by Stacy Monson
“It’s been a learning process for us,” he agreed. “Over the years we’ve developed a program that blends it all together.”
She leaned forward. “How?”
He looked out the window, tapping his fingertips together. “Okay, let’s take knot-tying.” He laughed when she quirked an eyebrow. “Stay with me. So for a lot of reasons, it’s important for them to learn to tie several kinds of knots, right? While we work on it, we get them talking about the big and little things that make them anxious or confused or frustrated. That tie them in knots internally.”
“How does that relate to faith?”
“Good question. While we talk about what gets our emotions knotted up during a normal day, we also share what the Bible says about trusting God, bringing our impossible knots to Him to untangle. And how we can learn to avoid the things or people that get us in a knot in the first place.”
“Ahh.” She nodded, leaning back in her chair. “Sneaky.”
“Not sneaky. The foundation of Outlook is plainly stated on our printed materials, on the website, on registration and release forms. We figure out the most natural ways to get them talking about life and then provide hands-on activities and visuals to help them use their faith to deal with issues.”
Cute, smart, and creative. Impressive.
“Every activity is built on an element of faith. For us, it all goes back to that.”
“How would you do that with, say, cooking?”
“God’s provisions. Caring for others.”
“Fishing?”
“Jesus said His believers would be fishers of men. Fishing is a great way to learn about God’s creation while providing ‘daily bread,’ so to speak, and learning how to share our faith.”
“Hiking?”
“Taking care of our bodies. Being healthy while enjoying God’s artistry.”
“Setting up camp?”
“Teamwork. The importance of working together, helping others, sharing resources and knowledge. It highlights our different gifts.”
They looked at each other a moment before laughter erupted.
“You’re good,” he said, wagging a finger at her. “I can see working with you will keep me on my toes.”
“And you have an answer for everything. In a good way.”
He shrugged. “I’d better. This is my livelihood. Come on. Let’s take a quick tour, and you can quiz me some more.”
Behind the lodge a pole barn housed neatly arranged supplies and equipment from a 4-wheeler to snowshoes, tents, fishing poles, camping equipment, and backpacks. Beside the barn sat a brick shower house with changing rooms and toilets. Behind that was a two-story bunkhouse for staff complete with a kitchen and laundry, a main living space, and ten small bedrooms with sinks. Lula’s tiny feet ran double-time as she tried to explore and follow Mikayla at the same time.
“While the True Adventure staff are obviously off-site most of their camp,” he explained where they stood in the bunkhouse kitchen, “the rest stay here. And most of the camp staff aren’t local, so they need housing.”
“Do you live onsite?”
“I do. Had an apartment nearby for a while, but there was too much running back and forth, so I moved to the bunkhouse. I’m not in my room all that much anyway, so it’s worked great. It helps me get to know the staff better. And I just feel better being on the grounds.”
They wandered into sunshine that sparkled through spindly pines, and Lula dashed away. “So camp staff come here from around the state?”
“Around the country, actually. We’ve set up programs with several colleges as a field placement option for their recreational management students.”
It seemed he’d thought of everything. “How in the world do you keep it all straight and lead camps yourself?”
“I have a great staff. You haven’t met Brenda yet. She’s the true brains around here. She’s out with the day campers, but she’ll be back soon. She runs the office, my life, and basically this side of the mountain.”
The sound of young voices floated through the woods, and Dawson lengthened his stride. “Come on. Let’s see if we can catch the end of what they’re doing.”
Mikayla scurried behind as they headed toward the noise. When they rounded the main lodge, the kids rushed toward him.
“Daws, that was so cool! We saw three eagles. And a fox. And a moose in the distance,” they shouted, surrounding him. “And Brenda can climb a tree faster than Rob. She’s like a monkey, she’s so fast. Ooh, look at this little puppy! She’s so cute!”
He laughed as they continued describing their adventures and oohed and aahed over Lula, glancing back at Mikayla where she stood to the side. “I guess it’s break time,” he said then turned his attention back to the kids.
