Comeback Star

One last story from the 'Star' series. I don't think I can do much more with them, but who knows!



Interviewer: I’m once more at the home of Dave and Karen Gerrard to discuss Karen’s comeback film, a spy spoof called ‘Jane: Blonde?’. To start with, I must say it’s been a while since all three of us were together.
Dave Gerrard: Well, you and I have met four times in the past two years.
Interviewer: Yes, for each of the films you have directed since ‘Emily’. Each one better than the one before, I thought.
DG: Thanks. It’s been a steep learning curve for me. And I felt wrong being on set without Karen for the first two.
Karen Gerrard: (Laughing) I was going to say that it was unavoidable, but I suppose it wasn’t.
Interviewer: Where is young Clint?
KG: His nanny, Maria, is reading to LC upstairs.
Interviewer: LC?
DG: ‘Little Clint’.
Interviewer: I take it he is named after your late friend and mentor?
DG: (Nodding.) My fault. When I first saw him he was bawling and waving his arms about. I said he looked like Clint with a bad actor, meaning myself.
KG: I just burst out laughing, but I knew that he’d always be Clint from that moment.
Interviewer: (Laughs). So, tell me about how you came to decide on a comedy as your comeback film after nearly three years away to have Little Clint.
KG: I just wanted to do something different. There had always been elements of humour in the films I’d made, especially the ‘Dirty Work’ series, mostly down to Dave getting jokes put in.
Interviewer: I remember you telling me.
DG: I think I’ve said before, bin men can’t be serious for too long. (Smiles)
KG: How long before you give up on the ‘I’m still a bin man’ thing? (Laughs)
DG: It’s just a mindset that helps me, you know that. It keeps me grounded.
KG: Anyway, I thought that maybe it was time to give comedy a chance. Drama is all I’d done previously.

Karen and I were eating breakfast. Little Clint was nearly eighteen months old now. Karen had wanted to wait until he was walking and talking before hiring a nanny. She had finally found one she liked who got on well with all of us. Maria fitted into the family smoothly, slowly taking over running the household from Karen. I could tell Karen was building up to asking me something by the way she fiddled with her glass of juice. “Come on, get it out Karen. You’re wearing a hole in the table. What is it?” She jumped.
“Well.” She looked down at the table and then back up at me. “I was thinking that maybe it was time I started to look at some scripts. Clint and Maria get on fine and, and…” She tailed off as I stood up and began to walk towards my office, beckoning her to follow me.
“Six months.” I said over my shoulder as I reached into the only purposely locked drawer on my desk.
“What?”
“Six months after we hired Maria before you got restless. I thought it’d be less.” I dropped a script onto the desk in front of the bemused Karen. “I’ve been holding onto this for nine months. See what you think.”
“What is it?”
“A script. Remember them?”
“Idiot! What is it about?”
“A female spy. ‘Jane Blonde’.”
“That sounds silly.”
“It’s supposed too. It’s a spoof. I know we talked about doing a comedy before Clint was born and this is what Douglas and I came up with. See what you think. If you don’t like it I’ll get in touch with our agent and see what she can come up with.” Karen took the script and began to read.

Interviewer: So I take it you liked it?
KG: I did, but I have to say that I didn’t really read it properly. I thought that if Dave was satisfied that it was good enough for me, then it was.
DG: Unfortunately when we went to get backing for it, not many people were convinced that it would work.
Interviewer: Really? Did they say why?
KG: Most of our usual backers either didn’t think it was a role I could play or that I had been out of the public eye too long and they wouldn’t see any return on their investment.
Interviewer: So how did you get the backing?
DG: We talked a couple of them round, found one or two new investors and then did what we had done before; put up the rest of the money ourselves. I had confidence in the script and in Karen.
KG: I wasn’t as confident. Having Clint and then looking after him had been the longest break between films that I’d taken. I wasn’t sure I still had the spark.
DG: (Cuddles her.) I couldn’t believe that for a moment. It was the opposite of everything that we had done together previously. For a change it was me having to reassure her about her ability.
Interviewer: So, you got together the backing, and then what? Any training this time?
KG: (Laughs) Well, I had to get super fit quite quickly, and learn all sorts of martial arts to play Jane convincingly.
Interviewer: You seem to have pulled that off if I may say.
KG: (Blushing.) Thank you.
DG: When it came to the filming, things didn’t go quite to plan though. My plan anyway. I suppose I’d got used to doing things my own way.
Interviewer: I did hear rumours about dissent on the set.

