Contest Between Matters of the Heart

A simple meet

The roads were slick as Lana and her mom pulled onto the last stretch of road that led toward the camp. She had taken her earphones out because her mother insisted on carrying on a conversation with her.

"I know what you said but I still think I should call Chuck. What if he's delayed or in trouble or something?"

"Yeah mom, he's probably been held up by Somalian Pirates, that's why he hasn't called you in a three days."

"You think so? Did you see something on the news about it or something?"

"No, I was- never mind. He's not calling because he doesn't want to call. 72 hours is more than enough time to dial a few digits and check in. If he's not doing that it's because he doesn't want to."

"I just don't understand though. We're so good for each other. You've seen us. The way we talk and the way he looks at me."

"You guys were great but maybe that's what he's scared of." Lana lied. In reality she knew that Chuck was playing her mother. A month ago when he brought his "research" assistant over for dinner. Her mother hadn't caught it but Lana did. It was a simple touch under the table upon Chuck's thigh by his assistant. 

In her more naive years she would've told her mother about it or made a scene right then and there but Lana knew better. Her actions to protect her mother always blew up in her face and she would be accused of being a lying brat. Then a few weeks or months later her mother would finally come around to the truth and she'd either get rid of the man or wait until he got rid of her and then she wouldn't talk about it. There was never any "Lana I should've listened to you I'm so sorry," speeches from her mom. She just pretended it didn't happen and Lana learned to pretend right alongside her.

"That could be it. He is 38 and he's never been married. I bet he's never had an relationship that's gotten this serious in a long time. But I think that's why I should call him. I should reassure him that everything is ok, that it's normal for him to get a little freaked out when things get intense."

"I would still hold out but it's your choice." Lana said as the entrance of the camp came into view. An old stone statue of an hiking man was in the middle of a roundabout. A few cars were lined up and Lana could make out parents helping their kids unload their stuff onto the sidewalk.

"So how does it feel to be the doing this for the last time." Her mom said as she rapped her fingers on the steering wheel.

"I'll probably come back during my summer break in college to be honest."

"Or you'll be doing a summer internship or maybe you'll go on holiday with one of the studs you meet in class."

"Mom, I can promise that I'm not going on holiday."

The car pulled up to the curb and her mother pulled a hood over her hair and the two of the went about unloading the small sedan. Two roller suitcases, a duffel bag and a book bag were taken from the car and then her mother wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Stay safe ok? And I'm not going to call Chuck ok?"

"I love you." Lana said as she broke of their hug and waved at her mom as she ran back in the car. There was a ninety nine percent chance her mother would call Chuck on the ride back home but she didn't care, she still loved her all the same.

"I spy an uptight little counselor who wants to work the kids to death." A girl's voice said from behind her.

"Kelly." Lana exclaimed as she went to hug her friend. She had known Kelly since the two of them went to the camp as elementary kids. The two of them weren't always the best of friends in fact they had been bitter rivals until the first year of high school. For some strange reason they both caught the raw end of the high school experience which led them to call a ceasefire that camp year. They spent the summer crying in each other's arms over wayward crushes, the state of their social lives, and their overall erratic hormonal levels. At the end of that fateful summer they rebuilt one another and Lana told Kelly to start a school fashion blog and Kelly advised her to become a relationship guru after the stuff she's put up with concerning her mom. An oddly enough, that worked at their respective schools. They came back to camp the next year as counselors and they've been besties ever since.