AN: Sorry! Busy week. The arrival of my sons' first ever cousin (a girl, 6lb 3oz "Laura") and the sad but expected passing of their much loved great-grandmother at the ripe old age of 93! Plus we were away this weekend.

I've decided to restore my twitter account. So feel free to follow me, should you so desire. Can't guarantee I'll say anything exciting although maybe one day I'll use it to tell you I've finally finished my novel.

That would be novel! (sorry about the pun.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The jeep bounced over the bumps in the dry mud track, its headlights suddenly illuminating bushes and small trees in the intense dark as it did so. Sally smiled across at the driver.

"Helen, just out of interest, in which century did you gain your driving licence?"

Helen chuckled and all her ample proportions moved with her. She was generous in body and in spirit. Sally loved her. Everyone loved her.

"The last century, of course, which means I've been driving a lot longer than your baby-ass! It could have been worse. You could have been with Dr Pete. Now there is a man who can drive!"

Sally laughed and blushed but hidden in the half-light the slight pink tinge to her cheeks went unnoticed. "That's a matter of opinion!" She commented, her voice not betraying her either. "I always feel car sick when he drives me."

Despite the lack of evidence of Sally's partiality to the medical man, Helen added a laugh of her own and a wickedly curved eyebrow to accompany it.

"Now, isn't that convenient? Do you always need personal medical attention as a result? I'm sure the good doctor would be happy to oblige."
Sally blushed again, and this time there was a waver to her voice. "Helen, it's not like that."

Her friend snorted.

"Honey, if it isn't, it darn well should be. That man could melt a single girl's heart at sixty paces and if he hasn't melted yours yet, you definitely need medical attention – of the psychiatric kind. Of course he has a thing for our blonde teacher. Oh…wait a minute that would be you!"

"Helen…" Sally warned. "He's just a friend."

Helen's face grew serious, although Sally could only hear it in her friend's tone of voice. "Sally, he likes you and I think I've known you long enough by now to know that you like him. You like each other, you are both single. You've known each other for six months, isn't it time you threw the guy a bone?"

"You have a glorious turn of phrase, Helen. It reminds me of someone I know." Sally noted. "Peter is a lovely guy, and yes, he is attractive, but he's never shown any sign that he considers me in any way that…"
"Pah! That's only because you've been so busy working that you can't see what's plainly before you. He worships the ground you walk on."
"Helen…" Sally tried.

Helen noisily changed gear on the manual stick shift. Since the rusty transmission was hard work and required a whole body shift, the movement left her slightly breathless. "Well, it's up to you. But I suggest that you pull a finger out soon, because it may very well be that he takes a shine to your friend when she arrives."

Sally's head jerked round so that she could stare at Helen in the dim light.

"Casey? You think that Peter would be interested in Casey?" It was obvious that the idea had never crossed Sally's mind before. When she had invited her two friends to join her, the thought that Casey might achieve what Sally had not was…concerning.

"Is Casey single?" Helen asked almost as if she knew the answer.

"As far as I know. When Casey is dating, you normally know about it."

"Is she attractive?" Sally's friend prompted.

Sally hesitated. "Erm…yes, she's gorgeous?" And her verdict was almost a question.

"Is she straight?" Helen asked.

Sally nodded. Helen thumped the steering wheel.

"Well then! Match made in heaven."

"But…" Sally protested but Helen continued.

"Of course, if you're more interested in your other friend, well then I guess Peter hooking up with Casey wouldn't be an issue."

Sally frowned in confusion. "Which other friend? Oh, you mean Derek!"
Helen smirked. "Yeah, Derek." Her tone begged for more information.

Sally waved it away. "Old news!" She said dismissively. "Burned hot and fierce for a short while," Helen raised an eyebrow. "…when we were in high school. Settled into comfortable and finally fizzled out many moons ago."

"Really?" Helen was amused at Sally's words. They were far removed from the slightly shy, considered girl who she had first met a year ago. Helen knew most of that was down to the younger woman sharing a tent with her. Sally had picked up lots of Helen's bad habits.
"Really." Sally confirmed. "We tried resurrecting it a couple of weeks ago, just for old times sake and it was like kissing my little brother. Not going to happen."

