Chapter 24

A few days later, Leslie was just quietly relaxing in her bed at the station. She was reading a magazine when the alarm started going off. She jumped up and started dressing in her gear.

"What's going on?!" She asked as she was getting ready.

"There's a huge forest fire just north of here!" Peter yelled.

"Wait..." It hit her because the camp was north of where they were.

When they arrived on scene, it was the camp. Someone's campfire had gotten out of control and the entire camp was up in flames.

"No!" Gabby shouted as she was helping fight the blaze. Sylvie was hurled back when an explosion from the mess hall occurred. Otis and Joe ran over to her.

"Are you okay?!" Otis asked

She didn't respond. Joe tried shaking her and she opened her eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. What just happened?"

"You were flung by an explosion." Otis told her.

She looked around in horror as the camp she came to know and love as a little girl was burning to ashes. They did their best in trying to save what they could. Their efforts were sadly not enough to save everything. The cabins, Rec Hall, mess hall, the headquarters cabin, the office and arts and crafts cabin were destroyed. All of them could do nothing but stare in agony. Leslie, Sylvie and Gabby slumped down on the hill in between the rec and mess halls. They removed their hats and just started crying. The chief walked over to them and expressed concern.

"We're really sorry, chief. We really are." Sylvie said as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"It's okay to cry. I know how much you guys loved this place. I loved it, too. The summer I worked here was when I met all of you."

Leslie looked up at him with red and puffy eyes. "And just look what's left."

"We did what we could."

"It's like my childhood is gone. This place was my home away from home. Now it's gone..."

The three girls headed down the path to their old cabin. Miraculously, the cabin was left standing with nothing more than smoke damage on the outside of it. They stepped inside and looked all around.

"I can't believe we haven't stepped foot in here in seventeen years." Gabby said as she looked around.

"Ha! My initials are still carved into the side. Look." Leslie pointed to her old bunk where "LES 07-28-97" was carved into the left side of the bunk.

Kim was sitting at home, holding onto Hannah with the one, useable arm she had. Her other arm had become incapacitated. The doctor told her it would be at least two weeks before it would become usable again. Her phone started ringing, so she set Hannah in her swing and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Kim, it's Erin. I'm about to go on my lunch break. Do you need anything while I'm out?"

"Yeah. Would you mind picking up two packages of newborn diapers?"

"Which brand?"

"I usually get Pampers, but they're kind of expensive. I'll pay you for them."

"I got you covered."

"Are you sure?"

"I've got more than enough money."

"Thank you."

"Anytime." Erin said before hanging up.

As she went to pick Hannah back up again, there was a knock at the door. She looked through the peep hole to check who it was. On the other side of the door there was a girl. She looked maybe sixteen at the most.

"Hi. You must be Kim?" The girl smiled.

"Yes I am. You must be Nadia." She shook her hand.

"I am." She shut the door behind her as she walked in.

"Is it okay if I ask you a few questions?"

"Of course." Nadia sat down at the kitchen table.

"Are you certified in CPR and First Aid?"

"In classes for both, currently."

"That's great. Are you going to have a reliable way here and home?"

"Yes, I just bought my first car a few weeks ago."

"Do you have any previous experience with caring for children?"

"Yes I do. My mother used to run Sunshine Grove."

"That old daycare center downtown?"

"Before she died, I volunteered there to gain hours for college applications."

"I'm very sorry for your loss, your mother was a sweet person."

"She was..."

"You know what? I don't think I need to hear anything further. You're hired."

"Really?"

"Yes. I know I can trust you with them."

She smiled.

"Can you start next Monday? That's when my maternity leave ends."

"What time do you need me here?"

"I have to be work at nine, so you think you can make it here around say eightish?"

"That works out great."

As Kim went to say something, her phone started going off. The caller I.D. said it was Leslie, so she stepped out of the room to answer it.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you able to get out of the house?"

"I should be able to, the babysitter is here."

"I think you should get down here."

"Is everything alright? You sound like you're crying."

"No...I'm just..."

"I'll be right there."

Nadia looked concerned. "Is everything okay, Kim?"

"Can you start today instead?"

"Yeah, is it an emergency?"

"Kind of. I'll pay you, I promise."

"Yeah sure."

Kim grabbed her car keys off the kitchen counter. She raced to the address that was texted to her. She drove up to see the charred remains of her beloved childhood summer home. A lump was forming in her throat as she held back the tears. She approached her old cabin and found them inside it. They just sat there for a while in a group hug and cried. A few hours later, the camp director showed up to see the ruins, along with everyone else who worked there. Nothing but looks of despair and devastation were on their faces.

"I just can't believe it..." An olive skinned woman with wavy dark brown hair said. Her name tag read "Maria Lopez."

"I don't suppose you remember me?" Kim asked her.

"I want to say I do, but I don't recall. What's your name?"

"Kim Burgess. I was in your cabin back in the summer of 1997. You're Ms. Lopez, aren't you?"

"I am. Oh my, you are so grown up now!" She hugged her. "What are you up to nowadays?"

"Well I'm a detective in Chicago. I'm engaged, and I recently gave birth to twins." She smiled.

"That is amazing. You've come a long way from that little ten year old girl that I met all those years ago."

"That means a lot."

"What happened to your arm?" Maria asked when she noticed the cast.

"I was shot a few days ago, but it didn't do any major damage. They said it just barely missed a major artery. I was the lucky one."

She had her sling removed. This now abled her to have use of her arm, as long as it was very minimal. That night after she put the kids to sleep, she went into the kitchen and searched the cupboards for a late night snack. The door swung open and nearly made her jump.

"Adam, you scared me!"

He laughed. "Sorry."

She went back to making herself something. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Stop it." She demanded.

"You and I both know you don't want me to."

She turned around and looked deep into his eyes. "You're right, I don't."

He picked her up and brought her into their bedroom.

"Have I told you how lucky I feel to have you in my life?" He asked her.

"No, you haven't. But you have no idea how happy it makes me that I'm marrying my best friend."

"I love you."

She held him tight and whispered "I love you more."