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“Shouldn’t you be at school?” Robert asked Liv, who sat at the kitchen table, tapping away on her phone.
“Missed the bus,” Liv said briefly, not looking up.
“And how hard did you try to be on time to catch it?” Robert asked, wishing Aaron was back home. Liv didn’t listen to either of them, but she did pay more attention to Aaron. Robert was nothing to her, and to actually get her to listen to him was going to be challenging over the next week or so.
“I’m not missing anything,” Liv scowled.
“I beg to differ,” Robert said with a sigh. “Look, I need coffee, now. Let’s go to the café and I’ll take you to school.”
“Robert…” she whined.
“Hey,” Robert said firmly. “I promised Aaron I’d look after you. Don’t make me out to be a liar, Liv.”
“Fine,” she said, grabbing her school bag as they left the pub.
“Cake?” she asked hopefully as they walked into the café.
“Mm,” Robert grumbled darkly, grabbing his phone as they walked to the counter.
I can’t believe how boring hotel rooms are when you’re not here with me. :)
Robert smiled at the message from Aaron, completely missing Paddy who he walked right into.
“Sorry,” Robert said.
Paddy made a noise that was almost a groan, but Robert could feel the hostility coming from him. From the look on Liv’s face, so could she. Paddy left the café without so much as saying a word.
“Wow, he really doesn’t like you,” Liv said as Robert ordered his coffee. The fact she could see that without anything actually being said was slightly worrying.
“Can you blame him?” Brenda said from behind the counter. “Robert…”
“Just the coffee please, Brenda,” Robert cut over her. Liv frowned at them.
“I thought Aaron and Paddy were… close,” Liv finished.
“They are, but Paddy doesn’t like me.”
“Why?”
“In the car,” Robert said, dropping the subject for now, but knowing Liv well enough to know she wouldn’t let it go. When Robert was driving Liv to school, she picked the subject back up.
“So…”
“I shot him,” Robert said bluntly. “He’s never going to like me.”
“Er… why did you shoot him?”
“It was in the arm,” Robert said, trying to brush it aside. “It was never going to be fatal, and it was an accident.”
“How do you shoot someone by accident?” Liv said, frowning.
“I was…” Robert took a deep breath. “I was out of control, and I started panicking.”
“And?” Liv asked.
“Okay, we’ve got passed it, so don’t go mad, right?” Robert asked. Liv nodded. “I kind of… tied Aaron to a radiator and held a gun to him, threatening to shoot him.”
“Okay, why?!” Liv asked, her face blank with shock.
“Because he was going to tell my wife,” Robert said. “That I’d been having an affair with him and I sort of… I lost control.”
“Robert!”
“He’s… forgiven me.” Robert desperately hoped he had. Really hoped Aaron wasn’t holding onto the pain that Robert had caused him back then. “Anyway, I made Aaron lie, and hide our affair for so long, and it hurt Aaron. More than I realised at the time. So Paddy doesn’t like me, and he never will, and I don't blame him. I can put up with it.”
“Come on!” Liv said. “Why did you do that? Didn’t you love him?”
“Of course I love him,” Robert said with a sigh. “Liv, it’s fine, so… that’s why Paddy doesn’t like me.” The look on Liv’s face said she didn’t blame him. The silence became increasingly uncomfortable between them both until Robert parked outside the school.
“Would you ever have done it?”
“Done what?”
“Shoot Aaron.”
“No,” Robert said firmly. “I couldn’t do it. And I knew that… he’d run straight to Chrissie and tell her everything. I was struggling, to admit to myself that I was in love with a man, and…” Robert shrugged. He didn’t find this easy, talking about his feelings, or his and Aaron’s past either. “Actually, it’s not that. I’ve never loved anyone in the world the way I love your brother.”
“I’m going to be late,” Liv said, looking at the school
“Hey,” Robert said, grabbing her arm to stop her from leaving the car. “We’ve moved on since then. Aaron knows that too. I want you, me and Aaron to be a family.”
“Do you really?” Liv asked sadly, unable to quite believe anyone would want her around. She'd never really fitted anywhere.
“Of course I do,” Robert said. “I can’t tell you how much I miss him.”
“He’s been gone less than twenty four hours,” Liv said, frowning.
“Yeah,” Robert said. “Apparently I’m overly sentimental these days.”
“Soft touch,” Liv said, but this time she was smiling. “I’m really late.”
“You’re coming home tonight, right?” Robert said. “What I’ve told you isn’t going to make you run for it to Dublin, is it?”
“No,” she said. “My passport’s at home, anyway,” she deadpanned. Robert rolled his eyes, but he was smiling as she got out of the car. Robert watched her, making sure she actually went into school rather than running off into town before he went back to the village. He surprised himself by realising what he said was true. He did want the three of them to be a family, more than ever before. With Chrissie, he’d wanted her and sort of put up with the fact she came with a teenage son getting in the way. This was different for him. New. And it was a feeling he liked, a feeling of belonging.
A few days later, Robert walked into the pub, and saw Paddy. He’d made the decision to be the bigger man here. After explaining to Liv what he’d done, it put things into perspective. Of course Paddy wouldn’t want a man like Robert with his son.
“Paddy, I’d like to talk to you,” Robert said, approaching him where he was propping up the bar.
“Apart from Aaron, we have nothing in common,” Paddy said darkly. “I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Come on,” Robert said. “Can’t we at least get along? For Aaron?”
