Page 55 of Mr. B

Cassandra glanced at Wes. “Are you coming, roomie?”

“Mom, don’t call him that.”

“I’ll be along. I want to call the camp office first.”

While Cassandra and Bailey made a run for the mess hall, Wes took out his cell phone and called the camp's administrative office. After being transferred a few times, he tried to impress upon the head of maintenance how severe the problem was. The man promised to send someone out later in the afternoon if the rain stopped.

Currently, it felt like that was never going to happen. Wes put on a ball cap and his jacket, then jogged across the wet grass to the mess hall. He was the last to arrive, and Cassandra and Lester had already gone through the buffet line. Wes removed his hat and coat, then went to get some breakfast.

When he sat down, he took a long drink of his coffee. He was feeling the effects of an interrupted night of sleep.

Cassandra passed him the salt and pepper. “Did you get through to anyone?”

“I’m not sure they believed me when I told them how bad it is.”

“They’ll see when they come to look at it.”

Lester looked around Cassandra at Wes. “Sounds like a crazy night.”

“It was…surreal.”

“What’s the plan for this morning?”

Wes watched the students eating. “I’d say some competitive Taboo is in order.”

After breakfast, Wes instructed each cabin to select two players to compete, reminding them that the more familiar the two players were with each other, the better. When the kids insisted that Wes play with a partner, he looked at Lester.

“Not me, man. I’m terrible at this kind of thing.”

Cassandra cocked her head. “We don’t want to disappoint the kids.”

“Looks like it’s you and me, then.”

She nudged him. “Just like old times.”

“I’m sure the years have diminished our…connection.”

“I guess we’ll find out.”

They pushed three tables together to form one long table, and the team members sat across from each other. Each team had someone from another cabin watching to make sure none of the taboo words were used. Lester watched Cassandra and Wes.

The first two rounds were a little slow as the team members figured out how to work together. Wes refrained from using their past to make the connection to the word. But as the competition grew stronger, he gave in. If their past gave them an edge, so be it. When they got eight words before the timer went off, using references only the two of them knew, the kids at the table couldn’t quite believe it.

The girl next to them scowled. “Wow, guys. What just happened?”

Wes smiled at Cassandra, then looked at the girl. “We got lucky.”

“That wasn’t luck. That was…telepathy.”

Cassandra laughed. “I’m sure it won’t happen again.”

It did happen again, and when they got so far ahead that no one else had a chance to catch up, Wes stood. “I think Dr. Jordan and I should bow out and let you all finish this up.”

The kids all protested. “No. It’s really cool. Keep playing.”

“No. You finish without us, and the winner will be whoever is ahead after three more rounds.”

He moved to the back of the room, and Cassandra joined him. “Um…what was that?”