Chapter 5: Under The Weather

Author’s Note: Since Chapter 4 was a bit short, I said I’d put this one up early. Not gonna do that again. So enjoy this. Thanks to AuroraAccident, Boots, adub, and B1084 for all their assistance getting this done.
Check my author’s page for info on future chapters.

As always, any characters in this chapter involved in a sexual scene of any kind are 18+.

5 – Under The WeatherSaturday, August 19, 7:30 AM, Belews Lake Cabin

“Hey, Cleo?”

“What‽” She had yet to open her eyes but recognized who was calling out to her.

“Well, good morning to you, too,” Zoe was used to people not appreciating that she was often fully awake while they struggled to get out of bed. “Did you get a chance to talk to Persephone last night?”

“Full first name? Sounds serious,” Amber quipped.

“Uh ... No?” Cleo said groggily. “She kinda just showed up with the guitar and then Miles started playing, then it was all Pixie trying to get us naked,” she recounted the evening’s events.

“Wait, who was naked?” one of the girls from the adjacent bunks inquired.What is it about the word ‘naked’ that inevitably invites eavesdropping? She furrowed her brow. Though usually that person is Judy. She’s off her game today.

“No one was naked,” Cleo clarified. “Though Pixie was trying to talk some people into it.”

“Oh, that checks out.”

“Wait, what checks out?” Zoe asked.

“Pixie. That midget is always doing weird things,” the girl laughed. “Why am I not surprised she’s trying to get people naked now?”

Zoe thought she detected a note of hostility, but rationed that she was reading too much into the comment.

“She wasn’t trying to get...” She replayed more of the evening in her head and laughed. “No. You’re right. She definitely wanted us to get naked.”

“Some more than others,” Cleo pointed out. “Can’t say I blame her though, heck with the way you go sneaking off it might be the only way I get to see YOU naked, let alone your brother.”

A few girls nearby looked at Cleo questioningly. Lindsay winked at Zoe.

Shit. She totally thinks I’m into Cleo.

“That’s not what I meant!” Cleo groaned and gestured towards her friend, “I was just saying this one is always sneaking off and her brother is probably hiding a python in his sweats.”

“Ugh, could we not-”

“Mmm, can you imagine?” Amber asked.

“Please, don’t-”

“I’d rather not,” Lindsay said. “I’m scared of snakes.”

“Thank y-”

“No! We’re talking about his-”

“Can you guys stop talking about my brother’s penis!”

The cabin suddenly seemed much quieter than Zoe had ever heard it.

“ ... or at least not while I’m around,” she whispered.

“Fair enough,” Cleo said through a yawn. “Why’d you ask about Seph?”

“I never heard what happened with her and her boyfriend. Maybe ex-boyfriend?”

“Shit, you’re right,” the thought eradicated the last traces of slumber from Cleo’s mind. She finally looked over at Zoe, who was in her casual wear. “And of course, you look spectacular.”

“Just be glad I’m wearing flats.”

“So wait, Seph and Cam broke up?” Amber asked.

“No! No! Well ... maybe...” Zoe grimaced, realizing a cabin full of teenage girls wasn’t the ideal place to hold a private conversation.

“Glad to know we can count on you for some top-notch journalism,” Amber laughed.

“Ugh, I really shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not my place, y’know?”

“Well, I think you’re in the clear,” Cleo giggled. “‘considering you don’t have any real information about Seph and Cam’s relationship. ‘I don’t know’ isn’t exactly scandalous.”

“Ooo, speaking of scandalous,” the girl from earlier spoke up again. “I heard from Tobin, who heard from Mikey, who got it from Barb, that two of the chaperones started fooling around last night.”

“The most reliable of sources,” Amber rolled her eyes.I don’t know how she is about gossip. But passing up the opportunity to talk about people’s sex lives doesn’t seem like Judy’s style.

“Hey,” she nudged the sleeping bag encased girl. “You awake?”

An annoyed groan emerged from her sleeping bag.

“It’s time to get up,” Lindsay nudged the still-swaddled friend.

“I’m sick!” Judy’s voice confirmed her statement.

“I’ll go get Mrs. Taylor,” Zoe announced as she started heading toward their cabin’s chaperone.

“Mrs. Taylor...” as she spoke, she walked past a bunk with another student clearly feeling under the weather. “I think some of the girls are sick.”

