Saviours and Lovers – Chapter 1
-O-
DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV
-O-
It's called déjà-vu; that was the feeling Jackson was having as he steered his Jaguar car up the driveway to Home Farm. So many times in the past, he had visited the house to do a job, back in Declan's day; and now he and Aaron were guests of the new owners; Brett and Mason.
"We're here a bit early for the party, aren't we?" Aaron said from the passenger seat of the car, as they drew up outside the entrance to the house.
"Brett and Mason want us to settle into our room," Jackson replied, "It's nice of them to let us stay the night so that we don't have to worry about driving home after having a drink."
Brett appeared at the door; looking a little flustered, "Hi Guys!" he greeted both Aaron and Jackson with hugs.
"You OK!" Jackson asked.
"Yeah! It's just that my mum and your mum are doing my head in! The caterers are here organising the food for the party and those two have appointed themselves supervisors! I told them to go and sit down and relax, but you know what they're like!"
"Tell me about it!" Jackson said with feeling! "Where's Mason?"
"He's out the back with his dad, showing him the garden; my husband's discovered green fingers since we moved here! Come on, I'll show you to your room; you can drop your bags in there and then come and have a drink."
"It's very good of you to put us up!" Jackson smiled at his friend.
"Don't even mention it!" Brett returned the smile, "It's the least I can do, after all the times you gave me a bed for the night!"
"Well...a sofa, anyway!" A wry smile played around Jackson's lips, "It seems like a lifetime ago now!"
"Back then you needed a place to crash out," Aaron said, "...and now, you're the owner of this place!"
"Yeah!" Brett had a wistful look in his eyes as he surveyed his house, then he headed for the door, beckoning Aaron and Jackson to follow, "Come on, guys!"
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So many familiar faces were at the party that Aaron and Jackson felt that it was a reunion, rather than a housewarming! Chas, Marlon, Paddy, Rhona, Adam; all the old 'gang'...Brett and Mason had made lots of friends since moving to Home Farm and they had issued invitations to anyone who had a 'connection' with Aaron and Jackson!
Mason's family and friends were also at the party...his parents Tony and Penny, brother Bryn, sister Gwyneth with her boyfriend Aiden, who was also Brett's best mate. Mason's cousin, Kai, was also there. Mason had forgiven Kai for 'making a play' for his husband before they were married and they were friends again; they had grown up together and their life-long connection meant that they were more like brothers than cousins. Kai had apologised for his behaviour and Mason could see that he was sincere and had decided to let bygones be bygones; as Kai had obviously done some growing up. In any case, Mason had won the prize...Brett!
Later in the evening, Bryn was standing outside the front entrance to the house, all alone in the still, warm summer night. Jackson went outside for a breath of fresh air and spotted him.
"Hi Bryn, how's the job in London going?" Jackson asked.
"Hi Jackson! Yeah, it's good, thanks! I'm sharing a flat with a buddy from work, so it's not costing too much to live down there!"
"That's handy!"
"Yeah!" Bryn looked a little pensive; something was obviously on his mind. He reminded Jackson so much of Mason when he wore that expression.
"Is everything OK?" Jackson enquired.
"Listen, mate, can I ask you something in confidence, if you don't mind!"
"Sure, fire away!"
"Promise me you won't breathe a word of this to anyone; especially my folks!" Bryn looked worried.
"Mate, I'm very good at keeping secrets; and I'm very discreet, you can trust me, buddy! What is it?"
Bryn looked at Jackson and he felt that he was being sincere, so he continued, "It's about this guy I share with; Mitch is his name, he's a cameraman and we get on really well. Anyway, last night, we were having an evening in. We shared a few cans and got a bit tipsy," Bryn looked as if he was about to back out of telling his story, but he continued, "Anyway, one thing led to another and we ended up sharing the same bed!" Bryn looked at Jackson again, "Don't tell anyone!"
"It's OK!" Jackson smiled at Bryn, "Don't worry! I won't say anything! So, are you saying you slept with him?"
"Yeah! But I'm not gay!" Bryn sounded defensive, "I've slept with girls before; I don't understand it!"
"Did you enjoy it, with Mitch I mean?" Jackson suddenly checked himself, "Sorry! I don't mean to be nosey!"
"It's OK!" Bryn replied, "Yeah, I did! That's partly why I told you...you're gay and I wondered if you might be able to explain what's happening to me!"
"Do you want to do it again?"
"I don't know!" Bryn looked at the floor, "I suppose so...yeah!"
"Maybe you're bi!"
"How do you mean...I swing both ways?"
"That's one way of putting it!" Jackson chuckled a little, "Look, I've heard it said that many people are not wholly straight or gay. You've got completely straight people at one end of the spectrum and completely gay people at the other; and the rest are somewhere in between."
"How did you know you were gay?" Bryn paused, "Sorry, I don't mean to sound rude!"
"That's OK!" Jackson tried to put Bryn at his ease, "I just knew, from quite an early age. I never really had any interest in girls!"
"But that's just it!" Bryn was still confused, "I like girls! I'm not like Mason...he's like you; he's always been gay. We've always known with him! But me..."
"You've always thought you were straight?"
"Yeah...but now, I don't know!"
"This Mitch," Jackson continued, "Is he gay?"
"Well, he tells me he's slept with girls, like I have! But, he really got into it!" Bryn looked at Jackson, wondering if he had said too much.
"Go on!" Jackson encouraged Bryn to continue.
