The thing about the sixth grade is that the last day of school wasn’t a celebration. Not how it used to be, at least. The last day of school meant that you were taking tests in the classes you hadn’t taken tests in yet and watching movies in the classes that you had. My mom checked me out early after I texted her that I finished my math test. I had a language arts test the day before and I gave my oral exam in Spanish on that Monday. The rest of my classes I turned in projects for, and so I knew the rest of my day was going to be documentaries, movies, and a gross school lunch. My mom had just bought the house across the street from my Nona’s, and while we were moving in, packing my lunch was now my responsibility...
My name was called to the front office and my mom stood in the hall waiting for me. She didn’t have my baby brother, which I was a little sad about at first. She bent down and gave me a hug and a kiss on my cheek. She always greeted me the same way when she picked me up from school early, “Hey girlfriend!” I smiled and she ran her fingers through my hair and asked if I was ready to go. As we walked out through the front doors of the school, I let out a big sigh of relief. “Guess what?” Mom asked. I didn’t say anything, but I grabbed her hand and gave it a small squeeze. “I just found out that you and Lily and Rebel all got accepted to go to sleep-away camp this summer.”
I stopped in my tracks and my jaw dropped. I had been begging to go to sleep away camp for YEARS, but my mom never let me. She said I “wasn’t ready” and that I’d be too scared. She was probably right, but still. This year, though, was my year. It was all of our years, actually. After having my first kiss with Jack back in the fall, i felt like a whole new woman. Well, girl, but you get the point.
“So I figured I’d take you shopping for some new stuff. I have the packing list printed out and we can get you all ready to go.”
I jumped up and down and threw my arms around my mom. “Is that why you don’t have Moon?!” I exclaimed.
“You know he can’t hang,” Mom joked but it was the truth. Moon wasn’t fussy, per se, but he was a handful to take anywhere.
Mom and I got in the car, and she even let me sit in the front seat. I hadn’t quite met the height and weight requirement yet, but sometimes she let me up front anyways. Soren always did, but that was our little secret. Mom and I first went to Target. We LOVED Target. Sometimes, after a bad day at school, she would take us to Target, buy us Starbucks, and we’d smell every single candle and feel every single pillow and blanket. Because we were in the middle of moving, Mom and I were going to Target a lot more and actually buying stuff!
Mom let me pick out my own toiletries. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, lotions, moisturizers! She even let me buy a razor but made me promise i would be careful with it. She was going to teach me how to use it that night. She let me pick out a new hair brush and new hair accessories. She let me get headbands and scrunchies and even found a bandana. She even grabbed some hair ties and bobby pins. I was the only girl in my whole grade who knew how to braid hair, so I was expecting to do lots of braids at camp.
Mom and I looked at bathing suits. She made me get a one-piece because that was what was required at camp. Mom called it bullshit, and I agreed. “That is bullshit,” I said. Mom just laughed. I was allowed to cuss around her and only her. But we found a cute one-piece. It was pink and white striped and had little frilly things on the shoulders. She found a cover up that I liked and threw it in the buggy. She got me my own sleeping bag and a set of sheets for the bed in my bunk. We had to bring our own, and I was thankful for that! Momma even let me pick out a new blanket, a new pillow, and a caddy for all of my shower things.
“Oh wait,” Mom called. “We gotta get pads.”
“I thought you used tampons,” I said.
Mom, without even blinking said, “Not for me. For you.”
“What?” She said back to me. “You’re going to be gone for two weeks, and I want to make sure you are prepared if anything happens and I’m not there.”
In the sixth grade, some girls had their periods and others didn’t. I didn’t. I didn’t have boobs either, but Mom still let me wear a training bra. I rolled my eyes and talked her into letting pick out a cute pouch to put them in. If I HAD to take them to camp, they’d be in a pouch that no one would be able to see them in.
After we left Target (we had spent a lot of money already), Mom took us to the mall. She said we had a uniform to wear at camp. We got t-shirts, polos, and sweat shirts, but we needed to bring our own bottoms. Mom said I already had a few at home that would work, but that it would be nice to have new clothes too. I picked out a couple of pairs of shorts and even a pair of pants if it got cold. Mom let me pick out a new pair of hiking boots since i had outgrown my last ones, and I got to buy new pajamas too. Before we left the mall, I asked my mom if I could get something for me, Lily, and Rebel. I picked us out matching headbands - each in a different color. Pink for me, duh; blue for Lily, duh; and yellow for Rebel.
And that was it. I had so much new stuff and I was ready for camp.
Mom and I went to the new house that night while Soren and Moon stayed at Nona’s. Mom let me have a sip of her wine while she taught me how to shave my legs. She helped me pack my bag with my new clothes and toiletries. She even threw some things in that she must have grabbed while I was at school because I hadn’t seen them. Mom and I wrapped the head bands in little bags and wrote little cards to Lily and Rebel. We’d give them their gifts in the morning.
Mom was tucking me into bed when she said, “I love you, my girl.”
“I love you too, Mommy,” I said. She put my teddy bear in my arms and pet my hair with her hand. “When do we get to leave for camp?”
“Not for another week, but I’m glad we got all of this stuff done today.” She said.
“Mommy?” I said as I felt her start to stand up. “Will you sleep in here with me tonight?”
“Scared?” She asked. We hadn’t really gotten used to how quiet the new house was.
“No,” I shook my head. “I’m just gonna miss you when I’m gone.”
Mom kissed the top of my head and agreed. She went to get us both a glass of water and her laptop. She wasn’t ready to go to bed, but I could barely keep my eyes open. When I woke up, Mom was curled up next to me. I smiled and closed my eyes again. And then I remembered - I was only six days away from going to sleep away camp. And there was so much more to do.
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