10
Claire woke up in her hotel room early next morning. Now that she finally had an idea where she cold find Alex she had been sleeping like a baby. But now it was time to make some plans of what to do next.
Thinking about it she had two options…either drive back to Drovers today and pack a few more things and leave again tomorrow or try and get to Melbourne right away. If she drove home first she would have more clothes and all the rest of the things she needed but it also meant she would have to deal with Tess and Meg. And she was sure they wouldn't want her to go to Melbourne on her own.
If she went to Melbourne right away she could always buy the things she needed there. And she'd not risk being held back by anybody…
So that was her plan, drive down to Melbourne and find Alex. Now she needed to call Tess and break the news to her that she wasn't coming home any time soon…
"Claire, ARE YOU NUTS? You're 8 months pregnant! What if you go into labour and nobody's there? Please come home and we'll sort it out! Please!" Tess was really worried about Claire. Since she had found her in the study 2 days earlier with that shocked look on her face her sister had truly done some really unusual things. It must have been something in those papers…
"Tess I can't, I need to go and find Alex as soon as possible…"
"But why Claire, why now? Couldn't you have gone earlier? Or wait till the baby's born? This is crazy!"
"Tess I can't tell you right now, I need to sort this out with Alex first…he has to know…"
"Claire, I know I've asked you this once and you didn't wanna talk about it but who is the father of your child? Is it Alex?"
"Yes it is and I think I've waited long enough to tell him…"
"Claire, there's more to this! I can hear it in your voice!"
"Tess, please! I really need to talk to Alex but first I need to find him. If he's not in Melbourne I'll come home I promise…Look, I need to get going now or I'll never make it down there. Don't worry sp much, I'll be fine. I'll let ya know when I'm there!"
Having said that Claire hung up.
"Claire? Oh you…" Tess couldn't believe that Claire had just hung up on her. This was not like her at all. What was it that had made Claire do all this? She really didn't know but she was worried sick about her sister…
After Claire had hung up she felt really bad. This was not the way she wanted to treat Tess who had been so supportive since they had found out she was pregnant. She knew Tess was worried about her but she couldn't help it. If she had talked to Tess and longer she would have maybe called off the trip and she couldn't, not now. So she packed up the few things she had brought with her along with some food and water she had bought, got in the car and drove off to Melbourne…
11
10 years earlier…
"Hey McLeod! What's up? What are you doing here?"
"What do you think am I doing here Ryan? Milking a cow? I'll participate in the rodeo!"
"Yeah right, you want me to wipe your arse again…"
"Get away Ryan, when did you ever do that? Anyway, I need to take care of my horse if you don't mind…" Claire walked away. She really didn't know why Alex could always provoke her like that. They had been friends ever since they were kids and could tell each other anything but lately there was also this constant tension between them. Claire wondered where this all came from all of a sudden. If only he didn't always look at her with that strange look in his eyes. What the hell was going on?
'Gosh she's beautiful…' That was all Alex could think about as Claire walked away. He didn't know when exactly his feelings for her had changed from best friend to love interest but he knew they definitely had. If only she returned his feelings, it could be so good…
'Jeez Alex, get yourself together!' He pulled himself out of his dream world and went on with preparing for his ride later today…
Before it was time for Alex's bull riding Claire was up for camp draft. She had trained hard and she was planning on winning this competition. And although Alex should have concentrated on getting ready for his ride he couldn't help but watch Claire's ride. Her and Lightning were a good team and looked like they were flying over the race track. Claire had the best score that day and won the competition much deserved.
Then it
was time for Alex to get up on his bull. Ever since Nick's accident
5 years ago he had become even more reckless than he had been before.
As if he wanted to punish himself with having the same thing happen
to him. Just as Alex got on his bull he saw Claire standing at the
fence and he couldn't help but stare at her. Then the gate opened
and the bull got wild. Alex's thoughts were still with Claire so he
didn't concentrate on the bull properly and lost his balance. As
the bull bucked him off Alex got hit by one of the horns and by 2
bull legs. At first he couldn't breathe and didn't exactly know
where he was but then the memory came back and the pain hit
him.
Claire had watched Alex's ride from the fence and when she
saw him getting bucked off and being hit she held her breath. "No,
Alex…" she whispered and elbowed her way through the crowd to get
to him.
