for things if he didnât know what was going to happen.
Feeling a little anxious, Everett arranged the plates of food in front of him. Once they were the way he liked, he opened the book heâd brought with him and began to eat. He was halfway through his lasagna when the sound of voices distracted him from the mystery he was reading.
He lifted his head, immediately recognizing the tall woman who came in with a small group of people. She looked elegant in a slim black suit that turned her red-gold hair to fire. For a moment, pride filled Everett, but it was quickly replaced by mingled sadness and regret.
Glancing down at the food he no longer wanted, he wished he could escape. To do so in the nearly empty room would draw unwanted attention to him, so he stayed where he was.
âCoffees all around?â asked a young man with the group. He wore a navy-blue suit and a tie, but Everett didnât recognize him.
âTea for me, please,â the woman, Leslie Logan, replied as another man held out her chair.
Everett was pleased that she sat where he could see her face. When she talked, she gestured gracefully with her hands. Once, she touched the pearls around her neck, making him wonder if they were a gift from her husband, Terrence. Everett liked the idea that he would give her presents to show his love.
The young man returned to the table with a tray of mugs. When he set down Leslieâs tea, she smiled and thanked him. She always knew what to say and how to act. If things had been different, Everett, too, would have been raised to know exactly how to behave in every situation.
As if Leslie sensed his gaze on her, she looked right at him. When she smiled and waved, he thought his heart would stop. Did she somehow recognize him? He would have remembered her coming into his department.
He was halfway to his feet when he realized what he was doing. She was just being nice because sheâd seen him gawking at her. Quickly he crouched down as though he had dropped something on the floor. When he straightened again, she had turned away, forgetting all about him.
Tears stung Everettâs eyes as he stabbed his fork into the lukewarm lasagna and took a bite. It nearly made him gag, but he forced himself to chew and swallow. After he had blotted his mouth with a napkin, he pushed his tray to one side and picked up his book. He pretended to read it so that no one would think he sat alone because he had no friends.
The group of people talked and drank their coffee while he sat there turning pages. Other people came and went. An old man with glasses and thinning hair mopped the floor in the far corner with big slow circles.
After a few minutes Leslie laughed and the sound was like music. Everett closed his eyes and pretended she was laughing because he had said something to her that was really, really clever. When he opened his eyes again, her group was walking out the door. The man holding it open smiled down at her when she went past him.
Everett wished he could talk to Nancy about her, but he knew that wasnât possible. Nancy would never understand. The only one who might understand how he felt was Charlie, because he was Everettâs friend.
Four
M organ sat in the camp office, absently listening to the hoot of an owl. The first week of camp was nearly over and it had gone as smoothly as anything did involving nearly thirty children, many of whom were troubled.
The different groups came together to salute the flag each morning before breakfast. They took nature walks geared to their particular age group, made handprints out of clay, went rafting on the lake and performed original skits at the nightly campfire. They played tag, softball and soccer.
Jeff and Derrick had dealt with skinned knees, blisters, insect bites, scratches and a sprained wrist.Morgan had mediated a couple of quarrels and meted out extra chores for minor rule infractions.
His temporary office consisted of borrowed space in
Feeling a little anxious, Everett arranged the plates of food in front of him. Once they were the way he liked, he opened the book heâd brought with him and began to eat. He was halfway through his lasagna when the sound of voices distracted him from the mystery he was reading.
He lifted his head, immediately recognizing the tall woman who came in with a small group of people. She looked elegant in a slim black suit that turned her red-gold hair to fire. For a moment, pride filled Everett, but it was quickly replaced by mingled sadness and regret.
Glancing down at the food he no longer wanted, he wished he could escape. To do so in the nearly empty room would draw unwanted attention to him, so he stayed where he was.
âCoffees all around?â asked a young man with the group. He wore a navy-blue suit and a tie, but Everett didnât recognize him.
âTea for me, please,â the woman, Leslie Logan, replied as another man held out her chair.
Everett was pleased that she sat where he could see her face. When she talked, she gestured gracefully with her hands. Once, she touched the pearls around her neck, making him wonder if they were a gift from her husband, Terrence. Everett liked the idea that he would give her presents to show his love.
The young man returned to the table with a tray of mugs. When he set down Leslieâs tea, she smiled and thanked him. She always knew what to say and how to act. If things had been different, Everett, too, would have been raised to know exactly how to behave in every situation.
As if Leslie sensed his gaze on her, she looked right at him. When she smiled and waved, he thought his heart would stop. Did she somehow recognize him? He would have remembered her coming into his department.
He was halfway to his feet when he realized what he was doing. She was just being nice because sheâd seen him gawking at her. Quickly he crouched down as though he had dropped something on the floor. When he straightened again, she had turned away, forgetting all about him.
Tears stung Everettâs eyes as he stabbed his fork into the lukewarm lasagna and took a bite. It nearly made him gag, but he forced himself to chew and swallow. After he had blotted his mouth with a napkin, he pushed his tray to one side and picked up his book. He pretended to read it so that no one would think he sat alone because he had no friends.
The group of people talked and drank their coffee while he sat there turning pages. Other people came and went. An old man with glasses and thinning hair mopped the floor in the far corner with big slow circles.
After a few minutes Leslie laughed and the sound was like music. Everett closed his eyes and pretended she was laughing because he had said something to her that was really, really clever. When he opened his eyes again, her group was walking out the door. The man holding it open smiled down at her when she went past him.
Everett wished he could talk to Nancy about her, but he knew that wasnât possible. Nancy would never understand. The only one who might understand how he felt was Charlie, because he was Everettâs friend.
Four
M organ sat in the camp office, absently listening to the hoot of an owl. The first week of camp was nearly over and it had gone as smoothly as anything did involving nearly thirty children, many of whom were troubled.
The different groups came together to salute the flag each morning before breakfast. They took nature walks geared to their particular age group, made handprints out of clay, went rafting on the lake and performed original skits at the nightly campfire. They played tag, softball and soccer.
Jeff and Derrick had dealt with skinned knees, blisters, insect bites, scratches and a sprained wrist.Morgan had mediated a couple of quarrels and meted out extra chores for minor rule infractions.
His temporary office consisted of borrowed space in
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