Summer Camp (DDLB)

(11) Bedtime

When we get into our cabin Asher sets me down and locks the door behind us.

"Do you want to go take a bath before bed?"

"Yeah." A nice warm bath sounds amazing, a good way to relax after the long day.

"I'll get it ready for you then." The tall boy makes his way to the bathroom.

"Can I call my mom?" I ask before he disappears behind the bathroom door.

"Of course, do you know how to use the phone?"

"Yeah." I go over to the bedside table and pick up the phone.

I punch in my mom's phone number but hesitate before pressing call. I don't want to bother her, and what if she doesn't even pick up because it's a strange phone number calling her?

Eventually I push the call button and hold the phone up to my ear. The sound of water running from the bathroom comes on as the phone rings.

"Hello?" I hear my mom's voice, it's a little staticky but I can tell what she is saying.

"Hi mom."

"Oh! Johnny is this you?"

"Yes mom."

"Why are you calling me from this number?" She sounds confused but happy to hear from me.

"It's the phone in my cabin, they took up all electronics."

"Oh no. Well it explains why you didn't respond to my text earlier, no phone will be good for you though. All of the fancy electronics are rotting kids minds, not letting them express their creativity."

"I know mom, I know." She's always had something against using phones or computers but she won't stop me from using them myself, I do try to heed her words though and limit my screen time.

"So how has it been?"

"Good, different but good, I think I like it here." It's definitely different than what I thought it would be like but maybe if I try out this Little stuff it won't be so bad. I don't need to bother mom about it, I would be fine.

"That's wonderful, you're going to make some great memories. I went to camp one year, it's where I met Lizzy." Lizzy, short for Elizabeth, is my mother's best friend. She is basically my aunt and she doesn't have any kids of her own so she treats me like her son.

"Yes, and you two have been best friends ever since."

"I know I'm probably talking too much, just know I love you and I want you to have the best time at the camp, if it fixes the accidents or not. You don't have to call me every single night but I still want to hear from you at least once a week."

"Yes ma'am, I'll call you when I can, I promise..." I pause for a second before speaking again. "You really don't care if the accidents stop or not? If this helps?"

"No, I will still love you. If the accidents continue then there is not much else we can do to make it better, if they do stop then that will be amazing but I don't want to put any pressure on you or make you feel like you are lesser than your amazing self just because you wear diapers at night."

"Thank you mom, really, I love you." Emotion clogs my voice as I speak into the old phone.

"I love you too pumpkin. Now get back to having fun, sweet dreams."

"Goodnight." The line goes dead and I put the phone back in its holder.

"Ready little bear?" Asher asks and I turn to see him standing in the doorway of the bathroom.