i'm thinking it was more of a christmas card/distant relative sort of deal. his dad sort of broke off to start a new family/life, so i'm sure he probably cut off contact with the rest of his family, as well. aidan left maine for school but he's been back since about 2012, so maybe it was the sort of situation where he heard through his mother that rory was gonna be living in town, and they've forged a relationship ever since?