CHAPTER THREE: Fireworks
On July 4th, we had one of the fullest days of the summer. Mary wasn't crazy about Independence Day, so instead we taught about the native Wabanaki people of the area and environmental stewardship through basket making, planting local pollinators, and tie-dyeing with dyes they made from nearby plants. They couldn't all be meaningful crafts. Of course, as much as Mary believed in moving the camp forward into the modern era, she was still an American in her late fifties, and that meant she wanted a firework show. Every year, her brother -- Olive's uncle David -- would come down from Bangor to set off those wonderfully polluting explosions in the sky.
I was only vaguely aware of Olive, her mother, and her uncle as I went through the afternoon and evening with my campers. It was pretty hands-on making sure they didn't cut their fingers on brown ash splints or dare each other to taste the shirt dye. By the time the sun had begun setting, I realized I'd gone an entire day without talking to her, much less touching her.
Then I remembered the promise I'd made her on the cliffs the other day. That I'd come by her cabin one night this weekend. I tried to conceal a smile as I realized I could surprise her after the bonfire when she wasn't expecting me. At this age, the girls almost always slept through the night and could get to and from the bathrooms by themselves most of the time. I hadn't been woken up in the middle of the night for anything since they'd started a few days ago, so I figured tonight wouldn't be any different.
I helped all of the girls skewer hot dogs and veggie kebabs to roast over the fire, insisting that they needed a full meal before s'mores even though I'd probably start with a few marshmallows myself. They all sat on the carved tree trunks that made up chairs around the fire and I sat behind them in a camping chair. Jackie pulled up her green chair next to me and handed me a brown bottle, already opened. I took a sip of hoppy but light beer.
I cut her a serious, shocked look; Jackie was such a goodie-two-shoes, but maybe our little meeting at the fire lookout had changed that. I whispered, almost impressed by her caper, "You snuck in beer? How?"
She pointed to the kids in her cabin, who were also holding brown bottles clearly marked with 'Maine Root Sarsaparilla.' We clinked beers and she replied, "Picked up a couple cases of sodas and put the beers in the caddies with them. Made sure to take the beers out first for us. Just the one each, but still."
"I'll take what I can get." I laughed and took another sip. I teased, "My little Jacks, all grown up."
The sky, painted in shades of twilight, held the promise of a breathtaking fireworks display. The soft hues of orange and pink gently faded into a velvety navy blue, creating a perfect canvas for the upcoming show. The gentle rustling of leaves in the nearby woods seemed to hush in reverence as the first firework was set to ignite.
Olive, standing at a distance from the crowd, caught my eye, and a knowing look passed between us. It was an unspoken understanding, a silent agreement that we both longed for a moment alone together under the canvas of exploding lights in the night sky.
As the first firework soared into the heavens, a burst of vibrant red ignited the darkness, casting a glow over the faces of the campers. Their eyes widened in wonder, and excited cheers erupted from their lips. The firework show had begun, and each explosion painted the night with vivid colors and intricate patterns.
Olive's silhouette was framed against the backdrop of the dazzling display, her features bathed in an LSD trip of colors. At that moment, I longed to reach out and take her hand, to share this night with her by my side. The air was filled with the sharp crackle and pop of the fireworks, their echoes reverberating through the forest.
After the fireworks were finished and the bonfire crackled into embers, I got the girls through their bedtime routines and waited another hour until I heard the soft snores and heavy breaths of deep sleep. Then I softly slipped out from under my covers and padded over to the door, as careful as possible to keep quiet as I opened the door and closed it behind me.
Once I was out of the cabin, certain that all the girls were sound asleep still, I practically ran to Olive's cabin over in the maintenance circle. In the dark, I had to rely on my phone flashlight ahead of my feet to make sure I didn't trip while still keeping quiet. I knocked on her door as softly as I could even though I was pretty sure she would've heard my approach.
Olive's door creaked open and she yanked me inside. Her cabin was dimly lit with only the fairy lights that lined the wall above her bed. She kissed me hard and fast, just enough to get me breathing more heavily, and pulled away with a smile on her face. "I got you a couple gifts."
"What? When?"
She shrugged. "When you were doing your whole camp leader thing in Bar Harbor."
She opened up the small closet adjacent to her bathroom, pulling out a small bag first and placing it on the bed. Then, after a beat for dramatic suspense, she took out a guitar. It was just a classic acoustic, but the thought made me shake my head and smile. Olive explained, "It sounded like you could use a reason to play when you're away from that scary expensive guitar from your dad. This one ran me twelve dollars at a thrift store, so if you want to smash it on a stage to look cool, go for it."