“What’s wrong?” Chris asked.

“Someone’s sleeping in Miles’s bed.” Topher responded.

“You don’t think it could be Miles?”

“Impossible, he’s always up before the rest of us.”

Miles sat up and rolled his eyes at his friends. “Ha ha, very funny.”

“Thank you. Yes, I am a master of comedy,” Topher stood majestically, his fists at his hips and his head turned to the side, looking at nothing in particular.

“I think what our friend is trying to say is, You’re not usually one to sleep in,” Chris called over. “Heck, I think this is the first time this week you’ve stayed in here while the rest of us were getting changed.”

“Maybe he forgot to bring casual wear and hasn’t washed his clothes from Monday,” Topher chuckled. “You only wore them for a few hours Miles, it’d be better than putting on gym clothes.”

“Real funny,” Miles scoffed. He debated telling them he was sick, but couldn’t justify calling his guilt an ailment. “Just feeling a bit off.”

Miles opened his bag and grabbed out some jeans and a fresh T-shirt.

The boys at the back of the cabin scurried about more frantically than Miles would have expected for teenagers who’d just awoken.

“Any idea what that’s about?”

Chris and Topher looked but had no explanation to offer.

“Just someone feeling too sick to get out of bed,” offered one of the others.

Jerry Jones, Miles noted. Only trumpet player to congratulate me on my playing ... Was that last night? Feel like so long ago.

“Huh, why so much activity if someone is sick?”

“Ah, right. You’re new,” Jerry spoke without belittling. “I guess it’s a hazing thing. They’ve always ragged on someone if they weren’t up and at ‘em during the retreat. Usually someone is hung over and if they get ‘em riled up enough they can make him puke. Y’know, real mature shit.”

“Language!” Chris warned. “But yeah, happens every year. Somebody works hard all week. Then, since they know we got the weekend off, either their body shuts down or they party too hard. Or both. Jerry, you know who it is?”

The boy shook his head.

“So, we can’t rule out that it isn’t just a hangover,” Chris then pointed towards Topher, “If I hear it’s you next year, I’ll tan your hide.”

The Junior put up his arms defensively, “Hey, you know the only thing I drink is that nasty communion wine.”

Chris laughed then quoted, “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.”

Whenever Chris quoted scripture, Miles feared he was expected to recite something back. His guilt regarding leaving Pixie in tears had him feeling shitty enough. Being chastised for his lack of religious knowledge wouldn’t provide any comfort. It was all the motivation Miles needed to get dressed quickly and head to the bathrooms. He wanted to make sure he looked better than he felt.

Unlike the previous mornings, the percussionists headed toward the auditorium before breakfast instead of the field. By the time the girls arrived, there was a line of students leading out the door.

“People in a rush to get their marching uniforms?” Zoe asked.

“People know this can be a full-day activity if you’re unlucky,” Cleo explained. “If you wait until after breakfast there’s no telling how long the line’ll be.”

“Unlucky?” Zoe tilted her head.

“Yeah, we’ve had a bit of history with the uniforms not fitting well. For some reason, they can’t find an actual seamstress to take measurements, so it’s just some chaperones. Maybe this year’ll be different though. Who knows?”

They filed into the room to find the pews that normally filled the open area tucked away. In their place was a row of tables with chaperones standing opposite the side the students were entering. Behind them, boxes stretched all the way to the stage, each overflowing with uniforms in the school’s colors.

“Navy-Blue and Burnt-Orange, really?” Zoe said under her breath.

“What?” Cleo whispered back. “You don’t like it?”

Zoe grimaced. “It brings me comfort knowing I won’t be the only one wearing it.”

She let her new friend go ahead of her and tried to study how the fittings were commencing.

Her previous band experiences hadn’t been so involved. Just a modest black dress for Concert Band, Pep Band only required a T-shirt that was designed at the end of the previous year.

This was something else entirely.

There were a couple of adults taking measurements of students, scribbling them down on legal pads, then tearing off the sheet for the student to present to the people behind each table.

Zoe became somewhat alarmed as the individuals with the measuring tapes each had different techniques for getting the dimensions.

“Next,” the chaperone called out after taking Cleo’s measurements.

“Go ahead of me,” Zoe said to the girl behind her as she pulled Cleo aside. “Can I see that?”

As Cleo handed off the small sheet to Zoe, the chaperone chortled.

