What can I do for you Aiden?" Karen felt herself rubbed the shoulder of her soon to be step-son. She looked towards him and was concerned by the expression that met her. She sat down on the sofa at the side of her office before motioning for him to sit beside her.
Aiden was happy to sit down, there was no doubt that he trusted Karen. It wasn't just because his Dad was head over heels with her, there was something about her that always made him feel calm. Aiden looked towards Karen. It had seemed like such a good idea, and now he was thinking it through there seemed to be so many places where it could go wrong. He didn't want Karen to think he was sticking his nose in...and he didn't want to hurt Jess, but as he thought about it more he knew that this was the only real option he had. "It's about the letter Jess got this morning." He could see straight away that Karen was surprised.
"Ok..." Karen could see that there was something worrying Aiden, and she knew how much he cared about Jess. "You can tell me Aiden...whatever it is." She looked at him and nodded.
"I know who it's from...well Jess knows who it's from...and she told me..." He looked at her. "Well...I guessed really, I could see that she was worried, and I knew there was only a few people who would worry her that much." He looked at her again, he could see in her eyes that she understood what he was saying.
"Chris..." Deep down Karen felt like she knew it had been him. Despite him not being around physically she knew that he hadn't completely gone away. Jess' baby had been fathered by him, and whether she liked it or not that meant Jess was always going to be tied to him.
Aiden nodded. "I don't know whether she's read it yet..." He took a deep breath. "I don't want to upset her...but I think she needs her Mum...whether she knows it or not." He smiled.
Karen smiled back. She found it amazing that underneath the tough exterior there was a young boy who really cared. "Jess is lucky to have you..." She nodded. She was being completely serious and she could see that Aiden knew that she meant it.
Aiden nodded. There was so much that he wanted to say. His head felt like it was spinning with mixed emotions. He wanted nothing more than to sit and talk to Karen about how he felt about her daughter. He wanted to protect her...she deserved that. But how would he explain that he was falling in love with his Dad's girlfriends daughter. There was nothing technically wrong with it...but there was more pressure. He had no doubt that Karen and his Dad were in for the long haul, and in his mind so would him and Jess...but what if...
"Aiden..." Karen was concerned about how quiet the boy had become. She had no doubt that there was lots going on with him as well. She wasn't stupid, and she knew that both Aiden and Jess were starting to question their relationship...
"Sorry, I was miles away." He stood up from the sofa. "It doesn't matter if you tell Jess it was me...she'll guess anyway." Aiden had thought about Jess' reaction, and he knew there was a chance she would hate him for it, but he had decided that she was worth it.
"Thank you for coming to me Aiden." Karen stepped towards him, despite having only been around him for a couple of months she felt truly protective of him. There was a part of Rob standing in front of her, and that was special. She wanted more than anything to hug him...but it wasn't the right time.
"I care about her Karen...I care about all of you." Aiden was thinking back to his own Mum, and no matter how much he tried he didn't seem able to shift the longing in his mind. He looked towards her. "Jess is lucky to have a Mum like you." He meant every word of it. He looked at the relationship Karen had with her kids and felt himself boil with jealousy.
"Thank you...look Aiden, I can be here for you as well...I know I'm not your Mum."
"Thank God for that...I couldn't be doing with two of her..." He knew that his words her sharp, but they both knew he was being truthful. There was no love lost between Aiden, Rob and his mother.
"You know what I mean." Karen tried to give him her best head teacher stare. "I want you to know that I'm here for you as well Aiden...if you ever need to talk, I know you've got your Dad...well I'm sure you know what I meant." Karen felt herself cringe at the failure of the conversation. Thankfully Aiden was nodding.
"Cheers Karen..."
"That's alright...and give Jess some time...I know that she cares about you as well." Karen had been watching the relationship between the two youngsters. The fact that Aiden hadn't tried to push Jess into anything stronger had amazed her. She could see how much he cared about her, yet he was being there for her and pushing his feelings to the side.
Aiden nodded. "Maybe." He stood up from the sofa. "Let her know that I'll be around if she wants to talk." He swung his bag back over his shoulder. "I'll see you later." HE nodded towards her before leaving the office. He walked along the corridors trying to figure out why he was more confused now he had left the office than when he had originally gone in.
