Chapter 19 Touching moments

It was five days later when the girls were preparing for lunch. Regan glared at Stevie. 'What?', the girl mumbled while she already took a bite out of a piece of bread. Regan rolled her eyes. 'First of all, don't eat before we start lunch.' 'I was hungry.' 'Second, are you ever planning on telling me how that evening with Alex went?' Stevie was still chewing. 'Nope.'

'Why not?' Regan placed some plates on the kitchen table. 'Cause there's noting to tell. We're mates.' Stevie stated while she sat down. 'Just mates hey, so why did he ran away than?' Stevie shrugged her shoulders following Regan's movement while she put down some cups.

Regan shook her head amused. 'I give up on you two. Or did you put your money on Riley?' 'Nooo', Stevie said slightly annoyed, watching Regan raising her eyebrows. 'Stop interfering my love life, and start your own.' 'Oh yeah, like there are any cute guys around here.' The redhead was glad that she wasn't the center of the subject any longer, so she figured it was nice to put the spotlights on her friend. 'What about Marcus?'

Jodi was whistling and walked into the kitchen. 'Marcus?' She asked, looking at her friends. 'Yeah, Regan thinks Marcus is hot!' 'I so not! Just stuck that bread in your mouth and chew.' Instead of that Stevie's smile grew wider. 'Aww, that's great! What about a double date with me and Rob?' Jodi said pleased. 'You're still calling him Rob?' Stevie asked.

Rob, or Matt, had returned some weeks ago, but it was only a week ago that he had showed up at Drovers. His intentions were clear; he had returned to pick up his life, his life with Jodi. And although the blonde girl hadn't expected to see him ever again, she was happier than ever.

'Yeah well, it doesn't matter what his name is, as long as he's here with me.' A huge smile was covering her face and the girls glared cheerfully at her, expecting her to get all jumpy. 'But what about that double date?' Jodi said teasingly giving Regan a push. 'No way, just ask Stevie and Alex!' Stevie almost choked in her food, shooting Regan a stare, who just looked back at her with an amused smile: that's what you get for bringing up Marcus.

'Alex?' Jodi asked surprised, 'I thought you were with Riley.' Stevie looked annoyed. 'How many times do I have to repeat; I am not with Riley, get it?' 'Oh ...', Jodi thought for a moment. 'So you're with Alex?' Stevie licked her teeth demonstrative, sighing deeply. 'Nooo ... where's Kate by the way?' 'What do you think?' Jodi smirked. 'Patrick', Regan said quickly. 'Should have known', Stevie mumbled to herself. 'He had planned a romantic pick nick for lunch ...'

The next day Stevie went over to Killarney to borrow a pump relief valve, when she found Alex working on the tractor. 'Oy'. Alex turned around to see his friend. 'G'day, Stevie. What's up?' He swept some sweat from his forehead, covered with ointment, wiping his hands off on his dirty white singlet. 'We kinda need a pump relief valve, so if you would have one, please.' She smiled at him. 'I guess we have some in the back. I'll get you one soon. Just have to finish this first, or are you in a hurry?' 'No', Stevie looked at the tractor. She enjoyed spending some time with Alex now that Fiona was out of the picture.

'So what are ya doing?' 'The hydraulic pump drive shaft has to be replaced'. Alex started to work on it again, while asking Stevie for some help when needed. 'So how's Drovers?' 'Good and I heard you have enough help over here.' 'Ah yeah, you should think a city boy wouldn't be much use here, but I'm kinda impressed with Marcus. He still has to learn a lot though. Screwdriver please.' She looked at the toolbox and picked one. Alex looked at it and gave it back. 'Can you give one size bigger?' Stevie did what he requested.

'And Rob's back.' 'Yeah, that's a good thing. He's really of great use. By the way how's Jodi coping with his return?' Alex still kept focusing on the pump, pulling at a part. Stevie smiled thinking of Jodi. 'Oh she's somewhere on could nine I guess.' Alex grinned at her for a moment. 'So you have to deal with a very energetic Jodi.' He kept pulling. 'Geesh, this is a tough one.'

'Well, it's good to see her this happy. She's over the moon cause he said he loves (her)...' You. While Stevie finished her sentence, Alex could only hear a different line echoing in his head; I love you. He looked startled at her. The iron pump part flew out of the tractor and hit Alex stomach. 'OUCH!'.

'Alex? Are you okay?' Alex immediately reached to the right side of his belly, pressing his hand on it, his face covered with pain. 'Damn.' Stevie rushed to him. 'You're all right?' 'It's okay', Alex said quick but felt a pain sting. 'Let me see.' 'It's nothing' Stevie looked a bit annoyed at him. Why did men always have to be so stubborn and brave when it comes to things like this? She took his hand of his stomach. 'It's bleeding', Stevie concluded when she saw little red spots on his shirt.

With a bit of wavering Stevie had taken Alex to the kitchen, getting the first aid box of the shelf. 'It's nothing', Alex repeated again. 'It hardly bleeds'. She gave him another stare. 'Just let me take a look at it, will yah!' She kneeled down in front of him and rolled up his shirt, noticing the scrape on his stomach. Alex looked down and a smirk appeared on his face, though the wound was still hurting. 'You should get on this level more often, Steves.' She threw him a nettled stare. 'Don't make me kick you on thís level. And just stand still.' Alex smiled to himself.

'This needs to get disinfected', Stevie concluded. Alex could feel her fingertips carefully touching the surrounding of the wound. Happily Stevie turned to the first aid box. Not much later she flushed the wound and cleansed it with iodine. 'Ouch, that hurt. You're not doing that on purpose, hey?' Stevie shook her head while she dried the scrape. 'Of course not.' 'But it hurts.' 'Just stop nagging, Alex. That's why man can't bring a child into the world, you're too squeamish about pain.'

She looked up and could see it wasn't a comment Alex appreciated, thinking of the whole infertility lie he had gone through and how much he wanted to become a dad. 'Sorry', she said softly, placing a wound plaster over the graze. He could feel her fingers touching his skin again and wondered why it gave him this weird pleasing feeling inside. While he was still thinking about that she stood up. 'Done. Now get dressed into something clean and be sure it doesn't get wet, and change the plaster within a couple of days.'

He glared at her and she looked at him studied. 'You're okay?' 'Uh yeah of course, will do that.' All of a sudden Stevie's expression changed. 'What?' Alex asked. 'How late is it?' He looked behind her at the clock. 'Past three.' 'Shit, totally forgot the Counsel meeting. Have to go.' Alex had to grin about Stevie's behavior, already trying to make her way out. But she turned around a second later. 'Oh the pump valve! I need that at least for tomorrow'. Alex looked amused. 'No worries, gonna deliver that later. Just go!' She nodded quickly and moved away. Alex went after her and could see her running to her Ute. It made him laugh and shake his head. So typically Stevie.