Aaron wakes from his recent nightmare, reliving watching his sister trapped under the caravan having to lie to her that she would be ok. Sitting up in his bed he wipes the sweat from his brow and sighs.
Looking at the clock it was only after 3am and he couldn't face going back to sleep, looking at the nightstand of his room the photo of his sister and him stared at him and he took hold of it and put it face down, the sadness was killing him inside.
There's a sound coming from downstairs, he didn't need to go down to know it was Vinny, they both were feeling the loss within their own reasons. It was the only thing that was making it bearable was having someone there. He couldn't face talking to his mum knowing what she was doing behind Paddy's back but he didn't have the strength to argue.
He also couldn't face talking to Paddy as he knew that the affair would come out of his mouth, knowing how much it would destroy Paddy was the only reason it was stopping him from blurting it out, he needed to be tactful which wasn't his best trait. There's a clatter from downstairs and he's quickly up pulling joggers and a shirt on before heading down, he's greeted by Vinny sitting there with a bottle of vodka in hand.
"Mate, that's not the answer, Liv wouldn't want you going down that path." Aaron says, walking up and taking hold of the bottle.
"It's the only thing I can think of to help me numb this pain." Vinny sobs, trying to take the bottle from Aarons grip.
"I've been there, when I lost Jackson I thought drinking would help but it made it worse. You've got a family who wants to help you, you're mum especially, yes she can be over the top but she's willing to be there for you." Aaron explains.
"And what about you? You have family too, but you're still planning on going back to Italy to your new love Marco. I know you had it bad too, but with your gran dying and now Liv, are you sure it's wise to go?" Vinny asks.
Aaron takes a firmer grip on the bottle and pulls it away, Vinny was right his family was here, but also he knew if it wasn't for his mum Liv would be alive which was another reason he couldn't say anything yet. But the other thing he hadn't been honest about was that there was no Marco, he feels Vinny trying grab the bottle again making him return from his thoughts.
"No more, go sit on the sofa and I'll make you a coffee." Aaron states.
"Fine." Vinny says.
Aaron watches as Vinny gets up and stumbles towards the sofa. Once he sees him on the sofa Aarons turns to the sink and empties the bottle of vodka down it. After he fills the kettle and makes the coffee.
"Here, drink this." Aaron says passing the cup to Vinny.
"I'm sorry, about the drinking." Vinny says avoid looking at Aaron.
"Look, we all have ways of dealing with grief, we just have to focus on what's next, I know they want the double funeral, but if you want something different we can." Aaron explains.
"I don't even know what I want, she was your sister you have a say too." Vinny replies.
"I do, but you knew what she would want more, after I left I wanted to come back but I couldn't, I didn't see a way to repair the damage I had caused." Aaron says, trying to hold the tears back.
"That wasn't your fault, it was Meena, forget that, you both had made up, she was looking forward to rebuilding your relationship, let's do the double funeral and let our mum's sort it out, I'm going to try to get some rest, thanks again for stopping.. you know." Vinny says and gets up taking his cup up with him.
Aaron nods and moves back to his drink looking at it he couldn't face drinking it so places it on the table, moving around in the seat he finds himself getting comfy and nodding off.
"Really, you're like a herd of elephants." Vinny's voice hit's Aaron but not as much as the clatter someone had made.
Looking around he can see Mandy and his mum, Mandy seems happy to be here, his mum though it looks like she's only come to make sure he hasn't spilled her secret.
"Sorry, if you want we can come back later?" Mandy asks.
"Nah, it's fine. I'm off." Aaron says, getting up and grabbing his coat, he pops upstairs and quickly changes and grabs his phone, when he gets back down there all still waiting.
"We need to sort the funeral." Chaz states.
"Do what you like, I need to plan on going back to Italy." Aaron says.
"You're going back?" Mandy questions and Aaron tries not to laugh at how his mum squirms.
"Yeah, nothing keeping me here." Aaron states and walks out.