We were two weeks into the filming when it happened. Looking back at it, I suppose I could have handled it differently, but I wasn’t used to actors directly questioning my methods, and the fact that it was Karen only made it worse. I should have spotted that she was unhappy with something, but unfortunately I attributed her unease to her nervousness about making a film again. Then again, she should have just come to me and asked why I was doing things the way I was and I would have explained everything to her. As it was, half way through a days work, she just stopped and turned to look at me. “Why am I the only one in this film who doesn’t get a laugh?” She asked loudly, her hands on her hips, a pout on her lips.
“It explains everything in the script. You told me you’d read it, that it was fine. So what’s the problem now?” I answered, in a much more high-handed way than I’d intended.
“Everyone else plays their roles for a laugh, I have to play my role straight. You said I was doing comedy!”
“You are doing comedy.”
“Well it doesn’t feel like it. It feels like less fun than doing a drama, and I want to be funny. I’m going to see Clint.” Her last statement confused a few people on the set for a moment, until they remembered Clint was our son. I let her storm off. If I’d gone running after her like she expected my credibility as director would have been shot to pieces. Instead I calmly called a break in filming and told everyone to go home and come back tomorrow. I waited until everyone had left before I called Maria up on the intercom and asked her to ask Karen to come back onto the set.
“Are you sure sir? She seems pretty upset.”
“I know Maria, it’s my fault. Please tell her I asked nicely.”
Most of the lights were turned off now. I sat on the darkened set for nearly twenty minutes waiting for Karen. Eventually she tiptoed back onto the set and sat beside me. I could tell she had been crying, her eyes looking reddened even in the gloom of the studio. “Why the drama queen scene sweetheart?” I asked her quietly. “I’ll always listen to your concerns or ideas if you come to me, but I can’t have you shouting at me on set, and I can’t go running after you. If I do it’ll ruin my credibility with everyone else, you understand that?” She nodded, tears still in her eyes. “Then tell me what the matter is now. I’ve sent them all away until tomorrow; we’re the only ones here, plus Clint and Maria of course.”
“I’m sorry Dave.” She sobbed. “I should have read the script properly, but I thought I was going to be clowning around like everyone else, but I’m the only one who doesn’t crack a joke, fall over something, break something or pull a funny face. It doesn’t feel like a comedy to me.”
“Seeing as it’s you, and I can’t do this film without you, I’ll try to explain my and Douglas’s reasoning.” I took her hand and kissed it. “Jane, your character, is the only competent member of staff at a spy agency, and she’s only a secretary. However, she secretly runs the agency and helps her staff by covering their backs, surreptitiously going with them on missions, rescuing them if she has to.”
“I understand that.” Karen looked at me with still teary eyes. “But why do I have to be serious all the time?”
“Because that emphasises the chaos around Jane. Everyone else is being silly, accident prone, and you aren’t, it shows up the humour and the serious sides of the agency.” I saw a light dawn in her eyes.
“So, it’s not because you don’t think I can be funny?” She looked really worried now.
“Why would I think that? I KNOW you can be funny, but we have to make everyone else realise it too, and I think this is a nice subtle way to do that. The next film we do, you can be a complete clown if you want, but for this one I need you to be ‘Emily’ or the scholarship girl.” I brushed her hair from her face.
“Okay, now I understand. I’m really, really sorry about the strop: I don’t know why I didn’t just come and ask you.” She bowed her head in shame.
“I think LC has been rubbing off on you.” I laughed. “What he wants, he gets. From both of us. Just remember, on set, I’m in charge; off set you are, or LC.” She grinned at me. I took her hand and we went to find Little Clint and Maria.

Interviewer; It seems to have been a really serious misunderstanding between you?
DG: Our first argument in a long time. (Cuddles Karen.) I should have seen she wasn’t happy about something and asked, but in all our work together Karen had been such a professional I’d assumed she ‘got it’ from reading the script.
KG: It wasn’t just that. I was really nervous about being in front of the camera’s again and stupidly I hadn’t read the script properly. I knew in my heart that I should have just told Dave quietly about my worries but I didn’t. I did something I never would have done with Clint directing. So when I thought about what I’d done later I was totally embarrassed. I’d shown Dave and myself up. It made the next morning very tense.
Interviewer: So what happened?
KG: I just stood on the set and apologised to everyone.
DG: (Hugs Karen.) It was very brave, but exactly the right thing to do. I suppose it helped that she, we, had known most of the crew for a long time. Some of the other cast members were a bit surprised I suppose, but if anything it served to bring us closer together. We were all on the same page from then on.
Interviewer: But from what I gather, that wasn’t the last of your problems?
KG: No, something from our past came back to haunt us. Well, me particularly.

The filming had almost finished, just one or two scenes to complete before we went to the editing, when I saw Karen looking moody, or upset. Not wanting to repeat the earlier incident I took her to one side and asked what the problem was. At first she said nothing was wrong, that she was fine, but I persisted and she broke down and told me. “It’s my former manager, you remember him?”
“I’m not likely to forget the man who almost broke our marriage, who did force us apart.” I said.
“Well, he…He sent me a message this morning.”
“And?”
“Dave, there’s something I didn’t tell you back then.” She looked down at the ground for a while. I waited patiently until she spoke again, looking back up with tears in her eyes. “I told you a huge lie back then, about that first picture that was taken of me with that guy. I said it was all my manager’s idea, but that first one wasn’t, it was mine. I was hurt and I wanted you to feel the pain I had felt.” She burst into tears. “I’m sorry.” She sobbed. “I didn’t expect you to come out to see me, and, and, things just got out of hand after that.”
“But only that first picture?” I asked as kindly as the shock would allow me. “Everything after that was him?”
“Yes.” She nodded, still crying. “He arranged all the other escorts after I told him I would never divorce you. He thought he could get you to divorce me.” She looked at me, fearful of how I was going to react. She reached up and brushed my cheek. “I swear Dave; I never realised what would happen. I was going to call you after a day of you feeling like I had, but you came out and we argued and then…”
“And then I disappeared.” I took her in my arms and held her close. “Both our faults I suppose.” I kissed away her tears. “Doesn’t matter now. It’s long forgotten.”
“But not by him. He wants money or he said he was going to tell you about my lie.”
“You’ve just told me yourself, so he can go and take a running jump.”
“I all ready told him I’d meet him tonight, and…”
“Forget it. You are not going, I am. And don’t try and stop me.” I looked into her beautiful but tear-stained face. She gave a watery grin.
“All I was going to say was, don’t forget you’re not as young as you were.”
“Meaning? You cheeky madam.”
“Meaning, don’t swing a punch again.” She grinned.

