Page 44 of Beyond the Summer

"Your mother's in on this?Of course she is," Walter said, chuckling.

I found myself leaning in for a better look at the papers, my shoulder brushing against Ben's.The sketches showed the cluster of cabins I recognized, but they now had multiple doors, creating small one- and two-person dormitories instead of large cabins full of many boys, and there were some new cabins between them, with a different style of restroom—individual stalls accessible from the outside.

"See, Dad?With this layout, we can provide private accommodations while still fostering a sense of community.The cabins are big enough that instead of being one open space, they can be divided into single and double dorms.Campers will still be close enough to socialize on the green and around camp, but they can request what they need to feel comfortable."Matt jabbed a finger at the plans."And the best part?It won't require a ton of work.We can repurpose a lot of the existing structures and add a few modular cabins to make it work.The shower building is more like the kind they have at campgrounds, with the stalls accessed from the outside."

Ben was nodding along, his eyes alight with excitement."This is brilliant, Matt.Seriously impressive."He turned to me, angling his body so our hips almost touched, letting me look at the drawings.

"Same capacity?"Walter asked, counting out beds.

"Same capacity," Matt said."Or maybe slightly more.We'd consolidate some of the buildings between the boys' and girls' camps.We only need one main lodge, for example.The master plan shows how each building would be used.And we'd divide the two housing sections between ages, with kids 10-12 over where the girls used to be, and 13 and up here at the boys' camp."

Ben leaned in."I was surprised by how doable this is when Matt showed it to me."

Walter stared down at the sketches, his brow furrowed in thought.The room fell silent, tension thick in the air.Beside me, Ben shifted restlessly from foot to foot.Matt held his breath.My heart pounded as I watched Walter's face, searching for any hint of his decision.This moment felt momentous somehow, like we were on the brink of something big.

Please let him see how important this is.Let him understand.

The seconds ticked by, each one an eternity.And then, finally, Walter looked up.His piercing eyes landed on me, and I felt pinned in place."Sutton?What's your take on all this?"

I blushed furiously, heat rushing to my cheeks.Being put on the spot like this was my worst nightmare."Oh, um, well, sir…" I stammered, trying to gather my whirling thoughts."My friend Parker told me Eagle Ridge was a safe place for him as a kid.He's gay, um… like me, and he told me that coming to Eagle Ridge was what enabled him to be confident about his identity.I think we could do the same for other kids."

I took a deep breath, emboldened by the encouraging nods from Matt and Ben."And to be honest, it didn't sit right with me, seeing that trans camper feel so uncomfortable and out of place in their cabin this summer.Every child deserves a space where they can relax and be themselves."

The words tumbled out in a nervous rush, and I braced myself, shoulders tensing as I awaited the biting reprimand I knew was coming.My father would have already been red-faced and shouting by now, telling me I had no idea what I was talking about and to keep my worthless opinions to myself.

But Walter frowned, then let out a slow breath and gave a decisive nod."Well said, son.You make an excellent point."

I blinked rapidly, not quite processing what I was hearing.He'd agreed with me?Just like that?

Beside me, Ben reached over to give my thigh a quick, reassuring squeeze under the table.

Walter's brow furrowed in concern."You alright there, Sutton?You look like no one has ever agreed with you before."

"Sorry, I just…" I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of confusion."It's so different from how my own father would have reacted.If I dared argue with him like that…" I trailed off with a shudder, remembering the sharp sting of his cutting words."Let's say it wouldn't have ended well for me."

Matt cleared his throat."Sutton's father is Lawrence Holm.You know, the televangelist guy."

Walter's eyes went wide."Lawrence Holm?Fuck," he growled.Before I could react, he was up and moving around the kitchen island.I tensed, bracing myself for anger or disgust.

But then Walter's brawny arms were wrapping around me in a warm, fatherly hug."Oh kid, I'm so damn sorry that you were ever treated in a way that made you this nervous to speak your mind," he murmured gruffly."In our household, you can stir shit up with any of us if we're dead wrong about something, got it?"

Something inside me cracked wide open.I couldn't hold back the sudden swell of emotion, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes as I clung to Walter.This easy affection, this immediate acceptance, was foreign and wonderful and overwhelming all at once.

When Walter released me, his gaze shifted to Ben."You picked yourself a good one, Ben.Passionate about helping kids who need it.That's commendable."

Ben's eyes darted between me and his stepdad."W-what?How did you know?Sutton, I didn't tell anyone about us!"

Walter let out a booming laugh."Relax, Ben.Didn't need you to tell me anything.It's written all over both your faces."He winked at me."The way this one looked at you when you walked in the room, Ben… Like you hung the damn moon.And Ben, your eyes went straight to him before you even said hello to the rest of us."

I ducked my head as heat flooded my cheeks.Were we really that obvious?I snuck a glance at Ben and found him grinning at me, eyes shining with happiness and relief.

Under the table, he reached for my hand and twined our fingers together."Guess there's no point in trying to hide it anymore," he said, giving my hand a squeeze."He's my boyfriend."

"So how are we going to build this gender-inclusive camp?"Walter muttered.

"You're agreeing to it?"I asked.

Walter shook his head, laughing."I'm a cheapskate, but I'm not stupid.When these two and my wife are teamed up, there's something that needs to be done.And you all are right.My father built this place in the seventies to be safe and welcoming for all kids.Matt, I expect a detailed proposal and budget on my desk by the end of the week if you want the green light.Maybe you can convince Sutton to stick around and lend you a hand with things."

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