Dad left in the Subaru about five in the morning. He gave us a kiss on the forehead and whispered a quick return. His hand shook as he patted my head and took off for the mythical town of Sun Bluff. Police said things would blow over in a month, but I don’t any of us were prepared to deal with it that long.

Aunt Ellen woke us for breakfast at seven again. Whole wheat toast, fruit and yet more yogurt. This time, with granola. I already missed dad. Then she unfolded a brochure. It had nerdy kids in shorts dipping candles, canoeing and sitting around campfires.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“It’s Chokochakee.”

I nearly spit out my granola laughing so hard. Kaylee too, but she didn’t know why.

“I know! Fun, huh? There’s leatherworking. You can make your own wallets.”

“Why do you need a wallet at a summer camp?”

“And ornithology.”

“What kind of camp is this place?”

“Chokochakee.”

Kaylee and I laughed hard again.

“Oh, laugh it up. You’re going to love it. Thirty days there and you won’t want to come back.”

I smiled, “Probably won’t take that long.”

“That’s the spirit.”

“What about the agreement with dad? I thought we were staying here.”

“No, no, no. I can’t have you living in my basement for a month or more.”

“Right. You said you’d find us a room.”

“I did. At Chokochakee.”

I scooped a heap of granola and yogurt and loaded my mouth. I looked at Kaylee, who hummed along while she ate. My heart raced with rage. A hollow nip in my stomach told me this was our Waterloo. We go in and survive, living to see dad again. Or we don’t.

“Uncle Tony and I will get your clothes from the house, and if you need anything else like sleeping bags, we’ll take care of that.”

“Thanks.”

“Just remember how much we’re doing for you.”

I chewed and swallowed, waiting to see her crack a smile and tell me she was joking.

“So anything you need, just let us know.”

“I need a compass.”

The request stumped her for a moment, but she nodded. “Okay. Oh, for orienteering?”

“Sure,” I said, scooping another heap of yogurt and granola into my mouth. So maybe not my Waterloo. But definitely my Russia.