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Chapter 7: Revelations

Later that night Stevie was sitting on the veranda. She needed some time alone. Inside Tess, Nick, Dave, Kate, Jodi and Rob and playing some quiz game with Rose.

As Stevie sat there she was listening to their joyful laughter. Rose has never been this happy before she thought as she watched the moon shining down on Drover's Run. Maybe it was the right thing to let Tess talk me into coming here.

Aside from a rustle that was heard now and then and was probaly caused by a mouse or something similar and the chirping of some nocturnal birds, it was totally quiet. Sometimes she could also hear the sheep bleating in the distance. So it was quite a puzzle that she didn't notice Alex Ryan approaching her until he stepped up the veranda.

"Hi, Steves!" he said with a somewhat awkward expression on his face. She couldn't tell what it meant, though.

"Hi….hi!" Stevie stuttered surprised. She hadn't heard him coming and he had caught her totally off guard.

"You look good." Alex stated.

"I…uhm…" she had been preparing for what she'd say to him when she'd meet him again but everything she had been thinking was gone now. Her mind was totally empty, she was lost for words.

"Utterly speechless, I see." He seated himself next to her and started to watch the moon. "It was kinda the same with me when I learned that I picked up our daughter while she was hitchhiking."

She looked at him, eyes wide with astonishment. He knew? She meant to say something like ….She didn't know what she should tell him, so she just kept her mouth shut.

"Where you ever planning on telling me that we have a daughter?" He seemed to be totally calm but in his voice Stevie could hear an undertone which told her that Alex was everything else but calm.

Stevie could look Alex no longer in the eyes. She felt ashamed and tears were welling up in her eyes. She shook her head slightly. No, she had never intended to tell him.

She could sense him tighten up. "Why not?" he yelled as he flew into a rage. "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? I would have been there for you. Instead you left without a word and I only found out that I have a daughter because I accidently happen to pick her up at a petrol station." As rapid as his outburst came it also went. He calmed down and started to watch the moon again.

Stevie didn't know what to do. She knew that it hadn't been fair to keep him away from his child. He had every right to be mad. But I did what I thought was right then. She kept telling herself this as she tried to control her feelings but she soon lost her composure. "I'm sorry, Alex." She dissolved into tears. "I'm so sorry." I really am.

She reached for his arm and he pulled her in an embrace because he couldn't see her cry. He couldn't be angry with her anymore, either. "Shhhh….it's okay, Steves." He placed a gentle kiss on her hair while Stevie settled her head against his chest sobbing quietly, feeling safe for the first time in twelve years.

After Stevie had stopped crying Alex had suggested they go for a walk since they couldn't meet the others inside as long as Stevie looked as if she had been crying non-stop for a week. And because he had wanted to talk to her somewhere, where the risk of getting interrupted was lower. She had agreed to come with him because she also knew that they needed to talk and it wouldn't be any good to put off with it any longer. She had waited already too long. With Stevie needing her crutches they couldn't walk very far though so they pretty much just walked around the yard.

"So…does she know about me?" Alex asked.

Stevie shook her head. "No. She knows that her father is someone I've loved once, but I never told her your name."

"I see." She could hear the disappointment in his voice and she knew she had to explain. "It's not that I've never wanted to. It's just…It would have been too … too.." She was searching for the right words to explain. "I was tryin' to forget you."

Forget me? Well, that was clear. "I see." They walked on in silence. Neither of them wanted to make the first move to break it again. But Alex soon got tired of waiting for her to start. He grabbed her arm and urged her to stop. She sensed that he was going to ask a question that she didn't want to answer so she didn't look at him even though her body faced his. "Why did you leave, Stevie?" She didn't give him an answer, instead she faced the night sky. He sensed that this was a touchy subject to her but still he needed to know. He had a right to know. He gently put a hand up to her chin and forced her to look at him. "Why? Why didn't you trust me?"

We got a problem, Harry.

I know, mate. You're daughter's screwing my son.

She's pregnant.-

WHAT?!

She's told her mother this morning.

Okay, okay. Lemme think……

Harry-

I want you to end this! I want her out of the way. My son's gonna merry a decent girl and not this….this…bitch 'cause she's pregnant.

Harry, I don'…

How much do you want? I'll give you enough to find her a husband.

I think we should…

I will not allow this girl to destroy Alex' future! This baby could be anybody's and so taken all in all I'm very generous to you. Find her a husband. I'll pay what it takes.

"Alex…I don't wan.."

"I have a right to know, Stevie. You owe me that much." She saw he was hurt and in her heart she knew he was right, but she didn't want to tell him.

"Alex." He didn't face her. "Alex, look at me." He didn't respond at first but then he turned towards her. She took both his hands in hers as she looked him straight in the eyes. "I trusted you, Alex Ryan." Her expression told him she was telling the truth. "I loved you, but…"

"But what?"

He can't know everything. "I still was a child, Alex. A child with a child."

"I would have looked after you." She looked at him as if he was fooling himself.

"You were half a child yourself, Alex."

"I was seventeen."

"I know."

"We could have tried." She saw the hurt in his eyes but also the tinniest hint of acknowledgement that she had been right.

She smiled at him sadly. "We both know it wouldn't have worked out." He took her in a

tight embrace, letting out a heavy sigh. And so they stood there watching the night sky

until they could hear Rose howl with pleasure because she won the game.

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