"Aaron, I don't know what I'm meant to say." Mackenzie says and Aaron notices that he doesn't let go of him but pulls him into a hug again.
"Nothing you can't say anything, we don't know what happened and I need to deal with this, please Mack." Aaron pleads.
"Mate, that puts me in such a bad place, you want me to lie to my sister?, to my nephews?" Mackenzie questions.
"No lie, just don't say anything yet, I'll take the fall if it blows up, ok?" Aaron says, hoping Mackenzie will go with it.
"Fine, but you owe me, and I mean it, let's get to the farm to see what's happening." Mackenzie says.
"Ok, and Mack thank you." Aaron says and hugs him tighter.
"It's fine, let's go." Mackenzie says.
They get up and start to head up to the farm, it's a quick walk and Aaron spends most of it trying to get hold of Paddy, he was concerned that it had all come out, he couldn't face speaking to his mum knowing she was most likely to blame for all of this.
"Come on Paddy, answer the damn phone." Aaron states getting angry.
"Calm down." Is all Mackenzie says.
Aaron couldn't help but feel guilty for putting Mackenzie in such a difficult position, so he got it that Mackenzie was a bit off with him, though he did wish they were hugging again as it felt nice. After twenty minutes walking they arrive at the farm, no trace of the police, Mackenzie stops again and turns to Aaron and takes hold of his jacket.
"Ok, game time, you need to focus, less of the angry at your mother's face more of a grieving face, you know Moira will spot anything unusual." Mack says, as he dusts Aarons jacket a bit, Aaron got why Mackenzie was saying it, he knew himself that his emotions were so easily shown and would make it harder for Mackenzie to lie.
"Mack, it's fine, I've got your back." Aaron says smiling and Mackenzie leans and kisses him on the forehead before pulling away red cheeked.
"Shit sorry, didn't mean to." Mackenzie says before turning around and walking to the farm house.
Aaron was stunned for a second mainly from shock that Mackenzie would freely do that, but he put it down to the fact emotions were high. Walking to the house he can hear Moira already talking to Mackenzie who had already gone in, most likely trying to get out what had happened. He walks through the door to see Moira and Mackenzie and they go quiet which puts him on edge.
"Did you know about this?" She questions straight away.
"Of course not, I haven't seen him much and plus I was heading back to Italy." Aaron responds, he knew she would ask him something like this.
"Just makes no sense, someone must know why he would do something like this, I thought there stupid feud was over after the car accident." She says slumping into the chair.
"Where's dad? Have they let him go?" Kyle asks, Aaron hadn't noticed the young lad appear in the kitchen.
"Come on wee man, let's go play on the computer while your mum chats to Aaron." Mackenzie says, he smiles at both and makes his way past Aaron and places his hand on and gently squeezes it, Aaron looks and smiles, there is a nod from Mackenzie and Aaron clicks.
Once there, out of ear shot. Aaron Moira who's just staring him out, most likely trying to figure out what that little moment was, he knew she would have noticed.
"So, going tell me what that was about? Looked like he was saying to tell me something?" She says.
"Nothing, just he's been great, but I'm more concerned what Cain has done and why? Like you said, it makes no sense." Aaron replies and knows he's been a coward by not owning up to knowing what may have set Cain off.
"Hmm, you two are up to something, I need to ask this, are you two together or something?" She questions.
"No, just friends, he was drunk the other day as you saw, I'm not in the right place to be with anyone." He says and cringes.
"Oh what about this Marco lad?" She questions.
"Yeah there's no Marco, it was to keep my mum off my back especially with everything that was going on here it was just easier to keep her mind at peace." Aaron explains.
"That's true, I wonder if ya mum has spoken to him yet?" Moira questions.
"Not sure, guess he will be questioned for a while, I mean do they even have any evidence?" Aaron wonders, he knew his uncle, if he had planned it there would be no evidence.
"From what I got they had the shotgun and that's it, will find out more soon, but he can't do this to us, he has a family." Moira states and starts to cry and Aaron walks over and pulls her in for a hug.