As he leaves the front door the fresh air hits him and this was one thing he missed about the place, the fresh air it was home, no where else seemed to match it. Walking up the path he can see the main street, people are clearing up, he walks up and turns at the shop to see the bed of flowers that had formed over the last few days.
"Hey." The all familiar sound of Victoria's voice makes him turn to her.
"Hey." Is all he can muster before he lets the sob out and Victoria is pulling him in for a hug.
"I'm sorry about Liv." She says as they break the hug.
"Why is it everytime I'm here something bad happens? Jackson, Robert, Ben and now Liv, I feel I'm cursed." Aaron states.
"We both know that none of them are your fault, like normal you're trying to make it your fault when none of it is. Do you want to come in? I need to keep an eye on the kids. I'm sure Harry would love to see you." Victoria explains.
"Maybe later, I just want to clear my head." Aaron says, though he really did want to see Harry.
"Ok, but you know where I am." She says.
Aaron puts a smile on and walks off towards the cricket pavilion, quickly looking at his phone as it went off as he crossed the bridge, he saw it just after half 9 and his mum had text asking to meet, he quickly replied no and put his phone away again. As he made his way to the cricket pavilion he zipped his jacket up, winter was coming quick and fast and the village with only fields around made the cold feel cold.
He sits on the bench outside the pavilion looking out onto the field, he missed the warmth of Italy but it was a lonely time, especially once Adam had moved on to another village with his new wife. His phone vibrates again and he knows who it is so just turns it off. There's a clatter sound from inside the cricket room.
"Hello, someone in there?" He shouts.
There's more movement and some more things seem to fall including the sound of glass breaking so Aaron gets up and walks in.
"Mackenzie? What are you doing here?" Aaron questions.
Aaron didn't need him to explain, the sleeping bag in the corner, some empty food boxes and a lot of empty alcohol bottles told him everything he needed to know.
"Nothing, I just got a teeny weeny bit drunk last night and crashed here." Mackenzie says, trying to stand up.
"Hmm, so you carry a sleeping bag around with you all the time? Why aren't you at home?" Aaron asks, as much as Mackenzie annoyed him he was concerned as last night was cold and there wasn't any heating.
"Well, I may have borrowed it. Anyway, why are you here?" Mackenzie tries to counter but ends up sitting back down, his head leaning back against the wall, Aaron notices how Mackenzie has started to shake.
"Bloody hell Mack, come here you're shaking." Aaron says walking over and putting his hands over Mackenzie's and rubs them, they were ice cold.
"You don't need to do that mate, I'm Scottish, I can handle the cold." Mackenzie chuckles, which makes Aaron chuckle too.
"Really, that's why you're shaking, where are you staying? At the house share or with Moria?" Aaron asks.
He had heard upon his return that Charity and Mackenzie had ended and now she was back with Vanessa, which was always going to happen as they just worked. But upon looking more around the room it seemed Mackenzie had set up in here, and the smell coming from Mackenzie also backed it up.
"Come on, let's get you to Moria's." Aaron states standing up.
"Nah mate I'm good, I can do what I want here, no one to tell me my drinking is too much, that I can't mope around because I lost my kid which no one seems to care how I feel about." Mack mutters as he starts to drift off and wake himself up. Aaron just shakes his head. He was in no place himself to be helping someone but in the same way at least this would distract him.
"Well two choices: I take you to Moria's and you can moan to me about how shit life is, or I call Moria to come get you." Aaron says.
"Mate, you have enough on your plate, I'll be fine. Just go." Mackenzie says and this throws Aaron he was expecting some witty come back.
"She really did a number on ya, right come on let's go." Aaron jokes and picks up the backpack from the floor, slinging it over his shoulder.
"Fine, but once you go I'm off." Mackenzie says.
"We both know Moria will bolt the door to stop you." Aaron says as he helps Mackenzie up, he can feel the coldness coming from Mackenzie. He needed to get him warm before they walked up to the farm. He unzips his and Mackenzies jackets and pulls Mackenzie into a hug making sure their chests touch.
