Claire is back. Have fun and please R+R.

Thanks: to Isi. I still send you lots of sunshine. I love summer, sunshine and sunburn.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

12. Back Again

Claire didn't know how long she sat in her car on the parking lot of her gynaecologist. It must have been hours. It was already in the afternoon when she finally got out of her thoughts.
"Haven't seen this coming, Claire McLeod."
She had no idea what to do or to tell at Drovers.

Claire knew she had to go home. They probably were going to panic right now, especially Tess who easily started to panic. She just went to the doc and stayed away for almost a complete day, not her normal behaviour.
She finally managed to start the car and to drive home.

When Claire arrived at Drovers it was already getting dark. She knew they would be eating by now. Meg talked about apricot-chicken the other night so Becky would be there too. It was her favourite. Claire still sat in her car in the driveway. She couldn't get out of it, she was still caught by her thoughts. She mixed up every kind of thoughts she could think of.
Alex working with her on the farm, Alex the father of her baby, Alex in her bedroom, her future with Alex, the truth Alex didn't know and then once she just thought about Alex.
This felt more right then anything ever felt before. Now she never had to cope with Peter again and Alex was the father.

She was angry at Alex. After all he hadn't told her anything about the night with his home-brewed beer. She never believed his black-out. She knew him well and she knew he could drink a lot without any problems like a black-out.

Her memories went back to the days after their obviously first night together.

Tess had noticed something. The morning after her argument with Alex Tess came to her. "Claire, you know, I'm your little sister and I will be there for you if you want to talk about something." Tess started a conversation Claire didn't want to happen. It was Tess' way to say that she knew Claire had something to talk about but she didn't name it right away.
"Yeah, I know that, Tess. If I have something to talk about you will be the first to know. But there is nothing to talk about. Everything is fine. I'm just a little stressed by the Gungellan-fair. It's a long time ago that I took part in a riding competition." Claire lied to her little sister and left Tess alone at the breakfast-table.
"But Claire, don't you think ..."
"Sorry Tess, I'ven't got time for a long discussion with you right now." Claire answered slightly rude. "I've got work to do. Eat a proper breakfast." Were Claire's words while she left the room.
Tess sat dazzled at the table. Her sister hadn't talked to her this way before. "There is something going on." Tess thought while she ate the rest of her breakfast. When she had finished it. She made the decision to leave Claire alone for the moment and wait for her to come and talk by her own wish.

Claire went out to the horses. The place meant safety for her. Nothing wrong would happen to her there.
Claire watched Phoenix in his paddock and got lost in thoughts about her night with Alex. She decided that she would never talk to Alex Ryan again, at least for the moment.

It never happened before that Alex and Claire weren't talking but this incident was huge.
Although the Gungellan-fair and the riding competition were close, Claire stopped talking to him. She resort into work and worked harder than anytime before. She trained for the competition alone and she worked the horses alone. At least she wanted to work the horses alone. Claire didn't only stop talking to Alex, she didn't took any phone-calls and let the business-parts, he was in charge for, went the way he wanted them to go.

A few days before the fair Alex came over to Drovers because he really had to talk to Claire about their business but that was just an excuse for him to come to Drovers. Actually he just wanted to make up with Claire.
"Claire McLeod, even if you never talk to me again as a mate you have to talk to me as your business-partner. Things are not going on well. We have to get more horses to work with." Alex started but that was just one thing he had to talk to her about.
"Alex, I will get more horses. You don't have to worry. Just do your job. I have a name now and that's a good name. Actually I heard that Taylor Jones got a new horse. I will try to get it. He made business with Jack so he already knows me. I will go there this afternoon." Claire answered and left him totally out of the picture.
"Claire, this business still got my name on the sign. We have to do this together and I still want to do this with you." Alex said calmly although inside he just wanted to shake her and bring her to terms again.
Claire watched him talking and she already forgave him. They were grown ups, at least it looked like it. But that morning she had acted weirder than on any other ocasion. "Claire McLeod, you have to do something or you will loose the best friend you ever had." Claire thought.
"So there is actually more we have to talk about. You rember the night ..." Alex started but Claire interupted him.
"Alex, stop it. I don't want to discuss this again. You remember nothing, I remember nothing. It's ok. I think I overreacted. Friends?" Claire asked although deep inside she still wasn't sure about Alex' black-out.
"Yes, of course." Alex answered and shook Claire's hand who she held towards him as a sign.

Claire was ready, ready to meet everybody, although she wasn't sure what she was going to tell them. Claire got out of her car. Now she first noticed the two familiar utes, black and red, same type. Nick and Alex were there too. "What am I going to tell them? I'm not a good actor. I will pretend a headache." Claire decided.

To be continued ...