The sounds of the village awakening filtered into Jackie's semiconscious the next morning. The mattress she slept on was surprisingly comfortable and as she yawned and stretched herself awake, she glanced over and noticed that Eric's bed looked un-slept in. She frowned, finding it odd. She dismissed the thought as the door pushed open and Eric came in, a sheen of sweat across his brow, in a T-shirt with his running shoes on.

He looked like he hadn't slept all night, and there was a hollow look about him that disappeared when he spotted Jackie sitting cross-legged on the mattress. She appeared to have just woken up, and she looked so deliciously rumpled he felt his breath catch.

She raised an eyebrow as she eyed his attire. "You run now?"

"And a good morning to you too, sunshine."

She wasn't wearing a bra, and he could see the dusky outline of her nipples clearly against the thin camisole that she had worn to sleep. He willed his eyes away, and reached for a bottle of water on the table nearby.

She yawned again and wrinkled her nose. "You're all sweaty."

"Hmmm yes, yes I am." He feigned a look of deep thought. "You see, this" —he indicated his sweaty t-shirt— "is what happens when one exercises."

He held up a finger, and then twisted the cap off the bottle, taking a long drink. He met her eyes again and intoned, "This phenomenon occurs when our body tempera—"

Jackie threw a sock at him.

He ducked. "—rature rises and eccrine sweat glands— "

She found a pillow and threw it at him too.

He deftly caught that. "—-kick into gear to stabilize—"

She got out of bed and left the room.

Jackie had a mild seizure after getting dressed that morning and realizing that Eric didn't have a full-length mirror, or any other kind of mirror any where in the hut.

"But it's not really a necessity—"

"Just how do you shave!"

"Now, now Jackie, there's no need to shriek quite like that—. Shit! You're hyperventilating! Okay breathe, just breathe."

She glared at him, swatting away the paper bag he was waving in her face. "How am I supposed to look nice without a mirror, Eric?!" she wailed.

He looked at her in amusement. "Jackie, I'm sure you've heard this a million times before, but you're so beautiful you put angels to shame."

She blinked at him. Then recovered in a flash and threw him the coyest look she had. "You think I'm beautiful?"

He snorted and rolled his eyes heavenward.

"Say it, Eric."

He gave her one of his lopsided smiles and looked deep into her eyes. He expected to see only merriment in there, but was surprised to find a deep insecurity lurking in the mesmerizing brown depths as well.

He frowned to himself and let his hands trail down her arms to take hers in his much larger ones, his voice deep with sincerity.

"You're beautiful, angel-face."

Jackie melted in a puddle at his feet. "Oh, Eric. Thank you," she said quietly.

She had no idea that she had needed to hear those words until he said them. It had been so long, and she had been through so much since Steven had told her last, that she was sure that her looks had eroded long ago with everything else that had made her her. She gave him a heart-stopping smile and on impulse, leant up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

She felt beautiful as she walked out of the room, even without the mirror. Her face was bare and her arm looped through his, and she thought that today, just for Eric, perhaps she could do without her beloved make-up after all.

Two days later, she heard a hammering coming from inside the hut as she was walking back with a basket of fruit.

She walked in and squealed, nearly dropping her basket in surprise.

"A mirror! Oh Eric, a mirror!" She twirled and danced and rushed over to where he was busy nailing it to the wall to wrap her arms around his waist, jumping all the while in glee.

"Jackie, if you don't quit doing that I'm gonna smash my thumb."

She looked around him and caught his eyes in the reflection of the glass. She noticed that the odd shadows there had receded somewhat to the twinkle that was in place. She beamed at him and he grinned in return, thoroughly beguiled by the happy flush in her cheeks and the press of her supple body against his.

"Happy now?"

She nodded happily and squeezed his waist.

He gave her a short nod in return. "Okay then, my work here is done."

He loosened his grip on the hammer and let it slide till he was holding it at the neck. He turned around in her arms and she released him and stepped back.

"That was three chickens and thirty dollars," he said as he jerked his thumb toward the mirror. "Oh, the price of vanity." He crossed his arms and smirked at her, a devilish glint appearing in his eye. "How" —he tapped his jaw— "is Jackie Burkhart gonna get three chickens to repay me with?" He raised an eyebrow and took a step closer to her.

Jackie felt her pulse beat faster at the look in his eye. There it was again. Those butterflies. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips and she watched as Eric followed it with his eyes. He was looking at her in a way that she was unused to receiving from him and in spite of everything she grew suddenly nervous.

Sensing her sudden change in mood, Eric backed off. He laughed lightly to dispel the tension and uncertainty he read in her eyes and reached out a finger to touch her cheek instead.

"Consider it a welcome to Africa present, okay?"

She smiled, feeling relieved and nodded her head. "Thanks." She paused to chew on her bottom lip for a moment before adding, "You're a good friend, Eric."

He gave her a small smile and tried to ignore the stab of pain in his gut. "Always, Jackie."

She flashed him another smile before leaving the room, the door swinging a little in her wake.

He stared at the door long after Jackie had left the hut; wondering if it was his lot in life to always want something more than what people were willing to give.