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Vic stared down at her phone, her brow wrinkled in frustration.
“Problem?” Tracy asked, leaning onto the bar.
“Robert. I’ve been texting him for three days now and he’s not responded.”
“Erm, didn’t he and Aaron just get back together? Merry Christmas and all that?”
“I know but that was three days ago. They have to come up for air sometime.”
“Oh I don’t know about that,” Layla chimed in. “Two fit lads as in love with each other as those two are… making up for lost time.”
The pub door opened and Liv walked in.
“Liv, could you tell my ridiculous brother to look at his phone every now and again?”
Liv gave her an odd look. “I’ve not seen him.”
“What?”
“Been staying with Gabby since Boxing Day, haven’t I?”
“Why?”
“Seriously? Did you not see how those two were looking at each other at Christmas dinner. I don’t need to be permanently scarred. Till at least one of them sticks their head out the house, I’m not going back there.” Liv continued on through the other doors to the toilets.
“Three days,” Layla said, once the teenager was gone. “Suppose Robert had to earn that reputation of his somehow.”
Vic made a disgusted face. “Ugh. That’s my brother you’re talking about.”
“Chrissie,” Tracy turned around and called to the businesswoman who was reading something on her phone. “We know you hate Robert with the fire of a thousand suns and all…”
“Understatement,” she said dryly.
“But true talk… Is Mr Sugden deserving of his reputation…? For science.”
Chrissie took a sip of her wine.
“Well… In the interest of science… let’s just say I’d give them another two or three days before sending in a search party.”
Tracy and Layla squealed and giggled respectively.
“Er… Are we eating at all today?” David asked from his seat in his booth.
“Shush, we’re having important discussions.”
“You’re discussing Robert and Aaron’s sex life,” he said as Liv re-appeared through the doors behind him.
“Oh, Vom… What are you like?”
“Er, sorry,” he said, sheepishly.
Liv rolled her eyes and stomped back through the door to the back exit.
More of the evening crowd began streaming in then putting a pause on the conversation.
About an hour later, one half of the reunited couple staggered into the Woolpack. Robert was in jeans and a black hoodie that was usually seen on his husband. His hair, though neatly combed, was not up to its usual standard, not a drop of product to be found.
“Vic,” he greeted his sister as she placed a bowl of soup in front of Jimmy.
“Oh so you do remember my name then.”
Robert made a face. “Is my order ready? I called it in to Marlon.”
“So how have you been Sis? So sorry I’ve been ignoring you for days.”
“Sorry. Been… busy,” he said. “How’ve you been?”
Marlon chose that moment to come out of the kitchen with Robert’s take-away bags in a cardboard tray. Robert placed some money on the bar.
“Cheers, Marlon.”
“Having a party, are we?”
“What?”
“Eight burgers…”
Rob shook his head. “No. They’re for Aaron and me.”
“Eight!” Marlon said.
“Protein, innit?” Tracy said with a, placing her empty glass on the bar.
“We’re hungry,” Robert said with a shrug, and a proud smirk.
“So sit down for 5 minutes, eat and visit.”
He shook his head. “Aaron’s waiting.”
“I bet he is,” Tracy said. Robert wiggled his eyebrows at her knowingly.
“Seriously though, Rob. Three days?” Victoria whined.
“I told you. We’ve been busy.”
Quicker than anyone expected, Vic leaned across the bar and pulled at the zipper of the hoodie her brother was wearing.
“Too busy to put a shirt on I see.”
“That’s some interesting camouflage you’ve got there Mr Sugden,” Tracy grinned. “Give Aaron my complements.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Robert said pulling the zipper back up. He wasn’t embarrassed in the slightest but as some more punters had just entered the pub, it was a colder than he would like.
“I really didn’t need to see that,” Marlon said, heading into the back.
“So where is that man of yours?” Tracy said with a cheeky smile. “Still able to walk?”
“Now that would be telling. Vic, I’ll see you in a few,” Robert said heading to the exit, a huge, unashamed smile on his face.
End