Chapter 2: Pool game

Claire and Tess were in the pub having great talk and lots of laugh. They enjoyed in spending time together, it was like they both wanted to catch up all those years that they were separated.

"Wanna play pool?", asked Tess. Claire nodded.

"Sure."

They took their drinks to the pool table. Tess was preparing table for the game when Nick came toward two of them. Claire greeted him:

"Hey, Nick! Are ya up for one game?"

Nick nodded, replying:

"Sure, why not. Hello, Tess!"

"Hi, Nick, she replied too quietly that it caught Claires ear. She looked to her sister and suppress little smile.

To change a subject, Claire asked Nick:

"So, how are things back at Killarney?"

Nick smiled:

"Aw, ya know Harry - more work, less talk."

"That must be hard for Alex, Claire laughed.

"What is hard for me?", they heard Alexs voice.

Claire teased him:

"To stay quiet under Harrys control!"

"Ha - ha, McLeod!", was Alexs sarcastic reply. Claire smirked, throwing pool - stick to him.

"So, Ryan, ready to loose?", she laughed.

Nick came closer to Tess and quietly suggested:

"Listen, Tess, we should team up and play against them. Its much more easier to loose than to allow them to play against each other cause if we give them that chance, nobody else will be able to play pool in this century!"

Tess suppress her smile and nodded to Nick.

"Hey, guys! Nick and me will play against two of you!", Tess announced.

"Yeah, it will be much more interesting without two of you fighting all the time!", laughed nIck.

"Who, Alex and me!", Claire pretended to be surprised "We never fight, dont we, Alex?"

"Damn right we dont!", Alex accepted a joke and opened a game.

From the start, Claire and Alex teamed up and were in the lead.

"Right, Alex, nice and slow", Claire said, earning herself a look 'gimme a break - will ya - McLeod' look from laugh. She laughed "Just sent damn black ball to the right hole."

"I know what Im doing, Claire. trust me a little, will ya?", he pleaded. Cl;aire suppress her smile.

"Righto", she replied "Give it a shoot."

Alex concentrated a little and kicked a ball. WHAM! - and the black ball went directly to the right hole!

"Hahaha, YES!", exclaimed Claire giving 'gimme five' to Alex "Nice one, Alex!", she laughed.

"Thank ya, McLeod!", Alex replied, making a bow.

"One more game?", asked Tess. She just started to notice something and she needed more time to study it.

"All right", Alex accepted "But, lets make a bet - who looses, buys drinks for everybody."

"Youre on", Tess replied.

"So, lets get to it", said Claire, starting to prepare table for new game.

Tess watched carefully at her sister and Alex. They had great time with each other joking and laughing all the time. Tess noticed how Claires eyes glittered in special way this evening, and it wasnt because of winning her and Nick in the pool game. She also noticed Alex fussing around Claireand those long looks that she got from him when she wasnt looking.

What was going on here, Tess wondered.

As Claire kicked the last shoot and sent black ball to the right hole, she exclaimed happily and her and Alex hugged each other and he whirled her around.

In a moment they realized what were they doing and quickly let each other go. Claire turned to Nick and Tess.

"So, wheres that drink?", she asked, with nervous smile.

"Im on it", said Nick.

Sisters came home around 23:30. Tess noticed that smile was all the time glued on Claires face.

Claire headed toward the kitchen, saying:

"Id get us some ice cream. Want some, Tess?"

"Sure."

Claire took two little bowls and two spoons a. She handed ice cream to Tess, asking:

"So, Tess, did ya had good time tonight?"

"Oh, yeah", Tess smiled.

"Good", said Claire, finishing her ice cream "Well, Im off for today. ' Night, Tess."

"Good night, Claire."