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Caitlyn
“I think we’re all done here,” Mom said, smiling at Roland and Caitlyn.
After washing the camp dishes, Roland and Caitlyn had helped Mr. Brandt and Mom with little things like taking the garbage to the dumpster, getting ice, and rearranging camp chairs. Roland barely spoke two words except for a polite Yes, ma’am or Yes, sir, which made Caitlyn like him that much more.
“Appreciate the help,” Mr. Brandt said, “but you probably want to catch up to the others. Where are they now? Paddleboats?”
“Yeah, um . . .” Roland stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and gave Caitlyn a communicative sort of glance that she didn’t understand. Maybe he didn’t want to catch up to the others. They were, after all, hiding.
“I don’t want to go on the paddleboats. Maybe we’ll just take a walk,” Caitlyn blurted out, hoping she’d read Roland right.
Mom blinked. Had it occurred to her, just now, that Caitlyn liked Roland?
Mom stared. The courtship principles probably began scrolling through her mind. Would she say no? She wouldn’t know that Roland had no interest in having a girlfriend.
Mom blinked again. Then she smiled. “Why don’t you take the girls? I’m sure they’d love to go exploring.”
My sisters? Priscilla was ten years old and Stacey seven. Caitlyn would have to watch them, and if they did catch up to the others, they wouldn’t be able to do anything. She opened her mouth to protest.
“Sure, Mrs. Summer.” Roland nodded at Caitlyn. “They can come.”
The four of them set off down a path under the shade of quaking aspen and paper birch trees. There couldn’t be more beautiful woods than those in South Dakota’s Black Hills. Roland and Caitlyn strolled without words. Priscilla and Stacey lagged a few yards behind, talking incessantly.
A few minutes into their walk, Roland stopped. He looked from Priscilla to Stacey. “You guys want to sneak through the woods?”
Stacey giggled. Priscilla squinted up a Roland. They whispered to each other then faced him again. Priscilla nodded.
Roland nodded. “There’s a little trail here.” He pointed. A skinny ponderosa pine stood at the entrance of a deer trail. “Maybe if we’re quiet, we’ll see some animals.”
Roland took the lead, moving like a Sioux Indian, stepping on rocks and bare patches of ground, making no sound at all.
Being quiet didn’t come naturally to Caitlyn or her sisters. Her sisters hadn’t stopped talking, and their voices sounded louder under the thick canopy of leaves.
“Look, Priscilla, a beetle.”
“Caitlyn, can I keep this rock?”
“I think Indians used to live back here . . .”
“Shy Ann Indians.”
“No, Dakota Indians.”
“There’s no such thing. It’s Lakota Indians.”
“No, it’s not. It’s not South Lakota. It’s South Dakota.”
A branch snapped under Caitlyn’s boot. Roland glanced. She must’ve stepped on every branch or twig in her path. She stumbled twice, shrieking each time.
After a while, Roland stopped and turned around. Caitlyn’s sisters stopped talking and looked at him. He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans, which Caitlyn began to think he did when something made him uncomfortable. “Maybe we can sneak better, quieter.”
Pricilla and Stacey nodded, peering up at him.
“And you.” His steel-gray eyes swiveled to Caitlyn. “See the rocks?” Big, smooth rocks littered the landscape. He glanced in the direction of one.
Caitlyn nodded.
“Try to step on those. And when you need to step on the ground, watch for twigs.”
“Watch for twigs?” She continued nodding.
“Yeah. Don’t step on twigs. People can hear you a mile away.”
“Oh, I . . .” She pressed her lips together. Her clumsiness wouldn’t push him away, would it? “Sorry.”
He gave her a little smile.
Her heart did a little dance.
She tried to follow his advice, creeping along silently for some time. Then it happened. She knew it would. A rock she hopped onto expecting to land silently was not a rock at all but rather a big hollow branch partly covered in pine needles. It gave way under her foot. She sailed forward, flinging her arms out to catch herself. Pine needles cushioned her fall.
She lay on her face, stunned.
“Are you okay?” Roland stooped beside her.
Humiliated, she moaned and buried her face in her arms. “I’m sorry. Everyone in the forest probably heard that.” She glanced to catch his expression.
He smiled and stuck out his hand. “That’s okay. You were doing great until . . .”
Caitlyn took his hand. “Yeah. I’m a bit . . .”
“Caitlyn’s clumsy,” her sisters said together then giggled behind their hands.
