Page 48 of Summer Affair

Andrea chuckled. “I know, right? So many others we went to school with do as well. It’s almost like a mini high school reunion every day.”

They arrived at the camp and, as they walked towards the dining hall, Andrea realized that they were now officially having summer weather. Even at this early hour, the sun and the heat were already causing a drip of sweat to roll down her back.

They stepped into the cool dining hall, and the smell of fresh coffee and breakfast greeted them. Elle and Aiden were already seated at a corner table, laughing about something.

“Hey, guys!” Andrea said, sliding into a chair beside Elle. Dean took the seat across from her.

“Morning!” Elle beamed, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “We were just reminiscing about that time in high school when I bet you that you couldn’t convince Mrs. Patterson that you had to wear sunglasses in class because you had ‘eye sensitivity.’”

Aiden snorted. “Who knew that she would totally buy it. You looked like a rock star for a whole day.”

Andrea laughed, shaking her head. “That was such a bad idea. I could barely see the board. I enjoyed the twenty dollars I won, though.”

Dean grinned. “I remember that. You were squinting so much; I thought you’d permanently wrinkle your forehead.”

As they chatted, she enjoyed a small amount of scrambled eggs, a single slice of turkey bacon, and some fresh fruit. Andrea’s stomach rumbled as she watched Dean and Aiden chow down on donuts and other pastry items, along with a pile of bacon, sausages, and French toast. If she ate that heavy for breakfast, she’d hit a wall a couple hour later, so she savored her perfectly crispy turkey bacon and fluffy eggs. Dean poured coffee for them both, the rich aroma mingling with the smell of warm toast.

“So, any big plans for the day?” Elle asked, nibbling on a piece of watermelon.

“Just the usual,” Andrea replied. “Massages and keeping people relaxed. How about you?”

Elle shrugged. “More planning for the talent show. Who knew that it would be so hard to convince adults that magic tricks are cooler than karaoke?”

Aiden chuckled. “Good luck with that.”

They finished their breakfast, continuing to joke about their high school days. It felt good to laugh and enjoy each other’s company, a little slice of normalcy amidst the chaos of work and life.

As the group dispersed, Andrea made her way down the pathway to the pool house. The sun was already high in the cloudless sky, the air thick with the promise of a sweltering summer day. She waved to a few campers on her way, their cheerful faces a reminder of why she loved her job.

Andrea entered the cool interior of the pool house and checked her schedule. Her first client was listed as “Mary Jacobs.” A small sigh escaped her lips as she recognized the name—her mother’s pseudonym. Why and when she’d started using the fake name Andrea couldn’t remember.

Still, she braced herself, knowing this session would be anything but relaxing for her.

After making sure the room was ready, she headed back to the locker room and changed into the black scrubs that she and Kara wore when working. They had the camp’s logo embroidered on them in bright teal stitching.

Half an hour later, Kara informed her that her mother was there and ready for her.

Her mother was lying on the massage table when Andrea walked into the room, her face turned away from the door. Andrea greeted her warmly.

As Andrea began the massage, kneading the tension from her mother’s shoulders, the familiar litany of complaints started.

“I don’t understand why you chose this line of work,” her mother began, her voice tight. So this was her life. No happy greetings, no how are you doing, just jump right in to tearing her down. “You were always so smart. You could have been a doctor or a lawyer. Something respectable.”

Andrea focused on her breathing, trying to stay calm. “I enjoy what I do, Mom. It helps people.” She used the heel of her palm to push through a knot in her mother’s shoulder.

Her mother sighed dramatically. “You could do so much more. Amy always had ambition. Look at her, managing her life so well.”

Andrea bit her tongue, resisting the urge to tell her mother the truth about Amy’s situation in the past few days. It wasn’t her place to divulge that Amy had spent a week away from Brad, dealing with marriage problems. Instead, she kept working, her hands moving methodically over her mother’s back.

“And this place,” her mother continued, “it’s so…rustic. Why couldn’t you work at a high-end spa? Something with a bit of class.”

Andrea felt a pang of hurt. She had always known her mother disapproved of her choices, but it stung every time she mentioned it.

“You come here,” she pointed out.

“Because you’re here,” her mother replied quickly.

Andrea wanted to add that she got free massages because of it but decided to keep her mouth shut.