“You’ll never fit in her size, honey,” the nasally-voiced woman with the measuring tape proclaimed.

I don’t think she will either. Zoe’s eyes darted across the sheet.

“Cleo, I’m not gonna beat around the bush. I’ve seen you naked. You’re not gonna be able to breath in this,” she whispered.

“Could you not say bush while you’re talking about me naked?” Cleo’s cheeks turned red so quickly Zoe wondered if they’d overshoot and go plaid. “There are boys in this line too.”

“Don’t blame me. They didn’t turn to look when I said it.”

Cleo glanced over to realize it was her own comment that caught the ears of some of her classmates. “Oy vey.”

“The point is,” Zoe pointed to the numbers on the page to get her attention back. “I don’t think this will fit you very well.”

“Right,” Cleo let out an exasperated sigh as she shifted her focus. “We’re talking fashion. Not boys.”

“A girls gotta have her priorities,” Zoe chuckled.

“So, what am I gonna do?”

“Hang on,” Zoe walked over to the unqualified seamstress. “I’m pretty good with a tape measure, would you mind if I...”

She was met with a skeptical gaze.

“Listen, honey,” the woman’s words carried with them a note of condescension that Zoe didn’t care for. “I got a long day of taking measurements ahead of me and I can’t have everyone taking their own because they don’t want someone else knowing their numbers.”

“Not for me. For my friend. I think I can...” she was already at risk of telling this woman she didn’t know how to measure, she couldn’t think of a kind way to finish her sentence.

“Won’t it take even longer if everyone has to come get measured again?” Cleo pointed to the far side of the room where a few students were holding up their ill-fitting garments up to their bodies.

“Zo’, show her your phone,” Amber called out from the door.

She really does have good hearing. “My phone?”

“Your pictures you showed us the other night.”

After having seen Zoe’s casual wear upon arrival, the girls in the bunks nearest her coerced her to show them some pictures of herself on her phone.

She nodded and cued up the pictures to show to the grumpy lady.

“Sweetie, I’m not gonna- oh.”

Zoe swiped through a few pictures she knew made her look particularly chic.

“Okay, I’ll admit. You look very nice. But this doesn’t excuse anything.”

“See this picture here?” Zoe lingered on an image for a second before swiping. “This is how that dress looked when I bought it.”

The woman reached forward and swiped back and forth between the two images. “That’s off-the-rack?”

“It’s off-the-chain,” Cleo attempted to correct.

“No,” Zoe said, afraid her friend’s words might work against her. “Rack is fine.”

“Now you’re just bragging,” Amber called out from her spot near the door.

“Off-the-rack, Off-the-chain, On-the-chain-wax, I think I get why you’re so- so...”

“I kinda know a thing or two about fashion,” Zoe blushed.

“Fine, if it’ll get things moving along. Here!” She relinquished the measuring tape.

“Thanks,” she tried not to smirk. “Come here Cleo. Amber, you’re next”

Not only were Zoe’s measurements more useful than the volunteers, but she was also able to expedite the process. Without waiting for permission, Zoe took Lindsay’s measurements once she’d finished with Amber. The male chaperone ineptly attempted to finish measuring the single student he’d been measuring once he saw the pace at which Zoe was going through the line.

“Okay, you really do know what you’re doing,” the woman who’s measuring tape Zoe had commandeered acknowledged, all traces of annoyance absent from her voice.

Between measuring her classmates, Zoe looked over at the other chaperone and realized he was battling an additional issue of trying to avoid making contact with the female students. Her rapid pace provided several opportunities of observation. It was clear the female chaperone was witnessing the issue as well.

Without speaking, Zoe nodded at her, then gestured toward the man. A look of appreciation flashed across her face as she walked over to her struggling coworker.

She tagged him out and, in her best effort to mimic what she’d seen Zoe do, went back to getting the students the numbers they needed. Though she wasn’t as quick as Zoe, she knew her numbers were more now accurate than the first students she’d done.

Without giving it a second thought, Zoe handed off the slip of paper to Lindsay and welcomed the next student. She hadn’t expected to feel so comfortable handling her classmates. It provided her the opportunity to actually see some of the faces of the students not in her cabin. She wasn’t getting names, but at least she would recognize the faces of her new bandmates. And they might just come to see her as more than a pretty one in return.

