Camp Mansfield - Chapter Five

"Ted, really!" firmly states Mrs. Bartram "Are you going to spend another day with Faith?  She's so busy with all the animals and her other duties, I'm sure you are crowding into her time and space."

"I don't know.  I don't think Faith minds.  She's hasn't complained to me yet" smiles Ted grabbing his light blue jacket and heading down the hallway away from the discussion with his mother.

"I just think you should probably give Faith a break for a few days.  She might get the wrong idea that you are interested in her" searches Mrs. Bartram wondering if there might be any truth to confirm her gut feeling "You look like you are chasing her."

Sensing his mother's panic and unnecessary possible interference, "Faith and I have been friends for years, we know exactly where we are with each other" replies Ted not even slightly sure if they are in reality on the same page.

"You shouldn't get her hopes up.  There are so many other women who are much more accomplished and successful that would suit you better.  Why waste her time?  It's unkind" shrewdly remarks Mrs. Bartram in a pseudo tone of sympathy  "She's much too sensitive and you will hurt her."

"I think Faith can figure out how she feels one way or another without anyone else deciding for her" observes Ted "Faith is one of the most rational and reasonable people I know".

In response Mrs. Bartram tightens her lips and makes a swift turn to head down the stairs to find Thomas in the kitchen who may be able to provide some needed support in sharing her own opinion without ever actually agreeing with her.

Finding his rather luxurious golf cart parked in front of the house that was given to him by his father who couldn't see the point of it, Ted chooses instead to use a utility cart. Quickly through the fields, Ted drives over the grassy terrain in the director of Faith's small cottage a couple of miles away from his parent's home on the other side of camp.

As soon as Sampson hears the familiar sound of the cart, he dashes out his dog door and heads straight towards Ted to leap just in time into the front seat before the cart has stopped moving. "You want to go for a ride Sampson? Ok, let's go!"

Making circle eights in the dusty road, Sampson barks as if enjoying each curve and sway. He licks Ted happily on the cheek in pure pleasure of the breeze running through his floppy ears. Sampson takes his paw and pats Ted as if giving him a thank you for the unexpected joy ride.

"Come on fella, it's time to find Faith" petting him on the head Ted thinks about what he will talk to Faith about today.

Walking up the concrete steps to a porch just big enough to hold a wooden rocking chair and a small stand with an open book resting on top with a laminated fall leaf marking the recent read page, Ted softly knocks on the door waiting in anticipation for what the day might bring.

"Oh, you're here early" as Faith opens the door trying to hide behind it but failing.  Wearing her fuzzy Oscar from Sesame Street slippers given to her by her favorite camper, she has a facial mask that she bought at the local grocery store plastered on her face and her hair in bulky hot rollers. After catching a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the glossy frame next to the door, she scrambles to remove the mask hoping that somehow he missed her ghost-like appearance.  "Uuuhhh... why don't you sit down and I'll be ready to go in a minute or two."

Finding her attractive in her oddness, Ted finds his way to the kitchenette and microwaves a cup of instant vanilla cappuccino coffee.  "Do you have any real coffee?"

"No" Faith answers from the other room "Sorry, I don't like coffee except once in a blue moon. We can stop at some cafe place in town if you would like some.  It would probably taste much better."

While waiting for Faith to finish, Ted takes a sip and sticks out his tongue as if this might be the last fake coffee he will ever try and pours the rest of the dark liquid down the kitchen sink drain before Faith can notice.  "I like the lemon pound cake at Star Cups, maybe we could stop there on our way in to town. What do you think?"

"Sounds like a great idea!" answers Faith entering the room and appearing in a much more together state. "I'll just grab my purse and then we can go."

As the sit next to each other in the golf cart making their way to the front office where Faith parks her car on most days, her phone begins to ring a familiar tone that Ted recognizes as soon as he hears it.

"Wooly Bully?" asks Ted making an L-7 with his hands for 'square' at the same time as Faith back at him. "You remembered!  It was our secret signal to each other when we needed either of us to intervene for one reason or another. Who was the lucky person to get this ring tone?  I'm disappointed it wasn't me."

"It belongs to my brother, Will" feeling a little more courageous Faith adds " But it did use to belong to you when you still called me once in awhile."

"You should have kept it for me.  It was our special code" mocking but someone sadly states Ted wondering what his ring tone might be now.  "What is your brother doing now?"

"He's in the military but he is coming home hopefully for Thanksgiving on leave.  You'll be able to see him then" excitedly Faith offers "He'll be very glad to see you.  You were like a mentor to him."

"I'm looking forward to it!" genuinely replies Ted "I always liked your brother.  He has a lot of good sense like you do.  He was particularly perceptive at seeing through people way before anyone else.  But he is still a good guy and friends with everyone."

"Will works in military intelligence, so those kind of traits come in handy" shares Faith thrilled to be talking about her brother to someone who knows him. "He likes what he does, but I often don't have many details until an event is over or sometimes the information remains vague and unanswerable."

"Is he married or dating anyone?" asks Ted wanting to know if Faith's family has grown any since she lost her parents.

"No, not really.  It would be nice if he found someone around here, then we would see each other more often" suggests Faith wishing that her brother was not absent for long periods of time. "He stays with me when he is on leave and we try to make the most of that time together."

