51 Nights

Chapter One

 The June sunset blurred through the sky, casting long shadows on the various pamphlets and glossy forms that were splayed across our kitchen counter. My mom was sorting through them haphazardly, her discard pile growing more sloppy with every piece of paperwork. Finally, she found the packet she was looking for, and slid it through the mess across to me.

"What's this?" I asked, bored, checking the time on my phone.

"Redgrove Camp for Girls," my mom said, a proud smile splitting the creases that had recently began criss- crossing her face. "The best camp in the country- and most expensive, if I do say so myself. I had to really work to get you in there, it's so close to the start of summer."

"And did it occur to you that I might be too old for sleepaway camp?" I asked, a nasty edge creeping into my voice.

"Well," my mom said, flustered, while trying to sort the papers into a pile, "the lady that I talked to said that campers are six to sixteen years old. Last time I checked, you turn sixteen tomorrow."

I groaned. "Remind me, again, why I have to go to camp this summer?"

My mom looked at me with a pained expression. " Madison, you know why." I raised an eyebrow and just stared at her, making her clarify it for me once again just because

"Mads, we've been over this. Our lawyers think that it's best if you're not at home for the actual divorce. When you come back home it'll all be sorted out."

"Yeah," I scoffed, "but where's home going to be, here or Dad's new apartment?"

My mom pursed her lips in exasperation, her tight ponytail straining against her scalp, silvery strands escaping to frizz around her face.

"Madison-" she started, but I interrupted, my face flaming in anger. "Since when do your lawyers control our life? They don't know what's best for me!"

"Madison," my mom started again, and this time I let her finish. " I know that this has been hard for you, but it will get better. This summer's going to be a legal mess, but when you come back that'll all be over, and you can just focus on settling into your new life."

"Mom, I'm not a little kid anymore!" I exclaim, standing up from the stool, "you can't just send me away and pretend everything's okay!"

She bit her lip, a telltale sign that she wasn't telling me something. "Mom, spit it out," I say, bracing myself for whatever bad news was going to come next.

"Well- the day you'l leave for camp is June 30th," she said slowly, "that's in two days." I nod, unsure of what could be coming next. "Months ago, your dad and I had scheduled a meeting with our lawyers for that day, and with our hectic schedules," she paused and looked at me with pitying eyes, "we won't be able to drop you off at camp." She looked scared for my reaction, and I waited a beat too long to respond, relishing in the power I held over her, even just for a second. "I'm getting my license tomorrow," I say, "I'll drive myself."

After breathing a sigh of relief at my neutral reaction, the furrow returned to her eyebrows. "Sweetie, I know you're going to pass your driving test tomorrow, but it's a long drive, and I don't really feel comfortable with you driving that far so soon."

"So?" I say, the fight leaving my tone, "I thought you couldn't come with me."

"I've arranged for Louise's son to take you- he's only two years older than you, and she said he has nothing better to do."

My shoulders stiffen with newfound resentment. "Fine, Mom, get me a babysitter," I say, hoping she can read the sarcasm in my tone. With that I stormed up the stairs and slammed my door, an action that had become very customary to me over the past year. I barely have time to fall onto my bed before the tears pulse in my eyes, my stifled sobs causing my throat to ache.

I fall asleep over my comforter, crickets croaking through my open window, with hot tears still shiny and new on my cheeks.