Interviewer: So you went to meet him instead of Karen?
DG: (Nodding.) I did. I told him I knew about his little scheme, and what he thought I didn’t know and if he pushed off now, I was prepared to let him.
Interviewer: And that worked?
DG: Not exactly. He intimated that others might be interested in paying for proof that the ‘pure’ Karen Carragher was a liar.
Interviewer: Others?
DG: I presumed he meant the scandal sheets.
KG: Dave came back and told me what the bastard was planning on doing, but he had an idea to pre-empt him, if I was willing to go through with it.
Interviewer: That extraordinary press conference? (They both nod.)

I sat with Karen in front of the gathering pressmen, holding her hand. She looked worried. “Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked quietly.
“It’s the only way.” She replied. She took a couple of deep breaths, steeling herself and then stood up. “Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon, thank you for coming at such short notice. You may be wondering why Dave and I called this conference, so here goes. There is a rumour concerning an incident in our past.” The assembled hacks looked at each other, some puzzled, and a few others more knowing. “The rumour is that I told Dave a huge lie. I’m ashamed to confirm that this is true, I did. I told him that the first picture taken of me being escorted from a party by someone else had been organised by my then manager, when in truth I had organised it myself. I had been planning to tell him fairly soon afterwards, but events overtook us and I never did until yesterday. Dave was very magnanimous and forgave me instantly. We both realised that we were both acting foolishly at that time, neither of us thinking too rationally. But someone else knew and is trying to trade in this knowledge for money. He approached us first and when we refused to buy his silence, said he was going to sell his story to one of you. This announcement is to forestall that. You have the story and you didn’t have to pay for it, I hope that will be enough. I just want to apologise to all of you and again to Dave and hope that none of you think any the less of me for my admission.” A hand shot up near the front and the journalist asked pointedly.
“Are we talking about your former manager as the other person here?”
“We are not willing to confirm or deny that.” I spoke for the first time.
“What are your feelings in this Dave?”
“My feelings have not changed towards Karen.” I stood up beside her and took her hand. “I loved Karen before she told me, and I love her even more for having told me now.” I kissed my wife. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we have a film to finish.”

Interviewer: At the time, still now in fact, many of us wondered why you didn’t just issue a press release instead of forcing yourself to stand up and admit to the truth in that way.
KG: I, we, just wanted you all to see that I was sincere in my apologies. Although it was Dave who suggested it, he wasn’t sure that I should do it, but as soon as he mentioned it, I knew that would be the best way to confess. It was the scariest thing I’d ever done at the time, but it felt good to finally get it out in the open.
Interviewer: You’ve done something scarier since?
KG: (Laughs.) I have, and that was all my own fault too.
DG: After the press conference, I asked her if there was anything she wanted to do in the film, other than crack a joke. What she suggested really surprised me.

“You what?” I said.
“I think I should have a couple of scenes where I’m not wearing much.” Karen was deadly serious. “All the spy films have them. You know, manly chests, scantily clad women, and long suggestive kisses.” She kissed me to illustrate what she meant.
“I suppose you’re right.” I muttered.
“So, shall we do that?”
“There are one or two scenes we haven’t filmed yet that we could adapt I suppose.”
“That’s a lot of supposing.” She grinned.
“Are you sure? I mean, you’ve never really done any scenes like that before.”
“I did some bikini scenes for the Scholarship girl.”
“Those were on a beach.”
“I knew that if anyone remembered them, you would.” She grinned again, teasing me. I shrugged. If she wanted to do this, it would almost certainly help the film. I deliberately hadn’t written any scenes like that for two reasons. The first and major reason was that I didn’t think she’d want too. The second and more selfish reason was that she was my wife, and I wasn’t sure I wanted everyone on set ogling her, let alone all the audiences.
“All right.” I sighed. “I’ll start the rewrite tonight, but I’ll have to check with Douglas that he doesn’t mind.”
“Can I help?”
“Just let me know how far you’re prepared to go.”

Interviewer: So those sexy scenes were a last minute addition?
KG: (Grinning.) Yep! And doing them was the scariest thing I’d done. I was worried that maybe I was a bit old to be doing this now, that maybe I wouldn’t be sexy enough any more. (Dave bursts out laughing.) Dave! (Punches his arm.)
DG: Sorry, but how on earth could you think that? You’re only thirty or so.
KG: And a mother don’t forget. It was very nerve wracking.
DG: And your idea, don’t forget that. All I did was write the scenes slightly differently and then direct them.
KG: You also made sure that there was almost no-one on set when we filmed them. Don’t think I didn’t notice. But it helped; I’d never been filmed in sexy underwear before that.
DG: (Laughing again.)Fibber!
KG: (Going red.) For other people, I meant.
Interviewer: Would it help if I said you looked gorgeous?
DG: (Mutters.) It doesn’t help me much.
Interviewer: Sorry, I forgot. I’m blushing too now. (We all laugh.) Anyway, the film seems to achieve all its objectives. You proved Karen can be funny as well as still being quite beautiful, and that Dave is a very capable director.
KG: Thank you for the compliment.
DG: Yes, although I still think I have some things to learn as a director.
Interviewer: I think Clint, Big Clint, would be proud of you. Thank you for your time.