A young woman joined them in hiking boots, shorts, and a red bandana around her head. With a dirt smudge on her cheek, a long dark braid hanging over one shoulder, and leaves and sticks clinging to her long-sleeved Outlook T-shirt, she looked like the kind of woman Mikayla had longed for as a friend. A yellow lab wearing a matching bandana lumbered into the ruckus, tail wagging as he woofed at Dawson.
At his deep voice, Lula dashed toward Mikayla and stood fiercely barking at the other dog who looked at her in surprise, as if he’d never seen a dog so small.
Mikayla scooped her up. “Lula, hush,” she scolded. “That’s a friend.”
Dawson chuckled, patting the big dog’s head. “This is Bruno. He’s harmless.”
Lula continued a low growl as she stared down at Bruno. Mikayla shushed her again. “He’s not going to hurt us.”
Fingers to her mouth, the girl’s whistle silenced the kids’ clamor. “Snack time at the picnic tables after you wash up. Five minutes. Go!”
The kids rushed past the lodge to the shower house, the sound of chaos fading as they disappeared. The young woman paused to introduce herself. “I’m Brenda. We sure could use another woman around here,” she said. “Let me know if you have any questions.”
“Thanks. I will.”
The lab woofed again, and Lula barked in reply. Brenda patted his thick frame as he smiled up at her, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.
“Bruno is one of the camp dogs. Don’t let his goofy expression fool you. He’s actually trained for mountain search and rescue.”
“Wow. Nice to meet you, Bruno.” She squatted to put him and Lula at eye level, a short distance apart. As Lula growled menacingly, he sniffed at her, tail wagging. “This is Lula. The two of you will be friends when she gets used to you. She’s a big dog in a teeny body.”
Lula stretched her neck to sniff at the lab, her tail slowly swinging.
“Good girl, Lu. See? He’s not so scary.”
Brenda and Bruno followed the kids, and Dawson directed Mikayla back to his office, grabbing two granola bars from a basket on the lobby counter. As they settled, he handed her a cup of water from the jug behind his desk, then leaned back in his chair. “Fire away.”
“What’s the job description?”
He flipped open a folder and handed her the top sheet. “Here you go.”
She set Lula down and skimmed it, impressed with its clarity and thorough description. She wouldn’t get rich doing this work, but she’d loved being a trail guide in college, teaching, encouraging, and helping kids. If she hadn’t been sidetracked by the allure of working for the magazine, mistakenly thinking she’d have a greater impact on women there, she’d probably have made more headway simply working with smaller groups like this.
“Anything I can clarify?” he asked.
She looked up. “This is very thorough.”
“Brenda gets the credit. Her degree is in human resources, so all that stuff is her expertise. I just lucked out that she also loves being outdoors, so we got a two-fer.”
“I hope you pay her for that.” The words slipped out before she could censor them.
“I do. I’d give her the moon to make sure she’s happy here. I couldn’t do this with
out her.”
His affectionate smile gave Mikayla pause. Perhaps there was a camp romance going on. But it wasn’t her business, and she wouldn’t be here that long any—
His laugh made her jump. “Don’t ever play poker with these guys,” he said. “About a million things just crossed your face.”
How often had Lindy said the same thing? She lifted her chin and shrugged. “Perhaps that’s just to throw them off.”
“Ooh, good ploy,” he said with a chuckle. “What else can I answer for you?”
She wanted this job, wanted to spend the coming weeks outdoors amidst a breathtaking landscape. And she wanted to work with Dawson, learn from him. Watching how he worked would be invaluable for starting her own camp someday.
“My twin sister is getting married on September 20th. I’ll have to leave here by the fifth at the latest, so if you’re looking for someone long-term, I’m not your gal.”
“But if I’m okay with that, you’ll take the job?”
She hesitated. “There’s one other thing. I’m not sure what I think about God. I’m not, like, against it or anything,” she added quickly, “but I couldn’t teach lessons about faith and God and stuff. I don’t really know anything about it, and I don’t…I’m not…” At a place where she could explain God to others when she wasn’t all that sure He was up there.
