The Summer Camp Diaries

• Vinny •

    I didn't recognize the number as I pulled my phone from the back pocket of my shorts. It definitely wasn't a California area code though, that I knew. I stared at it for a moment as it buzzed, finally deciding to take the call.

"Hello?" I was answered by silence. "Hello?" I repeated, drawing the word out. "Is anyone there?"

"Vinny?" The speaker seemed choked up as he finally answered, "Is that really you?"

I didn't recognize the voice, but whoever he was, it seemed that he definitely knew me. "Uh... yeah, and you are?"

He cleared his throat and gave reply. "Yes, I'm sorry. It's your Dad." My eyes widened, and I'm surprised that my cell didn't slip through my fingertips at the discovery.

"Dad...? How did you-" I started.

"Your mother gave me the number. Reluctantly, but she did."

"Why did you call me?" I asked in my best impression of an interrogator.

He sighed softly over the line. "I just wanted to hear your voice, and I hoped you might let me come see you."

"Did you forget that you and Mom sent me away to South Carolina for the summer?" I muttered.

"I know." He seemed tense as he spoke, but considering it'd been fourteen years since he'd even seen me, I wasn't much surprised. "I live a few hours away from your camp actually, and if you'd let me, I'd be more than willing to drive out to visit."

"Oh," I murmured softly, "Well, I... um... you see-"

"You don't have to decide now. You still have plenty of time at camp." I tried to imagine what he looked like from his voice and his words, but all I could draw was a blank. Not one image popped into my mind to connect to my father, but if he came... I could know. I wouldn't have to wonder anymore. "Just let me know when you're ready, if you're ready."

"Okay," I agreed finally, "I will."

"Thank you, Vicenta. Let me know if you need anything at all."

"Okay... " My voice trailed off, and my hands still quivered slightly. "Bye, Dad."

"Hope to see you soon," he added at the end before the line went dead. I clasped my hand to my chest, my heart pounding and making it hard to breath. His letter was one thing, but for the first time in so long, I'd actually heard his voice. Never in a million years would I have imagined that this would happen to me, and even as I stood there, phone clasped in my hand, I still couldn't wrap my mind around it.

My dad... He really did want to see me.

***

It was a bit later in the week, and I stood pacing across the expanse of the cabin, watching each minute tick slowly down on the clock. It felt as if every second dragged on for its own little eternity. "Vinny?" I whipped around to find Piper peeking her head inside the room. "You have a guest."

He was here...

After some deep deliberation and soul-searching, I had finally decided to let my father come visit. I knew after all these years that if I didn't do it, I'd end up regretting it. So there I was, waiting to see the man who'd left when I was just a girl. My mouth was set in a tight grimace, but I finally loosed up a bit to take a deep breath. I gave myself a moment to let my nerves settle a bit and then nodded.

"Okay." I followed a bit behind Piper as she led me along. When I'd agreed to let my dad come to camp for the day to visit, I'd never imagined that I'd be this nervous. The back of my neck was sticky with sweat, and it was hardly a warm day out yet. I wonder if he felt as utterly unprepared in that moment as I did.