Part 31

He'd asked Cain if he could finish early, he couldn't keep his mind on the job. Cain had been ok with that saying he wasn't much use to him in the mood he was in anyway.

As he'd walked up through the village, he saw Carl King coming towards him in one of his vans, the older man pulled up alongside of him.

"Alright?"

"Yeah. You?" Things were still awkward between them but they were both trying for Chas' sake.

Carl nodded, "Your mum says she hasn't seen you in a while..."

"I know, I'll call round tomorrow."

"See you then."

"Yeah." The exchange had been short and sweet, that's how they both tried to keep it.

Carrying on up the road Aaron realised he still had to tell his mum about his moving out. He wasn't looking forward to her reaction. She was bound to say something he didn't like, he'd overreact and then they'd get into a shouting match. They were much closer these days but they still fell out, as regular as clockwork!

He could see the surgery door was open; Paddy's car parked outside, so he knew the older man was there and busy. He'd get a shower and head over to Jackson's; he didn't feel much like talking to Paddy right now.

Half an hour later he was about to get in his car when Paddy's not so dulcet tones got his attention.

"Oi!"

"What?"

"Where you going?"

"Out."

"Not until you've taken Clyde for a walk you're not."

Clyde! He'd forgotten all about him. Shutting his car door he walked back to the house, Paddy had disappeared back in through the surgery door and Aaron had been surprised to find him waiting for him in the kitchen, Clyde's lead in his hand.

"When did you last take him?"

Aaron shrugged, "Yesterday." Or was it the day before? He wasn't sure. He had been neglecting him the last few days. But Paddy usually picked up the slack at such times, he didn't usually mind.

"That's not good enough," Paddy snapped, "You wanted him, you can't just forget about him because you're all loved up!"

The comment made Aaron squirm, that and the fact Paddy was angry at him. Anyone would think he'd forgotten to feed Clyde too. He wanted to yell back but instead clamped his mouth shut and reached out for the lead.

Paddy slapped the lead into Aaron's hand, "And don't think you're leaving him here with me when you go, you take him with you."

That was it! Aaron just had to retaliate, "Like I'd leave him with you anyway!"

"Meaning?"

"Well you never wanted him. You were going to put him down!"

"With good reason! He was wild, I couldn't find him a home and I had enough on my plate as it was."

"Meaning me!" Now that had hurt, yes he'd given Paddy a hard time but he didn't think he still resented him for it.

"No!" Paddy hadn't meant that at all. Him and Chas were pussyfooting around each other at the time. Him wanting her to move in, her not so keen especially when he'd undermined her where Aaron was concerned. He hadn't wanted any kind of distraction not when he was trying so hard to get his own house in order. But Aaron had been so good with the dog, so gentle and caring and Clyde had responded. He hadn't seen that side of Aaron before. The boy knew what it was like to not be wanted, to be judged, to be written off as no good. Paddy had hoped that if the lad could relate to Clyde then maybe he would help him relate to those who cared about him.

Giving Paddy a scathing look Aaron clipped the lead onto Clyde's collar and hurried outside before he said something he couldn't take back.

Paddy sank down into a kitchen chair. What the hell was wrong with him? He was losing Aaron and knowing that hurt like hell, yet here he was doing his damnedest to push him out the door and on his way.

They needed to talk. Rhona would be back soon, he'd get her to cover the clinic and then sit Aaron down and clear the air.

Clyde didn't travel well and Aaron could only hope he wouldn't puke up on the way to Jackson's. He'd taken him for quick walk, put him in the car then slipped quietly into the house and thrown some clothes into a bag. He'd come back for the rest of his stuff when he knew for sure Paddy was out.

eeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Jackson had an inkling something was wrong when he saw Aaron's car parked outside his place, he was supposed to be going over to his tonight.

When Clyde bounded over to greet him as he walked through the door, he knew for certain something was up. Catching sight of a sports bag, seemingly stuffed with clothes he heaved a sigh. "Aaron?"

He found the younger man sprawled on the sofa, watching the TV. Pointing at Clyde Jackson said, "We seem to have a lodger!"

"He won't be any trouble." Aaron snapped.