“Thanks for the honesty. I’m okay with that, too, if you are.” There’d been a flicker of something in his eyes, but his calm demeanor stayed in place. “We don’t force our faith on anyone. It’s just who we are, what we stand on. How about you teach the skills part, and we’ll take care of the faith part. That work for you?”
Their gazes held. Did it? What if one of the kids asked her something she couldn’t answer? What if— The doctor’s words from a lifetime ago crystallized. “Making decisions based on what might happen is no way to live.” He was right.
She nodded, and a wide grin broke across Dawson’s face, his excitement infectious. He stuck out a hand which she shook automatically. “Welcome to Outlook!”
“Thanks.” The unemployed, illegitimate daughter of an ex-con was now working at a church-type camp. Bizarre.
“And, of course, your guard dog is welcome,” he added. “I think we’ll all feel safer with her around.”
Mikayla laughed. “Good. I’m not sure what I’d do with her otherwise.”
“We have two on staff. Bruno you met. The other is a German shepherd, Pal. He’s out with a True Adventure crew. We always have one of them up at camp with each group.”
She stroked Lula’s silky head. “She’s obviously a bit protective of me so I’ll keep an eye on her as they get used to each other. Wouldn’t want her to scare them.”
He winked. “I’ll be sure to prep them. You can move your stuff in before supper tonight if you want.”
It seemed she had a new job. What had she gotten herself into?
~ 20 ~
Mikayla sat beside the cold fire ring, typing furiously. As Hiker Girl on a Mission took shape, she’d realized there was so much to say about her adventure. The trick was keeping her identity hidden as she shared her thoughts, and questions, and photographs. The simple blog tempered her loneliness. It was a relief to talk to someone, even the anonymous cyberworld.
Under their new assumed names, Lindy and Maggie had shared comments that made her laugh, and a few that knotted her throat. Surprisingly, a few strangers had chimed in as well, praising the photos and sharing their hiking and camping experiences.
Since returning to her campsite, she’d wrestled with the realization that she’d accepted the job without thinking through possible consequences. What if the search for Kenny led her away from Winter Park? Was that fair to Dawson? Once she’d talked to Old Joe, she should go home. Lindy would be thrilled. From his emails, it seemed like Dad would be okay with it. Mom…
Nope. She closed the laptop resolutely. She needed a little more time away. She’d be home for the wedding just like she’d promised Lindy, but not before. She set to work tearing down the campsite and packing the jeep. Working would keep her occupied as she waited a few weeks to talk to Old Joe. The added benefits were working outside with kids, learning from Dawson, and gaining experience to use for her own camp.
She slid sunglasses on and headed toward Outlook, hair flying in the wind. What could be better than new experiences to add to her own outdoor adventures blog? She grinned. Okay, maybe having those new experiences while working with a cute guy.
Once her belongings were stowed in the room next to Brenda’s on the upper level of the bunkhouse, she joined Dawson outside the main lodge. Since there was just the rest of this week before her first True Adventure Camp started, he told her they’d use every free minute to get her acclimated—learn the curriculum, policies, and procedures, practice the skills she’d teach, and hike the most used trails to get oriented to the area.
Within the first two hours, Mikayla realized she’d have to do some training of her own. Whether it was because she was new or because she was a girl, Dawson dumbed things down to an almost insulting level. Yes, she could tie each of those knots, hiding a grin when she did so faster than him. No, she wasn’t afraid to put slugs, worms, or anything else on a hook, or take them off. She’d show him her filet skills once she hauled in a big one.
By the time the dinner bell rang, she was exhausted and out of patience. There was no way for him to know her level of skills and knowledge, of course, but simply asking her to demonstrate would have been better than giving her step-by-step instructions. She’d suggest that tomorrow.