Roland stifled a laugh as he yanked her up. He pulled a pine needle from her hair.
Still holding his hand, she used her other hand to check her hair. More pine needles. Leaves. Something she couldn’t identify. Embarrassed, she offered a shy smile.
Stacey and Priscilla guffawed without restraint.
Roland chuckled, too. Holding hands and laughing, they picked dead leaves and pine needles from Caitlyn’s hair, bonding for a moment. Then their hands drifted apart and they moved on.
Before long, scaly-trunked ponderosa pines rose up all around them, and the woods thinned. They walked on a pine needle carpet. A grassy area and the glistening lake showed through the farthest pines.
They soon reached the edge of the woods that overlooked the lake and the paddleboats.
“Let’s stay behind the trees,” Roland said, leaning against one and squinting at the lake.
Stacey and Priscilla giggled, each finding their own place from which to spy.
Paddleboats drifted on the shimmering lake. Caitlyn couldn’t make out most of the people in them, but Mya’s shiny blonde hair and Peter’s golden hair stood out. They shared a paddleboat. Caitlyn laughed. She could almost see Peter’s eyes rolling. “That girl’s such a diva,” he said whenever he heard her talk in her whispery voice.
“Peter must’ve got stuck with—” Roland shut his mouth and gave Caitlyn a wary glance.
Then they cracked up together.
They watched the paddleboats for a few minutes, until Caitlyn’s sisters broke out in an argument over a little white rock. Roland suggested they move on.
“I’m hungry,” Stacey said.
“Me, too,” Priscilla said, eyes on Roland. “Which way goes back?”
“It’s probably close to dinnertime,” Caitlyn said.
Roland nodded and took the lead again. Caitlyn followed, picking her steps carefully, attempting to make no noise and to avoid another embarrassing fall.
Before long, they stepped out of the trees and onto the site with the campfire and lawn chairs. Voices sounded and a feminine laugh rang in the air. Mya’s laugh?
Roland leaned and whispered in Caitlyn’s ear, “Um, hey . . . See ya later.”
Caitlyn turned to Roland.
He was gone.
The group returned. They traipsed onto the campfire site and dispersed. Some headed for the bathrooms, others sat at the picnic tables and camp chairs. Peter wandered through all the campsites then came and sat next to Caitlyn at a picnic table.
“Where’s Roland?” His mouth curled up in a crooked grin.
Caitlyn made a casual glance to each side. “I don’t know.”
“Why didn’t you go paddle-boating?”
She shrugged. “Not interested.”
“Was Roland with you?” His grin grew slyer.
Not sure if Roland wanted anyone to know what he’d been up to, she played dumb.
Later, she made her sisters promise not to talk about it. Roland never showed up for dinner, and his brother Jarret disappeared after they ate. Both of them reappeared after everyone gathered around the campfire. Roland didn’t sit near her, but he threw a couple of glances her way, leaving her to wonder . . . Did he like her as more than a friend?
~ ~ ~
THE NEXT DAY, CAITLYN wore her denim jumper and felt much more herself. Yesterday’s sneaking with Roland left her with a happy spirit. Toby and Mrs. Brandt had returned, increasing her joy, and so everyone went fishing in the afternoon. Jarret and Zoe wandered off by themselves twice, taking long walks. Caitlyn noticed them holding hands once. She sighed. Mom would never let her go off alone with Roland.
Roland gave most of his attention to Jarret, and the rest to Peter, though Mya clung to him like an old dryer sheet. She, in her yellow board-shorts and striped shirt, seemed to have renewed her efforts to gain his attention. She sat next to him at every meal, walked with him when the group went hiking, and hovered by him at the river.
Caitlyn’s happy spirit diminished.
Evening drew near. The air grew thick with anticipation so tangible it gave her goose bumps. Everyone looked forward to the bonfire, the best part of the annual campout. The boys had gone off with Mr. Brandt after dinner to set it up. The girls cleaned off picnic tables, washed dishes, and prepared snacks.
Under a sky streaked with yellow and orange clouds, they carried blankets and coolers through aspen, birch, and pine trees down the path that led to Bonfire Hill—the name they had given the hill some years ago. Music and loud voices carried though they couldn’t see the hilltop through the trees. The hill inclined gradually to a flat top of mown grass. In the middle of it stood the wood for the bonfire, tall and awe-inspiring. People had already arranged blankets and lawn chairs around it.
Zoe stopped at a distance from the other blankets, closer to the edge of the woods. She knelt gracefully to arrange her red plaid blanket. “Come sit by us. Put your blanket there.” She pointed.