There was a moment's pause.

"So, Peter has a chance then…" Helen said triumphantly.

Sally turned her head to the window to watch the darkened scenery. She said nothing and the angle of her head hid the small smile on her lips.

It was late when the jeep pulled jerkily into the compound. The majority of the inhabitants were asleep, including Casey and Derek. Helen parked the jeep near the stores ready for unloading and even before the engine was cut, a small group of figures appeared at the vehicle's side ready to help them unload. She hid a smirk when she noticed that one of the keenest of the group was Peter.

Opening the doors the two women slid from their seats, Helen pulling the loaded shotgun from the rear seat and unloaded it.

"Trouble free?" Martin, Mathias' father asked. Helen nodded.

"I drove past the crossroads with just the night-sight." She informed him. "Bloody hard driving but we had no issues. It was a good suggestion. Next time, however, I think we'll leave earlier. I prefer to travel with as much daylight as possible."

Martin nodded his agreement and led Helen off to one side to deal with the paperwork.

Sally meanwhile had walked around to the back of the jeep and was opening its tarpaulin.

"Good trip?"

Sally jumped at the voice which sounded beside her. She turned her head and blinked as Peter's face appeared very close to her own.

"Uneventful." She smiled. "So, yes. How was today?" she asked, unlatching the last lace and flipping open the rough sheeting to reveal the treasured supplies. She raised a hand to the contents. Peter also reached up to grab the first parcel of goods and for a second their hands brushed against each other. With Helen's words still ringing in her ears, Sally couldn't help but noticed the spark of electricity which flowed between Peter's fingers and her own.

"Good. Mmeke is improving." He said with a casualness neither of them felt. "She is sitting up and this afternoon she took some food. I think we've seen the worst of her illness. Now it's just care and food."

Sally beamed. Mmeke was one of the first ladies who had arrived at the fledgling camp when it opened and was something of a favourite for both her and Peter. Although elderly, Sally still considered Mmeke as one of her "girls" and the two often shared a giggle – usually about the young men who worked at the camp. Even poorly, Mmeke had a twinkle in her eye. Sally was taken back for a few moments to the rainy day when the woman, whose age had been guesstimated at sixty had crawled into the camp. It had been Sally who had spotted her and Peter who had heard Sally's cries for help. Then, diagnosing an ovarian cyst which was in danger of rupturing, Peter had scrubbed for immediate field surgery – and since their staffing levels had been less than a quarter of current staff, Sally had scrubbed in and assisted: the emergency medical training which had been part of her preparations for living in the camps, suddenly understandable – and gratefully received.

"I'll come and see her in the morning." Sally assured him as they transferred their boxes and parcels to the storage area. "You know, she wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your skill."

Peter shrugged. "I'm a doctor."
Sally smiled. "Yes, but it's more than that. You're a humanitarian and a genuinely nice person."

Peter's eyes widened, and so did his smile.

The small group of helpers quickly cleared the jeep and Peter asked Sally if she wanted a cup of tea before she retired to the tent she shared with Helen. Exhausted to the bone, but nonetheless thirsty, Sally agreed and followed the doctor to his own tent which, due to the volume of his own medical equipment and his need to stay close to his patients, he currently slept in alone.

Preparing the tea took less time than Peter would have liked. He knew that drinking it would be a short process also, and he relished every second where he got Sally to himself. He sat on the corner of his cot, and Sally took the chair at his desk and the two friends chatted softly so as not to wake the people beyond the canvas wall.

"Did my friends get here alright?" Sally asked, suddenly remembering that Derek and Casey were supposed to have arrived today. Peter nodded.

"Although Marsha sent Mathias to pick them up so it's a miracle they aren't on the next plane back to Canada."

Sally chuckled. "He really is a curmudgeon isn't he? How did they seem?"

Peter shrugged. "A bit shell-shocked. Don't take this the wrong way but are you sure this kind of thing is right for them. They both seem a little…"

"Superficial?" Sally supplied with a knowing smile.

Her friend looked embarrassed. "I…" he began. Sally reached across and put a staying hand on his arm.

