Aaron woke up to his alarm and after a few moments noticed that the bed was still dipped on Roberts side. Switching off his alarm he rolled over and Robert still lay in bed dead to the world. It was half eight and Aaron was sure Robert had a very important meeting today in Leeds meaning he really needed to be leaving in 15 minutes, and Robert was really not one for rushing in the mornings. Robert had been on about this deal for weeks now and Aaron knew there was a lot of money for the haulage firm in it so Robert not being awake and all ready to go with 30 minutes to spare, looking extremely smart in a suit struck Aaron as incredibly weird. He leaned over and shook Robert to wake him up.
"Rob, Rob, wake up ya lazy git. You've got that important meeting today and you gotta leave in a few minutes." The only response he got was a groan and Robert rolling over and burying his head into Aarons chest. The first thing Aaron noticed was how hot Robert was and how he was shaking slightly. He then studied his face a bit closer and saw he had a nasty grey colour to him and bags under his eyes so large they would make any Christmas shopper proud.
"Hey Rob, you alright mate?" Aaron asked softly, concern obvious in his voice.
"What?"
"You ok? You look like shit and you're bloody hot."
"I think I'm dying Aaron."
Aaron sighed at Roberts dramatics but the fact he made no snarky comment at being called hot made Aaron even more concerned about him.
"Pass me your phone Rob"
"Wha?"
"Mate I know you're ill but that doesn't make you incapable of understanding basic commands"
"Head hurts" Robert muttered pressing himself even further into Aaron to try and warm his already boiling body up more. Aaron just sighed again and stroked Roberts hair with one hand while using the other to lean over him and grab the phone himself.
"You had that important meeting today and you're in no fit state to be going." Aaron explained while unlocking Roberts phone, "If I can get hold of Nicola now and tell her ya can't make it she can make it in with time to spare."
It was like something clicked in Roberts mind and he attempted to sit up but fell back on to the bed within seconds.
"I've got to go. Meeting's important- can't be late" Robert said weakly attempting to sit up again while Aaron just gently pushed him back down again.
"Rob ya can't even get outta bed let alone drive to Leeds without dying, then meet with important people. You're going nowhere Sugden."
"But- the meeting- deal's massive- worth loads to us" Robert stammered.
"And that's why I'll ring Nicola now. Doesn't have the same charm as you but I'm sure she can still secure the deal don't worry" Aaron chuckled softly stroking Robs hair again while dialling Nicolas number from Roberts phone.
"Hey Nicola it's Aaron"
….
"Nah he's not. He's ill got some sorta fever can't even get outta bed, there's no way he can make it into the meeting today"
….
"No I'm not kidding." Aaron replied frustrated. "He's really worried 'bout this deal he's already tried to get out of bed and failed miserably. He doesn't want to miss it any more than ya want him to miss it"
…
"Alright cheers Nicola. Can ya text me later and let me know how it went so I can put his mind to rest?"
…
"Yeah I'll tell him."
…
"Alright well good luck"
…
"See ya" He ended the call. "Nicola says to get better soon"
"Yeah so she doesn't have to do all the work for once"
"Well exactly" Aaron chuckled, "She said she would text later anyway to let us know how it went" Robert nodded and closed his eyes, the brief effort of trying to get out of bed knackering him out it seemed.
"Well I'm famished gonna go grab some breakfast. Ya wanting anything?" Aaron asked Robert only receiving a small groan in reply that he took for a no. "Right well I'm getting you a drink anyway. I'll be back in a few minutes"
When Aaron entered the kitchen, his Mum was already there making herself some toast.
"Alright love? Want some toast?" she asked already passing him the toast that had just popped up. "You working today?"
"Ah shit that reminds me I should text Adam. I was meant to be but Robs woken up really ill so I'm going to take t' day off and make sure the idiot doesn't try and do a load of work."
"But didn't he have that really important mee-"
"Yeah Nicolas going instead. Just rung her. He couldn't even sit up let alone go to Leeds."
"Poor love. What's actually up with him?"
"He's got a hella temperature on him but is shaking like mad. He looks like shit and says his head hurts. Also said he was dying but y'know what a drama Queen he is… Actually Mum as much as Rob might get off on me playing nurse can ya check on him for me I mean I know shit about people being ill and y'know I'm actually a bit worried about him…"
"Aw of course love. Take these and I'll be up in a few minutes" Chas said passing Aaron two mugs of tea she'd been making while chatting to him.
