"Here he is!"

Aaron entered through the Woolpack door to be greeted by half the Dingle clan seated at the bar, Belle was closest to him and suddenly held up a makeshift 'welcome home' banner that she'd clearly rushed herself.

"We said to ourselves that if the mountain won't come to the Mohammad that we'd better get ourselves to the mountain!"

Aaron laughed at Zak's words and clapped at the stupid banner, taking a quick glance around he noticed that everyone was looking at him. There were some familiar faces in the pub, Edna was in the corner with Jimmy King and Katy was also at the bar, he could see the matching surprised expressions on their faces.

"We thought as you couldn't be bothered to come and see us, we better come to you!" His uncle's comment was said in jest and Aaron took it in the spirit it was intended, "I've not even been back twenty four hours – give us a chance."

They all stopped for a moment, looked at each other fondly and then Zak jumped down from his stool to elope Aaron in a hug, "What's with all the hair?" Aaron ducked his head and reached up to absently smooth it down, embarrassed, he'd started wearing it slightly longer a few years ago to protect his head from sun burn. It wasn't even that long; it was just that everyone here was used to him with a grade two haircut. Zak then clutched Aaron's face, "and the beard – you trying to look like me now?"

Aaron didn't respond he just smiled at the teasing.

"Leave him alone Zak," Lisa said as she and Belle stood, behind them Cain stayed seated. "It's so good to see you love," she continued and Aaron wrapped his arms around her for a squeeze. "Dad's been sorting out the big Dingle reunion party," Belle said and she leant in for her hug.

Since he'd been away the only Dingle except his Mum that regularly contacted him was Belle, she would send him messages and pictures of Leo and tell him all about her latest boyfriend. She was Twenty years old now and studying at University, but Aaron wasn't entirely sure what subject.

Zak and Lisa weren't technically 'with it' enough to send an email but he did get a text every Christmas from Lisa. Cain on the other hand hadn't bothered once, he would never deliberately show he cared by doing something as sentimental as writing to him. Aaron suddenly felt guilty because he wasn't the best at responding– not just to Belle, his Mum, Paddy and Adam we're always sending him a message of some kind that he would put off responding to. He could tell that they were all so happy to see him now though and it filled him with regret, he really should have made more of an effort.

He nodded towards Cain, in return the man just looked at him and continued to chew on his gum, "You turned up at the right time Aaron – we all need another drink."

Aaron stuffed his hands into his pockets and cocked his head to the side, "nice to see you to, uncle."

"It should have been a lot sooner -" Cain was eyeing him as he said this and Aaron was suddenly reminded of how direct his uncle could be. No one else had commented yet on the years he'd been away, in fact he suspected that his Mum, Paddy and Rhona were deliberately ignoring the conversation. He didn't know what to say, he couldn't excuse it and so there was probably no use trying.

"He's back now and that's all that matters," Zak ever the peace keeper jumped in and Aaron noted him shot Cain a look. Cain at least softened slightly and he stood up to retrieve his wallet, "what you having then kid, lager?"

"Err," this was always going to happen and Aaron steeled himself, "no thanks, I'll just have a coke."

"A coke!" Zak started, "you can't have a coke, this is your big welcome home party."

"It's four in the afternoon –."

"Since when has that made a difference?" asked Cain.

Everyone's eyes were on him and he wasn't sure how he was going to manage getting out of this one, all he knew was that there was no way he could drink alcohol, "Hay I live in Dubai now, remember it's more of an effort to get drunk over there." That was a lie of course because even though it was illegal to buy alcohol anywhere but places with licences (mainly hotel bars) people still managed to get drunk all the time.

"Even more reason to have a drink now –. "

Aaron was saved by the sound of his mother's loud clunky heels coming through from the pub back room, she immediately stopped and smiled at him, "hay love," she cocked her head to the rest of her family, "see told you he'd back soon."

"Yeah," Aaron drummed his fingers against the bar top, keen to keep to this topic, "just taken my god son to the park." Zak, Lisa and Belle grinned and Cain rolled his eyes, "He's big now isn't he," said Belle.

He had to agree but also thought that this was like the pot calling the kettle black because really out of everyone it was Belle who'd changed the most. Even though they'd emailed, other than images he'd not laid an eye on her – he couldn't believe how mature she looked, "yeah he is, his speech is amazing now."

"I've been teaching him to sing."

Aaron could imagine that, Belle had always made a lot of effort were Leo was concerned.

"Anyway, first things first" Zak rubbed his hands together, "what about that drink?"

"Really I'll just have a coke," Aaron should have realised that it wouldn't be easy to side step a subject as important to the Dingles as alcohol. Zak threw up his hands and turned to his Chas, "have a word."

"You not drinking love?"

"Just not right now."

She cocked her head slightly and placed her hands on her hips, "you wouldn't have a drink with me last night either."

Aaron rolled his eyes, "you offered me wine!"

"so…?"

"I hate wine!" This was getting a little out of hand now, what kind of family objects when one of them hasn't inherited the ancestral drinking problem? Aaron threw up his hands, "will someone just get me a coke."

"Go on then Chas pour him his drink – just don't forget the umbrella," Cain threw him a look and then pulled out a couple of quid, "I'll have a bag of crisps as well."

"Yeah, me an all," added Belle, and luckily for Aaron they we're all quickly occupied with figuring out who wanted what flavour and whether they should buy some nuts as well. That was everyone except his mother, who had immediately reached for a glass to pour his coke but kept looking at him as she did. She had that look on her face, the look she always used where he was concerned, he couldn't do much in return though except ignore her and engage the Dingles in conversation.