Page 54 of Lady and the Camp
She hopped off the counter, newly energized. “Well, I’d love to help with inspections.”
“I’ll grab the bug spray.”
Strictly professional. We were simply two camp staff going on rounds together in the woods.
We headed out and I locked up the Mess. The day was perfect. Warm but overcast, with clouds warning of potential rain. The air didn’t smell like rain, so it would likely miss us.
As we progressed through the woods, Hudson asked me about the trees, random wildflowers, and general hiking stuff. Kind of like how the campers did, with curiosity and an eagerness to learn.
“Do you know about medicinal plants?” she asked.
I nodded. “It’s crucial in wilderness survival to know which plants can hurt and which can heal.” She seemed interested, so I talked about that for a bit as we walked. She slowed a few times to snap pictures. “Oh, and did you know lavender is a natural mosquito repellent?”
She perked up. “Really?”
“Yup. So is lemon grass, lemon balm, peppermint, and even catnip. I’ve heard you can whip up a homemade concoction with herbs and essential oils.”
She stopped abruptly on the trail. “Youknow about essential oils?”
I shrugged. “Not really. A naturalist I met on a hike uses them. That’s all out of my wheelhouse, but sounds like something you might be into.”
She gave me a contemplative look before walking. Contemplating whether I was full of it, probably. But hey, maybe it could be future video material.
Which gave me an idea. “Let me show you something.”
She put her hands on her hips. “It better not be another slasher cabin.”
I grinned. “Nope. No tricks this time.”
I checked that she followed and took a fork in the path marked by a wooden post. We walked a short distance until I stopped.
I watched Hudson for her reaction.
She stood side by side with me, her mouth slightly parted. She inhaled softly, her eyes wide and consuming. “It’s beautiful.”
We stood before a clearing filled with wildflowers. A small sanctuary of untamed nature.
“It’s so colorful.” She took a tentative step forward. “I don’t want to crush any. Is it okay if I walk farther in?”
“You’re fine. There’s a faint trail that goes through if you keep your eye on it.”
She stepped with care on the narrow path. She crouched to examine a patch of yellow blooms.
“Alice, one of the camp owners, this is her favorite spot. She planted a number of these flowers. They’re all native plants, so they grow and spread on their own. I thought you might want to take pictures here.”
She didn’t reach for her phone. Instead, she continued to absorb the scene around us. I knelt beside her. I wanted to experience the beauty as she saw it. I appreciated flowers for their practical purposes, but could admit to simply enjoying their beauty. Unexpected delights made the harsher elements worth braving.
Hudson all but glowed. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
She stood again and continued through the clearing with careful steps. Finally, she snapped photos from different angles. She circled back to the trail where I waited.
“No selfie?” I asked. “Or I could take a picture of you.”
“Oh, um. Sure.” She fumbled with the phone. “How about both of us?”
“I’m not really into selfies.”
She smirked. “Imagine that. Come on. Squeeze next to me and I’ll hold the camera.”
