Thanks for your comments again. So here is the next part. Have fun and let me know.
Thanks to my beta, Isi.
Disclaimer: I don't own MD or anything related.
22. The Truth And Other Problems
Together the two sisters left the house and walked slowly towards the brothers who stood up when they saw them coming and made some steps towards them, so Claire wouldn't have to walk all the way with her injured leg.
Nick looked at Tess who smiled at him and nodded barely visible. Because of that he knew that everything was ok with Claire. So he nodded back the same way to tell her that he had talked to Alex. Satisfied by their work they looked into each others eyes. Then he went to her side and took her hand because everybody should know about his feelings for her, even his mother.
But first Alex and Claire had their moment. He put his arm around her shoulder to support her like Tess had done before, left the veranda together with her and walked towards the guests around the table. In front of them she took her hand up and showed the engagement ring at her finger so everybody could take a look.
"The wedding isn't off." While she said that, she looked at Alex to confirm her. When he returned her look she knew he was still in and then he began to spoke: "Yet, we don't want to rush things so we aren't sure when it's going to happen but it definitely will happen." Again they looked at each other smiling.
Now one by one everybody congratulated for the second time.
Overwhelmed from her emotions Claire had to sit down while a tear appeared in the corner of her eye, but that was a tear of joy.
After that news the party went on for quite some time. The sun had gone down behind the horizon a while ago. It got dark slowly and everybody noticed that they were tired from a day of work, so first Jodi and Becky went over to their rooms, a few minutes later Liz and Harry drove back to Killarney. The housekeeper was the last at the table and wanted to help to clean up the mess but the McLeods didn't let her so she walked over to the cottage where Terry was waiting for her. Only the two sisters and brothers stayed.
---
While Tess and Nick were cleaning up together, their siblings sat down in the living room after Alex had lit a fire in the chimney. Both watched each other from top to toe and back but didn't say a word. Because she wasn't sure where she should start and he still had too much to think about in his mind. But finally she found the courage to start: "I have to…"
But exactly that moment Tess head popped through the door. "We're done with the dishes and are going to drink another glass of wine. Do you wanna accompany us?"
"Not now, but maybe later." Alex replied because he thought that Claire had to talk to him in private.
Now she realised that she had interrupted them during something important, so she left the room without another word but raised an eyebrow and smiled encouraging at her sister.
When she had left, Alex tried to get back to topic. "What were you going to tell before?" He asked.
"Well, I am…, no. She is… Sorry, I can't tell."
"Of course you can. No matter what it is, you can count on me."
A glance in his eyes told her that he was telling the truth so she gathered all her courage and started to talk in her usual voice: "The baby, Alex, she is…" Her voice got lower and lower with every word. "She is yours", she ended whispering.
Silence arose between them because she had told everything he had to know. Now it was his turn but Alex hadn't expected this although he had wished this to happen. A lover, financial trouble, any other news. He had seen everything coming but not this. Finally he started to talk.
"How's that possible?" While he spoke he came to the same conclusion like Claire during the appointment. "The home-brewed?"
Instead of answering his question she just nodded.
"How long do you know?"
"Yesterday. The doc had noticed it. She's too young to be Peter's and there hasn't been anyone else, only this one lost night. Well, actually I know more than you because when I woke up that morning I was dressed like you. I was only wearing my panties, so it seems like you are the real father not the faked one."
"And you didn't think about telling me this? How dare you? Don't you trust me at all? Instead of telling me this great but weird news you yelled at me, even closed your door towards me. Then you deny to take the ring. Well, we've sorted out most of the problems but that's just so … unbelievable. What's this all about? We're friends, at least I thought so until … now."
"Alex, please. It's not like it seems. I want you as her father, I've wanted you in that role from the beginning, even when I thought she was Peter's baby. But then I got to know that news and didn't know how to handle this. I've thought about it over and over again, the morning. I can still see you in front of me. I don't know anything at all and you denied to remember anything but I haven't believed you and parts of me still don't believe you."
"Claire, that's bullshit. I will tell you this only once more: I don't remember anything from that night. So I actually don't know what this is all about." It burst out of Alex. Then he tried to calm down and thought for a while about his next words. "I'm sorry, Claire, but I can't stand this right now. I have to leave because it's so confusing right now." When he had ended Alex stood up from the couch where he had sat together with her and walked straight towards the door.
"Alex." Claire said in a begging voice and was lucky because he turned around. But he looked at her angry.
"No, Claire. I have to think about this." With this words he finally left the room and walked towards the entrance door which fall into her lock with a loud bang.
---
Their siblings sat in the kitchen and hadn't noticed anything at all, so they were surprised by the sound of the door. Especially Tess wondered what had happened because she had thought about a different reaction from Alex in both situations, the unborn baby as well as their relationship.
Although they were in the middle of something like their first date and talked a lot about the past year and their problems, she pulled her hand back which Nick had held for quite some time. Concerned by her reaction he looked at her and she looked back.
