章 18: Making Moves
Pearl didn't talk much to the campers unless they addressed her. She let the group leaders do their bit. Beth moved with Getty, taking pictures and learning how to facilitate, and Jamie was back in the kitchen preparing lunch with Ally's assistance. Of course there were two kitchen hands on call, but it so happened that Ally liked to cook. She would blow the whistle when it was time. Her 'super whistle' would reach their ears. Apparently it was one of the clearest whistles in the sporting world. And if that didn't work, the campsite did have a siren.
After another twisted limb, three bruises and several scratches, Getty- whom Jesse joined halfway through the morning- was laughing at his effect on these little girls and he was ready for the lunch whistle which came right on time.
"Let's wrap this exercise up, girls," Brittany said to her group. "What did we do?"
Girls raised their hands to describe the task and their performance.
"Good," Brittany praised. "What did we learn?"
More responses came in.
"Great! How are we going to use this back home?"
Silence.
Getty smiled as the players considered that last question. Finally one girl raised her hand. It was Susie, Jesse's first patient.
"We can use the encouragement during practice sessions. It can get really tough and sometimes I feel like giving up." Pause. "Just generally the better we talk to each other on the court, the more likely we are to read each other and do plays…"
Her team mates on the first team all looked at her in wonder.
Brittany chuckled. "Well done, Susie."
Then quite unexpectedly, Susie looked up and beamed at Jesse who almost let his surprise show but he just gave her a gentle smile of congratulations.
Getty leaned over as the girl turned back to her group leader. "Don't smile at her- you'll only make it worse."
"What?"
"She's gone all starry-eyed for you Dr Murray."
He made a face.
"You better believe it," Getty said as Brittany instructed her team to run back to the assembly point.
Getty and Jesse walked behind quietly for a while. As the dining hall came in to view, he asked, "Do you really think she was making eyes at me?"
Getty laughed again. "I would have not doubted it for a moment if she had made up the sprained ankle."
Jesse reassured her it was real.
"Okay then. But she does like you. Teacher's crush kind of thing."
"Uh oh. Don't tell Pearl or she'll never invite me to camp again," he said with a smile.
Getty gave him a sidelong glance. "She'd be crazy not to invite you back."
Jesse didn't get a chance to ask her why because they both heard a voice call his name.
"Dr Murray!" Susie hollered. "Come sit with our group."
He couldn't say no because it was unwritten policy for leaders to sit with campers. And it wasn't as if he'd be alone with the slim brunette teenager. She wouldn't profess undying love in a cafeteria. Would she?
Getty could see the hesitation and she pushed him a little. "Go ahead. We won't let it get out of hand."
He nodded and went to get food.
Jesse stopped when he heard Susie say, "We got your food already!"
So he turned around to the sound of Getty's chuckle and went to sit with the sophomore girl and her friends.
The meal was relatively uneventful save for Susie jumping up to get more juice for Jesse and her steering all efforts to converse as an entire table back to herself so that she could talk to the doctor.
By dinner time all the leaders were teasing him and the next day was hardly any different. Jesse was a hit with the basketball girls. Friday started off pretty normal but by the afternoon, Jesse had more to worry about than young girls feigning injuries for his attention.
At some point after a discussion with the girls about perseverance, Pearl was drawn into a race against some of the fastest girls of the Gutin basketball team. Jesse had watched Pearl hesitate when she was called out for the campers' challenge.
The day before it had been Ethel called out for a one on one against the senior captain. Of course Ethel had won, able to focus under pressure. Everyone, by then, knew Pearl had been a runner and they wanted to see if 'she still had it'.
Only the doctor seemed the least bit concerned, but she didn't actually ask for his opinion. Jesse was worried about her but he knew that Pearl was grown enough to decide for herself.
She simply put her clipboard down and walked with the other girls to the other side of the clearing which was between the activities and the rest of the campsite. Jesse could barely help his gaze drifting to her shapely calves. Today she was wearing knee length shorts that almost hugged her cute butt.
With restraint his eyes continued to travel and he looked around at the girls who were surrounding the field.
"Does this happen often?" he asked the other leaders.
"No. It hasn't happened in a while," Casey said.
"How did it end last time?" he asked.
"She won of course," Beth answered proudly.
He almost smiled.
"Don't worry," Ally said, "she'll be fine."
Apparently some of his concern was evident.
Susie popped up beside him and said, "I'm rooting for Coach Pearl."
"Me too," he said, moving to the side line with his faithful shadow.
That didn't sit too well with Susie but instead of voicing her opinion, she asked, "Is she really that fast?"
"So I'm told."
"I'm fast," Susie said, "but sprinting's not my thing."
"Mine either," he smiled at her.
"On your marks," Getty shouted.
Pearl took a deep breath, knelt down.
There was a lot of talking around the runners but when Getty called, "Get set!" all noise receded and Pearl looked at the finish line.
God should I go? Is this worth it? she asked.
She heard Getty yell 'go', but before she moved, she waited.
Susie stood back in satisfaction. "She's not even going to run. I knew it!" Promptly she turned the other way and watched her team mates head to the finish line.
Jesse watched intently, wondering why Pearl wasn't running when the girls took off. He frowned but didn't take his eyes off her.
Then she started moving.
"Look at her go."
The wonder in Dr Murray's voice made Susie look back quickly.
"Wow," the young girl said.
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