Secrets Lies and Retribution
11
Robert yawned wearily, he was still tired. He'd only slept for about two hours, but that was going to have to be enough shut-eye, he wanted to get back to Aaron. He was on his second mug of coffee, and as soon as he'd finished it he planned on going to the cafe to get the fizzy drinks Aaron wanted. Next stop would be town he needed a few things from there too.
Hearing a knock on the front door he went to answer it, and was surprised to see who was standing there. "Paddy?"
"I saw your car." Paddy said before sidling past Robert and striding into the living room.
Robert followed on behind wondering what Paddy wanted, he seemed quite agitated, he hadn't come to give him more grief about Aaron had he?
"I've just seen Chas." He'd gone in the pub for a lunchtime drink, and she had called him into the back room.
"You didn't say anything about Aaron?"
"No of course I didn't, but she had plenty to say to me. She told me what happened between you and Gordon and why!"
Robert was surprised to hear that, he'd thought Chas would want to keep it from Paddy. But he supposed that with a little more thought on the matter he would have realised Chas would expect his support on this. "She doesn't believe it but you do don't you?" Paddy had better give him the right answer to that question.
"If Aaron said it happened then it did, he wouldn't lie about something like that and it explains so much. That explosive temper of his, his lashing out when he feels cornered or trapped." Paddy sank down onto the sofa, he suddenly felt physically sick. He couldn't bare to think of Aaron suffering at the hands of his own father, at the hands of anyone for that matter. "I used to think it was strange, he never talked about his dad, wouldn't talk about him. He never showed any emotion if he was ever mentioned. It just didn't feel right to me. Chas had always said he was a good dad, that he and Aaron were 'the best of mates', I couldn't see that, a good dad wouldn't just turn his back on him like that, no matter what he'd done."
"No."
"So the self harming it's all to do with that?" 'Stupid question!' Paddy lambasted himself. Of course it was, it had to be.
Robert hesitated before saying "Yeah." It had to have played its part but it wasn't the true cause, that was much more horrific. Robert's conscience was telling him Paddy needed to know everything, how could he help Aaron through this if he didn't know all the facts. It was proving incredibly difficult to keep Aaron's secret.
Paddy looked dazed, like he'd been delivered a physical blow, Robert got up to get him a glass of water, as he turned on the tap someone started banging on the door. Thinking something was wrong he hurried to open it, only to find Chas there.
"Is he here?"
"Who?"
"Aaron. Is he here." Chas' voice soared in irritation, Robert knew damn well who she was talking about.
"No he's not." Believing that to be the end of the matter Robert started to close the door in Chas' face.
"Liar!" Chas yelled, pushing past Robert and making her way into the house, calling out her son's names as she did so.
"Get out." Robert demanded angrily, his patience was fast running out.
Pointing a finger in Paddy's direction Chas said, "How come he's here if Aaron isn't?" Chas had seen Paddy knocking on Victoria's door and had put two and two together. Aaron was bunked up with Robert again, and as he was nowhere else to be found he had to be here.
"You're not making sense." At least not to Robert she wasn't.
"Well Paddy's not here to see you is he? He wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire! No he's come to see Aaron, to listen to his lies for himself."
"He's not lying Chas." Paddy said as he got his feet, he had just had this out with her over at the pub, had nothing he said to her sunk in?
"Paddy I know Gordon, I was married to him for nine years. In all that time he never once raised a hand to him."
"You know Aaron..."
"Exactly! I know how good a liar he is. Have you forgotten how he lied to us both about seeing this weasel here, he's seeing him now behind our backs."
"But he's not lying about this, I know he's not!"
"I know why you're so keen to believe him. You don't want Aaron to make up with his dad, you're jealous! You're scared he'll come between you and Aaron. Well he's not your son Paddy, he's Gordon's, and blood is thicker than water so they will work this out. I just need to talk to him Paddy, get him to see sense..."
"Get him to see sense?" Robert's temper flared dangerously "You mean have him back down, take back his words, hide the truth just so you can happy. What a selfish bitch you are! Get out before I throw you out." Robert was livid and right now more than capable of carrying out his threat.
Chas turned to look at Robert, at the person she blamed for all the upset, "Gordon should have reported you to the police,..."
"You should be asking yourself why he didn't."
"What do you mean by that?"
"It's obvious, he's scared the truth will come out... and it will, I'm going to make damn sure of that."
Chas attention moved back to Paddy, "Can't you see what he's doing? He's trying to drive a wedge between me and Aaron..."
"You're the one doing that. Now go home, calm down and give what Aaron's said some real thought, please Chas." Paddy pleaded.
After giving a hate filled look in Robert's direction Chas turned on her heels and stormed outside slamming the door behind her.
Meeting Robert's gaze Paddy said, "We have to persuade Aaron to talk to her, I think when she hears it from him she'll..."
"You didn't need to hear it from him to believe it happened!" Robert retorted, "But you're right, he does need to talk to her, she has to realise he's not going to accept his dad back in his life, not ever."
/
The nurse had told him they needed his bed for someone who was critically ill, that he was being moved to a side room on one of the medical wards. Aaron was happy with that. He preferred being on his own, he wouldn't have to make small talk with other patients and there was no chance of any one asking "What you in for?"
