Chapter 13: Who is Picking Me Up?
The morning comes and it is very busy. Everyone changes into clothes for the day and packs up all of their remaining belongings (sleeping bags, pillows, toiletries etc). After everything is on the grass outside the cabin, we head to breakfast. The counsellors have put a box of cereal and some fruit out for us. We can’t have toast or a bagel because the toaster hasn’t been plugged in yet. Only a handful of kitchen staff are in the kitchen this early. I guess it’s an easy meal to prepare so they don’t need everyone to be up at a god-awful time. We finish our breakfast and head back to the cabin for a group picture outside the cabin. Afterwards, we play games until the bus pulls around the corner. Everyone pitches in to make sure nothing is left behind.
20 minutes later, everything is loaded, including the campers. We wave goodbye to Demya, Isabella and Olivia. They are staying here to welcome the next session of campers that will arrive tomorrow afternoon. Megan is going home on the bus with us.
As we turn off of the highway towards my pick-up point, I still don’t know who is picking me up. Megan says she is waiting for a text from whoever is picking me up. A few moments later, her phone chirps with a response.
“It looks like Francine is picking you up,” Megan reveals.
“OK thanks.” I respond.
“Do you know what kind of vehicle she is driving?” she asks.
I think to myself. I really hope she isn’t driving the rehab van. That would be really embarrassing. Then all the campers would know I have nowhere to go,
“I’m not sure.”
A minute later, we pull into the parking lot. I search for a somewhat familiar vehicle, but don’t see anything.
“I don’t see her anywhere,” I admit.
“I’ll shoot her a text.” Megan offers.
When Francine responds, my fears are confirmed. She’s using the rehab van. Maybe the other girls will have to go to the bathroom and they won’t see Francine come in. But they’ll want to see me off.
I then see the van come off of the ramp and pull into the parking lot. Luckily some of the girls are going inside. That leaves Hailey and Tiara on the bus. I didn’t really talk to Tiara at camp. She seems very shy and I often have a hard time initiating conversations with people so it just made it very difficult. I say goodbye to the two campers.
Francine pulls up beside the bus. The rest of the girls return from the bathroom. Megan helps Francine load my belongings into the van. I say goodbye to everyone and roll into the van. Francine locks my brakes and secures all of the safety straps. We start driving. Back to where I started this journey. This very long and twisted and unimaginable journey.
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Life on Wheels
General Fiction2 weeks after her 16th birthday, Melissa is in a horrific accident and sustains a life altering injury. She is forced to face discrimination from many as she attempts to integrate back into society. From Crown City Rehab, to shopping at her favourit...
