Chapter 24 No more cry

I wanna feel just like before
Before the rain came in my door
Shook me up, turned me 'round
Made me cry 'til I would drown
Stole the daylight brought the nights
So much anger I would fight
Lost my youth, I'm in the blue

Drovers was taken over by boxes. Alex picked out a Rodeo cup of one of the last boxes remaining in the kitchen and turned it around in his hands watching it. Ok, nice, he thought, but most of it was junk to him. 'Are you gonna stare at it for the rest of the day, or you really are gonna carry it upstairs?' Stevie said teasing. 'Yeah boss, I'm already going'.

Meg looked pleased at it. 'I'm glad to see him like this again', she said when Alex had left the kitchen. Stevie looked a bit inquisitive at her. 'I haven't seen him like this since Claire passed away'. It made her a bit woeful saying those last words, but she passed that sadness quickly when she looked at Stevie again. 'You guys make a great couple'. 'You know?' Stevie asked immediately, overwhelmed by Meg's words. The older woman smiled softly. 'It's all over your face'. It made Stevie smile a bit shy, she had tried to hide it because their love was at such a tender age, but it made her smile bigger when she knew she didn't had to hide it from Meg.

'I'm so happy for you', Meg said and it brought tears in Stevie's eyes. 'Oh darling'. Meg had to hug her, 'don't cry. It's all good'. 'It is?' Stevie uttered when Meg ended the hug. Stevie still had to adapt to her and Alex being together and mostly if the timing was right. Meg could see that in her eyes. 'Don't worry. You guys are perfect for each other. And ...' she hesitated for a moment, but Stevie kept staring at her waiting for more reassuring words. '... I can see it in his eyes. The way he looks at you. It reminds me of him and Claire.' 'Really?' Stevie felt more tears welling up. 'Yes', Meg gave her a comforting smile.

'Well I'm gonna bring this last box upstairs and see what Alex is up to', Stevie said. It was not much later when she had reached the last step of the stairs and saw Alex standing in the passage, facing Nick and Tess'room, Claire's old room. Stevie placed the box on the floor and sighed deeply before she walked to Alex.

Saw all the loneliness in you
Want to help you, give you love
Turn some light out from the mud
Build the empty final rhyme
A brighter day, a better time

All I have I'll give to you
To let you know you're not alone

He was deep in his thoughts. Thoughts about him and Claire, about him and Stevie. He hadn't thought he would be here again so soon after Tess and Nick had left to Argentina, not like this. He had never thought he would feel this standing so close to the place where he had made love to Claire, the place where he had left her engagement ring on her pillow.

When he had moved the boxes to Stevie's room, he couldn't resist just standing here and stare at that door. He remembered that time he had moved Nick's stuff, when he had felt it all over again when he had entered her room.

A soft smile appeared on his face, cause he was thinking of the way Stevie had redecorated it and had showed it to him. She was probably the only one back then who knew how it all had affected him. She was the one that made him smile again.

He could feel her presence, her supporting hand that touched his shoulder. It made him calm; it made the sadness in Claire's memory fade away slowly. Cause he had someone on his side that he hardly needed to explain this to. 'You're ok?' he heard her ask.

Alex looked at her and smiled softly. She could see his eyes were teary, but there was something peaceful in them. She gave him a kiss on his cheek and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly when he gave the door a final look.

You save me from lonely

song: No more cry – The Corrs