Kilarney...
Alex Ryan stands and watches as his ex- wife drives away.
Rubbing his face he can still hear the slap and feel the sting as her hand connected with it.
He can feel a pain in his chest too but not from the loss of Fiona but from his own failure.
The Ryan Empire lay in ruins.
...
Nick and Tess remained in Argentina and had produced Claire and Emma and called it quits.
Harrison Ryan lived in Melbourne with his Mother and Alex never saw him.
For that matter neither did Nick.
Alex had failed to produce any children in the three years he'd spent with Fiona.
So there would be no Empire.
...
The final blow had come in the shape of a solicitor's letter.
Apparently Harry had a back-up plan and had another family tucked away.
Two more Ryan sons had turned up and demanded their share of Kilarney.
Initially Alex thought he could talk them around and Nick had flown back from Argentina but they were definitely Harry Ryan's sons and had inherited all the nastiest and meanest traits so there were no negotiations just demands, threats and anger.
Nick and Alex had to let it go, unable to find the funds to pay out the money owed.
Alex was angry at Nick he had a wife and children and felt nothing when Kilarney was sold.
...
Alex's moods and depression had worn his marriage down to nothing.
Fiona had no idea how to deal with him and didn't really try.
She'd waged a war on Stevie and the Drover's girls and eliminated them from their lives quickly.
When Fiona heard about the sudden depletion of funds she promptly asked for a divorce.
Taking a tidy little sum with her.
...
Alex turns and begins to walk back inside when Riley calls. "I'm about to head over to Drover's did you need me to do anything else today?"
"Nah she's right. Are you still right to give me a hand tomorrow?" Alex asks.
Riley nods and answers. "Yep early start and an early finish."
"I haven't got much to move Riley. I've sent all of Nick's stuff to him. Mum's taken anything she wanted. Fiona took everything that wasn't nailed down and I'll burn a heap this afternoon. Hey when you're on Drover's can you find out if they've got an address for Stevie? I've got a lot of knick knacks I think she'd like.' Alex asks.
...
'Why don't you just give them to me and I'll leave them there and the next time she's there she can pick them up? "Riley suggests knowing Stevie is there now but not wanting to say.
Alex looks at him with surprise and asks. "Does she come to Drover's?"
Nodding Riley replies. "Yeah she does."
Riley watches as Alex digests what he's just been told.
...
"How is she?" He asks.
Riley hesitates then says. "Not my place to say mate."
"Last time I saw her was Rose's funeral." Alex says sadly.
...
"Yeah she really needed her mates then." Riley comments.
The barb pierces Alex's heart.
He wasn't her mate anymore.
Fiona had driven her away and he'd turned a blind eye to it.
...
Kilarney late in the evening...
Alex sits around the fire drum throwing in paper every now and again.
He sees the lights down the drive and is surprised Riley is back so early.
Picking up his beer he takes a long cooling swig.
...
Alex jumps when he hears a woman's voice behind him.
"Hey have you got one of those for me." Stevie quips.
As she moves over to sit on the other side of the fire he says. "I thought you only drank with your mates?"
She nods and says. "I'll make the exception for you."
...
He could cry but doesn't.
His life couldn't possibly get any lower than it is right now and her she is.
Passing a beer to her he says. "Cheers."
"Yeah Cheers."
...
Quietly they sit watching the flames and Stevie's says. "I heard about the farm. Sorry."
He shrugs his shoulders and says. "It's just a house with lots of unhappy memories attached to it."
She stares at the flames.
"Riley said you had some things I might like. I'm heading back tomorrow so I thought I'd come and get them."She offers.
"Come into the house and I'll get them for you." He says standing.
...
Stevie is shocked by the state of the house.
Not only is it empty but the walls seep sadness into your soul as you walk through the door.
"Oh yuck." She says.
"What? "He asks turning quickly.
"The house feels awful Alex. I'll wait outside."She says backing out.
...
She finishes her beer and he asks if she'd like another.
'No I can't." She says then quickly adds. "I already had one with the girls and I have to drive back.'
"Where do you live now Stevie maybe I could come and visit?" He asks.
'No I don't think that's a good idea." She replies.
He wishes she'd stay but she bids him farewell and walks back to her car.
She places the box he'd given her on the seat.
He calls. "Stevie! Wait can we talk?"
...
"There's nothing to say Alex you made your choice and it wasn't me."
"What do you mean?"He asks.
"I was in love with you but you chose her. You ruined my life Alex as well as your own. You let her ruin our friendship too."She states.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He begs his resolve crumbling quickly.
...
"I tried but you ran away and then you brought her back. The real question is why you couldn't hold onto our friendship." She explains and he can hear the anger in her words.
"Stevie I'm so sorry." He tells her.
"You're only sorry because you have nothing left and you're trying to count friends. If she hadn't left you and the farm hadn't slipped away. Would you have come looking for me to say sorry? I doubt it." She responds coldly.
"I deserved that." He offers truthfully.
"Damn straight you did. True friends don't do that to each other."She retorts.
...
"Can we start again Stevie?" He asks.
Shaking her head she replies. "No there's too much hurt in the past and too much at stake in the future. I won't let you tarnish that. You're weak Alex. You never protected me from Harry, your Mother, Sandra or Fiona and I was only your friend if I'd been more I don't think you would have done any better. "
"I've always loved you Stevie." He confesses.
"Don't!" She says angrily holding up her hand.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you after Rose Stevie. Really I am."He gushes.
Her face dissolves.
...
He rushes around to hold her.
She pushes him back and says. "No! Please don't touch me. "
"Stevie..." He begins but she closes her door and drives away.
...
He walks back around to the fire and tips some water on it.
It sizzles as the water smothers the flames.
A cloud of steam, smoke and ash rises.
"Just like my life. Up in smoke." He says to no one.
...