I sat back down next to Karen after he had gone. “I like doing interviews with him; he seems to understand what we mean.”
“He’s a sweetie too. Did you see him blush when he remembered you were my husband?”
“I did. Now what shall we do? Got any more surprises for me?” I joked.
“Actually, I do.” I looked at her in astonishment, her eyes shining with suppressed devilment. “While you were doing the editing for ‘Jane’, I was pitching an idea to Douglas. Well, getting him to write something for me.” She pulled a script from beneath the sofa we were sat on. “It’s the comedy you said we could do next, with me being the funny one this time.” I took it from her and scanned through a few pages. There seemed to be a lot of scenes where Karen kept losing items of clothing in various amusing ways.
“You seem to be undressed rather a lot.” I said mildly.
“So?” She frowned at me.
“It worries me that’s all.”
“What, me taking some of my clothes off?” She began to unbutton her blouse. “It doesn’t bother you all the time does it?” She breathed sexily into my ear.
“No, just…” She put her hand over my mouth.
“LC and Maria have gone out for a while…” She left the suggestion hanging. I swept her into my arms and picked her up, kissing her.
“Let’s go and rehearse shall we?”

Bad Reputation

Another Story from the Space Colony. Seem to have run out of characters now though.





Maggie Bartowski looked up from checking the corn in her father’s fields as the government transport made a perfect landing in the yard in front of the farmhouse. Her older sister, Stella, stepped from the craft and, seeing her, waved. Maggie trotted back towards the house. Stella had been a government official for nearly nine years now and this was her latest official errand. The township had advertised in the colony for some young men to come and help the farmers throughout the summer and the autumn harvest. There was an odd imbalance in the gender of the children on this planet. The colony had more boys than girls, and the opposite was true here in ‘Sideways Landing’, which was leading to a few difficulties as the original farmers aged. Stella was dropping off the fifteen or so volunteers who had recently arrived at the places who had asked for assistance. “Hi big sis.” Maggie said as Stella came back out of the house.
“Hiya little sis.” Stella smiled back. “Brought you some help.”
“I was coping you know.” Maggie pouted.
“I know Mags, but dad didn’t want to wear you out. After all, you’re only just sixteen, and you work harder than some of the older boys.”
“I wasn’t complaining.” She still pouted. Stella grinned.
“All right, you can do it all. But you’ve got some help now.” A frown crossed the older girl’s brow. “How much I’m not sure.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, this guy, he seems a bit…wet and weedy. That reminds me, Eve says you are not to torment him too much, she doesn’t want a bad report about the town going back to the scheme HQ.”
“WHAT! I can’t tease him?”
“Maybe a little bit.” Stella grinned. “I know how hard restraint will be for you.”
“You can talk.”
“Hey! I’m allowed to tease my husband, and D and Eve expect it. I’ve stopped with everyone else.”
“Except me apparently.”
“Well, you’re my cute little sister.”
“I’m not little!” Maggie said angrily and then stopped. They both burst out laughing. “We should talk more often Stells; we seem to be the only ones who enjoy winding each other up.”
“You’re right Mags.” She hugged her younger sister. “Now, I gotta dash. Coming to the dance next week?”
“Probably. There is some serious tormenting to be done…”
“…And we’re the girls to do it!” Stella laughed over her shoulder as she entered the transport.
Maggie waved her sister off and then went inside to meet the new arrival. Her father was talking with a boy of about her age. “Margaret, this is Mark. You are not…”
“Yes, yes. I know dad. I’m not to pick on him. Stella told me already. So I promise.”
“Good girl. He’s going to be in the spare room, your old room. So get him settled in and then show him the farm.”
“Yes sir.” She turned to the boy, who was looking at her with amused interest. “This way, Mark wasn’t it?” He nodded and followed her as she led him to the room at the back of the house.
“What was that all about?” He asked when they were out of earshot of Mr Bartowski.
“What? Oh, the warning.” Maggie sighed. “I’m afraid I have a bit of a bad reputation for teasing and tormenting people. I suppose I’m the nearest thing to a tearaway in ‘Sideways’.” She sighed again. “It’s all my sister Stella’s fault.”
“The police pilot who just dropped me off? How?”
“My big sister was all set to be the chief delinquent until she decided to rebel and become the law instead.”
“So how does that promote you?”
“Well, we’re very alike and when she went to the academy she left me a detailed list of how to wind certain people up. I’ve never looked back since!” A huge grin spread across her face. “In any case, you look like you wouldn’t be much of a challenge, no offence meant.”
“Oh yes?” Mark smiled. It made him look kind of cute Maggie decided. “Like to try anyway? I might surprise you.”
“I can’t, I promised. You heard me.”
“I won’t tell if you won’t.” He grinned wickedly. Maggie grinned back.
“Okay, you’re on. I can’t resist a challenge.” His smile made Maggie feel different about him than the local boys. “Just remember, you asked for it. But you’ll have to say if I go too far, I don’t want to upset my dad, or Eve.”
“Agreed.” He stuck out his hand and Maggie shook it. “Who’s Eve?”
“The first born, and like a big sister to all of us born out here.” She shook herself, she was talking too much. “Come on, I’ll show you the rest of the place. And I’ll warn you now to be on your guard at all times; you don’t know when I’ll strike!”
“I’ll be watching you.”

