When Stevie opened her eyes the sun was shinning through her bedroom window. In a couple of hours she'd be driving away from Drover's, maybe forever. She didn't want to waste time she had a lot of goodbyes to get through. A lot of pain to endure before the morning was out.
In less than a minute she was dressed and out the door. Stevie had a record time for the fastest dresser at Drover's Run. She could change an outfit in less than thirty seconds and look amazing, it was one of the many talents she had among others. She was wearing green cargo pants and a green and white t-shirt. She was going to change into a pants suit before she left for the City.
After watching what she assumed would be her last sunrise on Drover's, she got straight into work. She did a fence run, brought some feed out for the cattle, brought in a mob of sheep for drenching and then saddled up Banjo preparing herself for one last ride across the land.
She made herself feel everything, every emotion, every thought, every feeling about riding. She closed her eyes running her hand across Banjo's mane. She took her horse along the stock root, then along skinny Jim's paddock and up by the West paddock and then stopped down by the creek. Her favourite riding places on the farm.
She sighed looking across at the open land. It was beautiful there, tears came to her eyes as she thought of leaving it all behind.
After she brushed down her horse, she went in search of her dog, Turbo. She had been a dog lover for as long as she could remember. It was in her to love animals. Turbo wasn't just a dog to her – he was her mate. She found him laying quietly in his basket in the laundry, something unusual for such an active dog. Stevie figured he knew she was leaving – dogs were smart that way.
"Hey boy," she greeted dropping to one knee and stroking his back. "I'm gonna miss you. You keep the girls in line for me okay? You're the boss now." she kissed him on the nose and stood up, brushing the pretend dirt from her pants. "I love you mate." She felt like crying, but she held back. She had a lot of goodbyes to get through that morning, and she had only just begun. She headed for the house.
"Stevie!" Jodi cried in relief when she came into the kitchen. "We've been looking for you all morning. Are you all right?" she had been worried.
Stevie forced a smile. "Did you think I did a runner?"
"No," Jodi insisted but her reply didn't look convincing.
"I was saying my goodbyes," Stevie shrugged.
Jodi looked a little relieved. "So you caught up with Alex?" she assumed.
Stevie shook her head. "No."
"He'd been looking for you everywhere. Aren't you going to say goodbye?" Jodi looked confused. She had been aware of Alex and Stevie's blossoming friendship for some time now. She didn't understand why they had never dated; she thought they'd be perfect for each other.
"There's nothing to say. Is breakfast ready I'm starved?" she sat down at the table. Moria – the housekeeper and local shop mechanic – had made a feast for dinner and another feast for breakfast. Stevie appreciated the effort she was going to.
Jodi shrugged. Breakfast was quick, Stevie made light of the situation like she always did pretending that everything was going to be fine, putting on a brave face, and acting as if it was just any other day. The longer she could hold onto the normal life, the better.
But tears escaped her eyes when she finally hugged the girls. Jodi, Kate, Moria and Regan. It was time to go. She took one last look around the property, trying to burn the image into her mind. This was the picture she wanted to see when she lay awake alone in her cell; the feeling of home would keep her going. But she doubted very much she would forget a single inch of her home, she knew every detail, down to the last stone in the back shed.
"We'll see you soon," Moria smiled as Stevie climbed into her red 1983 Holden Ute. If she were sentenced to jail, Jodi would come up with one of the girls and drive her Ute back to Drover's. It would be their Ute if she went to jail. "Kate will come up first, tomorrow morning."
"I'll follow," Jodi assured her.
"Hopefully it doesn't come to that…" Regan offered. "Your gonna be okay." Kate didn't say a word; she looked shattered.
Stevie nodded trying to believe it would all be okay. "Look after Turbo and Banjo for me. See you guys," she held back the tears, started the engine and drove away before they could see how painful it was. She was leaving behind a piece of heart. A huge piece that would always belong on Drover's. Her home.
When she reached the end of the dirt driveway leading out of the Drover's property, she suddenly slammed on the brakes when the black Ute came into focus. It belonged to Alex. She took a couple of deep breaths preparing herself, as she watched him climb out of his car and come towards her. He did NOT look happy.
"You're leaving!" he stated angrily. He stormed up to her Ute and violently pulled open the door. She sat in the driver's seat shaking. She hadn't wanted to see him, she had wanted to drive away but he was already un-clicking her seatbelt. Anger and rage were in his eyes. In an ordinary situation it might have scared her to know what he was cable of, but it terrified her more to know that her love overrode any fear she might have.
Alex grabbed her arm and forced her out the car. Stevie's emotions were buried deep, she would not let him see her cry, she would not let him know how much she really cared about him. Her own anger rose.
"Go home to your wife, Alex." She yelled.
He ignored her comment. "Why didn't you tell me the trial had been moved forward!" he demanded.
"Because it's none of your business. What do you care anyway? You have Fiona!"
"Is that what this is about? You might be going to jail and your thoughts about HER?" he was pushing for an answer but she refused to give him one. The less he knew, the better. Looking at him only reminded her that he was married and was out of bounds for anything other than friendship – and his wife wasn't too keen on that either. Besides, if she went to jail she'd never see him again. By the time she got out he'd have started a family of his own – just like Rose.
"Go home Alex. I don't need you!" she tried to make herself believe it, but she knew otherwise. Sometimes she wondered if Alex knew she loved him, whether things might have been different.
"Well I need you!" he shot back. He was looking at her the same way he looked at her at the pub before he almost kissed her. Her anger instantly faded. She had never been able to stay mad at him too long. She lowered her head failing to look at him, looking at him only made her want to kiss him.
She had always found him attractive. He had these gorgeous blue eyes that seemed to lite up whenever he saw her, as if he waited just for her. He had a smile that could lite up the room. His physical strength made her feel safe around him – he was her protector. He was always at her side when she needed him, even if sometimes she didn't believe she did.