Family + Camp (working title)

Chapter 18: Chef Ruby

Between them all, a beat of silence emerged that was about to verge on awkward when it was interrupted by a growling. Nell was pretty sure it had come from Cash's belly because he blushed. Again!

"I believe that's the lunch bell that just rang," Morrie joked. "C'mon ladies and gentlemen. I asked Ruby if she'd rustle up something for us. It's good practice for her when the staff arrive tomorrow."

The group headed away from the lake, past the corral, and up a maintained switchback path. It popped them out near the staff quarters and bathhouse.

Nell's stomach rumbled too, and Cash looked at her gratefully, like she'd done it on purpose.

"This will actually be my first meal in the dining hall of this camp," Nell admitted.

Cash nodded solemnly. "It's camp food. You're going to be blown away."

They went through a back entrance that led straight into a small yet clean kitchen staff lounge with one table and some chairs as well as a small TV. Morrie opened another door that went into a brief hall where there was a restaurant-sized refrigerator and then the main kitchen.

Ruby greeted them all in her chef whites, dyed ruby-red hair mastered by a hairnet. Her acknowledgment of their entry into her territory was curt as she bustled around the industrial kitchen, snapping orders to her staff—not cranky, but efficient. Okay, borderline cranky. She greeted each one of them with the same efficiency except for Cash. For him, she actually smiled a big wide smile.

"Cashel!"

"Hello, Chef Ruby." Without asking, Cash enveloped the tall woman, who had to be in her late fifties, into a bear hug. They swayed back and forth a couple of times before letting go.

"This boy is the best boy in the whole wide world. I am going to miss him in my kitchen this summer!" She glared at Nell's dad, as if it were all his fault she was being deprived of the best boy in the whole wide world. And, in fact, it probably was Morrie's fault, being the big boss and all.

"I bet I can squeeze in some shifts," Cash said through grin.

Ruby looked like he'd just offered her a paid vacation. "You'd better, Cashel! I'm not forgetting you said so."

She turned to look at the rest of them, and her smile immediately vanished.

"Sandwich fixings are on the table over there." Ruby nodded through the large pass-through window. So's potato salad and some fruits. Now, please exit the kitchen, there are too many of us without hairnets and unwashed hands for too long, and I do not want to risk a health code violation this early in the season. Or ever."

Everyone quickly apologized for their careless lack of cleanliness as they hustled to get out the swinging doors into the main dining area. Nell was glad there weren't more of them or someone might have gotten trampled stampede-style. Cash lingered for one more Chef Ruby hug.

Jesus. It was like he wasn't going to be there for the next two and a half months. Nell realized she was jealous—she could see that earning Ruby's hugs was no easy task. It took a special person. She watched Cash as he assembled a turkey and cheddar sandwich, and then a ham and Swiss one. And put two scoops of potato salad on his plate. And two apples. And grabbed three plastic glasses of milk. Well, he was over six feet tall.

Everyone sat together at one of the round tables—that was how it was done at Camp Morgan. At Fields, the tables had been long cafeteria rectangles with attached benches, like in schools. Here, the tables were round and the chairs were real chairs with backs. Her mom nodded approvingly.

"Round," Sandy said. "Like in Chinese restaurants."

"I knew you were going to say that," Nell said.

Sandy smiled wryly.

"Let's eat," Morrie said.

And they did.

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Wattpad Fam: I have a fondness for round tables, just like Sandy. They are an equalizer. No one is really at the head of the table.