Face to Face

Part 9

"Good morning."

The cheery greeting drew Paddy's attention away from his work diary, it was going to be another busy Friday but Pearl would make sure it all went smoothly and to plan.

"Morning Pearl, kettles on. Give me a minute and I'll make us a brew before our first customer arrives."

Pearl Ladderbanks smiled fondly at her boss. The man had a heart of gold. He was looking decidedly tired this morning but then that wasn't surprising, he worked so hard, and had had a tough couple of months; thankfully he had the weekend off. Two full days to relax or chillax as Paddy was prone to say when Aaron was around! With everything running smoothly in the Kirk household for once it seemed there was a very real possibility of him actually getting some much needed peace and quiet.

Aaron was much more settled, and was certainly happier in himself and Pearl knew there was a handsome young man on the scene. She was pleased for him, relieved that he was getting on with life. She knew Paddy was responsible in most part for that, and wished he had someone too. It was a terrible waste of a good man!

"Do you have any plans for the weekend?" Pearl asked as she tucked her handbag behind her desk and eased herself down into the swivel chair.

"Well actually I've a feeling I'm going to busy this weekend..." Paddy caught himself, he hadn't planned on saying anything just yet, but he was getting a little too excited about it now and was finding it difficult to keep it to himself. He'd have to tell Pearl now though; she'd interrogate him till he did. "I've bought Aaron a car!"

Pearl's mouth dropped open, "You've done what?"

Sensing the disapproval in Pearl's voice Paddy hastily added, "It's nothing flash or expensive. Just a run about. It's road worthy and everything but needs a little work. I thought he could do it up in his free time. Idle hands and all that!""

Her face softening with adoration Pearl said, "That's a lovely thing to do, oh you are sweet!"

Paddy squirmed in embarrassment, and was determined to explain himself "He's had a really rough time, you don't know the half of it Pearl! I just wanted to do something for him, Reward the courage he's shown." There was a great deal more to it than that. He just couldn't quite bring himself to say that he was doing what any father would do for a son that age. Something Aaron's own father was never likely to do now.

"Does he know?"

"Does he heck as like! I'm going to spring it on him. I want him to look out the window tomorrow, see this really cool car in the drive and say 'who's is that?' I can't wait to see his face when I say, 'Yours!"

"Oh Paddy!"

"Would you stop looking at me like that Pearl; people will be getting the wrong idea about us"

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

The two men were standing in the hallway, Aaron eyeing Paddy suspiciously "Where you going?"

"Out."

"Out where?"

"Nowhere, just out!"

Narrowing his eyes as he studied the older man more closely Aaron said, "There's something wrong with this conversation Patrick, it's usually you doing the asking and me doing the sidestepping!"

Paddy grinned, "Annoying isn't it!"

Aaron rolled his eyes, "So where are you going?"

"I told you, out!" Taking a step nearer the front door Paddy added, "Have a good time tonight and I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early."

"It's Saturday!"

"I know."

"I always have a lie in on a Saturday."

"I've a feeling you won't want one tomorrow!"

"You haven't been bitten by a mad dog or a crazed gerbil have you Paddy? You're not quite yourself tonight."

Paddy cringed, then held up his left index finger for the younger man to see. A brightly coloured plaster was neatly wrapped around its tip, "Well Dylan Black's hamster did nip me this morning, drew blood and everything!"

Screwing up his face Aaron replied, "That explains it then!"

As the young man made his way upstairs Paddy made his way outside to his car, pleased with himself for not giving anything away. Now all he had to do was make his way up to Butler's farm. John Barton was driving him the twenty miles to pick up Aaron's car, then he'd drive it back to John's place and Moira would deliver it on her way to work the next morning. He had it all planned, what could possibly go wrong?

Eeeeeeeeee

Paddy had been back an hour when a knock came on the door, he was expecting Marlon so had left it on the latch. "It's open!" he yelled, not wanting to miss any of the film he was watching, especially as it was getting to an exciting bit. Hearing the door open he called over his shoulder, "I'm in here. Beers in the fridge, chilling like me!"