“He must be insane to go anywhere near you,” Paddy muttered. Robert felt his heart drop, but walked around the back of the bar, giving this up for another day. Maybe when Paddy wasn’t estranged from his wife, he’d be in a better mood.
“How can you put up with him?” Paddy asked in disbelief, unaware that Robert was still in ear shot, having paused before getting to the back room of the pub. “After everything Robert’s done? You let him into your house?”
Chas smiled at him. “After the year we’ve had, or more specifically, the year Aaron’s had, I only want one thing in my life at the moment. I want Aaron to be happy. I do not care how that happens, or who helps him be happy, it doesn’t matter. For reasons I will never understand, Robert makes him happy, he makes Aaron smile, Paddy. So he’s going to be welcome here, for as long as that’s the case. That’s how I put up with him.” Chas took a deep breath. “And he’s not that bad,” she added quietly, winking at Paddy. “I know you’re looking out for Aaron. But Robert’s… calmed down a bit. For God’s sake, he’s been driving Liv to school all week. The devil doesn’t do that.”
“Why him, though?” Paddy said bitterly.
“Aaron loves him,” Chas said. “You know that.” Paddy sighed very deeply and Chas moved to a customer who was waiting to be served. Robert thought this was probably the time to leave. He wanted to call Aaron, to hear his voice. If Liv knew, she’d call him soppy, but he didn’t care.
Robert and Liv were having dinner in the Woolpack, waiting for Aaron who was due to come home any moment now. Liv stole a few chips off Robert’s plate and he let her without comment, his eyes flicking to the door every few seconds.
“How desperate are you?” she asked.
“Would you prefer it if I hadn’t missed him?” Robert asked.
“And I thought Aaron was the one who had a miserable face when you weren’t around,” she grumbled. Robert slapped her hand away as she went for more chips and she laughed.
A few moments later Aaron came in. He smiled at his mother behind the bar before his eyes found Robert’s, lighting up. He walked over and murmured hi to Liv before kissing Robert gently. Aaron didn’t do this, not in public so Robert was surprised and pleased. “Missed me then?” Robert asked as Aaron sat down.
“I guess I’ve got used to having you around,” Aaron said casually, but Robert smiled at the warmth in his eyes. “How’ve you two been without me?”
“Well, he’s not killed me,” Liv said. After their conversation earlier in the week, Robert looked at her wondering if she was being serious, but he saw the smile on her face and relaxed. “Right, I guess I’m going to let you two be sickeningly in love, and I’m going,” Liv said. She got up, stealing Robert’s burger before she left.
“Hey!” he said as she vanished behind the bar. “You know she’s managed to eat two meals tonight.”
“How’s she been?”
“We’ve been getting on,” Robert said, taking Aaron’s hand under the table, playing with his fingers almost sensually. “How was France?”
“Good,” he said. “Missed you, though.”
“Really?” Robert’s face slipped into his usual smug smile and Aaron laughed.
“How’s everything been here? Mum been okay?”
“Yeah, it’s all good.”
“Want to explain why Paddy is glaring at the two of us?” Aaron asked, nodding to Paddy’s usual spot at the bar.
“Oh,” Robert said. “Time and distance hasn’t made him approve of me,” Robert said. “Clearly wants me to stay away from you.”
“What’s he said?”
“Not much,” Robert admitted. “Won’t even give me the time of day, though."
“I’m sorry,” Aaron said, shaking his head. “I’ll tell him to lay off you.”
“No, don’t,” Robert said. “It’s not like I don’t deserve it.”
“Robert…”
“Look, I can take anything Paddy dishes out, it’s not like he’s the most vindictive person I’ve ever met,” Robert said, rolling his eyes. “It just… helps, when you’re home.”
Aaron looked at Paddy who looked away from them when he knew they were watching him. Aaron sighed. “Okay, I’m going to say hello to my mum, wait for me upstairs.” He moved to whisper in Robert’s ear. “Don’t be wearing anything, I’ve really, really missed you.”
Robert’s eyes lit up with anticipation. “Don’t be too long,” Robert urged. Aaron laughed as they both got up, Robert finishing his pint and vanishing into the back room. Aaron walked behind the bar and gave his mum a hug before looking at Paddy.
“Have you been giving Robert a hard time?”
“What’s he said to you?” Paddy said quietly.
“Nothing,” Aaron said. “I can feel you glaring at him. Has it been like this for the past two weeks?” he asked his mum whose silence was as good as an agreement.
“I’m looking out for you,” Paddy said. “Robert will hurt you again, it’s just when.”
“Were you disappointed that he didn’t cheat on me while I was away?” Aaron asked, his tone very childish, but he couldn’t help it.
“How do you know he didn’t?”
“I trust him,” Aaron said. “You don’t have to like him, I’m not expecting miracles, but just put up with him. Accept that I do like him.”
“All right,” Paddy said. “Fine. But the second you’ve had enough of him…”
“Oh, I’m sure you’d put the fear of God into him,” Aaron said, making Chas laugh which she tried to turn into a cough. “Right, I’ll see you later.” Aaron disappeared promptly, leaving Chas shaking her head.
“Where’s he rushing off to, he’s just got back?” Paddy asked confused.
“He’s not seen Robert in two weeks, what do you think?” Chas asked bluntly. Paddy shook his head, but even though he didn’t agree with Robert in Aaron’s life, Chas was right about one thing. It was good to see Aaron happy.