“Us? You look like you’re all by yourself.” Caitlyn arranged her blanket a few feet away.
“Jarret and me.” Zoe sat on her blanket and leaned back on her outstretched arms, smiling to herself. Relationships with boys came so easily for her. Was it her appearance? Her confidence?
“Yeah, I figured.” Caitlyn crawled across her old ratty blanket, trying to smooth out permanent wrinkles. “Roland will probably sit with Mya.” Giving up on having a smooth blanket, she sat cross-legged and scanned for Roland.
“Yeah, she’s been attached to him all day,” Zoe said. “You need to work harder.”
“How can I? She’s like a barnacle, always clinging to him. Besides, I don’t even know where he is.” Caitlyn continued scanning.
The adults had set up snack and beverage tables on the opposite side of the bonfire. Quite a few kids—but not Roland—hung out with them. Mr. Brandt, Peter, and two other boys stood in a circle by the pile of extra wood for the bonfire. The one with his back to her wore black jeans. Roland?
She squinted, leaning in for a better view. No. It wasn’t Roland.
Most kids hung out at the bottom of a slope, watching a DJ set up. Someone in that group of kids jumped two times. White-blonde hair caught a slanted beam of sunlight.
Caitlyn’s jaw tensed. Mya. She glanced from head to head and face to face, searching for Roland.
Then she exhaled. Mya was with other girls. No boys. No Roland. Maybe he wouldn’t show up at all.
The sky turned purplish-pink. A few stars popped out. Grass rustled nearby.
Caitlyn turned to the sound.
Jarret strolled over, hugging three bags of popcorn. “Hey,” he said, handing Caitlyn a bag.
“Thanks,” Caitlyn said, somewhat amazed that he’d thought of her.
Jarret shuffled to Zoe. Her eyes lit up. She tucked her hair behind her ear and scooted over to make room for him on the blanket. He sat down and handed her a bag of popcorn. They whispered to each other. They looked good together, happy, natural.
Did Caitlyn really want to sit all by herself next to a new couple?
The sky grew darker. Lawn chairs and blankets filled up. Time dragged on. Roland did not appear to be anywhere on Bonfire Hill. Someone shouted and everyone grew quiet. It was almost time for the bonfire.
Peter strutted from around the pile of wood, walking proud as a rooster, a microphone in his hand. “Can anybody hear me?” His voice came loud and clear through the speakers.
“Get the fire started!” someone shouted, and a few kids hooted and clapped.
“All in due time, my friend, but first . . . a little story.”
Someone in the crowd booed but was immediately hushed by Caitlyn and a few others. All eyes went to Peter. This was his moment. He traditionally told a story. Then, at a dramatic moment, he would start the fire in a unique way.
“There was a girl,” he said, his voice lower than usual.
Tingles broke out on Caitlyn’s arms. She couldn’t take her eyes off Peter as he paced with the microphone. His obsession with electronics made her think he had something cool rigged up, something to outdo last year’s performance.
“She wanted to go to the high school dance, so she bought a new dress. It was all sparkly and red and she looked hot in it.”
A few guys made catcalls.
Peter laughed. “This was going to be the best night of her life. But the girl’s mother didn’t want her to go to the dance.”
Zoe and Caitlyn happened to look at each other. Caitlyn smiled. Mom and the courtship rules came to mind. Would Caitlyn be able to go to dances? She didn’t see why not.
“Their preacher had said the dance was for the devil.”
The kids sitting by Father Carston made comments that Caitlyn wished she could’ve heard. Father Carston said something back, and they all laughed.
“The girl nodded to her mother,” Peter said, “but she was still determined to go. So that night . . . she sneaked out. Now, normally, no one noticed her. So she was surprised when she became the center of attention. Guys fought with each other to dance with her, dance after dance. Finally, she broke away and went to get some punch. There was a sudden hush and the music stopped . . .”
Caitlyn braced herself. The way he paused, she thought sure the bonfire would burst into flames, but it didn’t.
“When the girl turned . . .” Peter glanced over his shoulder. “. . . she saw a good-looking man with jet-black hair and black clothes standing next to her. Dance with me, the man said. The girl said yes and let him lead her out onto the dance floor. Music sprang up at once, and she found herself dancing better than ever.” Peter spoke louder and quicker.
Caitlyn straightened, again thinking it would happen soon.