He'd already had one but was more than ready for another. "Bring one for me."

"You ok?" Paddy asked hearing movement behind him, "You're very quiet!"

"What would you like me to say?"

The voice sent a shiver down Paddy's spine, it didn't belong to Marlon! So who did it belong to? He clambered to his feet, shocked to see Gordon Livesy leaning against the door frame.

For one long moment all he could think about was the cruel unforgivable thing Livesy had said to his son the other night, the urge to physically hurt the man returned but he told himself to remain calm for Aaron's sake, but try as he might he couldn't keep the hostility out of his voice, "You're not welcome here so get out!"

"You invited me in, offered me a drink so why get all antisocial now?"

"Get out!" Paddy repeated, he wasn't going to play Livesy's games.

"I'll finish this if you don't mind!" Gordon Livesy took a mouthful of beer from the can he'd taken from the fridge, and then stumbled back into the kitchen.

Paddy followed, "You've had enough." The man reeked of booze; he'd obviously had a skinful before he'd arrived. There was no reasoning with a drunken man; he'd just have to throw the bastard out. But maybe he should find out why he was there first. Had he come to apologise to Aaron? He very much doubted it but still, he had to be sure.

"What do you want?"

Slamming the beer can down onto the table Livesy glared over at Paddy, "I want to know what turned my son gay?"

"What?"

"Something did! He was alright when he lived with me. Girl mad he was."

"No!" Paddy said flatly, that was all pretence."

"He was alright until he came here!" Raising his arm Livesy pointed his finger accusingly at Paddy, "You! You did it!"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"Two or is it three failed marriages behind you? Even Chas kicked you into touch. There has to be a reason you can't keep a woman. You a gay too?"

"Get out, now!" Paddy snarled, the conversation had taken a disturbing turn; and he was quickly losing his already fragile grip on his temper.

Again ignoring the demand to leave Livesey squared up to the taller man, "You took him in readily enough. I bet you couldn't believe your luck, a good looking kid like him under your roof. You had plenty of opportunity to persuade him to your way of thinking. What did you do? Pay him to share your bed!"

The next thing Paddy was aware of was hearing a satisfying crunch, the sound of bone against bone, that of his knuckles connecting with Gordon Livesy's jaw.

He watched the man crumple to the floor, the temptation to haul him upright and do it all over again was overwhelming but somehow Paddy managed to find the strength to walk away.

He strode over to the front door, pulling it open before striding back to where Livesy was now attempting to get to his knees. Ignoring the man's groans of pain Paddy grabbed him by the back of his neck, heaved him to his feet and shoved him towards the open door and then out through it, slamming it behind him.

Turning around he slumped back against the door, gulping in air in an attempt to quell the nausea that now had him in its grip. The man was insane! He had to be to accuse him of something as sick as that!

Outside, Livesy was shouting abuse, but his voice was growing more and more difficult to hear so Paddy knew he was moving away from the house. Several minutes later he heard a car engine turning over and was struck by a worrying thought. The drunken Livesy was behind the wheel of a car! He had to have driven here that way but Paddy knew he couldn't let him drive away in that condition, he'd end up killing somebody.

Yanking the door open he ran outside, he could see a car parked by the bus stop, Gordon Livesy was behind the wheel. He knew if he could get to the driver's side door he could switch off the engine and confiscate the key. He'd ring the police then, let them deal with him.

As he started to move towards the car he realised it was moving, when it mounted the grass verge he grew even more determined to prevent Livesy driving off. The car was rapidly increasing in speed and Paddy suddenly realised it was coming directly at him. He tried to get out of its way but as he changed direction so did Livesy.

He was aware of the impact, of the loud thud as his body made painful contact with the bonnet of the car. Then he was falling, the road surface rising to meet him.

Then there was only darkness, and somewhere far away, he could hear Marlon calling his name.

TBC