Miles wasn’t surprised when Pixie didn’t join them for breakfast. Mel joining them at the table caught him off-guard.

“Hey, Mel,” Chris greeted as the girl joined them. He did a quick scan of the room, “Where’s Pix?”

“She wasn’t feeling great this morning.”

The black hole that had formed in Miles’s stomach got a bit denser.

He swallowed and tried not to let his distress become too apparent, “Not her too.”

“‘Fraid so. She tried powering through,” Melissa elaborated. “She did the morning drills with her section. But went back to the cabin when it was time for break.”

“You think it’s the same thing that’s bugging the others?” Seph inquired.

By the time they’d sat down to eat, it had been established that most cabins had at least one person who didn’t feel well enough to participate in the drills for the day. Even two of the chaperones were out of commission.

“I guess so. I hope it’s not serious,” Mel’s face was wrought with concern for the smaller girl.

“Dang, I hope that little fireball is alright,” Joe said. “Sucks being sick on your birthday.”

Her Birthday! I really am a piece of shit.

“I know Desi wasn’t feeling great when we left this morning,” Chris mentioned. “Didn’t even want to show his face. Boy needs to read his scripture, ‘If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it’. And oh boy, did he look like he wanted to vomit.”

Miles was too concerned for Pixie to worry about anyone else. Should I go check up on her? She’s probably still mad, and if she is sick, I’m likely the last person she wants to see.

“I’m gonna grab some food for Pixie before we go get fitted for our uniforms,” Melissa announced.

“Oh, that’s a good idea,” Seph declared. “You mind if I join you? I hate to think of her being stuck by herself for the rest of the day.”

“Well, she’s not exactly by herself. Lucy Jackson is there too,” Mel said. “Still though, not the best conversation partner. You wanna head out now? Maybe just keep her some company before heading to the auditorium?”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

The girls packed up the rest of their meals and headed off to take care of their friend.

“We should go too,” Miles declared.

She can stay mad at me. We don’t have to talk. But I need to know she’s okay.

”Yeah! You two grab some more sandwiches, I’ll grab some waters,” Joe suggested.

“Huh?”

“Joe’s right,” Chris said. “Seph and Mel can check on Pix. Meanwhile, we’ll stop by the other cabins to check on everyone else.”

“But ... Pixie...” Miles forced himself to stop before he said something too revealing. It didn’t prevent Joe from giving him a knowing look.

“Trust me,” Chris continued. “If anyone is going to figure out a way to make Pixie feel better, it’ll be Mel.”

“Right,” Joe stood and returned to the food line.

“I guess ... we’re headed to all the other cabins then...” Miles resolved.

“Let’s just hope they haven’t completely lost their appetites,” Chris said.

“I don’t care how sick someone thinks they are,” Joe called back from the line. “They’ll need to eat.”

“What are you guys doing here?” Pixie clearly hadn’t expected visitors during the breakfast hour.

“We came to check up on you,” Mel said warmly.

Pixie had been the first person to welcome her to town when she’d moved before seventh grade.

“How’re you holding up?” Seph asked. Heather hadn’t even gotten out of bed this morning. Sounds like that was the case for most of the others who got sick. How the heck did Pixie manage to lead her section in the morning drills?

“I’m alright,” Pixie said as scurried to her bunk and sat on it.

“Hmmm, must not have hit you as hard,” Seph observed. “At least not like the others.”

“Others?”

“Yeah, it’s not just you and Luc. Every cabin seems to have at least one person out of commission,” Seph glanced to the other occupied bunk. “And from what I’ve heard, no one else was able to make it to morning drills.”

“Really?” Pixie tentatively asked, her cheeks turned red and she looked away from her friends.

“Pix?”

She looked at the ground as she confessed, “I’m not really sick at all.”

“Then how come-”

“I wanted to avoid being in the cafeteria,” she let out a huff. “Is it alright if we don’t talk about it? I’m kinda just processing things right now.”

“Ooof,” Seph sighed. “I know that game.”

“Sorry,” Pixie winced. “It slipped my mind.”

“No, it’s fine. My own fault,” Seph giggled. “We should form a club. ‘Girls avoiding their friends for things they’re not willing to talk about’.”

“Hmph, so I’m just getting left out of this one?” Mel asked.

Seph pursed her lips, “Well, you may not be avoiding anyone. Are we sure there aren’t things you’re trying to avoid telling your friends?”