After a week Maggie was feeling a little frustrated. Mark seemed immune to her verbal sallies and mild insults and she was wondering how. He just smiled benignly, and that was the problem. She so loved the smile she couldn’t get mad at him. None of the boys she grew up with had a smile like it, not that any of them smiled much when they saw her. Usually they tried to hide, such was her reputation. Perhaps she was losing her touch she mused. But tonight was the night of the dance, there would be plenty of opportunities to rediscover her mojo.
Mark knocked timidly on her bedroom door. “Margaret, are you ready yet?”
“Just a second, and don’t call me ‘Margaret’, only mom and dad do that.”
“But it is your name.”
“Everyone, even my sister, even Mr and Mrs Lynton, calls me ‘Maggie’.”
“All right, if you insist Maggie. Why do we have to get there so early any way?”
“I want to see Stells or Eve about something before it gets noisy.”
“Fair enough. I wouldn’t mind talking with some of the other colony lads, to see how they’re getting on.” At this point Maggie opened the door and stepped out. “Gosh!” Mark exclaimed, staring at her.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing, nothing at all. That’s a very pretty dress if I may say.”
“This? It used to be a bridesmaid dress, when I was seven and then when I was eight.”
“You must have been extraordinarily tall for your age.”
“Don’t be silly.” She giggled. “Me and mom have been altering it ever since, though it’s getting a bit short now.” She looked down at the hemline half way up her thigh and sighed. “It used to reach the ground.”
“It suits you. You look even prettier.” She blushed deeply at this.
“How come you can wind me up with such simple statements, and I can’t get at you no matter how hard I try?”
“Beats me.” He shrugged. “Let’s go to this dance shall we?”

“Stella! I need to talk.”
“What’s up sis?” Stella was stood outside the door of the village hall, waiting for her.
“It’s Mark. He makes me feel…funny. And I can’t wind him up!”
“You’re not supposed to, remember?”
“He wanted me to, honest.”
“All right, ignoring that, how does he make you feel ‘funny’?”
“Well, just…funny. Not like usual. You know normally I have no trouble winding someone up? Well, with Mark, it’s a real effort to try. He looks so timid, but he’s withstood everything I could think of and, and he teases me without trying, and his smile is soooo cute.” Maggie looked at her sister who was giving her a laughing look.
“Oh dear! It sounds like you’ve finally fallen.”
“What!?”
“Mags, it sounds like you’ve met your match at last, like me with Mikey.”
“Don’t say that! I hardly know him.”
“I think I’d better post a notice saying that everyone is safe, the reign of teasing is over. Mighty Maggie has fallen.” Stella laughed.
“Fallen?”
“In love dopey.”
“I have?”
“Sounds like it to me. Listen, you know how alike we are?” Maggie nodded. “Well I needed someone to withstand my teasing and I got Mikey. All the other boys crumpled. It looks like the same thing with you. All the locals couldn’t take it, but you’ve found someone who can.”
“Oh.” Maggie went bright red. “Don’t tell anyone, especially him. I want to know how he feels first.”
“All right Mags. I won’t even tell Mikey or Evie. Come on, let’s go in and find someone to tease.”
“I don’t know if I still can.” Now she looked unhappy.
“Course you can, if you want to that is. It’s a knack we have.”
She still had the knack she soon found. After an hour or so Maggie decided to find Eve and ask her the same thing she had asked Stella. Eve had apparently gone outside for a breath of fresh air so Maggie followed. Before she found Eve though she came upon three of the colony boys talking and drinking around the dark side of the hall. She stopped and listened, a bad habit. “These country girls are so simple.” One of them was saying. “They believe anything you tell them!” The other two laughed in agreement.
“Yeah! It’s gonna be easy.”
“Too right, we’ll love ‘em and leave ‘em.” All three laughed. That was too much for Maggie. She stepped out in front of them.
“Not a chance. I’m telling them all what you said.” They looked at her and smirked.
“Who’s gonna believe you! I know you, the so called ‘terror of Sideways’. No-one will believe you.”
“Maybe not me, but they’ll believe Evie.” She said skipping away from a desperate lunge from the lad closest to her and running off to find Eve.
“You’re sure that’s what they said?” Eve asked.
“Honestly Evie. I’m not making this up.”
“Okay, I believe you, though I wish I didn’t. I’ll warn all the girls and get D to keep an eye out. Could you recognise which three boys it was?”
“Sorry, it was dark.”
“That means we have to suspect all of them I’m afraid.”
“Even Mark?”
“Even Mark.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t believe he could be one of them.”
“Why not?”
“Because of his smile, Evie. He just…” She tailed off. Eve just smiled in understanding.

