Letting Go

Chapter 5 Trust?

"CARTER! Oh my gosh I was accepted to be a Camp Counselor at Ivanhoe for three weeks this summer! I am so excited!" I yelled into the phone as I reread the letter that was in my hands.

"Slow it down, Summer! You got accepted into where? And what about a hoe?"

"I got accepted to be a counselor at that summer camp that I applied for at the end of the year! I go for three weeks to Ivanhoe, stay in a cabin with a group of girls, and get to do a bunch of activities with them! I leave in four days!" I could barely contain all of my energy as I explained to him.

"That's great Summer! It sounds like it'd be good to get away for a bit."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" I joked, and he joined with my laughter.

"Hell no. I may even miss you."

"I'll miss you too. Maybe." I switched the phone to my other ear as I rummaged through my drawers for my phone charger. "Want to spend some time together tonight?" I asked with hope.

"Tonight? Not a good night. I have to get up early to go to work tomorrow. The Sandwich Shoppe needs me desperately." Carter's tone dripped with sarcasm. "I have an 8 hour shift making sandwiches. Women's work." He sighed into the phone.

"Okay then." My voice dipped disappointingly. "Maybe the day after that?"

"Yeah we'll see okay? I'll let you know." Carter added.

"You better. Bye Carter."

"Bye Summer."

***

It was the day after Carter had the 8 hour shift at The Sandwich Shoppe, and he still hadn't called me. Didn't he realize that I was leaving in a few days? Should I call him? I didn't want to seem annoying or clingy. All of these thoughts paced inside of my head as I started putting things into my ginormous suitcase for camp.

"Summerrrr!" I heard Emily's high pitched voice scream with glee as she charged into my room and tried to climb up onto my bed in her onesie pajama thing.

"What hun?" I picked her up and placed her gently on the bed which made her laugh.

"I'm going to miss you for three whole weeks!"

"I'll miss you Emmie! Three weeks is a long time. Are you going to take care of Carter for me?" I poked her on her nose which she scrunched up.

"Yes I am. I want to know Summer."

"What do you want to know?" I opened my mahogany dresser to pull out some tee-shirts.

"If you love him." She put an extra emphasis on love as she batted her long eyelashes.

"I always have Summer." I smiled and felt it reach my eyes. I'd always loved him, maybe just not in the exact same way that I felt myself starting to love him now.

"I KNEW IT!" Emily practically yelled at me with even more glee than before.

"Now are you going to help me pack or not little one?" I reached over and started tickling her stomach which sent her into a fit of squirming and laughing like crazy.

"Carter are you okay? I haven't heard from you since I told you about the camp." I had given in and had called Carter the next afternoon. I had been itching to call him the night Emily helped me pack but had resisted somehow. I distracted myself with cartoons and reading to her for the time being.

"Yeah, I have just been pretty busy. I had that long shift at work, and then the boss scheduled me for another one yesterday so that's where I was. What's up?" We hadn't really talked for two or three days, did he even notice? Was I crazy and clingy? Not even a simple text or anything.