A Matter of Trust - Chapter 2

-O-

DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV

-O-

As Robert approached Luke, he turned and saw his old friend coming towards him.

"Remember me?" Robert said as he stretched out his hand.

Luke did indeed recognise him, "Hello Robert, long time: no see," Luke took Robert's hand and pulled him into a hug.

Robert drew back and then turned to head back to his table, motioning Luke to follow him.

"Aaron, this is Luke," Robert addressed his husband as he arrived back at the table.

Aaron stood up and shook hands with Luke as he approached.

"Luke, this is Aaron...my husband."

"Nice to meet you," Luke smiled and it occurred to Robert how similar his smile was to Aaron's.

They sat at the table and Robert and Luke chatted animatedly, while Aaron sat in comparative silence. He felt a bit left out of the conversation as he did not know Luke. After a short time, Luke made his excuses as he had only left the farm briefly to deliver the meat on Moira's behalf. He was obviously very conscientious. Aaron and Robert finished their lunch and then headed back to work.

That evening, Aaron and Robert arrived back at the Mill simultaneously and sat on the sofa in their living room.

"You seemed a bit quiet at lunchtime," Robert remarked.

"I didn't like to interrupt you two, you obviously had a lot to catch up on," Aaron said.

Robert knew his husband so well and could tell that he was sulking, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing!" Aaron said defensively.

Robert summed up the situation, "Look, if you're jealous of Luke, there's no need to be. You know we had a thing once, but we were just kids."

"He's a good looking lad," Aaron remarked, "I bet you still fancy him."

"AARON!" Robert looked shocked, "How many times do I have to tell you that you're the only one for me?"

"It's funny," Aaron was in an uncompromising mood, "I always thought you'd cheat with a woman again, but I suppose, being bi gives you the option of cheating with either sex."

"Aaron, where is all this coming from? I haven't cheated! You can't call a chat in the pub cheating."

"I could see there was still a spark there, the way he hugged you. Maybe you want to finish what you started when your dad interrupted you that time. I bet you're tempted."

"I'm not tempted," Robert looked hurt, "for God's sake Aaron! I know I let you down with Rebecca that time but I promise you, I'll never cheat on you again: please believe me, I'm telling the truth."

Aaron did not cuddle up to Robert in bed that night. His old insecurities had resurfaced with the arrival of Luke. He told himself he was being paranoid, but he saw it as a re-run of the Rebecca situation and the old ghosts had come back to haunt him. One of Robert's ex-lovers had turned up and he was feeling anxious about it.

Robert knew that Aaron was worried that he would cheat on him. He did not know how to convince him that he would never do that again. He wished, at that moment, that he had never laid eyes on Rebecca as it was that fateful one night stand with her that had caused all this uncertainty in Aaron's mind. He was desperate to get Aaron to see sense as he did not want his beautiful husband to descend into another pit of despair and start self-harming again.

Matters were not helped the next day when Aaron arrived home unexpectedly and heard a noise upstairs. He was about to investigate when Robert came down the spiral staircase with Luke close behind him.

"What's going on?" Aaron asked, his face a picture of uncertainty and suspicion.

"Nothing!" Robert exclaimed defensively, "I was just showing my old friend Luke around our lovely home."

"It's a beautiful house, Aaron," Luke smiled, "you and Robert are so lucky to live in a place like this. When I was in the village before, I always admired this house. It beats the rented flat in Hotten that I've been living in."

Robert looked at Aaron, "Where have you been anyway?" he asked.

"I went to visit Adam in hospital," Aaron replied.

"How is he?" Luke enquired and his concern seemed genuine, "Moira told me what happened, it's a terrible business."

"He's very down," Aaron was obviously upset, "he's worried about how he will cope without his sight and who can blame him?"

"Poor Adam," Robert said, "Vic is in bits too. I know they had split up, but I think that makes it worse for her in a way."

"It makes you treasure the things you have even more," Luke looked pensive.

"Yeah," Aaron looked at Robert, "I suppose it does."

"Well," Luke headed towards the door, "I'd better get back to the farm or Moira will be giving me the sack for skiving. Thanks for the guided tour Robert, I'm green with envy."

