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Aaron sat on the hard plastic chair, bouncing his leg as he sat with Diane and Victoria waiting for news. He couldn’t look at his hands, because they were still bathed in Robert’s blood. If he did, he’d see the proof that the man he loved with all his heart had been hurt. Instead he played over their last conversation in head.
Robert had come to see him at the scrapyard, he’d told him he was leaving and had no intention of ever coming back. Aaron had been so angry at Robert’s selfishness. He was leaving him behind, leaving him behind to face Andy and Diane’s wrath when they found out about his involvement in Katie’s death. His mum already hated him for covering up what had happened, for choosing Robert above doing what was right.
For someone who had just admitted his guilt to his brother, Robert had appeared remarkably calm. Aaron had stared at him in disbelief at first as Robert told him about confessing everything to Andy, he’d even sounded proud of himself for keeping Aaron’s involvement a secret. He’d even smiled at him, the smile that he saved for Aaron, the smile that Aaron had fallen in love with. Though at that moment, Aaron had wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. Before he had chance, Robert took a step closer, composing himself before speaking
“You know Aaron for what’s worth I don’t regret for a single second meeting you, falling in love with you. I just wish I’d met you first. If I had, I wouldn’t have ruined Chrissie’s life, Katie would still be here and you wouldn’t hate me like you do now. I never believed I would fall in love with someone so much it hurt, but I have. I know it is cliché to say it, but I have never loved anyone like I love you, I know you are it for me and I will have to live for the rest of my life knowing that I was the one to destroy everything we had. Even right from the very beginning I couldn’t get enough of you. I fell for you long before I dared admit it. When you told me you loved me I wasn’t ready to hear it, because I couldn’t believe someone as beautiful as you could love someone like me. I’m damaged, I know that. I have daddy issues, I find it hard to trust anyone but you made me believe I was worthy of your love. And I destroyed that love with my lies. I have Katie’s blood on my hands and I will learn to live with the guilt, but what I can’t live with, is the knowledge that you hate me. I know I have no right to ask anything of you, but I do ask though that you don’t give up on love, because you deserve to be happy. You deserve to meet someone who is worthy of your love, someone who will love and cherish you. I just wish I could have been that man.”
Before Aaron had chance to react he found himself enveloped in Robert’s arms
“I love you” he whispered into Aaron’s ear before kissing the side of his head. With that he let go of Aaron and walked back to his car and seemingly out of his life.
Fate however had other ideas, which was why Aaron was sat on a hard plastic chair praying to whatever God that Robert lived, because Aaron couldn’t even begin to imagine his life without Robert.