Joining the team in the bunkhouse kitchen, she learned that each staff member was responsible for one dinner each week. Tonight Kyle served burgers, brats, and chips, which, from the razzing the others gave him, was his usual choice. Mikayla enjoyed her meal quietly, watching the staff’s interactions. Four of the crew were out with adventure groups, and Bucky was home in Denver recuperating. While Brenda, Dawson, Rob and Kyle teased each other throughout the meal, Mikayla was surprised at the level of respect that remained.
She answered their questions and laughed at the joking while fighting to keep her eyes open. The stress of the past month had finally caught up with her. Lula seemed to feel the same; she snored quietly on Mikayla’s lap.
“Looks like our new recruit is ready to turn in,” Rob commented during a lull.
Mikayla offered a tired smile. “Sorry. I’m usually more fun than this. What’s the cleanup routine?”
“New recruits do cleanup for a week,” Kyle said, then flinched when Brenda punched his arm. “Ow!”
She looked across the table at Mikayla. “Whoever is up next for cooking picks someone to help them clean up. Since Kyle cooked today, if you can call it that, he picked Rob. And since I’m cooking tomorrow, I pick Kyle.”
“What?” he protested. Under her steely gaze, he sighed dramatically. “Okay, fine. Sheesh.”
Mikayla stood, stifling a yawn. “Anybody mind if I turn in? I promise I’ll be more fun once I’ve gotten a good night’s sleep.”
They waved her away, welcoming her again to the team before she trudged up the stairs. Dawson caught her before she shut her door.
“Hey. We didn’t talk about tomorrow. Want to do some fishing? I’ve got a meeting from 8:00-9:00, then we could head out after that. It’ll give us a chance to hike one of the trails and talk more about camp.”
“That would be great.” She missed being out on the lake with Dad, missed the banter and the comfortable silence. “Are we on our own for breakfast?”
“We have Rosie, a local woman who comes in for breakfast and lunch when we have campers, so if you want anything in the morning, make sure you get over to the lodge by 8:15.”
“Will do. And then I’ll see you at 9:00.”
“Great.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I’m glad you’re on the team, Mikayla.”
She smiled. “Me too.”
“Get some sleep. I’ll see you in the m
orning.”
After a brief walk for Lula to do her business, Mikayla managed to change into sleep shorts and a T-shirt and brush her teeth at the small sink in the corner of her room before falling into the bed someone had kindly made for her. As she sank onto the pillow, she marveled at the comfort of sleeping on a mattress rather than the ground. Her eyes closed, and she smiled at the mosaic of images that lulled her to sleep. Lindy, Violet, Dad, Brenda, Lula, Dawson…
A boisterous greeting welcomed Mikayla into the main lodge as soon as she opened the door.
“Hey, sleepyhead!”
“Somebody better tell the new recruit we’re all out of bed by five a.m.”
“I wonder if Daws knew he was hiring a late sleeper.”
Mikayla laughed at the comments and glanced at the clock, relieved it was only 7:15. For a second, she’d believed them. “Very funny. I’ve already been out for a walk, which is more than I can say for Kyle.” She slid into a chair at the table and raised an eyebrow at him. “Unless that’s the hairstyle you actually chose for today.”
“Whoa! Good one!” Rob laughed.
“Told you she’d fit right in,” Brenda said.
Kyle threw a wadded napkin across the table at Mikayla. “Watch your back, Gordon.”
“Better be sure you know who you’re tangling with before you issue threats,” she shot back. “I’m the master of payback.”
Brenda gave her a high-five as Rob laughed and jostled Kyle. Mikayla shared a wink with Kyle, then the kitchen door swung open. A petite woman with a waist-length black braid emerged, balancing a tray of food that set them groaning.
“Man, that smells amazing, Rosie.” Rob inhaled deeply. “Didn’t get enough to eat for dinner last night.”
“What is this, pick-on-Kyle week?” he grumbled. “I figured two burgers per person was all anyone needed.”
Rosie set a plate of pancakes and bacon before Mikayla and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Welcome to the crew, Mikayla. I’m Maria-Rosalita, but everyone calls me Rosie.”