Destination Love

Destination Love-Chapter Twenty-Seven

Three fires burned brightly, circled by tents of every size and color. Children were scattered around holding their sticks with hot dogs over the fire. Littered among them were more than a dozen helpers employed by both the resort, and the youth center to ensure everything ran smoothly. 

A dozen picnic tables set in rows to one side of the area were covered with table clothes, and held the food ready for the children. 

Taylor sat on the bench of one of the tables holding Mason on her lap. She watched carefully as Chloe stood at one fire with Charlie and a few other teenagers including Ethel's Grandsons, Jansen and Brock. 

"Well, this is going well." Jennifer said as she sidled up to Taylor at the picnic tables. "Only one more night after this, and we'll be after your hair." 

"I don't know what Chloe's going to do without Charlie around. Those two have been inseparable." 

"It's been good for him. I think she's helped him come out of his shell quite a bit." 

"That's good to hear." 

"They're not looking forward to going back to school on Monday." 

"I know, neither are the girls. They are wishing this week would last forever." 

Leah moved into sight as she led two kids to a table to sit down with their hot dogs. 

"She's changed quite a bit during this trip as well," Jennifer sighed, "I am not looking forward to when she starts to show." 

"What do you mean?" Taylor faked ignorance. 

"I know she's pregnant." Jennifer said, "And from the whispers that have been going back and forth between the two of you, I'm guessing you know as well." 

"She came to me earlier. We were going to sit down with you later tonight." Taylor confessed. 

"I've known for a while. I was waiting for her to come to me." Jennifer shrugged, "I also wanted to wait until she had met you in hopes that you would find her a good candidate for your new foundation." 

"She would be a good candidate to bring in sponsors." 

"Then perhaps you can help her regardless. She isn't doing well at the Youth Center. She never did. I had hoped she wouldn't be a victim of the system, but it seems she has been. Being passed from home to home has made her vulnerable. The boy she was dating was just using her. She knew it." 

"She seemed amenable to working here. I will have Mark start the paperwork on Monday." 

"Has she talked to you about the baby?" 

"A little." Taylor patted Mason's back as he started to fuss. "I think she wants to keep baby, she just doesn't think she will be a good Mom. She doesn't want her child to have the same life as she had." 

"I don't think it's possible for her not to be a good mother. She just needs to remember what her mother did, and not do the same." 

"I'm going to do everything possible to help her, and her baby." Taylor stood, "Right now, I need to get this little one to bed." 

"Oh, you're going to miss the camp fire singing." 

"I think I can do without." Taylor laughed. "Are you sure you don't mind the girls staying?" 

"Not at all. There's plenty of help. I saw your man Shawn here earlier with his men. He said they're going to keep watch tonight." 

"Yes, just to make sure the children are safe. We want to protect everyone of them."