Kilarney …Several weeks after Liz's secret was divulged…
"Hello." Nick calls as he ushers Tess and their children through the back door.
Stevie meets them and asks." Any sign of them yet?"
Tess shakes her head and responds. 'Nothing from our direction."
"Where's Alex?" Nick questions.
"I'm here." Alex answers as he enters the room with an excited baby in his arms.
Tess grins and clapping her hands takes the baby and smothers him in kisses.
…..
Stevie walks back into the kitchen and sits with Oliver in her lap.
"He's growing so fast Tess. I only saw him last week and he's grown heaps since then." Alex offers smiling at his nephew.
"They're both going to be big boys aren't they?" Nick states.
"Well neither of us is little so it just stands to reason they'll be like us." Alex responds.
…
Marcus enters the kitchen and announces. "They've just pulled up out the front."
Alex inhales deeply.
Stevie rubs his arm.
He smiles at her.
"Here we go let's hope she's nothing like Mum." Nick states.
Quietly they're all thinking the same thing.
…..
Kilarney …Outside.
Josephine Mary Redpath climbs from her Ute.
She feels nervous but also excited.
Today she'll meet her nephews and their families.
….
"She's driving a Ute!" Tess offers peering through the window.
"Not just a Ute Tess that's a Mercedes Benz." Marcus offers.
"Didn't know Mercedes made Utes? I'll have one of those thanks Alex." Stevie quips.
"Close to a hundred grand for one of those Stevie." Nick answers.
…
"Geez she's in good nick." Alex comments.
"Boots and jeans! Never saw Mum dress like that."
"Well so far she's the opposite of your Mum" Tess offers.
Quickly they move away from the window as Josephine and her husband walk towards the house.
…
Nervously they sit waiting as Alex answers the door to their visitors.
Straining to hear any conversations they're relieved to hear Alex laughing.
They sit stunned as Josephine enters the room with her husband and Alex a step behind.
Josephine is the image of Liz.
Kind of obvious when you're an identical twin.
…..
"Josephine this is my brother Nick and his wife Tess. " Alex begins.
Josephine chuckles nervously and responds. "I'm so happy to meet you."
Nick grins as his aunt wraps him up in a hug.
"You're so tall Nick I think I'm going to get neck strain looking up at you." Josephine offers then ads "Josie you can all call me Josie. "
Next she moves onto Tess before Alex introduces her to Stevie.
"A Redhead! Wonderful I hope you're feisty. Country boys need strong women don't they Honey?" Josephine exclaims looking over at her husband.
"Everyone I'd like you to meet Bob, he's my world." Josephine states.
Bob moves forward and shakes all of their hands and offers up kisses to the girls.
"Josie you're giving them the wrong impression it's the other way around. " Bob offers.
They all smile at the remark.
…
With the formalities over the group sits with coffee and cake and bandy around small talk.
"Right Question time! I'm sure you all have questions, so let's start there." Josie suggests.
The boys and their wives look uncomfortable.
"Come on don't be shy we need to get all of this shit out of the way so we can move forward." Josie encourages.
…..
"Straight shooter. I like it." Stevie chuckles.
Josie looks at her and smiles. "Right you get the first question."
Stevie smiles and shoots back. "Where have you been for the last 30 years?"
Josie nods and replies. "Quick answer. I was a drunk and dabbled in drugs too. Stole a watch off Harry and he banned me from coming here. Liz stood with him so I told her that hell would freeze over before I set foot on Kilarney again. I moved up to Sydney and hit rock bottom. Finally I got myself cleaned up. I worked in restaurants and cafes for a couple of years and one day this handsome bloke walked into my life and here we are 27 years later still happily married."
"So hell has frozen over?" Tess asks.
Josie chuckles and responds. "No I got older and wiser and realized none of it was her fault plus our children were wondering about their cousins."
…
"So you live in Sydney?" Nick asks."
"No we own a cattle property in the Barossa valley and a small winery too." Josie replies.
"Red Earth vineyards." Bob offers.
"Ooo I love your Merlot." Tess quips.
"You know our wines?" Josie asks.
Tess smiles and replies. "I always look for boutique vineyards and wines so yes I do.
Josie glances at Bob looking well pleased.
….
The conversation flips around the room until Josie looks at Alex and questions. "You haven't said much don't you have a question for me?"
Silently he stands and his expression is solemn. "Why did Mum think you were dead? Why didn't you ever let yourself be known to us? Why now?"
Josie inhales deeply.
"Now? Because I'm getting older and like I said previously our children want to know about all of you. Liz thought I was dead because when I started to clean myself up I tried to contact her and she sent a letter saying I was dead to her. I was gutted, so a few weeks later I wrote to her and told her I had terminal cancer and would be dead in a month. She wrote back but I never replied so I guess she assumed I'd actually died. I know she's your Mum but she was always so god damn mean and judgemental I figured I was better off without her in my life anyway. I knew she was pregnant with you Alex but I didn't know about Nick until years later."
…..
"But what about us?" Alex pushes.
Again she inhales. "Because I thought you'd be like her and with Harry as your Father I assumed you'd be mean and manipulative so I stayed dead."
"We could be like her!" Alex pushes.
"Alex!" Stevie chides.
Josie smiles and answers. "Do you seriously think I'd be here if I thought that were true?"
…
"You've already sussed us out haven't you?" Stevie quips.
Josie smiles and replies. "Yes I have a little. "
"How?" Nick questions.
"We run cattle, you run cattle. We attend cattle sales so do you?" Josie answers.
"I don't buy it! You look like Mum people would notice you and so would we!" Alex states.
Josie reaches into her bag and retrieves her wallet.
...
Handing Alex her licence she offers. "Red Hair and glasses changes a person's look."
Alex laughs and remarks. "You look completely different to now."
Passing the licence around that all marvel at the change.
"I met her as a red head and just recently she dyed it back to her natural colour." Bob offers.
Stevie laughs and quips." So that's why you remarked about my hair earlier."
Josie smiles and nods.
"I prefer redheads." Bob offers.
"Me too!" Alex agrees.
…..