Chapter 41 Telling Rose

'Does Rose know I've been away?', Alex asked while they were on their way to Stevie's daughter. 'She knows. She has been in the hospital after the accident. It didn't take her long to know what had happened.' Stevie could remember the moment Rose had found out Alex had just left while her mother was hurt this much. She could see the disappointment in the girl's eyes. Rose had always been so keen on Alex and this was, just like Stevie, not something she had expected.

'How are we going to tell her?' Alex didn't want to get all kinds of surprises thrown at him, so he continued asking Stevie the needed questions. Not that she had all the answers. 'I don't know, just telling her will probably be the best.'

When they got to Michelle's place, Stevie's sister and daughter were already waiting, but both showed surprised faces when they saw Alex coming out of the car. Rose gave her mum a hug, while Michelle gave Alex a stare. She wondered why the two had come to visit them, and mostly why Alex was with her.

They sat down on the couch, Rose sitting on the chair in front of them. They all felt the uncomfortable tension in the air. 'So ..', Rose said, '... I guess you not just came for a quick visit.' 'No ...' Stevie glared at her daughter, wondering how she would put it in words. At that moment she felt Alex' arm sliding behind her back. It gave her a shiver and she moved a bit up, not sure if she wanted this at the moment. Alex could feel and see her reaction and pulled back his arm.

'It's not just a visit ... Alex and I have to tell you something.' Her gaze moved to Michelle, who was standing near the door. 'You know how I kinda kept feeling tired and sick after the accident?' 'Is there something wrong?' Rose asked quickly, obviously worried about her mother's health condition. Stevie smiled a bit uneasy. 'Everything is fine honey, more than fine.' Saying that she gave Alex a quick look.

'We are expecting a baby', she blurted out. Well there was no way to put it differently. 'You what?', Rose asked, startled, not sure if she heard it right. 'I'm pregnant', Stevie said calm, hoping her daughter would take over her calm way of acting. 'You're pregnant?', she exchanged gazes with both Alex and Stevie. 'That is ... that's great!', she said changing her surprised expression into a pleased one.

'You think it's great?', Stevie said, impressed with her daughter's reaction. 'Of course. I'm gonna have a baby sister!' She came up to Stevie and hugged her. 'Or brother.' Stevie added while she felt her daughter's arms hugging her tightly. 'Yeah okay, that's a possibility too,' Rose said when she let go. She than looked at Alex and wasn't sure what to do with him. 'Congratulations too', she said softly, not moving closer. The memory of Stevie's upset face when Alex wasn't around was still clearly in the back of her mind.

Alex could see what she was thinking. And he knew that if he hadn't left Stevie Rose would have jumped into his arms to congratulate him, but he knew he deserved this cold treatment. Stevie looked up at Michelle who hardly could show a smile. 'Congratulations', she mumbled. Stevie could see her sister was judging her again, not just her, also Alex. 'So you gonna have a child', she said coldly. Stevie nodded. 'And this time you gonna stay around?' She asked, gazing at Alex. 'Michelle ...', Stevie said immediately, although she knew her sister was right, she just felt the need to defend him. 'It's okay', Alex tried to stay calm. 'I guess I deserve it. I know I've made a mistake, but I will do anything to make up for that.' Rose stared at the adults and could see this wasn't over yet.

Michelle nodded with a straight face, than she looked at Stevie. 'I guess this one wasn't planned either?' Stevie could feel the cold look of her sister go right through her. It was obvious what she was thinking; the fact she got pregnant at fifteen and she hadn't learned a thing from it. No, seventeen years later she had made the same mistake, having a man as the father of the child who would run away when things got tough and as far as she knew wasn't even officially her boyfriend. Nice one!

'No, we didn't plan this, but it's not like with Rose. It's totally different', Stevie stated, but she wasn't glad to have to say these things in front of her daughter. Michelle let out a sarcastic laugh. 'You're sure? You think he will take care of you?' She looked fiery at Alex. 'What on earth were you thinking making her pregnant! You think if you can't have kids with your wife, you break of the marriage and try it with the neighbor, who obviously can?!' She aimed her head at Rose.

For her Alex had lost most of her respect when she heard he had left his wife cause she wasn't able to have children. Of course she totally neglected any further information and she didn't understand why Rose and Stevie had been so keen on him. Hearing in the hospital Alex just left Stevie had been the final drip to dislike him. The fact she couldn't get children herself either was making her even angrier.

But what she didn't expect was the girl to speak up. 'You can't talk like that. That's not what happened!', Rose yelled while standing up and running out of the room. The girl thought back to her stay at Drovers and Killarney and was sure there was no way this was a cheap accident. Stevie's hand was covering her mouth, her eyes were teary. Overwhelmed with what just had happened, wanting to go after her daughter but something withhold her. 'Are you happy now!', Alex said angry. 'If you want to judge us just say so, but don't do it in front of Rose!'. Michelle knew it hadn't been the smartest thing she could have done, but she was surely not willing to listen to him.

'You think you have the right to speak? You left my sister behind for dead!' 'Like you have ...' Alex was getting into an argument with her, standing in front her now. Stevie heard the two arguing and started to cry heavy. 'Stop it!', she shouted. She was letting out loud sobs, starting to cover her face with her hands.

The two glared at her. Alex rushed to her and sat down next to her, putting an arm around her but she moved back. He glared at her, seeing her pushing him away once more. 'Stevie ...' Michelle looked at the two and didn't really know what to say. 'I'll check on Rose', she said quickly before leaving the room.

'Stevie …', Alex repeated trying to move closer again, but she backed off. 'Just go away Alex!' 'I'm not going anywhere. You won't get rid of me that easily.' Stevie took her hands of her face and looked a bit beside her. 'You still can run away.' He felt like a knife was making its way through his heart. 'I'm not going anywhere this time. I want you and the baby more than anything else.' She could hear him saying it, but wasn't prepared to face him. 'You just only saying that.'

'No I'm not', he saw she was letting her defense down and he moved closer. 'I won't go anywhere.' She now looked up at him. Her big brown eyes were glaring at him, the weakness they showed was torturing him. His hand was brushing away her hair and a bit of the tears left on her cheek. 'I mean it.' She gave in and let him take her into his arms. 'It's okay', he mumbled.