Chapter Two
'Sorry Meg, I was in my own world what were you saying?' Alex turned his head to look out the window. 'Just remember what the Doctor said Claire. You have to take it easy from now on. We're going to have to take over most of your share of the work...' before Meg had a chance to finish what she was saying Claire stopped her. 'I'm not sitting on my bum doing nothing for the next six months Meg, lets get that straight right now!' Meg looked at Alex who just shrugged his shoulders. 'But Claire...'Meg trailed off as she saw the determined look on Claire's face. We'll just see what Tess has to say about that, thought Meg. If anyone could control Claire, it was Tess. 'Fine.... fine..., just, be careful Claire' Meg told her in her best 'Mother' voice. She turned and left the room to look for Tess. 'Umm Claire, I've got to head back to Killarney. Will you be alright?' Alex didn't want to leave her but Harry had been on his back about not doing his fair share of the work. 'I'm pregnant not dying Alex. I think I can manage for a few hours without you.' she smiled at him, touched by his concern. 'Yeah. Well just remember, if Peter makes any contact with you just let me know.' Alex's fist's clenched at the mere thought of Claire's ex. Claire just nodded her head, there was no way Alex would know if Peter rang her. She was now quite sure that she could deal with Peter. She had been unconscious when Peter had reacted to the news about Alex and the baby but Tess had filled him in. 'At least she had gotten the letter back' thought a relieved Claire. That was one less worry anyway. Claire moved her leg gingerly and felt it stiffen and then the familiar ache returned. The last 6 weeks had been some of the hardest of her life. Pain relief was limited due to her pregnancy and it had been touch and go there for a while with the baby. If Tess and Alex hadn't been there she didn't know how she would have gotten through it. Claire got up off the chair and headed outside, she needed to find Tess and fast, before Meg got in her ear.
'I think we're done for the moment Alberto, why don't you grab Jodie and have some lunch?' said Tess as they fed the last of the horses. 'That sounds good. I will go and get her' responded Alberto in his stilted accent. Tess turned towards the house only to see Nick's Ute come flying up the driveway. Tess's stomach clenched but she ignored it. 'Nick has made his choice,' thought Tess, 'we're only business partners, no need to get excited' Tess had to smile. After what she had said to Liz, she was surprised that Nick was even allowed to visit her. 'Mummy's boys' sighed Tess quietly as she headed over to where he had parked. 'Hi' Tess said, trying to hide some of the discomfort she knew he was also feeling. 'Hi, how are you?' he asked politely. Lonely, unhappy, scared, jealous do you want me to continue, thought Tess. 'I'm fine, you?' Nick cocked his head. 'Yeah, I'm good. How's Claire?' he asked. 'I don't know I was just about to go in and see her. Did you want to come in?' Tess's discomfort grew as she saw him shake his head. 'No I have to get back' 'What can't Sally spare you for two minutes?' replied Tess sarcastically. She instantly regretted it as she saw Nick's smile drop and a scowl form on his face. 'Actually she headed home today. Look tess, I thought we could be civil to each other but if your going to be like this....' started Nick 'Look, I'm sorry' Tess hastily interrupted 'I'm just having a bad day that's all. What did you want to tell me?' asked Tess. 'The soil was tested yesterday and we were given the all clear. You haven't been over since the accident. I just wanted to know if you wanted to come over and have a look over the crop.' Tess could see how uncomfortable he was feeling but she was eager to see how her wheat was going. 'Yeah, I might pop over tomorrow, if that's ok.' Now that sally was gone, Tess wasn't feeling so hesitant about going over to Wilgul. 'Fine, see you then.' He paused a moment longer and Tess thought he was going to say something else but at that exact moment Meg came rushing up to them. 'Tess, Tess, we have to talk about Claire.' Meg said breathlessly. The moment was broken and Nick headed back off to his car. With a sigh Tess turned to an anxious looking Meg. 'Okay, Meg, lets talk.'
