Bab 16: Oh, Hello...
The two cars stopped side by side in the dirt and gravel parking lot and Getty honked her horn as everyone else disembarked.
A few seconds later two people appeared in the screen door of what Jesse assumed was a cabin.
"Hey, you guys finally made it."
"Come on out, Jamie and Ally," Getty said, "you can help me with my bags."
"You still pack like a diva?" Ally teased the older woman.
"I sure do."
Before showing him his cabin, Pearl introduced him. First to Jamie whose surprise was off her face before it even registered and then to Ally, who had gone straight to the car to get one of Getty's bags.
"Ally, come meet Jesse, the medic," Pearl called out.
Ally put the bag down, turned around, looked in Pearl's direction and her eyes widened. "Oh!"
Walking toward the small group that wasn't moving stuff to cabins already, her face went pink.
"Hey, it's nice to meet you," Jesse said easily, putting a hand out to greet her.
Ally took his hand and shook it but all she could say was, "Wow. Hi."
Pearl frowned. Jesse's expression was slightly puzzled for a moment but then it cleared and he smiled.
Ally muttered something about bags, turned and walked away.
Getty also turned away to hide the fact that she was laughing.
"Let me show you where you'll be staying," Pearl said to Jesse.
He followed her readily.
The cabins they would be staying in were in a single row and then across the road made of dirt and mulch was a pit of some sort and a stair case that led to the shallow pit from opposite the cabins. There was a single line of trees beyond that, where Jesse could see other quaint log structures in that direction.
Jesse was given the cabin at the very end of the first line, closest to the lake and the ladies allocated their beds as he unpacked. Not that he had much to unpack.
Pearl had already told him he didn't have to wear the uniform until the girls were scheduled to arrive so he placed his shirts and shorts on the shelves available, his toiletry case in the clean bathroom and his books on the bedside table.
The bed was already made, courtesy of Ally and Jamie, so he stepped outside again. The lake was so blue and relatively calm, he was tempted to take a dive but he didn't, aware that the ladies might need him to help with something before he had time to himself. He just stood by the shore taking in all there was to see.
That was where Pearl found him ten minutes later.
"Hi Jesse," she said from a distance.
He turned and smiled. "Hi, Pearl. This place is awesome."
"It is beautiful, isn't it?" she looked happy. "I came to tell you that it's lunch time."
"Great. I'm starving."
"So you better claim your portion before the girls get started."
"The bus is here, guys," Jamie called.
Ally and Jesse sat up and looked in her direction from where they were sunbathing on the dock after a swim in the lake.
Ally was timekeeper and despatch coordinator for this camp. She wouldn't have a group and was pretty much available to help everyone with their duties when she wasn't in the kitchen or running specific activities.
"Come on," she said now, jumping to her feet. "Let's go join the welcome line."
She threw her camp t-shirt over her swimsuit as Jesse started towards his cabin.
"I'll be there in a minute," he told her, jogging to go change.
Jesse had enjoyed the downtime with the girl from Nevada, who had begun her invitation to go swim with an apology over her embarrassing introduction. He had laughed it off.
In return she had given him a realistic view of how camp might go and he was looking forward to it. Ally had worked with Pearl for a year and she had only good things to say about the pretty former athlete.
Jesse had been with the camp leaders for the camp prep meeting and was aware he was working with capable women. It was going to be an eye-opening experience, he was sure of it.
"Line all your bags along that rail please," Pearl instructed loudly.
"Come on, girls," their own coach said, "let's move!"
The other staff chaperone added her encouragement and without much effort, the campers were organized into lines with their bags in the designated area. Most of the girls were of average height for fifteen and sixteen year olds, others were slightly taller. Some were a little bigger in build but they all responded quickly to the command and were ready to get the next instructions.
"My name is Pearl Guthrie. I'll be directing this basketball camp, and I'm so glad you all made it here safely. Before we move on, can we please all bow our heads so Jamie can thank God for your arrival?"
All the girls obeyed and Jamie said a quick prayer. Some girls clapped and others cheered when she was done, then Pearl smiled at Getty who took over.
She started to introduce all the leaders present and as she was doing so, a hush began to spread through the group.
At first Pearl thought perhaps it was because Jamie and Ethel were on one of the national teams, but they were a little too excited. She turned around to see what one of the girls pointed at so excitedly.
It was Jesse.
He must have joined them during the prayer, and now the girls were staring at the tall, handsome, tanned male member of the team. He looked pretty good in the golf shirt and cargo pants. The shirt fit him well, bringing out the colour of his eyes and it didn't help that his physique wasn't well disguised. His hair was a little mussed and still slightly damp from the swim with Ally, whose reaction should have warned her about what would happen when younger girls saw Jesse.
Hadiah
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