"He says he'd like to do it again! I don't know...my head's all over the place!"
"Look, just chill out!" Jackson's calm voice helped Bryn a lot, "You've experimented and found that you enjoyed it, but that's nothing to feel guilty about! Give yourself time to find out what you want; and, at the end of the day, if you find out that you are gay...it's not the end of the world!"
"But," Bryn still seemed unsure of himself, "If I am; how am I going to explain it to my parents? They've already got one gay son...how are they going to react to having two?"
"Is that all that's bothering you?" Jackson looked Bryn in the eye, "Look, I've come to know Penny and Tony; they're sound as a pound! They've stood by Mason and they'll do the same for you; trust me! They love you to bits, all three of you!"
Aaron appeared and stood by his husband, "I wondered where you'd sloped off to! Guess what? Aiden's just told me he's thinking of asking Gwyneth to marry him!" He looked at Bryn, "Oops! Maybe I shouldn't have said anything in front of 'big brother'!"
"That's OK! I already had an idea that it was on the cards!" Bryn smiled and then winked at Jackson, "Thanks mate...if you're ever down south, look me up and I'll buy you a pint!"
Bryn left Aaron and Jackson alone.
"What's he thanking you for?" Aaron asked.
"I just gave him a bit of advice, that's all!"
"Oh!" Aaron said, without requesting any further details!
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Brett and Mason were already in the kitchen the next morning when Aaron and Jackson came downstairs.
"What would you like for your breakfast?" asked Brett.
"Whatever's easiest!" Jackson smiled.
"I'll cook you one of my famous bacon and tomato omelettes!" Brett was already clattering around with cooking implements and utensils.
"Great, I used to love them when you stayed with us at Dale Head!" Aaron said, "You're a brilliant chef!"
"Thanks, mate!" Brett replied.
"Why do you think I married him?" Mason chuckled and put his arms around Brett's waist from behind.
"I thought you married me for my money!" Brett joked.
"You didn't have any at first!" Mason replied with a cheeky grin, "Anyway, I'd still have married you if you were penniless and living in a cardboard box!" He kissed the back of Brett's neck.
Aaron and Jackson looked on and smiled, then Aaron winked at Jackson, "Come on, you two lovebirds, there's some hungry mouths to feed over here!" Aaron had always been a cheeky one!
All four of them laughed. They were all relaxed in each other's company; true friends.
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About a week after the party, Brett and Mason were cuddled up together in their bed one night. Mason ran his right hand up and down Brett's arm, delighting at the touch of his warm skin.
"The papers arrived this morning," Mason said.
"What papers?" Brett did not know what Mason was referring to.
"You know, the Deed Poll stuff, to change my name!"
Brett had a surprised look on his face, "You mean, you're really going ahead with it?"
"Yeah...of course. There's nothing I want more than to be called 'Mason Frost'!"
"Are you sure, babe? It's quite a big step; changing your name!"
Mason looked at Brett and their eyes locked, "I want our names to be the same...I want to be joined to you in every way possible!"
"Oh Mason, I do love you!" Brett looked close to tears and Mason embraced him and kissed him lovingly.
"I love you too, so much!" Mason's eyes looked moist now.
They held each other for a few moments; no words were needed to convey their feelings.
"I'm really glad you've made it up with Kai," Brett said, "I'd hate to think I'd come between you!"
"Don't talk wet!" Mason kissed Brett softly on the forehead, "None of it was your fault! Anyway, you're much more important to me than him!"
Brett kissed Mason again, gently, on the lips, "Yeah, but he's a big part of your life; when you were growing up and that."
"Just forget about it!" Mason smiled at his husband, "Anyway, Kai's got a boyfriend now; Tyler, I think he's getting serious about him!"
"Why didn't he bring him to the party last week, then?"
"He's an airline steward; he was working and couldn't get out of it."
"I see," Brett stared into Mason's amazing green eyes, "It's a pity you can't get out of your trip next week!"
"Yeah, but I did promise my mum and dad," Mason looked resigned to the fact that he had promised to accompany his parents to his grandfather's funeral in Wales, "Anyway, I loved Gramps, he was a lovely old man; you'd have liked him!"
"It's a pity I'm in London for three days next week doing the judging for that TV cookery competition, otherwise I could have come with you."
"Never mind, I don't suppose it will be much fun anyway, what with the funeral and sorting out my granddad's affairs!"
Brett looked sad, "Yeah, I'm would have liked to have met him; I'm so sorry you've lost a loved one."
"Thanks, babe. He was in a lot of pain towards the end and it was a happy release really, poor old soul."
"You do realise, we've never spent a night apart since we got married! I'll miss you."
Mason kissed Brett, more passionately this time. When he broke the kiss, he gazed into the blue eyes that he loved and rubbed noses with his partner, "I'll miss you too...but it is only a few days. The time will go by before you know it!"
"Well, I'd better make the most of it, while I've still got you here!" Brett smirked.
"Mmm!" Mason moaned as he thrilled to Brett's loving touch; they were about to take advantage of the situation!
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Brett was getting packed, ready for his trip to London the next day. Mason had just left to go to his parent's house; in preparation for his trip to Wales.
Just as Brett came down the stairs, there was a knock at the door. He was not expecting visitors and nothing could have prepared him for the shock he received when he opened the door; because there, standing on the doorstep, was someone he had not seen for a couple of years.
"Dad!" Brett gasped in surprise.
George Frost's face broke into an uncharacteristic smile, "Hello, son!" he said.