"What's happened?"

"Nothing."

"Something has." Jackson said, holding up the sports bag he pulled out a pair of Aaron's socks to make his point.

"Me moving in was your idea!"

"Yes I know. It's one of the best I've ever had but..."

"Have you changed your mind?" Aaron demanded getting to his feet and snatching first the the bag and then the socks to stuff them irritably back inside it.

"No, I just wasn't expecting it to happen today, and you know the lease says I can't keep a dog."

"Well I'll have Paddy put him down then. Problem solved. Clyde c'mon." Aaron made for the door.

"If you walk out that door, I won't come after you." Although he'd said it, Jackson didn't actually mean it; of course he'd go after the man he loved, the man he knew for a fact loved him.

Aaron swung around, "I don't want you to, I don't need you."

"Yes you do." Jackson said softly, aware Aaron was hurting badly right now, he needed to know why. "What's happened between you and Paddy?"

Aaron shrugged, he didn't know, but suddenly they were at each other's throats, and he hated it.

"You told him you were thinking of moving in with me?" It had to be that Jackson reasoned.

"Yeah, I told him you'd asked me to and that I was."

Jackson nodded. Knowing Aaron he'd probably been blunt and to the point, Paddy's feelings not really catered for. "He didn't take it very well then?"

"He was really pleased, like he couldn't wait to get rid of me!"

Jackson wanted to laugh at that comment but thought better of it, no way was it true. "So he put on a brave face."

"What?"

"Pretended he was alright with the idea when he wasn't."

Is that what he was doing? "Yeah." That's exactly what he was doing, only Aaron hadn't realised that at the time."

"So how did that..." Jackson paused and pointed at the sports bag, "come to this?"

"We had words."

"Then you did a runner?"

"No!" He'd thought it best he get out before one of them said something they would regret. No that wasn't true! He'd took off with Clyde before, when he'd thought Paddy didn't give a toss about him. He'd been a stupid kid then, he should know better now.

Gripping Aaron gently by the forearms Jackson said, "You two have been through so much these past six months. I think he'll find it hard to let you go, and maybe you're not ready yet to let him go. I want you here with me but not hurting like this and not knowing Paddy's feeling the same way."

"So what do I do?" Aaron asked, not sure of how best to make things right with Paddy?

"You don't need me to tell you that."

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

"The little..." Paddy bit back on his reproach. He'd decided to check Aaron's room on seeing both his car and Clyde gone. Now he found there were clothes missing too! Was that him gone for good then?

Just like the other times Aaron had run off he was suddenly filled with a sense of panic. He told himself not to worry, that at least this time he knew where he was and that he was safe. What really frightened him was the way things were between them, he didn't want Aaron to think he didn't care about him.

There was only one thing to do and that was to go over to Jackson's. He hurried down stairs, picked up his keys and made his way to his car. He didn't get in though; he could hear the distinct sound of a souped up Peugeot coming his way fast. He was starting to feel a whole lot better about the situation now.

Paddy leant against his car and waited and sure enough several minutes later Aaron's car appeared around the corner. Paddy watched as the younger man hauled Clyde out of the back seat swiftly followed by his bag. Then when Aaron finally met his gaze he yelled over at him, "What were you thinking?"

Aaron grinned, "You know the answer to that."

Paddy grinned back then stepped over to join Aaron, taking his bag and carrying it inside. They made their way into the kitchen, Aaron filling Clyde's bowl with water. That done the only thing left to do now was talk. They stood facing each other, Paddy the first to speak.

"I don't want you to go. Ten, twenty years down the line I probably still won't want you to go. And that's because I care about you, that and the fact I'll miss you and all your bad habits something rotten. But I want you to be happy and I know you'll be happy with Jackson. So whenever you decide to..."

"I don't want to go, not yet, not today anyway. Maybe tomorrow...maybe next week. I just want some time to get used to the idea of not being here, of you not being..."

"Come here." Paddy held out his arms to the suddenly emotional teen.

Aaron stepped into the embrace, hugging Paddy back.

"This will always be your home. I'll always be here if you need me and I'll always love you."

TBC