He'd been pleased to find he had a telly in his new room, that would help pass the hours or it would when he was able to buy the card he needed to make it work. He'd rang Robert, asked him to bring his wallet in, that's when Robert had told him Paddy knew about the physical abuse, and that he was on his way in to see him.
He was dreading it, he didn't want to talk about it in case he let something slip like he had with Robert. He started on hearing the door open, then struggled to meet Paddy's gaze.
"Hey feller!"
"Paddy!"
An awkward silence had now fallen, the past suddenly coming between them. He hadn't known what to do about it, but Paddy, like every time before when they had hit a wall did, he walked over to his bed, sat down beside him and pulled him into a hug.
/
"Here" Robert said, dropping a bag onto Aaron's bed "Don't say I never buy you anything."
Aaron picked up the bag and removed its contents, eyeing them in disbelief. It was a pair of flannelette pyjamas, red polka dot ones.
"That is your size isn't it"
"Yeah but..." He couldn't wear them, they were horrendous. "They're like something Sandy would wear!" Then again maybe not, Sandy had better taste than that.
"Really! Robert said reaching into another bag for something a lot more appropriate in the sleep wear department, placing them in Aaron's hands he asked, "They any better?"
Aaron grinned, "Yeah" It seemed Robert was having a bit of fun at his expense, "Thanks."
"Well we couldn't have you walking around in that gown as becoming as it is. Not really designed to keep ones dangly bits under wraps now are they!"
Aaron laughed, Robert always could make him laugh.
Handing Aaron the cans he'd been wanting Robert decided to move onto a more important issue, "So how did it go with Paddy?"
"Good" Paddy hadn't stayed all that long he hadn't needed to, that bear hug of his had said more than any words could.
"You should tell him everything Aaron."
"No!" The idea horrified him, he'd realised earlier that it wasn't that he couldn't tell him, he knew the words would come. It was the fact the knowledge would crucify Paddy. He couldn't hurt him in that way. "He doesn't need to know and he's never to find out."
/
Gordon Livsey sat in his car looking over at the entrance to Hotton General. He'd spent a lot of time there recently and it was relief to know he wouldn't have to come again for quite a few months. He had just seen his specialist, had been told he would get a letter through the post when his first check up was due. He could start to live again now, and things were certainly looking up, he was back with Chas, he had no money worries. The only fly in the ointment was his son, well he wasn't going to let Aaron spoil things for him. He was about to start his car when someone caught his attention, 'Well fancy seeing him here.' Gordon thought on seeing Robert Sugdan walking towards the hospital entrance, if he'd have arrived five minutes sooner they'd have bumped into each other. 'that would have proved interesting.' Even more interesting was that Paddy had just walked out of the hospital and the two of them were now talking to each other. Gordon had been under the impression there was no love lost between the two of them, that they kept their distance, but there they were having a lengthy conversation. The only thing those two had in common was Aaron. That thought roused his suspicions, Aaron wasn't in hospital was he? It was possible he supposed, Chas had no idea where he was right now and she had said he looked a little off colour the other day. No it had to be a coincedence surely? Telling himself it was he started his car, he'd only driven a few feet when his suspicions got the better of him. There was one way he ould find out if Aaron was indeed an inpatient? Picking up his phone he dialled the hospital number and asked for Admissions, and the Admissions Office had been very helpful, according to them Aaron Livesy was now on Ward 4.
What was he going to do with that information? He wasn't sure yet, he'd sit and think about it. He could tell Chas, score a few more Brownie points for finding her errant son. Chas was desperate to talk to him, but he was going to have to have a quiet word with him first.
Gordon had sat there for over an hour waiting for Robert to leave, and as soon as he'd driven off he'd got out of his car.
/
Aaron was staring at the tv screen but he wasn't absorbing anything, his mind was on other things. Paddy's visit for one and the way Robert had kissed him before leaving earlier, especially on the way Robert had kissed him. It was different to all the times before, there was no passion in it or lust even. A hospital wasn't the right place for a full on snog. No this was with a real depth of feeling, with tenderness.. with love. But he was struggling with that concept, did Robert love him? He was beginning to think he actually did. He closed his eyes, suddenly tired. He had no reason to be, all he'd done today was walk to the toilet and back a few times. It was a matter of feet away but he'd climbed back into bed feeling like he'd run a marathon. He'd heard the expression 'as weak as a kitten' he knew exactly what that meant now.
He was just dropping off to sleep when he heard his door open, he opened his eyes and was shocked to see his dad standing there.
"Hello son."
"What do you want?" Aaron was filled with a terrible sense of unease. he didn't like the way his dad was looking at him.
"That's not the way to talk to your dad now is it."
There was a menacing tone in his father's voice, one that completely unnerved Aaron, it left him feeling so very vulnerable. Reaching for his call bell he found he had to roll onto his side to grasp it, as he did so he felt his fathers hands on him, vice like and cruel. He struggled against them but he was so very weak and he was soon overpowered.
He was being held down, his face pressed into the pillows to muffle any sound he might make. Panic rose up from his belly causing his heart to thunder painfully in chest, then above the roaring in his ears he heard his father's voice.
"You've been running your mouth off Aaron. That's got to stop. Do you understand?"
Aaron could barely breath let alone speak, but in desperation he managed to force out "Yes"
It seemed like forever before the unbearable weight shifted from him, before he could move, before he could breath again. But only when he heard the door shut behind his father did he let his tears fall.
tbc