The paramedics had carried Alex out of the round and when Claire finally reached them she could see that Alex was already back up and standing. She felt a ton of rocks drop from her heart but then got really mad at Alex. How could he do this to her? She walked over to him and punched in the shoulder. "Jeez Alex, you could have killed yourself!" she shouted at him and walked away.
Alex was surprised. Had he just seen tears on her cheeks?
"Claire! Wait up!" he called her and followed as quickly as he could. "Claire!"
She finally stopped and turned around, her face wet from tears.
"Claire, why are you crying?"
"You could have killed yourself you stupid idiot…"
"I'm fine Claire, just a few bruises and a little scratch but I'll survive. Come here, it's all good…" He hugged Claire and when he felt she pulled him closer he put her face up and wiped away her tears "You sound like you do actually care for me…"
"Of course I care for you, Ryan! You're my best friend! I don't know what I'd do without you…" Alex could see the worry in Claire's eyes and couldn't resist but kiss her. He knew this would change everything and he still wasn't sure if Claire felt the same but he just had to kiss her. And when Alex felt Claire kissing him back he was in heaven. One thing led to the other and next thing they knew they woke up in each others arms…
12
Alex stood at the window of his apartment and looked out over the city. He had been here for nearly 8 months but it still didn't feel like home. He missed the country and he missed his brother but most of all he missed Claire.
With a sigh he pulled away from the window. It was time to get dressed properly and head off to work.
After leaving the country and coming to Melbourne he had first lived off the money from his trust fund but soon realized he needed to find something else to make money with or he would have been broke in no time.
At first he had worked at a couple construction sites but that had only been temporary. Then with some help from his new found biological father he had gotten a job at an insurance company. It was nothing special but they paid him good money and he had found something else to do in his spare time, something that he really loved…he was a volunteer worker at a riding club doing therapy riding with disabled children. Every Saturday and Sunday he would spend his time there working with the horses and the children. This was what really kept him here.
13
8 months earlier…
Alex woke up in the middle of the night and felt Claire's presence right away. He couldn't believe he was holding her in his arms again. This was what he had hoped and wished for almost 9 years. Ever since their fist night together after his riding accident…
Alex remembered it like it was yesterday.
And here he was again…and he had done the very same thing. He had slept with Claire without telling her his feelings. It dawned on him that although this had been what they had both wanted it shouldn't have happened.
'I'm gonna lose her…' were the only thoughts that came to his mind. It hadn't worked out the first time they were together why should it be different now? It had been a miracle that they had managed to become friends again after they had annulled their marriage. And now he had ruined that friendship again.
Guilt started to creep up in him and he looked at Claire, peacefully asleep next to him. He had to leave…he had to leave right now…
A few hours later Alex walked into Wilgul to talk to Nick. He still couldn't talk to Liz or Harry.
"Hey Nick…guess what…"Alex shouted as he saw his brother.
"Alex! Where've you been all night?"
"Gungellan…guess what!"
"What?"
"My credit card's not valid anymore and my bank account's empty…I tried to fill up my tank and nothing worked…had to give the rest of my cash…"
"Harry…"
"Yep, he's cut me off. I'm stuffed…"
"Alex…there is a way you know, there's still the trust fund…"
"That's
not mine, it was set up for tax reasons…"
"But it's in
your name, no matter what it was originally meant for…"
"As
if Harry's ever going to sign it over…"
"You know, he's
not the only one that can…"
Alex looked confused. What was Nick trying to tell him?
"Mum
can do that, too…"
"Nick, I don't wanna…"
"Alex,
talk to her, at least this one time. She's in a motel in Fisher…"
"Nick leave it, ok? I'll find some other way!"
And with that Alex stormed off.
After driving around for a couple more hours trying to find work somewhere he realized that Harry had done a good job. Nobody would give him a job. I really looked like the trust fund would be his only choice.
So he swallowed his pride and drove to Fisher to find his mother. When he explained his situation to her they went to the bank right away and she signed the papers that were necessary. The last thing Liz did before Alex drove off was to give him the address of his biological father.
"Just in case you want to meet him…" She said.
That same night Alex decided to give it a go and meet his father. What did he have to lose?
