Cassie DePeckel

You know, my wife had a good trick for getting her way with stubborn co-workers.

It's amusing, actually.

He launches into a story, but Dorothy barely listens.

She drops his hand and doesn't even pretend to be listening.

Thomas never concealed the fact that he was married.

In fact, he mentioned his wife the first time he met Dorothy, but that didn't stop him from pursuing her.

And Dorothy willfully let herself be pursued.

She craved companionship.

But every time he mentions his wife, it stabs her.

The truth is, deep down, she's afraid she's fallen in love with Thomas.

She wishes it weren't true, but there it is.

She finally cuts off his story and thanks him for listening.

And when he suggests, with a wink, that they find somewhere to watch the stars tonight, she says no.

She needs her sleep.

It's true.

But she also knows that, even ten minutes ago, she happily would have said yes.

And to her shame, she has no doubt she'll accept his offer another night.

Back home, she remembered thinking once that women who took up with married men were so desperate.

And now she's doing just that.

It's just another way that camp life has changed her.