Maggie and Mark were walking slowly back to the farm. Both of them quiet, lost in their own thoughts. Mark because that was how he was; Maggie because she was worried that she had spoilt the evening for everyone. But she couldn’t let her friends be taken advantage of could she? Suddenly three figures stepped in front of them, blocking the way. “You interfering little country bumpkin. You ruined our fun and now we’re going to take out our frustrations on you.”
“Guys, what’s this about?” Mark stepped between Maggie and the three. “It looks like you had too much to drink.”
“You keep out of this college boy; this is between us and her.” All three jumped at once. One clubbed Mark to the ground, the other two grabbing Maggie. She tried to get free but they held her tightly. Mark tried to get up but was kicked in the head. The last thing he saw before blacking out was a screaming Maggie being carried off.
Mark wasn’t unconscious for long, but there was no sign of anyone around when he came round. He had to find help, he knew. He turned and ran as fast as he could back to the town. The first person he ran into was Stella. He managed to gasp out what had happened to Maggie. Stella went white with rage. She managed to control it with difficulty and called D, telling him what had happened and that she was going on ahead. “Now show me where.” She ordered Mark. He took her back to the ambush spot and she began to look around. As she found a torn piece of Maggie’s dress, D, Mikey and two other locals Mark didn’t recognise arrived. “This way.” Stella said. They found another fragment of cloth a minute or so later.
“Good girl Maggie.” D breathed. “She’s leaving us a trail.”
“Well, we’d better be quick. There wasn’t much left of that dress to start with.” Stella said, plunging on.
“Over there!” Mark suddenly said. “A campfire.” There was a small glow about two hundred yards away.
“Stella. You stay here with Mark.” D ordered.
“That’s my sister.”
“That’s why you’re staying here.”
“NO!” Stella ran towards the light, the others following her quickly.
There was no need to rush. The three colony lads were all asleep; their alcohol intake had been too much. Maggie was tied to a tree but apparently unharmed, although she was crying. Mark ran over to her and set her free. He held her close, stroking her hair, soothing her. D and Mikey roused the slumbering miscreants, cuffing them as they did so. Stella was seething now, she drew her night stick.
“Stella, put that away!” D ordered.
“WHY!”
“Because I say! We uphold the law; we DO NOT take it into our own hands and mete out punishment.”
“But…”
“STELLA!” Mikey said warningly. “Put it away love.” She slowly obeyed.
“But she’s my little sister.” She started to sob.
“She’ll be fine.” D said quietly. “Take her home, and Mark too. He’s a brave lad.”
“Yes, yes he is. Thank you Mark.” Mark looked up from where he was holding Maggie.
“She won’t blame me for this will she?”
“Ask her.” Mikey said, noticing the look Maggie was giving the boy.
“No Mark. You stood up for me. Nobody but Stella ever did that before. Take me home please.” She passed out. Mark swept her up in his arms and with Stella following, started back towards the farm.
“What happened to Rob and George?” Mikey asked, spotting the absence of the other two locals.
“I’m afraid they’ve gone back to the town. We may need some help here.” He took out his radio. “Evie, are you listening?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Get your dad to go to the transport and get her started. I need to get these three out of here quickly.”
“How’s Maggie?”
“Unharmed, but shaken up. Go get your dad.”
“Doing it now.”
“Come on you three. The quicker we are, the more chance you have of getting out of here alive.”
“What do you mean mister?” They were frightened now.
“Maggie may be a pain sometimes, but she’s ours. Despite what you might expect, most people here are fond of her. There may be a party waiting that you won’t want to attend. So shut up, get moving, and do it NOW!”
“Mark, you need me to spell you carrying Mags?” Stella asked.
“I can manage thanks, but you might want to run ahead and warn your folks. It might not look too good just arriving like this.”
“Brave, strong and smart; I can see why she likes you. I’ll go get some help.” With that she ran on ahead. Maggie came round and looked up into Mark’s determined face.
“Mark? I…need to… ask you something.”
“Go on.” He said, getting out of breath.
“Do… do you like me?”
“Of course, you’re a very nice, very pretty girl.” He replied, a puzzled look on his face.
“Is that all?”
“What do you want me to say Maggie? I’ve only known you a week after all.”
“So you just like me?”
“I like you a lot. But that’s all I can say at the moment. Why?”
“Nothing, nothing at all, just something Stella said earlier. It’s not important really.” She looked away so that he couldn’t see the tears forming in her eyes. Mr Bartowski appeared out of the night breathing hard.
“Is she all right?”
“They didn’t touch her sir, I promise.”
“Pretty much thanks to you I hear.”
“Possibly, but if I’d have been a better fighter it would never have got that far.”
“Not your fault son, I promise.”
“Thank you for that sir.”
“Now run on ahead and get your head looked at.” Mark nodded and went on ahead.
“Oh daddy, I think I love him, but he doesn’t seem to love me. What am I going to do?” She sobbed into her father broad chest.
“Give him time princess, he’s only just arrived. Just give it time. You do know he might not know himself?”
D and Mikey had arrived back at the transport and there was indeed a ‘welcoming committee’ waiting. They stopped with the prisoners in the dark on the far side of the vehicle and tried to decide what to do. Then Dave Lynton stepped out of the transport and stood and looked hard at the gathered crowd. “I know why you’re all here.” He said. “And I’m afraid you’ll all be disappointed. Officer D is taking those lads back to the colony to receive their punishment. That is what he is supposed to do. Although in one way it’s good that you all feel so strongly about Maggie, strong enough to contemplate this…this stupidity. You should all be ashamed, I know I am. I thought I knew you all better. No go, before our lawman has to start arresting you as well. Go on, back to your homes. NOW!” It was a long time since anybody had seen Dave so angry and the crowd began sheepishly to break up. Dave let his head slump. When he looked up there was no-one about, the mob had dispersed in the night. D and Mikey brought the three by now terrified lads to the transport’s hatch. As Mikey took them aboard D put his hand on Dave’s shoulder and nodded his thanks. “Just get them out of here.” Dave said. D nodded again and boarded the ship.

