FF - Camp Connection - Part 8

Author's Note - So sorry for the long delay in getting this wrapped up, but I hope you enjoy the final chapter as much as I did writing it. Though it may be easier to go back and read past chapters, we left off with Bo and Matthew coming to terms with being father and son.

And now, on with the heartwarming conclusion to Camp Connection:

Over the next few days, Bo, Nora, Matthew, and Rachel spent as much time together as possible. Bo reconnected with Nora and Rachel, and learned as much as he could about his son. Though he understood why he had missed the time with his son, he didn’t want to miss anymore. After an afternoon exploring a nearby town, Rachel and Matthew headed back to the house leaving the newly discovered couple to spend a little time on their own.

Piled up in the hammock near his fishing cabin, Bo looked out toward the lake, with one arm around Nora, her body cuddled against his.

“When are you supposed to go back to Chicago?”

Nora stopped her hand from it’s to and fro action against Bo’s chest. “In two days. But I don’t want to go.”

“I know, but you have your life there and I’m here.”

Nora muttered her agreement and let her hand resume it’s previous action.

“But, I was thinking, maybe I could come to Chicago in the Fall, after camp is done and visit.”

“That would be nice,” she answered, her voice lacking enthusiasm.

Bo rubbed her back, “You don’t want to see me?”

Nora pulled herself up and then turned so she could lay the other direction on the hammock, facing him.

“What are we doing, Bo?”

“We’re relaxing, enjoying each other?”

“I mean, do we just go back to our separate lives or do we…” Doubt filled her voice, leaving her unable to voice what she wanted to know.

“Do we what?”


“Do we get back together?”

“Yes!”

“Just like that?”

“It’s not just like that. Nora, I’ve never stopped loving you, ever. I know that I was an idiot and my foolish pride caused you to leave. You had every right to leave me and I let you go.”

“And now?”

“What is the expression? Older and wiser. If it’s not what you want, I can stay here and continue living this life, but if you feel the same way I do, I want to come be a part of your life in Chicago.”

“You hate the big city! Llanview was almost too big for you!!”

“But you would be there, and that’s all I need and all I want.”

Nora sat up and moved up to straddle Bo’s legs and took his unexpected mouth in a soulful kiss.

They pulled apart when the need for air became imperative. “So, you agree with me then?”

Nora smiled, that secretive seductive grin that he had missed. She rocked against him eliciting a moan from both of them. “I definitely know what you want.”

“As much as I’d love to, I’m not going to make love to you on this hammock.”

“Why not?”

“One, there are impressionable counselors and staff hanging around here.”

“Hmmm.” She nipped his neck while he continued to talk.

“Two, once we get started, I’m not going to stop for a long, long time.”

“Promises, promises.” She moved up to his ear, nibbling as she went.

“Hey Red?” He pushed her back so he could see her face.

“What?”

“I love you. I’ll do anything for us to be together again. For the rest of our lives.”

She hugged him, “I love you too. I’ve never stopped.”

“Me neither.”

“But I do have one problem,” she admitted.

“What’s that?”

“I don’t want you to come to Chicago to see me.”

“Okay, then how will we see each other?”

“What would you think about me coming to live here?”

“Here at the camp? But you love Chicago!”

“I love Rachel, and my parents, besides it’s not that far away. But it’s not where you are. Aaaand, I have a colleague that has invited me to guest lecture at Cornell, which I’ve always turned down due to my Chicago commitments. But, maybe he’s still interested.”

“Red, Cornell is only like 45 minutes from here!”

“Seems pretty convenient, wouldn’t you say?”

“I have to show you something!” Bo stood up, almost knocking Nora to the ground. He caught her just in the nick of time but immediately pulled her with him.

“Come on!!”

“I’m coming, hold your horses, Buchanan!” ‘Now this reminds me of Matthew,’ she thought, shaking her head.

********************

By the time they pulled up to the lodge, Bo had lost none of his excitement. He guided her into the house and then down a back hallway that featured a staircase that led to what she assumed was the basement. Once at the bottom of the wood staircase, Nora saw an entire new section of the house. “What are all of these rooms?”

Bo walked up to a set of stained wood double doors and pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the door.

“I’ll show you after you see this one.” He covered her eyes and said, “Now, open the door.”

“Bo, I can’t see the door!” she laughed, mainly at his exuberance.

“Oh yeah, sorry!” His hand fell away allowing her to see to turn the knob and walk in. The double doors pushed open to reveal a beautiful room which due to the construction of the house on the side of a hill had a breathtaking view of the woods on all three sides. Each window featured a large window seat, but the rest of the walls contained bookcases that stretched all the way to the ceiling, which was unusually high for a basement space. The bookcases were partly filled with books and accessories, but there was one set of books that she could have sworn was a set of legal reference books she used regularly.

In the center of the room stood a large wooden desk and over to the side was a seating group with arm chairs and a sofa. Just past the door on the right was a small bar area with a sink and small refrigerator. On the left side was a small door. Bo pushed the door open as she explored and saw a full bathroom, with a large shower. The whole room reminded her of a relaxing retreat, but ready for business.

“Bo? What is this?”

“When you came to stay here, did you happen to notice a sign?”

“I don’t remember seeing one.”

“Not coming from the camp, from the main road.”

“Oh wait, yes, there was a sign. I don’t remember what it said though,” she said, confused with the direction of the conversation.

“I had this house custom built. I worked with an architect and an interior designer to create a special place. I called it Redhaven.”

He looked at her trying to gauge her reaction, and when he saw her eyes tearing up and the smile on her face, he continued.

“I wanted to build a place you could live in, this room in particular was built with you in mind. I didn’t think I had the right to seek you out, I don’t know that I would have ever worked up the courage to see what your life was without me. I do however, come down here sometimes and picture you in this room, the bookshelves filled to capacity with all of your books. You curled up on the sofa reading through a legal brief. I’ve even fantasized about making love to you in that shower.”

“Bo, I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t need to say anything at all.” He pulled her further into the room and then pulled her down with him to the sofa, quickly proceeding to kiss her.

“Wait, that’s not true. I need you to say one thing. Say you’ll marry me?”

“Wow, you move fast Mr. Buchanan.”

Bo laughed at that, “Not as fast as I used to, but I’m no fool, you’re not going anywhere anytime soon.”

“I guess I better say yes then”

“Do you need convincing?” he smirked, and proceeded to remind her why yes was the only reasonable answer.

********************


Bo and Matthew found themselves once again at their favorite spot, the dock. The summer was over, but the excitement today removed any sense of calm or quiet.

“You ready to do this, Dad?”

“More than you can possibly know, son.”

Bo, now clean shaven and dressed in jeans and a sport jacket turned back toward the shore where all of their friends and family were seated, the ribbons and garlands gently swaying with the breeze off the lake. Bo watched as his bride to be, wearing a dress equally casual to his own attire, sauntered confidently down the aisle. Her dad released her arm at the base of the dock, and she strolled the remaining few steps on her own and into his arms.

“Hiya, handsome.”

“Hi there, beautiful.”

Nora handed her small bouquet of wildflowers to her daughter and turned back to Bo.

“You know, once we do this, you’re stuck with me for the rest of your life,” she promised impishly.

“Well then, I hope we live a very, very, very long time.”


The End