Chapter 176

"Are you sure you're okay?" Claire asked Charlotte again.

"Yes, I'm sure. I was freaked out, but I think it was just all of the emotion that was flowing through me getting out. I'm better now. I'm calm. I'm safe, everyone is safe. My family is safe."

"Okay, but if you feel scared or upset, please tell me. I know I'm not your sister, but we are cousins and I really care. You can talk to me if you're upset. I promise I'll listen," Claire explained.

"Actually, I was thinking about something else, but it's a secret. You can't tell your mom or Jodi yet. Okay?" said Charlotte.

"I promise." said Claire as she raised her right hand as though she was in court to show the solemnity of the promise.

"What would you think about me moving here for a year or so?" asked Charlotte.

"I think it would be awesome! I'd love to have you around. You can help me with boys and stuff and we can go swimming at the dam if it ever rains again. You're so cool, of course I want you around." said Claire.

"Well, I haven't made an official decision, but something about being with my aunts and my cousins, all of the McLeod women really, I just felt really connected to my mother. It was her that got me through today. My entire life, I've heard about how amazing my mother was. I hear about how I look just like her and what a strong woman she was. I was really scared today, but I felt something, it was like she was there, reminding me I could do it. It was the closest I ever felt to my mom. It was a wonderful feeling. I felt her love," confided Charlotte. "I've been accepted to Higgins Agricultural University and I want to go, but the program I want to do, which amazingly, is going to be run by Aunt Jodi's best friend Kate, won't begin for a year. I could go and take regular classes for a year and then go to the program next year. That's what I was planning on doing, but I think maybe I need to be here right now. I got to know everyone a lot better on the trail ride, and I want more of it. I want to keep the connection I felt with my mom, and I want to really know what it means to be a McLeod. To hold Drovers Run sacred like your mom and Aunt Jodi do." explained Charlotte. "I think I want to be a part of this whole amazing thing they have going here.

"I know my mom and Aunt Jodi have talked about what it would be like if you moved here. I know they want you to live here, but they said they were worried about pressuring you too much. They thought giving you the shares now might even be too much. They considered waiting until you were twenty-two like Jodi was when she got her inheritance, but they decided you should get it as soon as you were an adult so you have as many options in your life as possible. Aunt Jodi said she wished she had gotten hers when she was eighteen because it was four more years they would have had together, plus she would have known Claire was her sister before she passed away. They want you to live here because you want to be here, not because you feel like you owe them or anything. They want it to be completely your choice," said Claire. "But I'm willing to pressure you to stay a little bit. I'd love having you around more."

"If I do this, it will be because I want to, not because I feel pressured to," said Charlotte confidently.

"You could live in the shearer's quarters. You would have your own place. That would be really cool. We could hang out, even do chores together. It would be great."

"I think it might be great too." Charlotte's mind was starting to turn as she started to visualize herself living and working at Drovers Run. "I think it could be really great."

"Jodi, are you okay? I'm worried about you. Did this trigger anything for you?" Matt asked. "I have to admit watching the footage brought me back a lot, and I wasn't living it."

"Honestly, I'm okay. I was scared at the time, but since I know everyone is safe, I'm okay now." Jodi responded honestly. "I just needed to see you, hug Meggie and Katie, and see and know that all of you are okay, and show you that I'm okay." responded Jodi.

"Just please don't do that to me again. I can't lose you. Please don't do that to me again," pleaded Matt.

"Trust me, I'm not looking to repeat the experience, but I'm okay. I'm right here Matt, I'm not going anywhere."

"You better not be." said Matt as he pulled her to him and held her close.

"I should tell you, Finn was here a lot the last two days. He's planning a special romantic surprise for Tess, and I helped him. I got to know him better. Did you know he plays cello and bass guitar?" said Matt. "He is actually a pretty interesting bloke. He wanted you to pack an overnight bag for her. I think he will be really good for Tess."

"Finn was here the last two days preparing something for Tess?" asked Jodi.

"Yeah, he has a whole thing set up over by the good sunset spot, out there past Jack's Folly. I think he wanted a bit more privacy than being in the cottage with Claire in the next room. I didn't go out, but I told him he could borrow Neely for the night. It's not like I can ride him right now anyway. He's a good bloke. He watched the hostage footage with me. He was with Kate and Russell watching the footage, but I could tell he was getting really upset, and he left to be alone in his ute and I didn't think he should be alone. You had told me about what happened with his wife. I knew how he was feeling, because I was feeling the same way," said Matt.

"What do you mean?"

"Seeing you on your knees with a gun being waved about. Jodi, it was awful. Finn and I were both sitting there in his ute, just terrified we were going to lose the women we love again. Both of us have buried wives. Losing a spouse is as hard as it gets. He was really broken up, I was really broken up. We were sitting there watching our loves, in danger, completely powerless to stop it or help you. Both of us had been in that situation before, and lost our wives. It's a feeling that stays with you forever. Jodi, you're everything. You brought me back to life, you gave me a life worth living. You gave me a family when mine had been taken away. Jodi, I can't lose you." Matt was crying. "I'm glad you're okay. You had to be okay. If I lose you and the girls, I don't think I'd survive, I'm not sure I'd want to. I reckon Finn was feeling the same way about Tess."

"Matt, I'm okay. I had my family with me. Family takes care of each other. Charlotte's my family, and she took care of me today. I'm not going anywhere. I love you. It's okay, Matt." She let him wrap himself around her and hold her close.

"So I wanted to go back and peek around Kinsella's yesterday. I mean I just wanted to get our girls out of there and home safe. But once they were back, I thought about going back," I looked at the buildings as I drove by, but I couldn't see much." Kate admitted. "And now it's a police crime scene. We are just never going to get in there. I hate this. I need to start planning."

"Well Kate, I still have the drone, we can still fly it for the purpose it was built for. I can still get you some close up views of the property. We can fly it tomorrow if you want, Baby."

"I was so wrapped up in the whole mine thing, I forgot we actually have a solution for this problem. Sorry, I get so focused on one thing, I sometimes forget others."

"I know Baby, that's why I'm here to remind you. We can fly the drone tomorrow if you want. I'll get you your video of Kinsella's. I want to plan for our future too. I was looking on Amazon at baby monitors. It was exciting. In a few months, I'm going to be a dad. I'm going to have children. I want to make sure they are safe, and happy. I want to make sure that wherever we live is safe and happy for them. I built the drone for you, but I'm as excited about our future as you are."

"You're going to be a fantastic father, Russell."

"Matt, are you sure you're feeling better?"

"Yes. The video brought me back to Anna, but you're not Anna, and you're okay. Meggie and Katie are in the next room, perfectly fine. Everything is okay. I just have to remind myself of that sometimes. I'm surrounded by family, and we look out for each other. I told Finn that. I told him that in this family we look out for each other, and that in that moment, we were going to look out for each other. I know he isn't exactly family, at least not yet, but we needed each other at that moment. I guess I really bonded with Finn while you were gone. I'm just glad Charlotte kept such a cool head. What an impressive feat for an eighteen year old."

"How great was Charlotte? She rode in like the cavalry in an old western." Jodi said proudly "Do you want to die right now, Motherfucker? It was awesome. I could picture Claire doing the same thing. She would be so proud of how Charlotte has turned out."

"Don't underplay the role you and Tess played in that. You've kept Claire alive for her. You showed what being a McLeod means. You kept a spot in this family for her," said Matt.

"Well she sure showed it this afternoon. It was like I was looking at young Claire. I'm so glad we have her in our lives. She is an extraordinary young woman."