Aaron turns as a sound behind him makes him look and sees Mackenzie standing there looking at him, he just shakes his head to state he hadn't told her in the hope that he understood what he was saying.
"Aww can I join, group hug." Mackenzie says and Moira chuckles before letting go of Aaron and moving to Mackenzie.
"Come on Aaron, you can join." Mackenzie says smiling. Aaron reluctantly joins them.
"How's Kyle?" Moira asks, breaking the hug.
"He's ok, '' I promised him and Isaac pizza. I said we would go get one, you coming Aaron." Mackenzie asks.
"Thick as thieves you two, yeh go I'll watch the boys just be quick, no fun along the way." Moira jokes.
"Oh god no, we will be quick." Aaron says and sees Mackenzie mock his disgust at the comment and laughs.
"Take the van, it will be quicker." Moira says, throwing the keys to Aaron.
They make their way out and towards the van, Aaron didn't want to look at Mackenzie as he knew it would turn into an argument and he didn't want that. They get in the van and he goes to turn the ignition and stops when Mackenzie places a hand on Aaron's arm.
"So why didn't you tell her? I can't lie to her; she always gets it out of me." Mackenzie questions.
"I know, but she got upset trying figure out why and I gave her a hug and couldn't do it, I mean what if the reason he was there was totally different and he didn't know about the affair, we then open a can of worms the police can use to pin it on him even more." Aaron explains.
"It makes sense. But still… It could be the reason." Mackenzie says.
"Ok, let's see what happens over the next few days, if it goes south I promise I will bring it up, but I do need to speak to my mum." Aaron says as he turns the ignition.
"Fine, so we have pineapple on the pizza right?" Mackenzie asks.
"What? Are you a freak who does that kinda thing, next you will be saying you want Irn Bru flavored sauce." Aaron chuckles, and starts driving.
"I find that extremely offensive but at the same time intrigued to know how that would taste." Mackenzie jokes.
"You're not right in the head, you know that?" Aaron tries to be serious but bursts out laughing.
"See I knew I would eventually break that Cain wannabe tough guy attitude. Should laugh more, it's nice to see." Mackenzie states.
"Hmm im nothing like Cain mate." Aaron replies.
"True, you do cry a lot, and I mean a lot. Don't get me wrong it's nice to see a tough man show he can cry but mate you do it so much, why is that? You got an onion stuck somewhere that makes you do it?" Mackenzie chuckles and Aaron pushes him. "Oi, eyes on the road, don't want an accident now do we." Mackenzie says.
"Fine, be quiet till we get the hop ok? Or is that too hard for you to do?" Aaron says.
"You're on." Mackenzie says and goes quiet.
The drive to the hop was short and Mackenzie did keep quiet, as much as he enjoyed the quiet he actually missed Mackenzie's talking, it was a good distraction because right now all he could think was what is going to happen? Will Cain go down for it? What was the reason? He had to stop thinking as he got to the hop and navigate the car park.
They get out and head in, luckily the cafe seems quiet, as they approach the counter Aaron stops when he sees Victoria behind the counter, he should be seeing Liv behind it not her. He feels a hand on his lower back and turns to see Mackenzie smile at him and nod towards the seats. Aaron takes the hint and wanders over to them and takes a seat, he can see Mackenzie looking at the menu and pointing at them, whilst talking to Victoria who looks over at him with a sad smile, he hated the symphony looks he was getting.
He looks at his phone as he waits for Mackenzie, there's the missed calls from his mum, but nothing since the wake, a few garbled messages from Paddy saying he was worried to why Aaron had called him loads but left no message and that's it so he gathered his mum hadn't told the truth so simply replies it didn't matter now, he starts scrolling through his pictures and all the ones of him and Liv, he missed her so much.
"How are you? I thought you were leaving?" Victoria's voice makes him look up, which confuses him, expecting it to be Mack instead.
"As before i'm holding up, someone stopped me and it seemed like it was a good thing too." Aaron nods towards Mackenzie.
"Yeah, he seems worried about you, said you told him he can't speak to you, so sent me to come talk." Victoria states as she takes a seat.
"Did he now, he is such a pain. But I guess it's him trying to be serious, with everything that's happened and happening at the moment." Aaron explains.
