The last leg of the river was a gentle paddle. Bevis checked the secured luggage as they took the final bend. Returning to civilisation felt surreal, like this trip had started a lifetime ago, and so much had happened. Who knew she would learn to do the simple task of finding firewood. Eager to learn something new, Bevis smiled; she had learned a lot these past few days. Learned about herself, learned how to build and make a fire, perhaps not like someone who did it all the time, but she had kept herself warm enough until someone had found her. She had also learned she had limits and how to stand up for herself. Jason called a few more instructions which had them heading toward a small wooden jetty. Bevis glanced at Chelsea. Could they be at the end of the journey they had mistakenly taken? Chelsea had one thing correct: they needed to get away from everything that was their old life, people, places, things, and definitely ex-boyfriends. That one had not happened the way they had wanted it, but Bevis had gotten closure the way she needed it instead of the way Brad had liked it; her mind wandered back to the last time Brad had come to the apartment, walking in as though he owned the place, talking to her of her failings not just as the kind of girlfriend he expected her to be but as a person as well. Shaking her head, she wondered why she had allowed it to continue as long as she had? Trying all those things that had injured her or nearly killed her.

Chelsea bumped her, "Hey, time to hand up the luggage."

"What?" Bevis whispered, blinking and looking around, "Hand up the luggage?"

"Yep," Chelsea grinned, "looks like we made it and no white knuckling from you this time."

"What do you know?" Bevis said, flashing a smile, "Guess the last stretch of the river wasn't as bad as the others."

Chelsea chuckled as she passed a piece of luggage on before lifting a gear bag from the raft. Jason dropped into the raft, helping them heft the heavy packs. Finally, they were all out, and the raft seemed to rise in the water.

"We're all going to meet back at the hotel," Jason said, "you have rooms for tonight, and we'll be having dinner later on, then tomorrow we all head home."

"Cannot wait to have a hot shower," Bevis said, "I'm sure we must all be smelling a little."

"True," Jason said, grinning, "let me hand you up to Charlie; he will help you to the transport vehicle."

"That is sweet," Bevis said, "but I can walk."

"You may be able to walk, but the wound is bleeding again," Jason said, looking at Bevis' leg.

Looking down, Bevis sighed, "I didn't even feel it this time," accepting Jason's hand and allowing herself to be lifted from the raft, "Where is Jo, Charlie?"

"She's in the vehicle," Charlie said, as he helped Bevis toward the waiting minibus, "and for some reason, doesn't feel very happy about going home."

"Did you two have a fight?" Bevis asked.

"If you can call it that," Charlie said, gently lifting Bevis into the back of the minibus, waiting for her to take a seat, "you good?"

Bevis nodded, looking around the bus and then out the window; the place they were going to spend the night was beautiful. It was still early enough to look around and have something to eat or drink outside. Bevis wanted to soak in the beauty before heading back to her life. Frowning, she thought of her apartment, the one she had taken a short lease on, the one she had moved into while dating Brad. Everything about that apartment was strange. It wasn't the sort of home she had ever considered, never mind wanting to live in. Chelsea was surprised when she had taken the apartment ... but not surprised it had only been for six months. Perhaps Bevis had unconsciously known she wouldn't be staying there for long. She could find a place that suited the person she was now.

Chelsea entered the vehicle sitting in front of her with her back to the window so she could talk to Bevis and see the rest of the occupants. Looking around, she noted the other three women sat apart, strangely silent and ignoring the others. A lot had happened in the past few days.

Jo sat at the back, in the corner, looking out the window, watching Charlie's every move; her face was pale, and it looked like she had been crying or not slept; it was challenging to say which. Bevis wondered what happened when Charlie returned to his tent after talking with Chelsea. Watching these men with their wives had shown Bevis the difference between someone who truly cared and someone who was in it for himself.

How had she not seen it before?

How had she allowed a year of that emotional and mental torture?