"They need a chance to experience this too. Please, follow him, talk to him. I'll be with Claire."
Without a word he bent over and kissed her but he pulled back after a few seconds because yet another talk with his brother was awaiting him. Then he stood up and left the same way like his brother before.
----
After Alex had left the house, he hadn't gone far. Instead he had sat down on the steps in front of the house. A couple of minutes later, when Nick left the house, he was still sitting there.
Silent tears fall down his cheek. It wasn't sure for Nick why, happiness or sadness. Then he sat down at his brother's side.
"What's up, brother?"
"She's mine." Alex replied smiling but still with tears all over his face which hadn't stopped.
For a moment Nick had to think about what this answer meant. "Claire's baby?"
Once more he could only nod, no words passed his lips.
"Well my best wishes. Now everything fits. You, Claire and a baby that's something I've imagined for years."
"Me too, Nick, but ..."
"Don't use that 'but', mate. You wanted this. It's great news. There's no space for that 'but'." He tried to convince his brother.
"You've got no idea." Alex replied angrily, stood up and walked towards his car. Instead of letting him go his brother followed him and stopped him shortly before he sat down behind the steering wheel.
"Where are you going?"
"That's none of your business. Just get back to Tess and don't expect me back soon." With this words Alex finally got into his car and drove away.
----
Meanwhile Tess had walked into the living room where her sister had sat down again after Alex had left a few minutes ago. Her healthy knee was pulled up on the couch and her arms lay around it. It was obvious to her that Claire had a major problem; obviously Alex hadn't had the same opinion about the truth than she had thought of before. So she went over to her sister and sat down at her side. Then she laid an arm around Claire's shoulder and pulled her into a comforting position. After that she started to stroke her head to calm her. They didn't say a word. It seemed like an hour to Tess but only minutes were gone when Claire told her what had happened between Alex and her.
"I've screwed up, I've lost my best friend."
"It's not that bad. He will think about it and come back. Try to relax. You know that too much stress isn't good for the baby. Go to bed or take a bath. Nick is taking care of Alex, so you don't have to worry."
"Maybe you are right." Claire finally gave in to get rid of her sister. "I'll stay here for some time, get some rest. Everything will be fine. You don't have to worry." That was her definite answer, so Tess hugged her and left the room.
----
Claire had sat on that couch for more than an hour when she finally stood up and left the living room. The rest had done good work for her leg because it didn't hurt much anymore but after all she had to take all her strength and will to walk through the house. While she walked she passed the kitchen where she heard her sister whisper with Nick. But she neither stopped to inform them about her plan nor did she leave them a note. Instead she just continued her way out. When she had left the entrance door behind she walked directly to Jack's old Mercedes, sat down behind the steering wheel and drove off. All she wanted was to find her best friend, the father of her unborn child.
----
Tess and Nick were still talking about their siblings when they heard the start of an engine. Immediately Tess stood up, went to the window and saw her sister driving away. Now she was alerted and wanted to follow Claire but Nick held her back.
"Let her go. They have to talk. It will be ok, they just need some space now."
Then he laid his arms around her back and hugged her.
----
[i"Where are you, Alex?"[/i Claire asked herself while she drove down the street. Her plan was to check out the bars first, then she wanted to check his mates, Wilgul would be her next try and at last she would drive to Killarney.
A few k's ahead the first street lights of Gungellan got visible. Only minutes later she stopped the car in front of the first pub. Immediately she noticed Alex' car which was the reason that she entered the pub. He was sitting at the counter with two glasses of beer in front of him, one nearly empty and the other one full. After she caught sight of him, she walked over and tapped on his shoulder.
"Alex, we have to sort things out." She started to talk, when he had faced her.
"Is it really true? Is the baby mine?" He needed another confirming from her. "Do I have any rights?"
"Of course, you will get any rights because you are the father. There's no need to discuss that. You're my best friend and I don't want to lose you because of this."
"You are my best friend, too", he said and continued in a lower voice, "and I try to be a good father to our baby."
"So you are coming back with me?" She asked shyly.
"Yes, I am." He replied smiling. "Come on." Then he pulled her into a hug. After a while he let her go. "I've got one last question. What did that kiss mean to you?"
"I think I just missed a guy in my life but that's over. I just want this baby with you as her father, nothing else is going to happen. I love you because you are my best mate but there isn't anything else. What meant it to you?"
"Same here, I think."
"Then everything is ok between us?" Claire asked now more convinced that their weird relation could work out for both sides.
"I think so but we should postpone the wedding. First we should have a look how it's working out with us as a 'family'."
"That's ok, Alex. Wanna go home now?"
"Yeah, but you have to drive. Again I had a beer too much."
"No worries, I made my way down here and I'll make it back." She replied smiling at him.
----
Back at Drovers Tess was relieved when she saw her sister leaving the car and walking back towards the house with Alex. They had made their way. Although they didn't look like a couple, they look like best friends who made up after a fight. They would be a great family soon.