"So what is going on between you two? Thought you hated him?" Victoria asks.
"To be honest I did at the start his cocky attitude and all that but in the last few days he's totally different, even though he has his own shit happening he's been there for me, it's nice." Aaron says
"True, well you have your fancy man abroad to look after you." She jokes and Aaron cringes. "Fess up, what was that face for?" He knew she would notice, he had only one choice: fess up.
"Look there's no Marco, I just made him up to get people off my back, can we leave it." He says in the hope she takes the hint.
"You know there's no need to lie, it must be hard after Rob and then Ben. Look I know you hate talking about problems but promise you won't let them get you down, plus I think someone likes you." She nods her head towards Mackenzie, who quickly turns around.
"No, we're just friends, he just likes to flirt with anything with a pulse, wouldn't surprise me if he tries it with Nicola." Which makes them both laugh.
She leaves him as someone calls her from behind the counter, he didn't look behind because he would see Mackenzie and as much as he tells people and thinks about how much he didn't like Mackenzie it's becoming harder to ignore he was growing on him.
"So, pizza is ready, let's head on back, if you want or you can do your own thing." Mackenzie's voice makes him turn around.
"After we just ordered pizza for me, nah. Hopefully there is some news when we get back, it's been a while now." Aaron says.
"We most likely will get back and the grump will be sitting there." Mackenzie chuckles which sets Aaron off to.
The trip back Aaron can see Mackenzie is trying to say something but keeps himself from saying it, which set's off Aaron he hated people who didn't just say.
"What? Just spit it out?" Aaron states.
"Nothing." Mackenzie says looking out the window.
"No, don't do that, it's obvious you have something to say so just say it, you normally say what you think I just don't get why you're pussy footing around." Aaron snarks. As they pull up at the farm and get out.
"Fine, What's going on with you? I get your sister is dead but there's an anger that seems to be aimed at someone else and I'm unsure where it's coming from. It was a freak accident." Mackenzie says.
"What?" Aaron says and finds himself charging at Mackenzie and pinning him against the wall the pizza's getting turned up against him.
"Awww you went and messed the pizza's up , that's not nice. But obviously I've touched a nerve." Mackenzie jokes.
"Always a joke, isn't it, never can be serious, was this all a game, pretending to be nice and caring, but now just a heartless idiot. My sister is dead and yes I'm angry she shouldn't be." Aaron says his grip tightening around Mack's jacket.
"Well if it will make you feel better you can hit me, take some of that anger out I won't stop you, but there's no one to blame for what happened." Mackenzie says, looking at Aaron, he can feel Mackenzie's gaze on him.
"I don't want to hit you Mack, and I'm sorry, it's just.. forget it." Aaron says letting his grip go.
"No tell me, I'm fed up with mopy you, you give Cain a run for his money and that's saying something, is it to do with your mum and Al?" Mackenzie asks and it makes Aaron stop, was he putting it altogether.
"Fine I'm sorry, yes it is ok, if she wasn't too busy meeting that bastard and getting hurt and being taken to hospital Liv wouldn't have had to go look after Eve. So yes my mum and Al's affair caused her death and that's why I'm so angry. I'm sorry , ok, I can't turn it off." Aaron states his tears forming.
"Hey, I get it, you can be angry, it's allowed, but I need you to focus on the future, and I know your sister would want that too, come here." Mackenzie says as he pulls Aaron in for a hug.
"I'm starting to think you like holding me, thank you though." Aaron says.
"It's fine, look Aaron. I know we are both hurting for different reasons and I'm not saying my hurt is anything like yours, but it made me reassess everything in my life and I do want to change." Mackenzie says.
Aaron pulls away and looks at Mackenzie who has tears in his eyes, this was weird for Aaron, Mackenzie had always been all about the front but this was new, it was like he was letting him in and Aaron didn't know how to take it.
"Oi, where's the pizza? And Cain's been charged." Moira says, they both look over in shock.
Cain had been charged and more people he cared for were getting hurt, when will it stop, maybe if he goes it will stop and people can move on without him.