going to my room. I’ll start unpacking.”
“Good idea,” her mom said.
Caitlin dragged her stuff upstairs and stopped at her sister’s room, where she knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
She opened the door and peeked in. Jessi was sitting on her bed, looking at her phone. “Mom said to remind you that we’re volunteering at the soup kitchen tomorrow night, so don’t make any plans.”
“Too late,” Jessi said. “I’m not going.”
Caitlin raised her eyebrows. “You might want to go downstairs and tell her that, because I have a feeling she’s not going to be too happy with you.”
“Nah,” she said. “It’ll be fine. I’m not worried about it.”
“Whatever,” Caitlin mumbled as she shut the door.