[cl] 3. Camp
[Set in Shelter. momslittlethief, feel_theburn, gramslilpicasso, and dads_lilhacker used with permission and love.]
“Mama, I don’t wanna go to camp.”
Bela sighed heavily, holding Cole’s hand in hers as they stood on the edge of the campgrounds. Sara-Rose and Lizzie had already run off ahead of them to find their friends, but Cole was clinging to her hand as though he didn’t want to let go. It was his first year going to summer camp, and she knew that it would be an ordeal, but she hadn’t quite expected to be losing feeling in her fingers. Cole was only six, and she knew that sleepaway camp was a big step, but his sisters had been going to it for years. It was possible that she had underestimated how attached her son was to her, but that was a trial for another time.
She turned to face him, crouching down so that she was eye level. “It’s only for a week, love. It’ll be over before you know it.”
“But I’ll miss you. And I’ll be all by myself.”
“You won’t be all alone, darling. Your sisters will be here. And I’m sure you’ll make lots of friends.”
“Cole! C’mon, let’s go.” Lizzie was waiting on the edge of the field, backpack over her shoulder waiting for her brother. Cole glanced between them, nervously, not even moving. Lizzie sighed, before heading down the hill and taking her brother’s hand. “C’mon. It’ll be fine.”
Bela brushed a hand over the top of his head, and placing a kiss against her forehead. “Go.”
Cole still looked very hesitant, but he shifted his death grip from his mother’s hand to his sister’s and followed her up over the hill. As he left, Michael came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Had to let him go sometime, Bela.”
“I know,” she sighed, reaching for his hand when Cole glanced back at her again, before disappearing over the crest of the hill. “I know.”
319 words
“Mama, I don’t wanna go to camp.”
Bela sighed heavily, holding Cole’s hand in hers as they stood on the edge of the campgrounds. Sara-Rose and Lizzie had already run off ahead of them to find their friends, but Cole was clinging to her hand as though he didn’t want to let go. It was his first year going to summer camp, and she knew that it would be an ordeal, but she hadn’t quite expected to be losing feeling in her fingers. Cole was only six, and she knew that sleepaway camp was a big step, but his sisters had been going to it for years. It was possible that she had underestimated how attached her son was to her, but that was a trial for another time.
She turned to face him, crouching down so that she was eye level. “It’s only for a week, love. It’ll be over before you know it.”
“But I’ll miss you. And I’ll be all by myself.”
“You won’t be all alone, darling. Your sisters will be here. And I’m sure you’ll make lots of friends.”
“Cole! C’mon, let’s go.” Lizzie was waiting on the edge of the field, backpack over her shoulder waiting for her brother. Cole glanced between them, nervously, not even moving. Lizzie sighed, before heading down the hill and taking her brother’s hand. “C’mon. It’ll be fine.”
Bela brushed a hand over the top of his head, and placing a kiss against her forehead. “Go.”
Cole still looked very hesitant, but he shifted his death grip from his mother’s hand to his sister’s and followed her up over the hill. As he left, Michael came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Had to let him go sometime, Bela.”
“I know,” she sighed, reaching for his hand when Cole glanced back at her again, before disappearing over the crest of the hill. “I know.”
319 words