After Luke left, Robert studied Aaron carefully. He knew how it could look: coming down the stairs with Luke.

"You seemed all very cosy," Aaron finally said after an uncomfortable silence between them.

Robert was sure then that Aaron suspected foul play, "I bumped into Luke in the street by accident. He asked where I lived now and I offered to show him around our house. That was all there was to it Aaron, I promise you."

"Why are you being so defensive then?" Aaron had a hurt look on his face and it crushed Robert's heart into little pieces.

"Aaron, you've got to trust me...please!" Robert was desperate now, "Luke and I always got on well, but you've got nothing to worry about, honestly. He told me that when I was fifteen and he was sixteen, when that thing happened between us and then my dad caught us in my bedroom, to him it was just an experiment. Lots of teenagers go through that stage before they discover their true sexuality. Later, he found out that he's straight and has had several girlfriends since. He is dating a girl from Hotten at this moment and it's getting serious by the sound of it. He doesn't fancy me: not in that way. Not that I'd take him up on it, even if he did. I'm yours: I'm faithful to you and that's the end of it."

"Okay," Aaron said.

"Are you sure you believe me?" Robert looked at his husband, "I'm so worried that you might start cutting yourself again and I don't want to be the cause of that."

"It's alright Robert, I won't do that again," Aaron reassured him, "after I went to see Adam I had an appointment with my counsellor. She put things into perspective for me. She made me look at what I have now and at what I have to lose...and all over nothing. Luke's right, we should treasure what we have while we can. I love you Robert and part of that means I have to trust you. I've thought it over calmly after my session and I do trust you and I'm not going to let my paranoia get the better of me."

Robert crossed the room to embrace Aaron and they kissed.

Robert held his forehead against his husband's "I love you too Aaron, I'm proud of you for going to your counselling session and I'll never let you down. You're my world and I could have curled up into a ball and died when we split up before. I'll never put our life together at risk again: without you, I have nothing."

Aaron was touched by Robert's heartfelt speech and knew that he was being sincere.

"It doesn't matter how many of my ex-lovers turn up on our doorstep, I'll send them all packing!" Robert smiled.

"Just how many have there been?" Aaron chuckled: he had cheered up.

"Oooh...hundreds," Robert joked.

"Robert Dingle-Sugden, you really are a complete tart!" Aaron giggled, "I'll need an army to fight them all off."

"No you won't," Robert kissed Aaron again, "your husband will tell them all where to go."

Aaron took Robert's hand and pulled him towards the stairs, there could be no mistaking his intention.

"It's the middle of the day!" Robert exclaimed.

"So?" Aaron replied with a cheeky grin, "We're in our own house. Liv's at school so we've got the place to ourselves. Work can wait: I think we need a little time to heal ourselves, don't you?"

"Can't argue with that," Robert said as he allowed himself to be dragged up the spiral staircase.

Naked on their own bed in their own house, their passion reignited. They kissed wantonly: their bodies writhed together in an erotic dance: they were completely aroused and willing to give themselves to each other totally. Their lovemaking had always been incendiary from their very first time in the garage three years previously, but the connection was deeper now and had more meaning. They were true soul mates and it only served to heighten their shared desire. By joining together as one, they made each other complete. No-one else in the world could give that feeling to either of them...and they both knew it.

As they lay curled up together in the afterglow of possibly their most passionate sex ever, Aaron stroked Robert's arm, delighting in the feeling of the fine blond hairs against his fingertips, "What do you want for Christmas?" he asked.

"I've got everything I want," Robert answered.

"Come on!" Aaron hated it when Robert was being evasive, "I've got to get you something and I don't have a clue what to buy you."

"If you can find a place where you can buy me a husband who loves me unconditionally and trusts me completely, then I'll have one of those!" Robert grinned at his gorgeous husband. He could be as insecure as Aaron at times.

Aaron kissed Robert again. How he loved to lock lips with the man who meant everything to him, "You've already got one of those Robert."

Robert looked into Aaron's heart-stopping blue eyes: eyes that held a simple truth and honesty.

"I know," he said softly. At last, he was certain that he had Aaron's love and trust: it truly was all he wanted in the world.