'Sorry Meg, I was in my own world what were you saying?' Alex turned his head to look out the window. 'Just remember what the Doctor said Claire. You have to take it easy from now on. We're going to have to take over most of your share of the work...' before Meg had a chance to finish what she was saying Claire stopped her. 'I'm not sitting on my bum doing nothing for the next six months Meg, lets get that straight right now!' Meg looked at Alex who just shrugged his shoulders. 'But Claire...'Meg trailed off as she saw the determined look on Claire's face. We'll just see what Tess has to say about that, thought Meg. If anyone could control Claire, it was Tess. 'Fine.... fine..., just, be careful Claire' Meg told her in her best 'Mother' voice. She turned and left the room to look for Tess. 'Umm Claire, I've got to head back to Killarney. Will you be alright?' Alex didn't want to leave her but Harry had been on his back about not doing his fair share of the work. 'I'm pregnant not dying Alex. I think I can manage for a few hours without you.' she smiled at him, touched by his concern. 'Yeah. Well just remember, if Peter makes any contact with you just let me know.' Alex's fist's clenched at the mere thought of Claire's ex. Claire just nodded her head, there was no way Alex would know if Peter rang her. She was now quite sure that she could deal with Peter. She had been unconscious when Peter had reacted to the news about Alex and the baby but Tess had filled him in. 'At least she had gotten the letter back' thought a relieved Claire. That was one less worry anyway. Claire moved her leg gingerly and felt it stiffen and then the familiar ache returned. The last 6 weeks had been some of the hardest of her life. Pain relief was limited due to her pregnancy and it had been touch and go there for a while with the baby. If Tess and Alex hadn't been there she didn't know how she would have gotten through it. Claire got up off the chair and headed outside, she needed to find Tess and fast, before Meg got in her ear.
'I think we're done for the moment Alberto, why don't you grab Jodie and have some lunch?' said Tess as they fed the last of the horses. 'That sounds good. I will go and get her' responded Alberto in his stilted accent. Tess turned towards the house only to see Nick's Ute come flying up the driveway. Tess's stomach clenched but she ignored it. 'Nick has made his choice,' thought Tess, 'we're only business partners, no need to get excited' Tess had to smile. After what she had said to Liz, she was surprised that Nick was even allowed to visit her. 'Mummy's boys' sighed Tess quietly as she headed over to where he had parked. 'Hi' Tess said, trying to hide some of the discomfort she knew he was also feeling. 'Hi, how are you?' he asked politely. Lonely, unhappy, scared, jealous do you want me to continue, thought Tess. 'I'm fine, you?' Nick cocked his head. 'Yeah, I'm good. How's Claire?' he asked. 'I don't know I was just about to go in and see her. Did you want to come in?' Tess's discomfort grew as she saw him shake his head. 'No I have to get back' 'What can't Sally spare you for two minutes?' replied Tess sarcastically. She instantly regretted it as she saw Nick's smile drop and a scowl form on his face. 'Actually she headed home today. Look tess, I thought we could be civil to each other but if your going to be like this....' started Nick 'Look, I'm sorry' Tess hastily interrupted 'I'm just having a bad day that's all. What did you want to tell me?' asked Tess. 'The soil was tested yesterday and we were given the all clear. You haven't been over since the accident. I just wanted to know if you wanted to come over and have a look over the crop.' Tess could see how uncomfortable he was feeling but she was eager to see how her wheat was going. 'Yeah, I might pop over tomorrow, if that's ok.' Now that sally was gone, Tess wasn't feeling so hesitant about going over to Wilgul. 'Fine, see you then.' He paused a moment longer and Tess thought he was going to say something else but at that exact moment Meg came rushing up to them. 'Tess, Tess, we have to talk about Claire.' Meg said breathlessly. The moment was broken and Nick headed back off to his car. With a sigh Tess turned to an anxious looking Meg. 'Okay, Meg, lets talk.'