As I was finishing up lunch I noticed Chelsea enter and cross the dining hall.  She had returned from town and her visit to the doctor. She sat down at the head counselors table and served herself some soup. I caught her eye, held my thumbs up and raised my eyebrows. Chelsea gave a small nod and a smile. I smiled back at her with great relief. Whew. The astray tampon disaster had been solved.

We finished lunch and Caroline tapped me on the shoulder.

“Do you want to announce the standings in the clean hands award from this morning?”

“Oh yes. I do!” I said as I stood up and took the stage with Caroline.

Caroline raised her hand and a hush overcame the dining hall.

“Camp Acorn: Nurse Anne has an announcement about the clean hands award. So listen up.” The whole dining hall waited in silent anticipation.

“The hut with the most clean hands this morning was the Deer Hut!” I proclaimed and then I walked off stage as the Deer Hut began their noisy celebration. The performed a full, pitchy reprise of ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ by Journey.

After we had cleaned off the table, I sent the kids off with Sammy and Anita. I followed the line of campers up the stairs to the health office. It was my regulars plus one well embedded sliver of wood in the palm of Benjamin’s hand.  Caroline was helping me hold his hand still.

I was bent over Ben’s sweaty little hand attempting to remove the sliver with a my tweezers when Father Brian knocked on my office door. I looked up.

“What’s up?” I asked. I noticed Marcy, appearing nervous, standing behind Father Brian.

“Anne. Were you aware that there was a tripper who was allergic to peanuts?”

“Yes. Mallory. I put two epi pens into the first aid kit for the trippers.” I said as I looked back at the sliver.

“Do you think the tripping counselors were aware of that fact?”

“I left a note on top of the first aid kit.”

Father Brian bent down and picked up a piece of paper that was peeking out from underneath the examination table and held it up. “Is this the note?” Father Brian asked.

“Yup,” I said as I looked at it and scowled. I felt sick.