Mel caught herself before responding, “I have no idea what you might be referring to.”

A smirk crept across Seph’s face. Nearly had you that time.

“Silly Seph,” Pixie yawned. “Mel doesn’t keep secrets.”

“No, of course she doesn’t,” Seph shook her head. “What ever was I thinking?”

“It’s okay, Mel. My thing is big enough I’m sure I can get you a guest pass to the club.”

“Works for me,” Seph shrugged.

Pixie cocked her head to the side, “Wait, we never talked about it. How’d your conversation with Cam go?”

Seph winced, “Uh ... Mel and I came to check up on you. My thing can wait.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m ... I’m kinda just processing things right now.”

Pixie cocked an eyebrow at having her words repeated back and acquiesced.

“It’s cool,” Mel assured. “We’re not gonna make you do anything you don’t want.”Wonder if she’s giving me a pass because I didn’t push on her thing more.

“So,” Seph turned her focus back to Pixie. “You’re sure you’re not really sick?”

“Uh-huh. I was ... didn’t want-” Before she could get the rest of her thought out, Seph embraced her and kissed the top of her head.

“You don’t need to explain it any more. But if you need to talk, you know I’m always there for you,” she reluctantly released her small friend. “But for now, do you mind if I go see how Lucy is doing?”

Pixie smiled and gave a small purr. “Go. Help the person who’s actually sick. Don’t worry about me.”

“Al ... right,” Seph said as she shot a look at Mel before turning and walking to the back of the cabin.

Aside from band, they’d had multiple classes together over the years, but Lucy and Seph had never traveled in the same circles. Rumors had kept Seph from getting to know her. Regardless of whatever she’d heard about the girl in the past, she was a member of band and Seph felt compelled to see how she was doing.

“You alright, sweetie?”

“Ugh,” Lucy opened her eyes. “I feel somewhat less horrible than I did this morning.”

“You hungry?” Seph held out a couple of cellophane wrapped sandwiches she’d snagged from the cafeteria.

“I ... uhhh ... don’t think I’m up to eating it right now. But I’ll take it for later,” as she reached to take the sandwiches, Seph couldn’t help but notice she twitched slightly.

“Alright. Well, you get some rest and feel better, m’kay?” She turned towards Melissa. “We should probably give them a chance to ... recover?”

She looked over at Pixie questioningly.

“You sure you don’t wanna come with us to get our uniforms?”

Pixie winced, “Ugh, those lines? We can take a look but if the lines are stretching past some of the cabins already, then as far as anyone outside of this room is concerned, I’m still deathly ill.”

“But-” Mel tried to collect her thoughts. “You’re not even-”

Pixie cleared her throat to stop her friend. “Deathly. Ill.”

The small girl laid back on her cot, her tongue flopping from her mouth as she made a guttural noise.

“Okay, if the others have what I have, she’s feeling much worse than I am,” Lucy called from the other end of the room.

“Tsk tsk,” Seph shook her head. “Sounds like your ailment is inconsistent with everyone else’s.”

“Well, I’ve always been exceptional at everything I do,” Pixie boasted. “You all know this.”

“With the primary exception being your lack of height?” Mel chuckled.

“You brat!” Pixie bounced off her cot, giggling. “Seph, you’re right. No one is going to believe I’m sick after I kick Mel’s ass.”

“Help! I’ve got a rabid Pixie after me!” Mel laughed as she used Seph to shield her from her best friend.Gotta hand it to her. She knew exactly how to get Pixie out of bed.

“Still thinking you’re ‘too sick’ to go for the uniforms?” Seph asked as the girls carouseled around her. “Might do you some good to get some fresh air.”

“I think I’ll take you up on that, actually,” Pixie said, without giving up the chase. “Give me an opportunity to get out of my own head.”

“Great!” Seph smiled and embraced her friend on the following pass. “If you want to chat, we can sneak off.”

“Oh no! You let her get away,” Pixie whined as Mel put a few additional steps between them.

“Pixie,” Seph said sternly. “If you need to chat-”

“I’ll consider it,” she whispered.

“Can I get one of those, too?” Mel asked upon Seph releasing Pixie.

“Always,” Pixie said. “Just so long as you don’t call me short again.”

She walked over and gave a small jump into Mel’s welcoming arms, forcing the taller girl to keep her suspended from the ground slightly.