No-one mentioned the events of that night again. It was referred to darkly as ‘the incident’. Most of the settlers, when they remembered it, were ashamed of their actions. They made efforts to treat the other lads from the colony as if they were members of their families. The lads in return worked harder, covering the work of the boys who had been sent away, and helping each other if they needed it. Things between Mark and Maggie were strained and Mark couldn’t understand why. He did think it was something to do with ‘the incident’. Perhaps she held him responsible. He just didn’t know. He did miss her attempts to tease him; she wasn’t teasing anyone at all. It didn’t seem natural, Maggie not teasing. So he’d shrugged and left it alone, left her to sort out whatever it was that was bothering her.
And now it was time for him to leave. The harvest was in and the ‘contract’ was up. Mark would be sad to go, all the lads were, but there seemed to be nothing more to do. He picked up his bag and went to the door. Mr and Mrs Bartowski thanked him and wished him well, hoping he could come back again. For some reason he blushed. “Thank you for having me. I really enjoyed working here. Can I say goodbye to Maggie?”
“You could if we knew where she had gone Mark. I’m sorry.” The older man sighed. “I’m also sorry for the way she’s been for the past couple of months. I think I know why, but from the look you’re giving me, you don’t.”
“Is it something I’ve done?”
“Actually, I think it’s more something you didn’t do, or more specifically, say.” He lapsed into silence. Stella came in.
“Hiya Mark! Thought I’d walk into town with you and Mags.”
“Maggie isn’t here. And I did want to say goodbye.” Stella looked thoughtful for a moment.
“I can find her. You go into town and go and see Evie. She has something she wants to say to all of you boys. I’ll catch you there.” With that she shot out of the back door. Mark shook hands with the Bartowski’s and began a slow trudge into the town.
Stella ran down to the edge of the lake. A quick look was all she needed to realise that Maggie had taken their secret canoe to the island. Luckily her father had a rowboat further along the bank. She jumped in and rowed her way to the island. The old camp wasn’t used so much these days, but it was still there. Stella was reminded of the day Eve had run away to the island; it seemed to have a pull for unhappy girls. She made her way to the camp and found Maggie sitting on her own. “Mags? Are you all right?” Maggie span round, saw it was Stella and burst into tears. “Maggie, tell me what’s wrong, maybe I can help.”
“I can’t get anything to happen the way I want it too.” Maggie sobbed. “You were supposed to be Mark.”
“Oh! Sorry. You thought hiding on the island like Evie did would bring Mark here like D?” The younger girl nodded sadly. “But Mark doesn’t know about the camp. It was you that told D where to find Eve.”
“It should have worked.” Maggie bawled. “Love will find a way.”
“Only if it knows what it’s looking for. You’ve got him confused. He doesn’t know why you’re avoiding him. If you’d told him, maybe he’d have come.”
“Boys are stupid.”
“Yes. But you have to at least hint.” Stella took her sister’s head and held it close. “If we hurry, you’ll have one last chance to give him one last chance.”
“I don’t know if I’m strong enough. What if he rejects me?”
“Then you’ll never see him again.” She paused, a wicked grin crossing her face. “You’ll become an old maid, withering away.”
“STELLA! How can you say that?”
“Call it a knack.” She looked into Maggie’s face. “I have to wind you up. Big sis, remember?” She grinned. “Look, you have to know. If he goes, you can forget him and find someone else. I’ll help you, I promise.” Maggie stood up, a determined look on her teary face.
“Come on then, let’s go.”