"Let me look at your phone a minute" asks Ted curious to see the rather small size compared to his own. "I don't think they make this version any more.  In fact, I don't think they've made one like this for years."

"You're right.  Last year I was so upset that my phone stopped working.  I took it to the store and they told me that I could trade it in.  They had stopped making this version three years before then.  But fortunately after looking at it, they realized that I had just forgotten to download the most recent update and it worked fine after doing so.  I didn't bother to trade it in, it would be like losing an old friend" contemplatively replies Faith rubbing the worn edges of her phone.

"I think it is time to make some new friends" replies Ted astonished that she could have managed with such an antique.  He is often one of the first to order a new version of a phone months in advance to make sure he has the latest technology in his hands.

"Whatever, it doesn't bother me except when the updates slow down my phone.  Lately, I haven't been able to store as many pictures because of the memory that the new updates seem to hoard" disgusted remarks Faith feeling a personal disappointment that the phone company does not offer a smaller reduced update for the version of her discontinued phone.

Turning his head to the side, Ted smiles at her lost in his thoughts. "Do you ever Face-time with your brother?"

"Oh no.  I haven't figured that out yet. I don't think that I'd want anyone seeing what I looked like anyway most days.  I talk wherever I am and whenever.  I don't think that it would be a pretty picture" sincerely offers Faith feeling rather horrified remembering times brushing her teeth or plucking her eyebrows while talking on the speaker phone, or munching her favorite cheese puffs on the couch.  "No, it wouldn't be a good idea".

Ted blankly stares at her in disbelief. "You know you should at least try to catch up with this decade."

"Why?  I'm an antique and don't mind it so much" jokingly remarks Faith feeling a little out of sync at the moment.

"Here let me see your phone a moment" insists Ted taking the rather outdated phone from her hand.  He punches a few buttons into his own larger phone and then hands the newer phone back to her. "Here, I think there will be someone on the other end who wants to talk with you."

"Hi sis!" welcomes a familiar voice coming from her phone.

"Hey!  I can see you!" excitedly dances Faith's voice and expression "How are you doing?"

"This is great!  I can actually see you!" replies Will "Did someone finally teach you how to use Face time?"

"Yeah, Ted did" explains Faith as Ted leans in very close to her to see himself on the screen as well.

"Hi Will!  How are things?" asks Ted glad to see Will looking good.

"Ahh!  So you're with Faith again?" happily Will comments "She's certainly missed you."

Faith shakes her head behind Ted to warn her brother not to expose her feelings and also not wanting Ted to see her reaction,  but Faith does not realize that Ted can see Faith shaking her head behind him on the screen and starts to chuckle.

"Yeah, Faith's missed me quite a lot.  She can't live without me.  I am her one and only" jokes Ted suddenly wishing that were really the case but enjoying the moment.

Faith rolls her eyes in mock disgust, "Yeah his only - as in the only one that he can find that will pay any attention to him."

"I just love her" bluntly states Ted wrapping his arm around her shoulder and giving her a tight squeeze that her brother can see on the small screen. "She's my honey!"

In reaction to her own desire, Faith blushes but in a joking voice "Yes, sweetheart" then makes a rather comical face into the phone that makes her brother laugh reminding him of many times in childhood when they would have a contest to see who could make the most ugly face to make the other laugh first.

"I hear you might be coming this Thanksgiving.  Is that true?" hopefully asks Ted wishing that something nice would happen for Faith.

"Yes, I've requested leave and so far it seems like it will happen this year" replies Will missing his sister and friend much more than he expected at that moment.

"We're looking forward to seeing you!" replies Ted "You're part of our family, it isn't the same without you."

"Thanks!  I'll be there" confirms Will "Hey, I have to go.  My superior just came in.  I'll talk to you later.  Love you sis!  Good to hear from you too, Ted!"

"Thank you for letting me talk to my brother.  I haven't really used Face-time much except when I accidentally turned it on when talking to one of my professors last year.  I'd rather not explain.  It really wasn't a moment I choose to remember ..." grimacing at the memory Faith's voice trails off.  "It's one of my more embarrassing moments that I'd rather not share."

Although nothing is explained, Ted can imagine what likely happened and laughs to himself.  It was obviously mortifying for Faith who seems to be shrinking by the second into her seat next to him while remembering that dreadful moment.  Subconsciously Ted stretches out his hand and covers Faith's hand to comfort her.  After a second or two, they both realize that he is holding her hand.

Neither want to move, but both sit quietly in the awkward silence afraid to be the first one to move. Abruptly, an impatient driver behind them honks their car horn breaking the solace as both jump to attention immediately separating their hands. 

In response Ted grasps both of his hands to the steering wheel to provide emotional support while Faith wipes her hands down the sides of her sundress wondering if she might have won an Guinness record for sweating too much in thirty seconds.  Both deeply sigh in unison and turn in opposite directions to look at their car window.

"I think that I need to get some coffee" absentmindedly shares Ted pulling into the parking space at Star Cups. 

"I think that sounds like a good idea" anxiously states Faith picking up the belongings of her purse that have scattered on the floor of the passenger side revealing items that she wished had stayed hidden along with an old photo of Ted and her as teens, some lipstick, a book, a grocery list and other random receipts.  Faith throws the items into quickly into her purse as fast as she can but through the corner of her eyes can see Ted watching her and wonders if he happened to notice.