The two men stood awkwardly not knowing what to do or say, the atmosphere was uncomfortable, usually when they were together they just knew what the other was thinking or feeling, but not now, now there was an unseen barrier between them, neither one of them knew how to get past it, the photo's, the damning evidence against Aaron spread out on the kitchen table, Jackson's eyes strayed to them
"Did you really think I could cheat on you?" the mechanic's voice wobbled so much it was difficult for Jackson to hear what he was saying
"I, I don't know"
"That means Yes"
"No, it just means, oh I don't know" the builder was getting frustrated "It's happened to Me before"
"So that's it, because you've had it happen to you before it's got to happen now, well I tell you this I HAVE NEVER CHEATED ON YOU"
"I know!"
"Say it like you mean it Jackson"
"I do"
"I don't believe you, I think you're just saying it, but let Me ask you one thing, when have I ever given you a reason to doubt Me?, never, that's when, but you didn't even wait to talk to me, you never for one second believed that I hadn't done this, you just believed the worst of Me well that's it, I can't live like that, I can't live always wondering when something else happens that you'll just assume that I've done it, so I'll move My stuff out of Dale Head and that'll be the end of us" Aaron walked to the back door "The sad thing is though, I really love you, it's a feeling I'll never feel again with anyone else"
"Aaron, Please, Don't leave Me"
"Too late, you've already left Me" and he slipped out of the back door
The builder slid down the wall his legs refusing to support his wait, Oh god what had he done
Aaron kept his head down as he walked back home, well back to Dale Head, he didn't think he could think or call it home anymore, he tidied the kitchen, climbed the stairs, packed a bag of clothes, that's all it took, one bag and his life was changed, he closed the front door and posted his key through the letterbox, he couldn't look back because if he did he'd see the life he thought he was going to be living vanishing in front of his eyes, instead he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other his thoughts jumbled but knowing he had to get to his Mams and quickly before he crumbled at the side of the road
Chas didn't need to say anything she just took one look at her son as he stood at the back door of The Woolpack with his bag in his hand to know that something awful had happened between her son and the man that she knew was the love of his life, he walked passed her, climbed the stairs and walked into his old room, lay on his old bed and pulled the duvet over his head and that's where he stayed for the rest of that day and the following day and in fact for the next week, he didn't see or speak to anyone, he ate very little and if he did eat he invariably was sick, his life had ended so he didn't see any point in looking after himself, he just wanted to close his eyes and never open them again
Chas had tried those first few days to coax her Son into talking but that had failed, she would knock on his door but he never answered, she'd leave food outside his door but it remained uneaten, she was really getting worried, Aaron was making himself ill and she didn't know how to help him, what should she do?, who could she talk to? She was at her wits end, sometimes though miracles come in little packages and in this case it was Bean that finally broke through Aaron's defences
Anna had tried to stay well clear of the problems her friends were having but when she'd spoken to Chas a few days after Aaron had walked out of her kitchen she knew she'd have to do something, at Sunshine Cottage Jackson was a mess, he'd not gone back to Dale Head because if he did and Aaron had moved his stuff out then He'd have to admit that it was over and he wasn't ready for that so instead he just buried his head in the sand, she'd gone back home after speaking to Chas, picked up her son and marched over to the pub climbed the stairs and without knocking she pushed open the door, the smell almost overwhelmed her, it stunk, she walked over to the window pulled the curtains back opened the window so the icy air could circulate around the room, Aaron was just a blob laying in the middle of the bed, she lifted the duvet off the mechanic and placed her son on the bed with his Godfather, made sure he wouldn't fall out and then left him with Aaron
Bean was sat gurgling away and shuffling around the bed, he climbed onto the pillows, grabbed at Aaron's ears before dribbling onto his face, he was getting restless and started to get grizzly and he whimpered
Aaron knew the second that Anna had placed Bean on his bed he just didn't want to acknowledge it hoping that she would give up and take the baby away, unfortunately he hadn't banked on Anna's stubborn streak which was almost as wide as his, he cracked open one eye realising that she'd left the baby with him, he shut his eyes but was conscious of every move Bean made, it was still a shock though when he felt baby dribble on his face and the Bean started to whimper, there was no way he'd ignore that, he sat up, picked up his Godson and looked at him
Those big blue eyes looking back at him and the flood gates opened
Aaron cried, and rocked Bean as he wept for the life he no longer had, the one consolation in all of this was that he had a beautiful Godson who he loved and who needed him and to do that he needed to get up, washed and dressed and to start living again!