“As much as I appreciated that, sweetie,” Mel said after Pixie’s feet were back on the ground. “You know I was directing my question at Seph, right?”

“Brat!”

“Get changed,” Seph instructed. “Mel gets a hug for getting you out of bed.”

Mel smiled triumphantly at the congratulatory remark.

“You don’t have to tell everyone your secret,” Seph whispered as she squeezed Mel. “And I get it if you don’t want her to know. But I’ll always be there for you too, you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” Mel whispered back. “But is it alright if we don’t talk about it? I’m kinda just processing things right now.”

“She’s right. You are a brat,” Seph declared before ending their embrace.

Before exiting the cabin Seph called out to the sick girl, “If you need anything, I think a chaperone is doing rounds, but we’ll be sure to check up on you when we drop our uniforms off.”

Lucy gave them a thumbs-up as they exited the cabin.

Lucy also wasn’t as sick as she let on. She wasn’t even sure if sick was the right term for what prevented her from getting out of bed. The thought that what had overcome her last night might return. It was paralyzing. She didn’t dare imagine what she would have done had she not been able to find somewhere private.

Heather Jones answered the door to cabin 1, Girls Brass players, with her sleeping bag bundled up around her. Her cheeks went red when she saw the faces of her visitors. She thanked them for the sandwich and also for their concern.

“Hey, there’s Pixie!” Joe called to the others as they stood outside the cabin.

Miles and Chris each cocked their heads and saw Pixie emerging from her cabin, along with Seph and Melissa.

“We’ll be back later to check on you, alright?” Miles’s offer made Heather feel a little weak in the knees.

“I’d appreciate that,” she used the door to hide the smile that overtook her face. As it shut her whole body shuttered. She bit her sleeping bag to muffle her squeal, took a second to recover, and shook her head. She could not, however, shake the smile from her face. She gave a sigh of contentment and whispered, “Thanks again.”

“She must be feeling better,” Miles cheerfully stated as he saw Pixie walking away with their friends.

“Think it just didn’t hit her as hard as the others?” Chris inquired.

“I dunno, let’s go see,” Joe was already closing the distance.

“Uh ... You guys go ahead, I’m gonna see if I can’t distribute some more of these sandwiches,” Miles’s fear of sounding disinterested in Pixie’s health was slightly less than his fear of potentially being the center of drama.

“You sure?” Joe nearly tripped, having stopped too quickly, “They’re right there, we can check on them and get back to this way before breakfast is over.”

“Nah,” Miles looked for an excuse. “It looks like they might be going to the auditorium. You guys should get fitted, I’ll catch up when I’m done here.”

Miles grew wary of the change of expression on Joe’s face as he spoke.

What’s that look about?

“Joe, you go on ahead, I’m gonna help Miles with the sandwiches,” Chris decided.

“Alright, you want me to relay any messages?” Joe asked, clearly directing the question more at Miles.

“Yeah,” Chris said warmly. “Tell ‘em we stole their idea to feed the sick and enfeebled. But we can’t help if that generosity will parlay into us receiving more positive attention from other girls.”

“You think Miles needs assistance receiving positive attention from girls?” Joe asked.

“Okay, me receiving more positive attention.”

Joe smirked, “And you, Miles?”

“Uh ... tell Pixie I’m glad she’s feeling better,” Miles said, still fearful of expressing too much interest in her after how their time together ended.

Joe nodded. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”He knows!

“Go! You’re being weird,” Chris waved off their friend before turning to Miles. “Now, how come you’re avoiding the girls?”

“Sorry, I was a bit of a pill earlier. 34,” Zoe said to the woman who had initially taken Cleo’s measurements.

“I thought... 24- I guess I thought you were trying to be insulting when you first showed up. You’ve actually been really sweet and helpful. 34,” the older woman responded.

“I just saw an opportunity and -20- thought I’d share what I know.”

“Well, you’ve been a Godsend. Especially with...” she glanced at the other chaperone who, along with Cleo, had resolved to just recording the numbers they were calling out. “Bless his heart. He tried ... I suppose.”

With Cleo and the male chaperone handling the paperwork, it freed the women from having to switch between the tape measures, notepads, and pencils. Their productivity had increased significantly.

“Thank you. I really wasn’t trying to step on your toes or offend,” Zoe smiled over at the woman.