"It's fine, Peter. I know how they look. Derek was a college hockey star with all the ego that goes with it and Casey was the well-meaning high achiever with the dancer's body and determination which rivals even Derek's alpha-dog mindset."

Peter's jaw dropped. Sally laughed.

"I know them remember? But believe me, all that looks superficial because it is superficial. Deep down the values they have are second to none and they've both been to the school of hard knocks. Would they make it long term in a camp like ours…? No. Definitely not. But, for a short while they have something to give here and I think when they move on, the lessons they've learnt here will stay with them." She paused.

"They are journalists by trade." Peter started to protest. "I know, I know. Not the world's nicest professional breed. But I think…no, I know that those skills, this experience in the hands of those two people…it will work – for all of us. I'm not exactly sure how, that's down to them but I think they have something to give us and we have something to give them."

Later as Sally crept into her tent, trying not to wake Helen, the latter lifted her head from the pillow on her cot.

"And how is the good doctor?" She teased.

"Shut up Helen!" Sally pleaded softly. This time the blush was obvious in the light which Helen had left on so that Sally could see her way to bed.

Helen grinned. "That good huh?"

"Switch off the light so that I can get dressed." Sally instructed, ignoring her friend. Helen did as she was told. Sally quickly removed her day clothes and slipped into the light pyjamas that she had taken to wearing. There was a creak in the dark as she climbed into her own cot.

"Okay. The light can go on again." She called. "Although if you keep up with that subject, I'm going straight to sleep."

Helen switched the lantern back on. "I'll be good." She promised and turned on her side to look at Sally across the tent. They didn't bother with the vanity curtain between the two cots; neither woman was bashful about changing in front of other women and they liked to chat at night. Despite the twenty year age gap, they were good friends.

"So, did Peter tell you that your friends arrived okay?" Helen asked, changing the subject.

Sally nodded. "He said they were here and settled in." She confirmed. Helen chuckled.

"Well, they're here." She noted. "I don't know about settled in."
"Oh?"

Helen scratched at her head. "Martin says they aren't too happy about the sleeping arrangements."

Sally frowned. "What's wrong with the sleeping arrangements? I showed them pictures of our tent when I saw them last. They were briefed on the type of accommodation. I know they can be a bit attached to their home comforts but…"

Her friend shook her head. "Oh! It's not the actual tent and everything. It's who they've got to share with."

Sally pondered this. She mentally scanned all the names and situations of her colleagues.

"I don't understand."
Helen grinned. "Apparently the brother and sister have outgrown the room-sharing phase."

Sally's eyes widened. "The what? Marsha's put them in together?"

Helen nodded. "She said that step-siblings and siblings were the same in her book and as there was no other accommodation available, they should be adult enough to share."

"Oh dear!" Sally winced. "That will have been noisy. Did they accept it?"

"What choice did they have? But I thought I should warn you, because you'll probably get it in the neck when you see them. You might want to avoid breakfast."

The younger woman winced again. "Now I know how George and Nora felt."

Sally avoided breakfast, but not because of Derek and Casey. Overnight, three new girls found their way to the camp and at first light with the change of guard shift, Sally was woken and taken to meet her new charges.

By the time she had processed the new girls, all under the age of sixteen, and packed them off to Peter for a medical examination, breakfast had been cleared. She was about to head for her tent to make a cup of tea and grab one of her secret stash of cookies from home when her assistant drew her attention to the entrance to her "classroom" with the words, "Oh wow!"

Sally looked up, and smiled warmly.

Derek was standing there, a cup of tea and a bowl of porridge in his hand.

"Avoiding breakfast won't keep me away." He teased, handing her the desired victuals. "You know I'll track you down eventually."

Sally took the offerings and placed them on her desk. "I wasn't avoiding you. If I was I have better places to hide."

Derek reached over and kissed her on the cheek. "Give me a couple of hours and I'll find them all." He promised. "Even Marti can't hide from me anymore."
Sally laughed. "Marti's too big to hide from anyone anymore." She noted motioning to a nearby chair for Derek to pull up and then sitting down herself and tucking into the porridge.

"Shhh! Don't tell her! She's still under the impression that she can get away with hiding under the table when the dishes need doing."

His ex grinned. "She must be so grown up now." She speculated.

