Love Never Dies (an Unconditional student/teacher romance)

Chapter Four - Summer Camp of the Grange

Chapter Five - Summer Camp of the Grange

When Emily reached the Borders of Scotland - looking like death warmed up due from lack of sleep - she checked in to a Bed and Breakfast for the time being and after freshening up, she called Mr. Radcliffe. Emily noticed, from taking a quick peak at the back of the book previously during a red traffic light, that there were specific dates  and locations noted down. Emily had a feeling she had to go to these locations. Funny, the first location was Ruby's old house. That was now scored off. The second date - step two - involved a camp. Camp of the Grange (Grangers). Emily could remember that camp. What a good camp. She enjoyed herself that summer of 2001 - one year after the wild and unforgetable millennium.

"Hello?"

"Hello, where are you?" Emily rushed into the small, narrow bathroom and fixed her dark russet and messy bun.

"I'm still in Essex, darling. Visiting a friend of mine, like I said. I might not be back until a week Friday. I'm so sorry... Will you cope seven days without me at the least?"

"Seven days?" Emily pondered. That would give her time to wade through the puzzle of Ruby's memoirs and visit the other locations. "Yeah, yeah. Sure I'll cope. I'm gonna have to though, aren't I?"

"Awk, don't. I feel guilty already... I'm sure you'll -"

"Cope? Of course I will. It's me we're talking about, ahem. I'd be able to cope with anything"" Lie. For sure she wouldn't be able to cope without Mr. Radcliffe if anything were to ever happen to him."I'll see you in seven days, OK? And... and tell that friend of yours that I said hello, whoever he is!"

"Bye, darling. I love you!"

"Bye!"

"Seven days!"

"Yes. Seven days, Alex." Emily replied, locking her room door. "Um, are you still there?"

"I was waiting for you to hang up?"

"Seriously now! How old are we? No you hang up sweetie, no you hang up pumpkin. No you hang up kitten whiskers. No you -"

"Good bye, Emmy!" Mr. Radcliffe laughed into the phone. After Emily heard the memorable voice state that 'the other person has cleared', she put her phone into the back pocket of her cream chinos.

After loading her suitcase into the boot of her Vauxhall, she began driving towards SCG - Summer Camp of the Grange. She arrived late at night, which was good. Her exhaustion was weighing her down, and so she decided to book into yet again another B&B and look at the Camp tomorrow morning - which she did.

Emily eat her breakfast quickly, and without uttering a word, she departed away from the B&B and drove a mile down the countryside towards the camp - getting over irritated with the constant speed bumps.

Kids screaming, laughing, playing etc were all Emily could hear. Once she had parked, picking up Ruby's red book, she could instantly smell the grange. The stench of horses, barley and manure was overwhelming, but Emily noted to herself how she had missed that distinct smell. Taking in the memories of all the summer's she spent at this camp as a child, she made her way through the welcome sign that had a colourful banner stuck to it saying. 'Welcome Grangers!'.

Fields of grass covered in heather surrounded the long, small cabins and huts. The big cabin, which Emily understood was where people checked in and also eat their meals, hadn't altered much; it was still decorated with welcoming and sunny signs; still with the same old 'No Food Fights' sign on the main door next to the fire exit symbol.

"Can I help you?" someone asked. Emily, who was in the middle of reaching for the wooden doors, turned around; only to face a small, old man with big, red, ruddy cheeks that smeared across his entire, moderately wrinkled face.