Hi Everyone!
First of all I am so sorry that this has taken ridiculously long to Update! I have been so busy preparing for Uni! But I'm back now with a load of new ideas for the next chapters!
So at last here it is Chapter 7!
Enjoy

Lauren xx

Upon entering the Woolpack, Aaron was greeted by the other village residents who welcomed him home with open arms, clearly pleased to see him.
Aaron smiled gratefully at every 'Welcome Home' he received before continuing through to the back room.

Opening the door, Aaron very nearly fell over in surprise, he probably would have done had he not had the support of Paddy to rely on. His family had gathered together to welcome him home. Zak, Lisa, Belle, Debbie, Charity and even Cain had made an appearance.
Aaron was grateful even thought he knew it was his mum's handiwork.

'Welcome Home Pal. Good to see you in one piece. Well almost.' Cain smirked, he couldn't resist making fun of Aaron's dodgy leg.
But today Aaron wasn't going along with Cain's humour. He wasn't in the mood to laugh and joke, he didn't find anything about his current situation funny.
He found it useless and pathetic that he couldn't do anything for himself.
Aaron shifted on his feet and Paddy could tell that he was uncomfortable. He guided him onto the sofa and helped him to sit down, Aaron's face grimaced as he continued to suffer the pain from his injuries.
Paddy propped his injured leg up with a pillow that Chas had already prepared for him. Aaron smiled gratefully at his surrogate father.

Chas sat down beside her son, took his hands and looked him in the eyes;
'Now will you please promise me that you won't be pulling a stunt like that again. You promised me last time that I wouldn't have anymore sleepless nights and you've already broken that one so no more okay.'

Aaron chuckled. 'Trust me. I had no intention of crashing a car the first time and I have no intention of doing it again.'

'Yeah about that, what actually happened out there on the road? I mean what happened that made you lose control of the car?' Chas immediately regretted her question when she saw Aaron's face drop. 'I'm sorry love... I know it's uncomfortable to remind you it's just that we never actually talked about it...'

Aaron shifted again, deliberately avoiding Chas' gaze. 'I... I can't remember. One minute I was driving fine and then the next thing I know the car was flipping. The last thing I remember is Cain shouting my name. Then I woke up in hospital and I saw you.'

Aaron prayed that was enough. He prayed the memory loss story would satisfy his mum. It was all he had. But his mum could read him like a book.
He needed her to buy his story.
How could he ever tell her the truth?
That he crashed because of a broken heart?
A broken heart that he's sure would never heal.

The rest of the evening consisted of a good old Dingle knees up! Any excuse for a party! But as much as he tried, Aaron's heart wasn't in it.
He looked around the room, watching his family laughing and joking without a care in the world and he suddenly realised he couldn't remember the last time he had felt like that, not really.

'Aaron? Aaron? You okay love?' Chas had become concerned for her son, noticing how distant he had become during the party.

'Yeah I'm... I'm fine just get off.'

'Are you sure? If you're still in pain I can get your tablets.' She began messing with Aaron's cushions and pillows, causing him to snap;

'MUM, I SAID I'M FINE NOW WILL YOU JUST BACK OFF AND STOP SMOTHERING ME.'

Silence filled the room and Aaron immediately regretted yelling at his mum.
Not only had he upset her, he didn't do himself any favours as another wave of pain shot through his chest.
He gritted his teeth and Paddy sat beside him and waited until the pain had eased.

'Mum, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm just tired that's all. I need some sleep.'

Chas nodded before calling time on the celebrations, she had become so swept up in spending time with her family she had almost forgot that her son was recovering from serious injuries.
Before long everyone had said their goodbye's and once again it was Aaron, Chas and the four Woolpack Walls.

'Aaron, I'm sorry about before. The last thing I wanted to do was upset you. I love you more than anything and I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you.' Chas eyes filled with tears as the reality of the past few weeks finally began to hit home.

Chas' emotion hit Aaron by surprise. He had spent all this time thinking about himself and Robert and his own problems that he hadn't even thought of how much this had effected Chas.

'Mum. You didn't lose me. I'm right here with you. And I'm not going anywhere. I promise.'

Chas smiled at her son, before kissing him softly on his head.

'Get some sleep son. I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight.'

Aaron watched his mum leave before lying back, closing his eyes and leaving his troubles behind for another day.