Derek nodded. "She's causing Dad all sorts of headaches. The trouble with having Marti after me was Dad is very aware of what teenaged boys are like. He sits in the family room and vets everyone who comes through the front door – male and female – to make sure they aren't leading her astray."

"I bet Marti doesn't like that!" Sally commented.

Derek shrugged. "Not at all, so I taught her to let them in through her bedroom window instead. She has that ledge underneath."

"Der-ek!" Sally exclaimed. "If she gets into "trouble" or if George finds out, you'll be lynched."

"George won't find out, and even if he does what does he expect? His behaviour is ridiculous and Marti isn't silly. She knows about the birds and the bees. Nope. She's safe."
"You seem pretty sure of that." Sally raised an eyebrow. Derek smirked.

"Besides," He admitted. "Thanks to a little…publicity scheme of mine and Ed's all the guys at school are scared stiff of Marti's older brothers. They might climb in through her bedroom window but Marti will retain her…ahem…virtue until she's old enough to be accepted to the local convent." His eyes narrowed. "Their health will suffer if she doesn't."

Sally shook her head. "Poor Marti." Then she frowned. "How come she gets the special treatment and Liz and Casey didn't?"

There was a pause during which time Derek looked pointedly at Sally. After long moment the fog cleared from her eyes.

"You mean you did…Der-ek!"

"Well, what did you expect? I like a nice quiet life. I wasn't going to be dealing with the hassle of sexually active sisters – step or otherwise. Sex makes women too emotional, and if the 'rents find out it makes the rest of the house too emotional. Nevermind the carnage if some loser scores a Series-winning home run and gets them up the spout."

Sally's arched eyebrow disappeared into her hairline.

"That's rather hypocritical, Venturi." She said. "And are you telling me that I was over-emotional when we were…dating?"

Derek grinned. "Nope. It was one of the most attractive things about you." He leaned forward. "That and the fact you were clearly so into me."

Sally's eyes widened and a loud chuckle blurted from her mouth. "Pah! This from the guy who practically crawled on all fours after me for…how long was it…?"

Her ex shook his head. "I did not crawl."

"You didn't play it cool either." Sally beamed back.

Derek put on a mock-shock look and leaned back in his chair.

"Ancient History!" He insisted. "Anyway, I didn't come all this way for a history lesson – nice though some of the memories from that time were." He leered at her. Sally blushed.

Derek grinned a more genuine grin and Sally pulled herself together.

"Changing the subject…Welcome to my world!" She announced with a sweep of her hand. "What do you think so far?" Sally asked, bracing herself.

"You want the truth or the lies?" Derek asked with a smirk.

"None of this should be a shock, Derek. I showed you all the presentation stuff and video material before you came out here."

"I know. It's just so much more real now. The pictures look like an adventure. The reality looks like hard work."

"A Challenge, Derek. See it as a challenge. If you see it as hard work, you'll never appreciate this place."
Derek shrugged. "It's a challenge alright. Bumpy roads, discomfort and annoying bugs in the middle of the night – and that's just caused by my roommate." He looked directly at Sally.

She laughed. "Helen told me they'd put you together. Sorry D, it never occurred to me that Marsha would see you as possible roommates. Most people appreciate the nuances of the word "step"."
Derek sat forward. "Is there no one else I could room with?"

His friend shook her head. "I've been thinking about it since I heard and the answer is no. The only person with a tent to share is Peter and he needs the space for his work. It wouldn't be practical. Plus if we took you out of the tent it would leave Casey in a tent on her own."
"She'd love that!" Derek straightened and looked happier.

Sally shook her head. "Derek, after all the lectures about safety and all the precautions you are asked to take, you know why we have a policy of not letting female staff sleep on their own. They either have to be in pairs or with male partners. It's safer that way. In the event that someone broke into the camp, would you really want your attractive step-sister unprotected in a tent on her own?"
"I'll let you know when I get one." Derek retorted.

Sally rolled her eyes. "You two never change! Be honest Derek."
He shivered. "Why would I do that?" he asked.

His ex-girlfriend straightened her now empty plate and finished her tea.

