Samantha's Secret: Book 3 (The Elvis Angel Series)

Chapter Five

                                                             CHAPTER FIVE

         Sam was admittedly nervous when a bus full of rambunctious preteens pulled into camp. Though she had attended many church events in her youth, she had no kids of her own and knew very little about molding young minds for God. Standing off to the side, she watched as the volunteer staff of White Dove's Baptist Church raced to greet the excited bunch.

         The group, mostly made up of college-age volunteers, sent hand signals back and forth as they guided the bus through camp. Sam could see that fresh energy; the kind that says they're invincible and ready to take on the world, as they buzzed like worker bees in a very organized hive. To the left of all that oomph were the older and more experienced members of the staff. They were fewer in number, but busy, not only trying to corral the youngsters from the bus, but also trying to keep the younger volunteers set on their tasks as well. Sam thought the whole process looked well choreographed. Many members had even brought their families to help, putting the older teens to work hauling ice chests and food containers to their rightful spots.

           Whenever there was a lull in the work, the groups would separate into their perspective age groups--teens to the far right of camp, the college kids hovering in the middle, and the older members sitting at the picnic tables spread throughout camp. The first time Sam saw this routine, she smiled to herself, understanding the natural order of society. Though each age group had something to offer the other, the young always seek the young and the old seek the old. It was just the way of things, she thought. However, when together, there was a deep reverence within the group. Their respect and love for one other was evident in small gestures, like the placing of a hand on ones back while speaking, or an arm around a shoulder to show they were listening. But of all the members, it was the oldest, a Mrs. Alice Bradford who fascinated Sam the most.

           Alice was spunky and rather famous within the Baptist community. Though Sam did not know Mrs. Bradford personally, she'd heard so much about her--from her Father--Alice felt more like a friend than a stranger. But to Alice, Sam was a stranger. A stranger who knew personal tidbits, like the fact that Alice had twenty cats living in her large manor on the outskirts of town and two maids on staff to clean up after them. Or how, well into her 70's, Alice was the only senior church member in three counties active enough to participate in an outing like the one today. She was a slip of a woman whose appearance made her look demure, but she stood ramrod straight. A grandmother of ten and a mother of six, Alice had been in the local Baptist community for almost 60 years, and Sam admired her the minute she saw her.

          "Alice," she whispered, considering the elderly woman's thick pale hair.

          Alice was chit-chatting with a group of volunteers half her age, when Sam noticed the tiny gold wedding band on that special finger, and remembered hearing the story of her husband's death--a car accident some 20 years ago. As if feeling Sam's gaze, Alice looked up. She held Samantha's attention with the most beautiful lavender eyes Sam had ever seen; eyes so bright they glistened even in the dim light of camp. Sam wondered if Jimmy had spoken to Alice about her, and concluding that he must have, she flashed a warm smile. Alice smiled back.

           Then a passel of children raced by and they were everywhere at once, circling Sam and picnic tables as well as the trees like a bunch of spider monkeys. Sam spun in place, looking for Jimmy, or anyone for that matter, to help with a herd of runaway kids. In fact, she was just about to scream out Jimmy's name when she heard him holler the first set of orders for the afternoon.

           "Please find the table that matches the colored cards you were given on the bus! Red tags to the left, yellow straight ahead, and blues stay to the right please," Jim yelled as he encouraged the cluster of children to their proper lines. While Sam raised her hands above her head, the rambunctious lot jigged this and that way like cavalry on the charge.