Face to Face

Part 44

All hell seemed to have broken loose out on the landing, the commotion had woken him up and he'd leapt out of bed, quickly pulling on his pants before hurrying out into the thick of it. Aaron was in his mothers face, hurling abuse at her and he couldn't believe what was coming out of his mouth or the cause of it.

He'd got in-between the two of them, trying to calm the younger man down, Aaron continuing to loudly air his thoughts on his mother but to him now. He'd thought him just angry but on looking into his eyes could tell his tirade was fuelled mostly by hurt and disappointment.

A bleary eyed Paddy had put in an appearance then, and on seeing him Aaron had turned his caustic tongue in his direction, letting him know exactly what he thought of him too. Like Chas he just stood there and let him rant, they probably thought it best to let him get it out of his system. But he didn't, he knew Aaron would later regret what he said, regret his loss of control.

"Alright that's enough!" He warned as he wrestled Aaron back into his room, kicking out with his foot to shut the door behind him as he did so. With a barrier between Aaron and the cause of his pain he relaxed his hold on him and just as soon as he did he felt his boyfriend pull away from him. He watched him stalk over to the window, his attention seemingly on the world outside but he knew it wasn't, "Aaron..." before he could say another word he'd turned to face him, his turbulent thoughts finding a voice.

"I told you this would happen!"

"Yes you did." Only he hadn't taken his concerns seriously, and he was more than a little shocked by the effect it had had on Aaron. He'd always found it hard to believe Chas and Paddy had once been an item, not with her being so fiery and him so...so... he wasn't sure how to label Paddy! He'd never thought for one minute they'd get it on again. But Aaron had seen it coming and in his eyes it was a train wreck, a disaster, something he seemed to believe would rock his world. All he could do now was try and reassure him, "Aaron..."

"She's a slut! She was in Carl's bed last week, Paddy's last night and as soon as Carl comes back she'll be spreading her legs for him..."

"Aaron!" He couldn't hide his shock, Aaron shouldn't be talking about his own mother like that."

"It's true you know it is. Paddy won't see it coming, one night on her back with him and he'll think they're a couple again, but she'll just right it off as another drunken mistake!"

He couldn't help but think Aaron was being way too harsh on his mother here, "You don't know that..."

"I do know that! I know her, I know him, I've seen it all before, I know how it'll end up. Paddy in pieces and her back with Carl King, and she won't look back, she won't give a toss!"

Paddy had to have learned his lesson the last time surely, Aaron needed to give him some credit, "She's hurt Paddy before, he's not stupid but he's... he's..." he was decidedly uncomfortable discussing Paddy's sex life ..."well he's got needs too and..."

"What he needs is his head looking at! I told him the other day her being here wasn't a good idea. He said they were just friends, that he knew they would never be anything more than that. You don't sleep with a friend not unless you're hoping that friendship will develop into something more!"

"What happens between them..."

"Don't tell me it's none of my business because it is."

"I wasn't going to." He just wanted Aaron to realise that loved ones couldn't always live up to the expectations you had of them, "They're the two most important people in your life..."

"Next to you!"

He couldn't help but smile at that, and at how quick Aaron had been to make that point, "... but they're only human Aaron, they're not above making mistakes, of getting things wrong... badly wrong at times, and you're just going to have to accept that and forgive them for being fallible like the rest of us."

That had been met with a stony silence, more or less what he expected, Aaron hadn't liked his words and was struggling to digest them. He knew he'd get a reaction from his next statement and he was ready for it, "You'd still like things to work out between them wouldn't you?"

"No!"

He raised a questioning eyebrow, a silent nudge for the truth, and it was soon tripping off Aaron's tongue

"He's a good man, he'd never hurt her, he'd never let her down, he'd love her always... I want that kind of relationship for her, the safe, secure kind. Why isn't it enough for her?"

"If she doesn't love him then..."

"She can love a waste of space like Carl though! She loved my dad once, another prick, yet she can't love a man like Paddy. Why?"

He knew Aaron didn't really expext an answer to that question, he doubted even Chas could answer him that. Love wasn't something you could make happen, it was something that happened to you, something you had no control over. Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't. He did know it worked for him and Aaron. He also knew Aaron was ready to accept some comfort now and so wrapped his arms around him, holding him until he felt the very last ounce of tension drain from him.

As Aaron had made his way to the bathroom he'd gone downstairs to make them both a drink. He'd expected to find the kitchen empty, was certain both Paddy and Chas were still in their respective rooms licking their wounds. What with all the upset he'd completely forgotten his mother had stayed the night ... until seeing her sat at the kitchen table, a mug of tea in her hand. He could tell by the look on her face that she'd heard the earlier vitriol, and that she wasn't impressed.

"Mum..."

"Is Aaron alright?"

"Yeah," His mother was genuinely concerned but he still felt the need to defend his boyfriend's behaviour to her, "He was upset..."

"And no wonder! That woman..."

His mum was off on one now, airing her own opinion of Chastity Dingle! He'd thought the two women were on good terms now, it would make for a quiet not to mention a much simpler a life if they were. He wanted Aaron and her to have a good relationship too but if Aaron ever heard her running Chas down like that there would be fireworks. He'd been about to open his mouth and put a stop to it only then realising it was too late, Aaron was standing in the doorway, he'd heard every word.

TBC