"Derek…"

He sighed. "It's okay. I get it. I do. Besides, can you imagine the wrath of Nora if I let something happen to Casey? Never mind rhinos! I really would have a dent in my ass."

"So this is our classroom area." Sally told Casey quietly to avoid disturbing the lesson where the girls were seated, cross-legged on the ground under the canopy. "As you can see we have space for forty girls. We don't have writing desks for all of them because most of what we are teaching is retained by rote, but there is a section with tables and chairs. When the girls reach a certain competency we move them to the table section and one of us or one of the long term girls begins higher work with them depending on their skills. That can be reading and writing, and with some girls it can be French or English. French is the common language around here because of French colonialism but progress is such that even in some of the more remote areas they will come across English-speaking travellers.

Our resources too are limited but they have improved over the years. Because this is very basic education we stick to chalk and boards. If the girls move to the bigger, less remote camps then they will be introduced to computers and other more modern technology. At the moment, that option is reserved for the unmarried girls whose families are willing to let them move further afield to gain more skilled employment. Many families don't, even though the money which would be sent home is greater. There is a deep-seated culture of the women's place is in the homestead."

Casey nodded. She was very aware that despite their lowered voices, the she was currently the focus of attention for twenty pairs of amber eyes. She smiled warmly at her audience and waited for Sally to get around to introducing her.

"Since I know you can sing and your French is pretty good, your skills will be best suited here in education." Her friend told her. "Sometimes, you might be needed to help Peter in the clinic but most of your time will be spent with the girls. Is that okay?"
Casey nodded enthusiastically. Sally continued.

"We decided to put Derek on the construction team."

"Sounds like a good idea. No brain involved and the girls are elsewhere." Casey stated.

"He's not that bad!" Sally protested.

Casey laughed. "I meant that even without trying he'd distract them. Remember what it was like in school? You couldn't walk down a hall if Derek was holding court."

"Yes. I also remember getting warning notes written on the bottom of the tab and no tip in "Smelly Nelly's" whenever the girls in your grade came in."

They smiled at each other. "Do you think he'll be up to the hard work?" Sally continued with concern.

Casey shrugged. "Physically, he'll never play hockey again but he's otherwise as strong as an ox. He can cope with hard work – if he wants to."

"Hmmm. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all." Sally admitted. Casey smiled wryly.

"It'll work or it won't. Time will tell. What I do know is we were both going stir-crazy at home. Me, because I wasn't working…Derek…well, I never really worked that one out. Lack of money? Or maybe the unexpected happened and he'd found something to work for. Give him chance. Maybe he'll surprise us."

"You'll need these." Derek flinched as a pair of thick workman gloves flew at him and landed on the floor. "And if I were you," Mathias went on. "I'd lose the jeans and shirt. It's too hot for either here, especially in construction. Have you got some short pants?" Derek nodded. Mathias jerked his head once in approval. "We work from sun up till midday and then work indoors until five. At five we get back outside again and carry on. Get yourself some high factor sun-block and use it. There's some in the stores. Do you have a hat?"

Derek nodded and pulled it from his back pocket.

"Good. Use it. Sunstroke is a killer so make sure you drink plenty of water." Mathias motioned towards the other group of men. "Tall guy is Martin – my dad- he's in charge. You do what he tells you or get out of here." He looked Derek, now stripped of his shirt at least. "Pull your weight. You don't pull your weight you get extra bivouac duties. Clear?"

Derek nodded. "It's hot but don't stop or you'll dig slop." He quipped.

Mathias scowled. "And lose the wise guy attitude. It won't get you anything round here except a walk to the airport." He smiled humourlessly. "And we both know how far that is."

Two hours later and Derek was ready to go home – to Canada, and the only thing stopping him was the long walk before he reached civilisation and therefore the airport. He'd changed his jeans, removed his top and plastered himself in sunscreen. He was wearing the hat, had been drinking plenty of water but the heat even in the early morning light was intense. His back ached from carrying the charred timbers and despite the thick gloves which made his hands sweat, he could feel blisters forming on his fingers.

He wondered just what he had let himself in for.

Derek kept his head down, however and his nose clean. It appeared none of the people working alongside him had a sense of humour so he quickly stopped with evolved communication, choosing to converse in their language of grunts and nods. By lunchtime, even if his co-workers weren't openly hostile, they weren't exactly friendly towards him,

Then it was time to break for lunch.

