might find you here,’ Dan announced as he walked towards her. ‘If you’ve finished your breakfast, would you like a tour of the main camp? I’ve got to pick up some supplies and thought you might fancy a ride.’
‘What, a chance to get away from here for a while?’ She smiled at him. ‘What are we waiting for?’
Brianna knew a trip around the camp wasn’t going to be scenic, but at least it was away from the depressing sight of patients in hospital beds. It also took her away from the close proximity of Mitch, which was definitely a good idea. She was still alarmed by her sudden attraction to him in the early hours of the morning. With a bit of luck, time away would bring her equilibrium back to an even keel.
First Dan drove to the small airstrip where he hauled several large crates marked Medic SOS into the back of the truck. He refused her offer of help, for which she was grateful. If she’d gone with Mitch, no doubt she’d have been the one left lugging the boxes while he watched. And told her to put more effort into it.
Driving back, Dan stopped to introduce her to a twinkling-eyed older man called Sam, who was in charge of the whole set-up, and then detoured so she could see the full extent of the refugee camp.
‘I wonder how they manage to live, eat and sleep all under one small canvas roof?’ she wondered out loud, staring at the huddled rows of tents the poor villagers now called home.
‘It’s probably easier when your original home wasn’t much bigger.’
She nodded, uncomfortably aware that even before the tornado these people had lived in homes probably no larger than the garage her father parked his car in. As she scanned the faces in front of her she didn’t see any of the emotions she’d expected. There was no weeping, no angry tantrums. If this had happened to her, she’d be doing both. Instead there was a quiet acceptance of what had happened. Most people seemed simply grateful to be alive and holding someone they loved.
‘I can’t imagine how it feels to suddenly lose everything. Your home, possessions, maybe members of your family.’ She felt sick at the thought.
‘I doubt it’s much fun, but then again it depends on what you had to lose in the first place.’
‘I guess.’ The sheer extent of her privileged existence hadn’t been clear to her, until now. Would any of the crowd she partied with really understand the hell other people were living through? Even Melanie had changed the subject when Brianna had tried to explain what she had seen. Whatever she did with the rest of her life, Brianna promised she’d never forget the hardship she’d witnessed on this short trip. Or the grace with which the villagers handled the cruel blow fate had thrown them.
‘So, are you enjoying your stay with us so far?’ Dan’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
‘I’m not sure enjoying is the right word. It’s certainly been an eye-opener. You read about this sort of thing in the newspapers, but until you’ve actually seen it for yourself, well, it just doesn’t seem real, does it?’
Dan glanced over at her. ‘I guess you’re right. I’ve been doing this job for a couple of years now, but I can still remember my first camp.’ The jeep shuddered as it went over a few craters in the road. ‘Still, we can’t have you going back remembering just the tough stuff. You have to have some fun. It’s how we manage to cope with the rest. Me, Jane and Toby are going out to the town for a drink tonight. Will you join us? We’re a lot more entertaining when we’re not on duty.’ He grinned, his eyes lighting up in invitation. The message in them was clear.
‘Perhaps,’ Brianna replied cautiously. She longed for a few drinks and a bit of light relief, but she didn’t want to give Dan any wrong ideas. ‘I’ll see how I feel later. What about the others? Aren’t they coming?’
‘Roger doesn’t fancy it and Tessa and Stuart are on duty.’ He veered sharply to the right to
‘What, a chance to get away from here for a while?’ She smiled at him. ‘What are we waiting for?’
Brianna knew a trip around the camp wasn’t going to be scenic, but at least it was away from the depressing sight of patients in hospital beds. It also took her away from the close proximity of Mitch, which was definitely a good idea. She was still alarmed by her sudden attraction to him in the early hours of the morning. With a bit of luck, time away would bring her equilibrium back to an even keel.
First Dan drove to the small airstrip where he hauled several large crates marked Medic SOS into the back of the truck. He refused her offer of help, for which she was grateful. If she’d gone with Mitch, no doubt she’d have been the one left lugging the boxes while he watched. And told her to put more effort into it.
Driving back, Dan stopped to introduce her to a twinkling-eyed older man called Sam, who was in charge of the whole set-up, and then detoured so she could see the full extent of the refugee camp.
‘I wonder how they manage to live, eat and sleep all under one small canvas roof?’ she wondered out loud, staring at the huddled rows of tents the poor villagers now called home.
‘It’s probably easier when your original home wasn’t much bigger.’
She nodded, uncomfortably aware that even before the tornado these people had lived in homes probably no larger than the garage her father parked his car in. As she scanned the faces in front of her she didn’t see any of the emotions she’d expected. There was no weeping, no angry tantrums. If this had happened to her, she’d be doing both. Instead there was a quiet acceptance of what had happened. Most people seemed simply grateful to be alive and holding someone they loved.
‘I can’t imagine how it feels to suddenly lose everything. Your home, possessions, maybe members of your family.’ She felt sick at the thought.
‘I doubt it’s much fun, but then again it depends on what you had to lose in the first place.’
‘I guess.’ The sheer extent of her privileged existence hadn’t been clear to her, until now. Would any of the crowd she partied with really understand the hell other people were living through? Even Melanie had changed the subject when Brianna had tried to explain what she had seen. Whatever she did with the rest of her life, Brianna promised she’d never forget the hardship she’d witnessed on this short trip. Or the grace with which the villagers handled the cruel blow fate had thrown them.
‘So, are you enjoying your stay with us so far?’ Dan’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
‘I’m not sure enjoying is the right word. It’s certainly been an eye-opener. You read about this sort of thing in the newspapers, but until you’ve actually seen it for yourself, well, it just doesn’t seem real, does it?’
Dan glanced over at her. ‘I guess you’re right. I’ve been doing this job for a couple of years now, but I can still remember my first camp.’ The jeep shuddered as it went over a few craters in the road. ‘Still, we can’t have you going back remembering just the tough stuff. You have to have some fun. It’s how we manage to cope with the rest. Me, Jane and Toby are going out to the town for a drink tonight. Will you join us? We’re a lot more entertaining when we’re not on duty.’ He grinned, his eyes lighting up in invitation. The message in them was clear.
‘Perhaps,’ Brianna replied cautiously. She longed for a few drinks and a bit of light relief, but she didn’t want to give Dan any wrong ideas. ‘I’ll see how I feel later. What about the others? Aren’t they coming?’
‘Roger doesn’t fancy it and Tessa and Stuart are on duty.’ He veered sharply to the right to
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