Liv was running out of options and time. She either passed this maths test or ended up in the bottom maths set with people she'd rather not be breathing the same air as on a daily basis.
She loved the Dingles and staying with them whilst Aaron was trekking around Europe had just reinforced her need to be part of such a tight knit family unit. Now here she was resigned to the fact that she would be doomed to failure. Hell, she'd even tried Cain, only to be met with a gruff "Don't have a clue how to do that."
It was then, during her shift at the B&B, that Diane had piped up with what in theory would be the perfect solution, but the most awkward one.
"Surely Robert would be your best bet." Diane commented.
Liv didn't know how to answer. Aaron and she were the only one who knew about the spiked drink incident and it had to stay that way. "It might be difficult with Aaron and him being split up."
"It's only maths, Liv. You're not planning a reunion for them. I thought you and Robert got on. Anyway your brother is somewhere 1000's of miles away, will he even know."
She knew that Diane was right, she needed help and fast, so she headed to the scrapyard. Luck was not on her side when she noticed a familiar dump of a car parked outside – Rebecca's car.
She just took a deep breath and barged in.
"How rude?" Bex announced with her usual sneer. "We're busy."
"I'm here to see Robert, not you. Are you free?" She didn't mean to test him but she wanted to know how he would handle the interruption.
He looked at Bex. "We were all finished here."
Bex wasn't happy at his attention switching to Liv so she turned around in a huff. "Ok, I'll see you later. We can discuss names then."
Liv smirked as she walked past and slammed the door on the way out. "Stroppy much?" She looked at Robert who looked totally distracted.
"Liv, I don't need another dressing down."
"Well, you're not going to get one and to be honest, I'm not going to waste my breath. Basically I have a maths test on Friday and if I don't pass it, I'm going to end up in bottom set with all the losers. I have three days to work out how I'm going to blag my way through the test."
"So how can I help?"
She screwed up her face. "Duh… I need your help to revise."
"Can't the annoyingly handsome doctor help you?"
Liv realised that Robert thought that her brother was still dating Alex but she held back telling him the truth about the relationship not even getting off the ground as she knew he would get all
mopey and distracted. "No, he can't. He's no good at maths."
"I would be happy to help you but I think Aaron will freak out and have a go at me. I don't need that right now."
"You mean with your new life up at the Whites. I heard you were getting all cosy and getting your foot under the table up at Home Farm. They're a totally bunch of freaks… you do know that"
"Liv, this isn't going to work."
She took a seat, thinking for a minute. "Ok, you help me on the maths but we make a deal not to talk about Aaron or the Whites… Deal?" She put her hand out.
He smiled. "You drive a hard bargain but you have a deal."
"For the record, this is purely a business arrangement, I still don't like you."
That comment made him smile even more. "Ok, name a time and a place, I'll be there."
She grinned. "Ok, 4pm at Wishing Well."
"Ok, are you sure I won't get killed if I set foot in there."
"Well, we can always hope, but I don't think I'm that lucky." She punched him playfully on the shoulder.
Robert didn't know what to expect as he headed up to Wishing Well. He looked at the pigs wondering if he would end up with them by the close of the afternoon.
So he was surprised when he was greeted warmly by Lisa.
"Have a seat. Liv's just upstairs grabbing her stuff. She's been really stressed about this test so it's so nice you've come to help."
"Well, I'd do anything for Liv. I mean I messed up so maybe I can put things right with her." He replied, not realising Liv had been listening in from the top of the stairs.
The maths session went as expected, there were arguments and cross words but at the end of the two hours, she was understanding more and more.
"Well, I'm going to need that table." Lisa smiled as she looked over from the kitchen. "Love, why don't you stay for some dinner."
Robert was taken aback by the offer, but strangely he wanted to take her up on it. It took him back to Christmas, the afternoon he'd spent with the Dingles and more importantly, Aaron.
"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to put you out."
Liv tried to act cool but he could see a small smile on her face at the suggestion of him staying.
Robert was soon tucking into a tasty chicken stew. He loved home cooked food and it was lovely to be surrounded by family, although he was glad that Cain was away for a few days.
They were soon clearing away the table when Liv's phone rang. "It's Aaron, facetiming. Don't let him know you're here." She panicked.
Robert got out of the way and took a seat on the sofa whilst Liv facetimed.
"hey…." She tried not to sound distracted as she greeted her brother. "How are you?"
"I'm good for speaking to you. How's things?" Aaron voiced boomed from her phone.
"I'm ok. Where are you now?"
"Rome for a few days, then up to Austria, Hungary and then Poland."
Robert was amazed at how different he sounded, so carefree and relaxed. He knew he was away in Europe but the details given to him by Vic had been quite sketchy to say the least. He was impressed that he was travelling around seeing places, although he did feel a pang of regret about not being with him.
"That sounds amazing."
"Maybe we can travel a bit next Summer, I'd love to show you some of these places." Aaron suggested, again filling Robert with regret. How amazing would it have been to travel Europe as a family. He'd wrecked it all.
"Sounds awesome." Liv replied excitedly.
"Look, I need to go. The lads are waiting for me. Same time tomorrow night. Love ya." Aaron made a face at her, making her giggle.
Liv disconnected the chat and headed upstairs. "Rob, I'll walk with you to Gabby's. I'm going for a sleepover."
Robert shuffled in his chair looking at Lisa. "Well he sounds like he's having a good time. That doctor must be the perfect tonic."
"What doctor? You mean… Alex." Lisa smiled.
"Yeah Alex." He replied, trying not to sound bitter. "I take it you've met him."
"Why would we?" She asked in confusion. "Aaron wasn't keen on him."
Robert sat up in his chair. "Oh, I didn't know." He replied keeping his reaction to a minimum.
He broached the subject with Liv on the walk back to the village. "Why didn't you tell me that Alex and Aaron weren't together?"
Liv was caught off guard and didn't mean to sound annoyed. "Well, you're not a couple anymore so I didn't think it was any of your business."
"So what happened?" Robert wasn't going to be put off asking more.
"Nothing… happened. He stayed over… on the sofa. Aaron bored him to death with Top Gear reruns. Nothing else to say."
"So it was just the fact they were incompatible?" he asked.
"Yeah something like that." She answered, not wanting to admit that her brother was still hung up on him.
Robert didn't know how to feel about this shock news….