"Hey now, you're taking advantage of me." Mackenzie jokes but rests his head on Aarons shoulder.
"No, I'm getting your core temperature up, something I learnt a few years ago after Vic fell in a ice lake. So shut up and let me get you home safe." Aaron says, rubbing his hands up and down Mack's back.
"Why do you care? Not like we're mates or anything, pretty sure you hated me." Mackenzie states, Aaron thinks for a second, yes Mack was annoying and he wanted to punch him with his silly flirty remarks when clearly he wasn't interested, but he couldn't face anyone else being hurt or dying.
"After this last week, I can't lose anyone else, regardless if I hate them or not, too which I never said I hated you. Are you feeling warmer?" Aaron asks.
"I am, you shouldn't be looking after, you should be at home with your family. It's ok, go, I promise to go to Moria's, you need to grieve." Mack says.
"Nice try, I need a distraction so come on, get you to Moria's and a warm drink for you. Then you can start to focus on what's next." Aaron explains.
"So philosophical of you." Mack jokes.
Aaron slaps his hand on Mack's side as his hands come round and they break the hug, as Mack looks at Aaron he tries not to stare at the red eyes and the look of what was tears drying on his face. They zip up and head off.
As they walk down the path back towards the village Mackenzie stops, Aaron knows why, the way they were walking would mean passing Charity's house and most likely see her with Vanessa. Aaron nods to go the long way around and Mackenzie gives him a soft smile and they make their way around.
As they walk over the bridge passing the cemetery, Aaron stops and looks over towards Jackson's grave stone, he hadn't been to it in some years, things kept popping up that stopped him.
"We can go, if you want to go see your wee sister's grave?" Mackenzie says, it was sweet he had offered but no he couldn't be distracted.
"Come on, we haven't got time for that, stop trying to make me stop getting you to the farm." Aaron says.
They walk on and walk past the vets as they do. Aaron looks down the main street and of course they see Charity and Vanessa outside the pub, thinking quickly so that Mackenzie wouldn't see them he slows to walk next to him, though considering the height difference seems pointless. So he puts his hand on Mackenzie's back and gently pushes hoping he takes the hint to move faster.
"Woah, I'm going, but at my speed." Mackenzie jokes. "Oh." He adds.
"Yeah, come on, ignore them." Aaron says gently nudging Mackenzie's back again.
"Kinda hard mate, when they are smooching all over the place." Mackenzie replies.
"I know, but come on or do I have to put you over my shoulder and carry you." Aaron quicks, hoping it may get Mackenzie's attention.
"Like to see you try with your wee little arms." Mackenzie chuckles and they move.
Aaron's glad when they do move, he sees Charity looking up at them, he wanted teĺl her what for but he knew they her and Vanessa were perfect for eachother. Eventually they get back to the farm, as they enter there with no sign of anyone so Aaron puts the kettle on and puts Mackenzie's bag down.
"Right on the sofa and blanket on, get warm, I will stay till Moria comes in." Aaron states.
"Yes dad." Mackenzie groans and Aaron just laughs.
As he finishes the brew he sees Moria's van return, he was thankful as he didn't need to be here any longer than he needed to be, walking over he places the brew on the table next to Mackenzie who is just staring up at the ceiling.
"Aaron, thanks for this, I needed someone to kick me into gear." Mackenzie says, turning to look at him.
"Look, I've been there, look after yourself and help Moria. It's a bad time for everyone, family is important, and you are important to people too." Aaron says.
Before Aaron could react Mackenzie had pulled on his jacket and was kissing him, as much as he wanted to pull away he deepened the kiss but pulled away when there was a cough.
"Sorry to interrupt." Moria says smiling.
"It was nothing. Shouldn't have happened. You need to look after him, I found him set up in the cricket pavilion." Aaron says storming out.
"Aaron, wait." Mackenzie shouts.
Aaron doesn't wait; he keeps going and ends up running, which he hadn't done in ages, the sound of Mackenzie's voice far in the background.
"AARON!" Was the last time he heard his name before entering the woods.