Mark opened the door to the post office. The rest of the lads were there all ready. Eve smiled at him. “You’re all here, good. I want to thank you all for your hard work; you’ve been a credit to the scheme. If any of you want to come back next year, you will be welcome.” Mark looked at the others and they all nodded.
“Miss Eve, none of us actually want to go. We’ve all enjoyed working here; people have welcomed us, made us feel at home. Isn’t there some way we could stay?”
“Miss Eve? I’ve been married ten years now.”
“Sorry, but I’m not sure how to address you.”
“Eve will be fine.” The first born smiled. “As for staying, there may be a way.”
“How?” There was the sound of the big transport arriving.
“I need to get in touch with the colony, I won’t be long.” She bustled out and crossed to the station.
“What should we do?” One of the others asked Mark. He shrugged.
“How about some work? We could unload the transport.”
“Sure, why not?” They trooped off to the landing site.
Minutes later Stella and Maggie rushed into the empty post office. “Damn! Missed them.” Stella panted.
“Maybe not.” Maggie gasped. “The transport hasn’t left yet, we’d have heard it.”
“Right! I hope you appreciate me running around for you.”
“Makes a change from me having to clean up after you!”
“Cheeky. Come on then, another dash.” The sisters turned around and ran into Eve.
“Where are you two going in such a hurry?”
“We have to get to the landing site so Maggie can say something to Mark.”
“Finally” Eve smiled. “I’ll come too; I have some news for the boys.”
“You do?”
“Yes, so let’s go. No, wait. I have a better idea. Maggie, come with me. Stella call D and tell him not to let the transport take off.”
“Good thinking FB. Now go!”
Eve and Maggie arrived at the landing site out of breath and looking very red. A quick look told them they could have strolled. The boys had only half emptied the transport so far, their hearts not really in it. Mark saw the two of them panting for breath and came over to them. “Are you two all right? You look done in.”
“Long time since I had to run so far so fast.” Eve gasped out.
“I just had to get here before you left Mark.” Maggie wheezed.
“Just take your time both of you. Take your time and breathe in deeply.” They both did what he said and began to breathe more easily. “Water?” They both nodded so he went and got two small bottles of water. “Now what’s so important that you nearly kill yourselves?”
“Maggie, you go first.” Eve said, still gulping in air. Maggie controlled her breathing and took Mark’s hand.
“I want to explain why I’ve been…well, a bitch for most of your time here.”
“Is it something to do with ‘the incident’?”
“Sort of. Do you remember me asking you if you liked me that night?” He nodded slowly. “Well, you gave me some wishy answer about hardly knowing me.”
“I remember.”
“What I was trying to tell you was that I loved you.”
“But you don’t know me.”
“Eve, tell him about when love hits you.”
“She’s right Mark. It can hit you moments after you meet someone or it can take months. And sometimes it has to be pointed out to you, if you get my meaning.”
“Actually I do.” He looked down at the ground. “That first week was one of the most fun times I’ve ever had, Maggie trying to get me to bite and getting wound up because I wouldn’t. And getting wound up or embarrassed when I said something.” He sighed. “I just couldn’t believe a girl would try so hard to impress me. And then it all changed, and I wanted her to try again, but she didn’t. I thought she was bored with it.”
“No! No, I wasn’t bored, but I thought you were, that my teasing was making you dislike me.”
“I told you I liked you, I told you that.”
“But that’s all you told me. You didn’t give me any hope that…that you might love me. I’ve never been in love before; I didn’t know what to do.” Mark took her hand.
“Well, nor have I, so I didn’t know either.”
“You silly pair, why didn’t either of you say something. I am supposed to be everyone’s ‘big sister’. I could have helped, or Stella, or even D or Mikey. Even my mom and dad, any of us would have been glad to talk things over with you.” Maggie burst into tears.
“Oh Mark, I’m sorry. We only had these short months and I ruined it. Now you’re leaving and going back to the colony.”
“Maybe, maybe not.” Eve smiled. “I got in touch with the scheme, and proposed something different. They agreed to it. If any of you boys want to stay, you can.”
“We can?” One of the others asked.
“Yes. What I proposed is that you form a group workforce. When you’re needed you help out on the farms. The rest of the time you do civil works. You know, build roads, clear ground, work here loading and unloading the transport, and maybe put up the odd building.”
“They might be a bit odd if you just turn us loose like that.” Mark grinned. Eve laughed back.
“I think I can talk some of the experts to give you some training and supervision for a while. So, what do you think?”
“Well guys, who’s for staying?” Mark asked. There was a unanimous show of hands. “It seems we might need to borrow the radio to call our folks and tell them what’s happening Miss Eve.” She gave him a look. “Big sis?” He tried again.
“Not a problem. Finish here and then we’ll go and see D.”
Stella had wandered up by now. “What’s happening?” She asked Maggie as she saw the now happy gang of lads bend to the task of unloading and then loading the transport with renewed vigour.
“Stells, they’re staying!” Maggie said, her eyes shining brightly.
“Does that solve your particular problem?”
“Well, no. But it gives me time to work on a plan.”
“Or you could just ask him.”
“I tried that before.”
“Try it again, while he’s in a good mood and has forgotten how annoying you can be.”
“Stells!”
“Big sis leg pull.” Stella smiled. “Just ask him.”
“Okay, I will.” She strode up to Mark. “I’m going to say this quickly. I love you. Do you think you can love me?”
“I don’t think so.” Her face dropped. “I know so.” He grinned. “Wind up complete.”
“Hey! I’m supposed to be the teaser.” She thumped him on the arm.
Stella was stood with Eve. “Tell me Evie; was I as bad as that?”
“NOOooo! You were worse.”
“Evie!” They both burst out laughing. “When did you start winding people up?”
“Only recently. It must be being exposed to such bad influences as you and Maggie for so long, it’s rubbing off on me.” Maggie and Mark came over to them.
“Thank you both.” Mark said. “Eve for making it possible to stay here, and you, Officer Stella, for making Mags talk to me.”
“Hey! If I’d known that weedy kid I dropped out to our farm would become so hunky, I might not have trusted her with you.” She turned, blushing, to Eve who was laughing. “Did I just say that? I’m so embarrassed!”
“I haven’t changed that much have I?” Mark asked, also reddening.
“Let’s just say, you’ve filled out nicely.” Eve grinned

Mark and Maggie were walking arm in arm back to the farm. “Have I really changed that much physically Mags?”
“I don’t think you’ve changed that much. But then again, I fell in love with the original you, the muscles are a bonus.” He blushed again. “Hey! I did it! I made you blush at last.” She laughed gleefully.
“Caught me unawares.” He grinned back.
“How come I couldn’t before?”
“I have an older cousin who teased me from when I was three or four. I became able to not react.”
“Unless you were surprised?”
“Right.” He paused, not sure whether he should ask this next question. “That night, they…they didn’t do anything did they?”
“You know they didn’t, they were all too drunk.”
“So, no…no fondling or…kissing?”
“Nope. Why are you so worried about that now?”
“Because I want to be the first to do this.” He took her in his arms and kissed her full on the lips. She kissed back with a passion.
“That was worth waiting for. You haven’t been practicing with someone else have you? You’re quite good.”
“And how do you know the difference?”
“I had nine years watching Stells and Mikey perfecting kissing, and my mom and dad I suppose. So I’m quite an expert.”
“An expert with a bad reputation?” Mark laughed. “Shall we practice some more?”