"Mademoiselles! Maintenant, Nous avons déjeuner!" Sally announced with a grin. "S'il vous plaît se rappeler les règles." She turned to her assistant. "Clare. Please could you make sure the new girls know exactly where to go for lunch and what the rules are? We need to go and help Marsha feed the workers."

Somewhat shell-shocked from the full morning Casey had experienced, she followed Sally toward the main tent which was the central place for the staff to be fed. It wasn't a big tent so for most staff for this meal at least it was a question of picking up their allotted rations and retiring to their own tents or places of work. For the construction workers, someone volunteered to take their portions to the buildings.

"How are you finding it?" Sally asked as they crossed the court yard.

"Erm…different." Casey replied and then corrected herself. "In a good way."
"Regretting it yet?" Sally asked. Casey shook her head.

"I'll be fine. It's just that it is a real culture shock."

Sally nodded. "Give yourself a week and you'll feel like you've always done this."

"I know. I'm looking forward to it, even now. And I can handle the discomfort, honestly."

"Even sharing a tent with Derek?" Sally asked.

Casey shrugged. "It's not an ideal situation but if there is no alternative like you say, I can manage."
"Let's hope he doesn't snore." Sally commented. Physically close as she had been to Derek, they had never spent the night together.

Casey shook her head. "He doesn't snore." She said confidently.

Sally smiled. "Or at least he doesn't snore loudly enough that you can hear him through your bedroom wall at home."

Casey shook her head again. "He doesn't snore quietly either; thrashes around a bit but…"

Sally stopped dead in her tracks. "And you'd know this because…?"

Casey's eyes widened in horror at the information she had just let slip. She blushed. "A good guess?" She suggested. Sally gave her a pointed look and Casey buckled under the weight of Sally's gaze.

"I might once have slept in his room – before last night, I mean."

"Oooo-kay…" Sally started. "Where in his room?"
Casey didn't answer that one and to her relief they arrived at the tent.

"Ouch!" Derek exclaimed and slapped the back of his neck, dropping the load he was carrying in the process. "Damn Mites!" He cursed and bent to retrieve his burden.

Immediately, there was a chorus of giggling and he turned sharply to see where the sound had come from.

Standing just outside of the safety exclusion zone of the building he was working on was a small group of the local girls. Having been briefed on the visitors to the camp, he supposed he should call them ladies or women, seeing as he knew the vast majority of them were married or had experienced at least one pregnancy, but their ages were just shocking. They were anything from age eight to a lady who was probably one of Mmeke's peers. All of them were giggling like the school girls they were learning to be. It appeared something about Derek was amusing to them.

The rest of Derek's colleagues looked up. He saw a few frowns and heard a few sighs from amongst them.

"Girls!" Marsha appeared from behind the group. "It's lunch time! Leave the men to their work!"

And then a voice Derek recognised repeated the request in French. The crowd of girls dispersed and as they walked away, he saw Sally and Casey pushing an interesting cart towards him. He smiled at his ex-girlfriend – and therefore by extension, Casey – but waited until they were closer before he spoke.

"What was so funny to them?" he asked, jerking his head towards the departing girls.
"You're very white." Sally explained. "The other construction workers have been here a while and their skin tone has altered. You stand out against them with your paleness. They called you "White god"." Derek beamed. "Plus, I think there was also a comment or two about abs involved." She admitted. Standing beside her, Casey rolled her eyes.

"Anyone would think they'd never seen a guy without a top on." Derek's step-sister complained.

Derek smirked. "Ah, but you aren't denying the abs, are you?"

Casey made a face. "I hadn't noticed." She lied.

"Liar." Derek retorted. Sally chuckled.

"Hey guys! Why don't you argue about Derek's physique over lunch? We have hungry workers over there who would lynch you for some of Marsha's stew – hard abs or not."

Broken suddenly from what was clearly going to be the beginning of one of their usual fights, Derek and Casey looked up confusedly at Sally and then the audience the latter had pointed out.

"Sorry!" Casey muttered her apology and turned to the cart to help distribute the food.