She wasn't going to do that any more. Finally, feeling herself again, there was no way she would throw that away because of another person's expectations of who she should be. Looking out the window again, she smiled. How could she not have seen it? How could she not know she had been in uncharted waters long before this trip.

Charlie and Jason entered the vehicle, and they headed toward the hotel. She had made it. The trip was over. But uncertainty raised its head.

What did she do now?

How did she carry on with her life?

Did she want to continue with her current life, or did she have the courage to change course and do something she had always wanted and knew she was reasonably good at?

Inhaling at the sudden rush of ideas blossoming in her mind as they drew closer to the entrance of the hotel, Bevis took in the rolling, lush lawns, the walks through beautiful gardens, noticed the open wide wooden front door, the entranceway bustling with bell boys and trolleys as they drove past heading toward the back of the building. Pulling into the parking, everyone started to get out and help unpack the luggage and gear bags.

"Chels, is it my imagination or is everyone on autopilot?" Bevis whispered as the two slowly followed the others.

"I noticed that as well," Chelsea said, grinning, "perhaps they should have had no sleep earlier in the trip. It would have been less eventful."

Bevis couldn't help but grin at her friend's words. Finding her bag, she lifted it from where it lay; for some reason, it felt heavier than she remembered. Frowning, Bevis pulled it toward her on the open back of the minivan and unzipped it, finding strange items lying on her clothes.

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"Jason, we have a problem," she said, looking up as he walked toward her, "my bag felt heavier than I remembered, and I opened it to find out why ..." carefully lifting the items from her bag, she held them out to him, "these aren't mine. Do you know whose they are?"

Jason took them, frowning before laying out a curling iron, a complete makeup bag and a platinum compact with a matching bracelet attached to the lid on the carpeted boot floor of the minibus.

Mandy and Tiffany started moving toward her, looking from the items to her bag to her face.

"Did you have these all the time?" Mandy asked.

Bevis shook her head, "Never seen them in my life," she said, looking between the three women, "I don't even know whose they are."

"The compact and bracelet are mine," Mandy said, picking it up, "the curling iron is Jo's, and the makeup bag is Tiffany's."

"How did you get them?" Jason asked, frowning down at the discoveries.

"That's your question?" Bevis asked, "I thought it would be; why are they in my bag?"

"That was my other question," Jason said, looking between the three women, "Does anyone here have an answer?"

"My makeup bag went missing the night before we left," Tiffany said, "after Jo ...." her words trailed off as she turned toward her old friend.

"The compact and bracelet are supposed to be in a secured deposit box at the first hotel," Mandy said, "I was taking it there the last night we were there and had arranged to pick it up when we finished the trip, but I met Jo coming from Tiff's room, and she said she would do it for me."

Everyone turned to look at Jo, who stared back, swallowing hard as the tears started to fall. Charlie stared at her disbelievingly.

"Care to explain?" Jason asked.

"It's true ... I took them," she whispered, "I get these impulses. I didn't want to take something of someone I didn't know and couldn't return," she sniffed, "I was going to return them, but then we had that falling out, and no one wanted to talk to me. I didn't know how to return the items to you. I hoped that Bevis would find and hand them in, and you'd get your stuff back."

Tiffany frowned, "That is a low swing, Jo. Bevis would have been accused of stealing them," she shook her head, "you framed her to save yourself instead of owning up to a fault you knew you had. Did you think Mandy and I were so shallow we wouldn't have listened to you and tried to understand?"

Jo shrugged her shoulders, "You never wanted to in the past, and you said so many cutting things during this trip I didn't know what to think," she swiped at her cheeks, "I'm really sorry ... to all of you."

"Charlie, why don't you take Jo inside," Jason said gently, "there is a bathroom to the left through these doors; let her freshen up and then we'll meet in the conference room."

Nodding, Charlie gently slipped his arm around her shoulders and led Jo inside.

"Tiffany and Mandy, are you happy to take charge of your things?" Jason asked.

