Drover's Run...Dining room.

Stevie sits eating her meal as the other girls instigate conversations that don't require her input.

"Ok who wants desert?" Kate asks.

Jodi and Tess reply in the positive, Stevie rises and replies." None for me thanks I think I'll have an early night."

"Stevie it's chocolate pudding and I made it especially for you." Kate responds softly.

...

The girls wait for her to snap but instead she smiles at Kate and replies." Ok just a small portion then thanks."

Kate's face beams and she scurries out to the kitchen.

Stevie follows with the dishes she has collected.

Jodi look across the table to Tess and whispers." She's thawing."

Tess inhales and exhales and replies." Yeah sounds like it."

...

Drovers Run..Midnight...

Alex pulls the Ute to a stop but leaves the engine running.

" I'll grab those print outs for you." Nick comments as he opens the door.

" Righto I need a pee so I'll come in for a minute." Alex replies as he follows his brother.

Five minutes later he returns to the car.

As he opens the door the interior light comes on.

...

Sitting down he fastens his seat belt and leans out to shut the door.

Glancing at the passenger seat briefly he hesitates.

Reaching over he picks up a stubby of beer with a plain white card tied with ribbon around the neck off the bottle.

Turning it over he reads...You haven't lost your friend, she's still here... I'm sorry that you need me but at the moment I have nothing to give..please wait..

He smiles , puts the beer back on the seat , closes his door and heads back to Kilarney.

...

Stevie steps from the shadows and watches as his tail lights disappear down the gravel drive.

With a deep sigh she slowly walks back to her room.

It's been a tiring day and her anger is just making everything ten times worse.

She needs to smile and laugh again.

Tomorrow is a new day and she decides she'll do all that she can to try and be positive.

Her friends have been so very patient with her but they've had enough.

Tess and the girls deserve an apology and she needs to be kinder to herself.

...

Stretching out in her bed she revisits Alex's words this afternoon and the anger she'd directed at him.

He needs an apology too, not just the short note she'd left in his car but a proper one face to face.

A beer with her best mate would be a healing balm for both of them.

Tomorrow she thinks as she drifts off to sleep.

...