When Aaron got back to their room he discovered that Robert was fast asleep. Aaron carefully got back into the bed beside his fiancé and quickly sent a text to Adam saying he wouldn't be at the scrapyard today. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and Chas walked in. Aaron gently shook Rob awake again. He did feel bad about it. Robert obviously needed his rest but then Aaron himself needed the reassurance that there was nothing sinister wrong with Robert. Chas then took his temperature. 38. High but not dangerously high which reassured Aaron somewhat. Chas then proceeded to ask Robert a load of questions about how he was feeling and some more weird stuff like if his neck was stiff and some simple maths. Aaron just assumed it was to rule something out and decided not to question it. After all his Mum had dealt with more sick people over the year than he had, including Aaron himself when he was younger.
What surprised Aaron was how motherly and gentle Chas was being to Robert. He knew she had grown to love Robert over the past year. After all she had seen the real Robert, and most people who got to see the real him grew to love him, as Robert himself had once said. But he had never seen this side of his Mum displayed to Robert. It was normally reserved just for Aaron and then only for when he himself was ill or upset. In fact, the only affection Aaron was aware of between Chas and Robert was after the crash when Aaron was in surgery and Chas gave a distraught Robert a hug after he had gone back to the lake to retrieve the engagement ring. And yet at that very current moment Chas was stroking Roberts hair like Aaron had been doing earlier and speaking in such a gentle voice to him. Despite himself Aaron couldn't help him smiling at the scene between his mother and his fiancé. It seemed as if Chas had properly accepted Robert Sugden as her son in law.
"Right love it seems to be a virus judging by your temperature and everything else ya told me. So, I'm afraid all you can do is just rest and drink plenty of fluids. I'll get ya some ibuprofen which should hopefully help reduce it and help with the headache and I'll get some other medicine when I pop into Hotten" Chas said to the pair of them disturbing Aaron from his thoughts.
"Can't ya get him some antibiotics or something?"
"They're for bacteria love not viruses. God Aaron the amount ya had them I'd have thought you'd know that" Chas said smiling at Aaron
"Anyway, I'll pop into Hotten as soon as Marlon arrives. It might be my day of but I don't entirely trust Charity by herself without Marlon there. Liv's already gone to school so you don't have to worry about her. Anything you're wanting while I'm out Rob?" Enquired Chas.
"Urm yeah actually-no don't worry- um no there's nothing…" Robert stammered.
"Robert what is it?" Aaron asked curiously.
"Nothing don't worry it's too much hassle I couldn't ask that of you."
"I'll be the judge of that." Chas replied.
Robert sighed. "It's stupid really." Robert replied quietly. "When I was ill when I was younger my Mum always made me this chicken soup of hers and it always made me feel better but it's stupid I-" Robert was cut off by Chas.
"It's not stupid Rob. Not at all. I've got the day off anyway so it's no bother to cook some soup. You got the recipe?"
"Nah but I think Vic has it. She made for me when I got out of hospital after urm…well…being shot…" Robert finished the sentence the quickly, the shooting being a sore topic of conversation for everyone after Aaron had been put in prison on suspicion of attempted murder and Robert had nearly died.
"Right I'll grab you that ibuprofen then. I'll give Vic a quick ring while I wait for Marlon and then I'll head in and grab these bits."
A few minutes later Chas returned with the pills and a glass of water for Robert and much to Aarons surprise and probably Roberts too she kissed him on the head before telling him to get some rest and that she would back later. As Chas left Aaron glanced over and saw his eyes were filling with tears.
"Hey what's up? Ya head hurting? Take the pills they'll help" Aaron said to Robert softly.
"No- I mean yeah I feel like shit but that's not it." Robert replied swallowing the ibuprofen anyway allowing himself to be pulled on to Aarons chest where he allowed some of his unshed tears to fall. Aaron pulled him in even closer and wiped his tears away with his thumb.
"Come on Rob tell me what's up with ya."
Robert took a deep breath and then replied to Aaron. "It's just your Mum…. How she was treating me earlier. It reminded of my Mum…" More tears fell from Roberts eyes, being ill making him more emotional than usual.
"Oh Robert…"
"I mean I love Dianne. She has been like a mum to me, but she hasn't been like Mum. In a way that's a good thing -I don't know if I could handle the constant reminder of Mum…. But your Mum... She's never treated me like that before. All…. motherly. And I'm not gonna lie it felt good actually. I actually felt like she had accepted me as her son in law. Like she actually loved me."
