Mackenzie sighs. “She was there first. We’re all going to get along and have a good time, okay?”
“The top bunk is cool,” I offer, hoping to help somehow. “That one over there is mine. See it? We’ll be next to each other.”
Blake scrunches up her face, not wanting to lose the fight but interested in the new bed. “Fine.” She stands and throws her sleeping bag toward me. It’s heavy, but I hurry to push it up to the mattress before she changes her mind. “Only because you talk to me normally.”
“I—” But I can’t think of how to constructively correct her statement, though I need to because we have an audience of young campers standing at the opposite corner. “I’m still learning, too,” I say and sign. “We can practice together.”
“Whatever.” Blake crosses her arms again. “My counselor last year never forced me to learn. I wish she was back.”
Ouch. Being a good role model for Blake is going to be more challenging than I thought. “And you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” I say and sign, ignoring Blake’s eye roll when I start moving my hands. “But it’s great knowing more and more sign, so maybe you’ll enjoy it, too.”
Mackenzie meets my gaze and winces. She holds up her watch and conjures a cheery voice. “Looks like it’s time for icebreakers!”
Chapter Ten
All through the next day, we do our best to keep Blake and Honey separate. Unfortunately, this means that Blake just clings to me. I’d rather be interacting with the other campers and improving my ASL, but Blake’s got it lodged in her head that she’s too good for it and refuses to even attempt to sign back.
She’s not even the only one in our group who doesn’t know sign language. But when Mackenzie led a mini ASL 101 class during breakfast, with the assistance of Honey and two other campers, Blake was the only one who didn’t sign along.
We’ve made it to dinnertime, and I’m hopeful for more group bonding during our evening activity at the lake. Blake’s tugging on my sleeve, trying to get my attention again, but I’m distracted by the beeps coming from my right ear. Low battery.
I take out both hearing aids and set them on the table, reaching down into my backpack for spare batteries. They’re stored in a little pinwheel shape on a rectangular strip. I pull the flap on the opposite side of the cardboard, spinning the wheel so two new ones fall into my palm. After these, there’s only two left in the pack. I make a mental note to restock from the stash in my suitcase. The batteries may last about a week, so I change both at the same time; otherwise my life would be constantly interrupted. I peel the orange sticker off the back of each new one and open the compartments on my hearing aids to make the switch.
“Where are you going?” Blake panics as I stand to throw away the dead batteries.
“I’ll be right back.” I look over my shoulder while walking away, noticing how frightened and alone she seems sitting with the group. Maybe she should have thought about that before she alienated her entire cabin on the first day.
Mackenzie and I gather the campers, and we walk with the other groups down to the lake for evening games and a formal introduction to the lifeguards. Ben and Oliver work at the pool, too. But we’ll spend the most time with them at the lake since there’s more to do here, with large inflatable toys to climb on and jump from into the water, canoes to take out past the swimming area, and a small beachfront to play in the sand.
Ethan has everyone take a seat at the big firepit that’s right outside the fence guarding the lake entrance. This area is clearly meant to hold much larger gatherings than our camp of a little more than thirty. Was Gray Wolf ever large enough to fill all this seating? It would be great to have events here year-round—has Gary thought about renting out the campgrounds during the off-season?
Simone’s group is the three oldest girls, who are blind and low vision. She guides them, one on each arm and one holding on to her backpack, to sit at the top of the circle near Ethan and the lifeguards. The girls all have their own ways of navigating, but right now they’re having a bit of fun clutching their counselor. As they pass, Simone tells me with a sly grin, “They want to sit close to the accents . . .”
But Phoebe, the camper holding Simone’s bag and wearing sunglasses past dark, scoffs. “We can hear them perfectly well from farther away. It’s not like we need a closer vantage point.”
I chuckle. The way the sun is setting, I have to strain my eyes through the glare over the water to see Ethan, Oliver, and Ben. The lifeguards are in standard red swim trunks paired with gray crewneck sweatshirts. Almost every day we’ll take the campers to either the pool or the lake, if not both, but I wonder what the Brits are supposed to be doing in their free time.
When everyone finds a seat, Ethan hoots and throws his hands up. “Attention,” he says and signs. “I know we’re excited, but we need to focus before we can start tonight’s beach games. Even though we’re not swimming, we’ll be at the lake a lot, so it’s important to know the rules.” He steps to the side and gestures for the lifeguards to speak.
“Right,” Ben says, but he turns and looks at Ethan. “If I just, then you’ll ——。”
Ethan nods, already interpreting what Ben is saying.
“Carry on,” Oliver chimes in.
“I’m Ben,” he continues. “And this impatient fellow is Oliver. We’ll be your, um, lifeguards this summer. The rules are— I’m sorry, should I slow down?” He turns back to Ethan. “I mean, can they hear me or do you need ——？”
Ethan nods for Ben to keep speaking, giving a cheerful smile to hide any irritation in his eyes. Interpreting done well doesn’t need to be slowed down. Oliver looks my way and offers an apologetic smile. I bite my lip to keep a neutral face. After Simone’s comment the other night, I can’t stop thinking about how Oliver is cute, if in a “not exactly my type” kind of way.
Oliver takes over for a stumbling Ben. “It’s pretty simple. No running on the beach, unless we’re specifically playing beach games, like tonight. Don’t go into the water unless we lifeguards are present.” He’s got plenty of admirers already. The two giggly girls with Simone take turns whispering into each other’s ears. Oliver isn’t oblivious to this, and smiles my way again, continuing his litany of rules. “If you’re going past the roped-off area of the lake, you must be wearing a life jacket. In fact, if you’re not a strong swimmer, you should wear a life jacket at all times, anywhere on the beach.”
After going over the rules, Ethan reminds the lifeguards of a few basic signs he taught them during training week, namely “no and “stop.” Finally, we’re released, and the campers descend upon the beach.
Isaac flags down Ethan, who asks the lifeguards something. Then Oliver jogs back to the shed attached to their cabin and returns pushing a beach wheelchair. He holds it steady while Isaac helps one of his campers transfer from their usual seat to the bigger-wheeled, more sand-friendly chair. Isaac nods a quick thank-you to Oliver, then hurries off.