Nodding, the other women placed their items in their bags, leaving Jo's curling iron behind, "You'd better add that to the lost and found for your company. Jo will pick it up ..." Tiffany said, glancing at Mandy, "of that, we have no doubt."

"Okay, everyone let's go inside and head for the conference room," Jason said, looking around, "leave the gear bags here; just take your luggage."

Bevis picked up her bag, limping beside Chelsea; she couldn't wait to sleep in a bed with a mattress and pillows.

"What are you thinking?" Chelsea asked.

"How good it's going to be to shower, be served food I didn't have to cook over a fire and sleep in a bed with pillows," Bevis said, "you?"

"Putting my feet up and drinking something cold while watching the sunset," Chelsea said, "want to join me?"

"Would love to," Bevis grinned, "after my hot shower."

"Don't use all the hot water," Chelsea quipped, "I want one as well."

The group entered the hotel's coolness and was met by bell boys and trolleys before being led to a smaller conference room than before, where a spread of food was laid out on a long table against one wall while smaller tables sprinkled throughout the room had chairs around them. To the left of the entrance, a round table drew their attention as wait staff handed them glasses of golden bubbly liquid. Bevis had never wanted to celebrate something more. Moving into the room, they assembled in a loose cluster, waiting for instructions.

Jason entered, chatting with his assistant again, and Bevis felt surprised when he hugged her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

"Are they dating?" Chelsea whispered.

"No idea," Bevis said, "but they must be close; otherwise, why would he kiss her."

Chelsea shrugged but didn't speak as Jason drew their attention.

"I wanted to say well done to you all," Jason said, "it has been a week of up and downs, learning curves and learning about yourselves," he looked from Bevis to Jo before continuing, "Thank you for taking the trip with us this week and I do hope that each of you got something out of it. Since we didn't have breakfast this morning, please eat and drink. This afternoon is yours to do as you wish, and we'll meet for dinner in the main dining room at seven. Any questions?"

Everyone shook their head and slowly headed toward the tables or chatted with each other. Bevis watched as Charlie, Greg, and Michael headed toward Jason, each chatting and shaking his hand while his assistant came toward Bevis.

"Hi there," she smiled, "you're Chelsea and Bevis, right?"

Glancing at each other, they nodded.

"Great, my name is Candy. When you've had something to eat and drink, let me know. We can see to your leg," she said, smiling, "let me know if there is anything specific you want to do this afternoon, and I'll do my best to organise it for you."

"Thanks," Bevis said, unsure of what else to say, indicating with her head for Chelsea to follow her to the buffet table as Candy headed toward Charlie and Jo standing silently near the end, "Let's get something to eat."

"Good idea," Chelsea said, frowning, "do you think Candy may be related to Jason?"

"Stop right there," Bevis said, grasping Chelsea's arm, "I'm not doing that anymore."

"Doing what?" Chelsea asked, looking confused.

"Surmise about people and what they may be and may not be," Bevis said, "they are just people until they tell me otherwise."

Chelsea stared at Bevis before breaking out in a wide grin. Suddenly she hugged Bevis hard and quickly, "I've been waiting for the old Bev to return. So good she is finally here."

Bevis grinned, "Yeah, so am I," she shook her head, "I cannot believe how long I allowed her to be absent. Can we eat now?"

Nodding, Chelsea led the way to the buffet table, handing Bevis a plate. They silently made their way down the selection of foods before heading toward an empty table.

Standing to one side, Candy watched the room. Although her brother was talking to others, seeming to be attending to what they were saying, she couldn't help noticing how his gaze was drawn toward Bevis and Chelsea. Looking between the two, she smiled as she watched Bevis sneak a look in Jason's direction.

"Hmmm," Candy's smile broke into a grin, "perhaps this trip was good after all."

Looking up Bevis' address information, she made a note; frowning, she also noted Chelsea's.

"Better keep these on hand," Candy whispered before her attention was drawn to Micheal and Tiffany heading her way, "back to work I go."