"She does love you!" Aaron interjected. "Believe me she loves you. A year ago maybe not, but believe me she loves you now. You have a way with people Rob when you're being yourself."
Robert gave Aaron a weak smile but otherwise chose to ignore the comment. "She just reminded me of my Mum. She made feel loved, safe, wanted. I mean Dianne does too, of course, but not in the same way that my Mum did. But your Mum, it feels similar. She is rather like Mum actually. I… I… I just really miss her Aaron" Robert said, fresh tears making their way down his face.
"Oh Robert." Aaron said again, rubbing circles on his back and just holding him as he cried. They laid there for a while like that. Silent apart from the occasional hitch of Roberts breathing. Eventually though Robert broke the silence after he had calmed down a bit.
"I'm glad Chas reminds me of Mum. It makes me feel that she actually wants me as a son in law and doesn't just put up with me for your sake. Is always felt cast aside by my family when I was younger. Mum was the only one who didn't make me feel like that, and now your Mum is doing the same."
"I would never cast ya aside, I love ya Robert."
A smile crept on to Robert's face. "I know. I've always felt wanted by you. I love you."
Aaron leant over and placed a gentle kiss on Roberts forehead, ruffling his hair as he did so. Roberts eyes flickered closed as he did so, the emotion of the last few minutes and being ill beginning to take his toll on him.
"Right you, ya look exhausted and I know ya feel like shit and it's making you overly emotional…" Aaron said earning himself a snort and a small smile from Robert, "so get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up. Hopefully you'll feel a bit better." Robert nodded at Aaron, allowing his eyes to close and curled himself into Aarons side and within minutes his breathing had evened out and he was fast asleep. Aaron took a few minutes to just enjoy the peace and to just stare at the man he was going to marry. Even though he quite honestly looked like shit at the very moment, he still looked like the most wonderful man Aaron had ever laid eyes. He smiled to himself thinking if Robert knew what he was thinking right now he would get called soft, but Aaron didn't care, plus honestly Rob himself was the softest out of the lot. Eventually Aaron pulled himself out of his thoughts and gently, being careful not to disturb Robert, he grabbed his laptop of the bedside table deciding to start on the monthly accounts for the scrapyard to make himself useful given the fact he wasn't at the yard today, although there was nowhere Aaron would rather be but here beside Robert.
A few hours later Chas walked into their room with a bowl of chicken soup and smiled when she saw Robert curled up against Aaron fast asleep, Aaron tapping away on his laptop.
"Can see why Robert wanted this. It's delicious! His Mum must have been some cook to come up with this recipe." Chas quietly said to Aaron, "How is he now?"
"Been asleep for ages so dunno how he actually is." Replied Aaron. "He had a little cry just after you left though- not just because he was feeling shit. I'll tell you later actually if you promise not to mention it to him. Think you might want to hear it. Might make you even more fond of him" smiled Aaron. "Right I'll wake him so he can eat that soup before it gets cold" he said while putting his laptop down. Aaron gently shook Robert awake, the latter groaning as he was awakened from his slumber.
"Hey sleepy head, how you feeling now?" Aaron gently asked.
"Bit better I think actually." Robert replied, rubbing his eyes to try and wake himself up.
"Glad to hear." Chas replied from where she was standing near the doorway. Robert looked up, not previously aware she was in the room and smiled at her.
"Oh Nicola texted me while you were asleep. She got the deal! See there was no need for all that worrying earlier" Aaron told Robert. Robert breathed a sigh of relief and his face broke into a smile knowing how much that deal was worth and how amazing it was going to be for the haulage firm.
"Here Robert love I got that recipe of Vic and made your Mums chicken soup. It is delicious if I don't say so myself, your Mum must have been one hell of a chef. Must be where Vic gets it from."
Robert looked down at the bed remembering his conversation with Aaron earlier, memories of his own Mum bringing him soup when he was ill flooding back to him.
"You alright love?" Chas enquired. Aaron squeezed Roberts arm knowing exactly what was going through the older man's head right now.
"Yeah." Replied Robert timidly, taking the bowl of soup Chas offered him "Thanks."
Chas smiled in reply and turned to leave the room.
"Chas wait!"
Chas paused hearing Robert and turned back to face him.
"I'm really glad you're going to be my Mum in law." Robert told her, a genuine smile on his face.
On hearing this Chas face also broke into a massive grin.
"I'm really glad you're going to be my son in law too Robert."