dorm mom.”
EJ took the spray bottle from Susan. With her long brown hair in two braids, a green Camp Christian T-shirt, khaki shorts, green-and-white-striped knee socks, and white tennis shoes, Susan looked every bit the part of a camp counselor, EJ thought.
“I’m EJ Payne,” EJ said, spraying a tentative spritz of the wrinkle releaser on a T-shirt.
“Come on, EJ, you’ve got to show those wrinkles who’s boss or they’re not going to leave.” Susan picked up another wrinkled T-shirt and hung it on a hanger next to EJ’s bunk. “Let me show you.”
Intrigued, EJ handed Susan the spray bottle. Susan pumped several sprays onto the wrinkles and tugged on the shirt to smooth the whole thing. “There, just like that, and you’ll have wrinkle-free camp clothes as soon as they air dry.”
“Cool, thanks!” EJ hung up all the clothes from her suitcase and began spraying and tugging one piece at a time while Susan made up her bunk across the room.
“When will everyone else get here?” EJ asked.
Susan checked her watch. “Anytime now,” she said. “Since we’re the farthest dorm away from registration, dorms A through D are probably filling up first.”
“I didn’t mind the walk, because I wanted to stay in dorm E. You know, for my name.” EJ wondered if that was a babyish reason for picking a dorm. “Plus, this is the one I told my best friend I’d be in.”
“Both are good reasons for being in this dorm,” Susan said, shoving her empty suitcase under her bunk. “I’m glad you’re here, EJ. I can tell we’re going to be friends.”
Just then, CoraLee McCallister appeared in the doorway looking wild-eyed and desperate.
“Is there room in here?” she demanded. “Open bunks?”
“Hey, I’m Susan.” The dorm mom stood up from her bunk and smiled. “And you are …?”
“In need of a place to sleep! The other dorms are filled up already!” CoraLee snipped and then called over her shoulder, “Mom, I
told
you we left home too late to get a good spot!”
CoraLee’s mom and sister, Katy, stepped into the room. Her dad, a few steps behind, was struggling to carry two huge suitcases, hanging clothes, and bedding.
“Wow, looks like someone plans to be here all summer,” Susan said, an obvious teasing tone in her voice.
“CoraLee has packed only the necessities for a comfortable week away from home.” Mrs. McCallister had an edge to her voice. “We McCallister women don’t do well
roughing it
.”
“Oh, right. Sure.” Susan didn’t seem to know how to respond. “CoraLee, which bunk would you like to claim?”
CoraLee pointed to the bunk directly above EJ’s. “That one will be fine,” she said. Her dad moved toward the bunk and dropped everything next to it as if he couldn’t carry the heavy load for another second.
“CoraLee, that one’s reserved for Macy,” EJ said, poking out her head at the foot of the bunk bed.
“EJ! Hi!” Katy McCallister rushed to EJ’s bed and plopped down next to her. “I love your sleeping bag—red is my favorite color!”
“Thanks, Katy.” EJ smiled to herself. Ever since she had realized last year that Katy wanted to be just like her (and not CoraLee), she thought maybe CoraLee was a little jealous. “Are you coming to day camp this week?”
“I don’t see Macy’s name on that bunk.” CoraLee narrowed her eyes at EJ. “And that’s the bunk I want.”
“How about the one above me?” Susan offered, patting the mattress. “I promise I don’t roll around at night much or snore too loudly.”
“On second thought, I think I want to stay as far away as I can from this Payne-in-my”—CoraLee saw the disapproving look she was getting from her mom—“uh, I mean, I’ll just take a bunk at the back of the room.”
Mr. McCallister sighed and reloaded his arms with luggage and bedding and followed CoraLee and his wife to the back of the room, where CoraLee was already loudly complaining that her mattress didn’t have a
EJ took the spray bottle from Susan. With her long brown hair in two braids, a green Camp Christian T-shirt, khaki shorts, green-and-white-striped knee socks, and white tennis shoes, Susan looked every bit the part of a camp counselor, EJ thought.
“I’m EJ Payne,” EJ said, spraying a tentative spritz of the wrinkle releaser on a T-shirt.
“Come on, EJ, you’ve got to show those wrinkles who’s boss or they’re not going to leave.” Susan picked up another wrinkled T-shirt and hung it on a hanger next to EJ’s bunk. “Let me show you.”
Intrigued, EJ handed Susan the spray bottle. Susan pumped several sprays onto the wrinkles and tugged on the shirt to smooth the whole thing. “There, just like that, and you’ll have wrinkle-free camp clothes as soon as they air dry.”
“Cool, thanks!” EJ hung up all the clothes from her suitcase and began spraying and tugging one piece at a time while Susan made up her bunk across the room.
“When will everyone else get here?” EJ asked.
Susan checked her watch. “Anytime now,” she said. “Since we’re the farthest dorm away from registration, dorms A through D are probably filling up first.”
“I didn’t mind the walk, because I wanted to stay in dorm E. You know, for my name.” EJ wondered if that was a babyish reason for picking a dorm. “Plus, this is the one I told my best friend I’d be in.”
“Both are good reasons for being in this dorm,” Susan said, shoving her empty suitcase under her bunk. “I’m glad you’re here, EJ. I can tell we’re going to be friends.”
Just then, CoraLee McCallister appeared in the doorway looking wild-eyed and desperate.
“Is there room in here?” she demanded. “Open bunks?”
“Hey, I’m Susan.” The dorm mom stood up from her bunk and smiled. “And you are …?”
“In need of a place to sleep! The other dorms are filled up already!” CoraLee snipped and then called over her shoulder, “Mom, I
told
you we left home too late to get a good spot!”
CoraLee’s mom and sister, Katy, stepped into the room. Her dad, a few steps behind, was struggling to carry two huge suitcases, hanging clothes, and bedding.
“Wow, looks like someone plans to be here all summer,” Susan said, an obvious teasing tone in her voice.
“CoraLee has packed only the necessities for a comfortable week away from home.” Mrs. McCallister had an edge to her voice. “We McCallister women don’t do well
roughing it
.”
“Oh, right. Sure.” Susan didn’t seem to know how to respond. “CoraLee, which bunk would you like to claim?”
CoraLee pointed to the bunk directly above EJ’s. “That one will be fine,” she said. Her dad moved toward the bunk and dropped everything next to it as if he couldn’t carry the heavy load for another second.
“CoraLee, that one’s reserved for Macy,” EJ said, poking out her head at the foot of the bunk bed.
“EJ! Hi!” Katy McCallister rushed to EJ’s bed and plopped down next to her. “I love your sleeping bag—red is my favorite color!”
“Thanks, Katy.” EJ smiled to herself. Ever since she had realized last year that Katy wanted to be just like her (and not CoraLee), she thought maybe CoraLee was a little jealous. “Are you coming to day camp this week?”
“I don’t see Macy’s name on that bunk.” CoraLee narrowed her eyes at EJ. “And that’s the bunk I want.”
“How about the one above me?” Susan offered, patting the mattress. “I promise I don’t roll around at night much or snore too loudly.”
“On second thought, I think I want to stay as far away as I can from this Payne-in-my”—CoraLee saw the disapproving look she was getting from her mom—“uh, I mean, I’ll just take a bunk at the back of the room.”
Mr. McCallister sighed and reloaded his arms with luggage and bedding and followed CoraLee and his wife to the back of the room, where CoraLee was already loudly complaining that her mattress didn’t have a
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