“The man spun her round and around. She gasped for breath, trying to step out of the spin. But he spun her faster and faster. Her feet burned, and the floor melted beneath her. Faster and faster, he spun her. She feared she would burst into flames. Then a cloud of dust blew up around them, hiding them from the crowd.” He spoke slow and low. “When the dust settled . . . the girl was gone.” Head down, he paused.
Caitlyn’s heart thumped in expectation. Perhaps now he would light it. But she’d been wrong two times before, so maybe—
“POOF!” Peter flung his arms up. Flames burst from the top of the tepee of firewood.
Caitlyn gasped. A few girls screamed. Then everyone spoke at once and applauded. A self-satisfied grin flashed on Peter’s face.
“Can I sit here?”
A shiver ran through Caitlyn at the sound of Roland’s voice.
Stepping from the shadows, he sat down beside her. He wrapped his arms around his raised knees and smiled.
“Of course.” Caitlyn smiled back, her heart thumping madly. “Where did you come from?”
Before Roland could answer, Peter’s loud voice snagged Caitlyn’s attention. “The man in black,” he said, “bowed once to the crowd and disappeared. The devil had come to his party, and he spun the girl all the way to HELL.” Peter raised a hand dramatically to show he had finished. Everyone clapped.
“Let the party begin!” he shouted, and people clapped louder. He handed the microphone off to someone and jogged over to Caitlyn and Roland.
“Man in black, huh?” Roland said as Peter crouched beside him in the grass.
“Eh, don’t get tight. It’s just a story. I’m sure you’re not the devil.” Peter grinned, nudging Roland.
“So where’s Mya?” Peter waved his brows at Roland.
“How should I know?” Roland said.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because she’s been attached to you all day.”
Roland gave Caitlyn a sideways glance and opened his mouth to speak.
Peter slapped his arm and jumped up. “Yeah, well, anyway, I’ll be back.” He dashed off, leaving Roland and Caitlyn alone.
They didn’t speak, but sitting together felt comfortable. Roland watched the bonfire awhile, but then his gaze traveled to Zoe and Jarret. They sat close but not touching, though Jarret leaned in whenever he spoke to her. She whispered back, tilting her head and stroking her long black hair.
“I feel bad, that’s all,” Roland said.
“What?” Caitlyn snapped her gaze to him.
Facing the bonfire, he made a little head shake. Then he sighed. “I’ve been judging him, and he’s been proving me wrong.” He glanced at Caitlyn, so she nodded.
“It’s just . . . He used to always be up to no good, at least in my mind.” He ran a hand through his gorgeous black hair, his gaze still on the fire. “But maybe I’ve been wrong about him. Or maybe he’s changed. I should give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“You mean because he said he wasn’t going to help find Toby, but he did, and he was the one to find him?”
He nodded. “And the Finns. He never told me where he was going, what he was up to, so I assumed . . .” He glanced at Caitlyn.
“You assumed he was up to no good?”
He nodded again, this time locking gazes with her.
“I wouldn’t feel too bad, if I were you. Do you pray for him?”
“What?” A smile flickered on his face, then a serious look replaced it. “Yeah, I’ve been asking Saint Conrad to . . . you know, to change his heart. I pray for Keefe, too.”
She smiled. “That’s good. So just start over with him.”
He looked away and whispered, “Yeah, I think I’ll try.”
They both watched the bonfire, now, joy tingling inside Caitlyn. Roland had come to sit by her! He seemed to trust her and wanted to share things with her. If only she had something more profound to say. If only she had anything at all to say. But then again, it didn’t feel necessary, and Roland looked content now, no longer glancing at his brother.
“There you guys are.”
Caitlyn’s joy shattered at the sound of Mya’s bubbly voice.
She bounced over and stood blocking their view of the bonfire. “I got some hotdogs. Want one?” She plopped down next to Roland and offered him a hotdog.
“No thanks.”
She shoved one into his hands anyway. “I wanted to get drinks, too, but I don’t have enough arms,” she said to Roland, all sweet and whispery. “Want to come with me?” She took the hotdog from Roland and handed his and hers to Caitlyn. Then she stood and offered him her hand.
Roland took her hand and stood up, but his eyes turned to Caitlyn. “You want a drink?”
Caitlyn shrugged. “Okay.” He could’ve asked her to come, too. She sighed, watching them walk away. At least she’d had a few minutes with him. Mya would probably monopolize him for the rest of the night. He went with her willingly enough. Maybe he’d started liking her attention.