The Livesy-Walsh Chronicles – Chapter 1
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DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV
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"Are you OK?" Jackson looked at Aaron with concern etched into his face.
"Yeah! Don't worry!" Aaron pulled on a red silk dressing gown with a 'Japanese' style pattern; that his husband had bought for his birthday. He was not usually a 'dressing gown person' but Jackson insisted that he should wear one in case someone ever came to the door unexpectedly; after all, he could hardly receive callers in the buff! In any case, Aaron loved Jackson dearly and he wore the garment to please his ever-loving.
"You sounded a bit 'Hughie and Ralph' in the bathroom!" Jackson continued their conversation.
"Nothing came up this time," Aaron replied, "Probably too much drink and not enough food!"
"I'm glad we only need to give one housewarming party! I'm knackered after last night!"
"YOU didn't have to prepare all the food!" Aaron was unsympathetic, "Brett took care of all that!"
"I know! But I still had to play 'mien host'! Anyway, Brett got his caterers to do all the hard work!"
"It was good of him, though! I think his mum took a shine to that waiter!" Aaron laughed.
"At least it was Sylvia doing the 'giggly schoolgirl act' this time! That's usually my mum's prerogative!" Jackson grimaced.
"Yeah, that sounds like Hazel!" Aaron smiled, "Still, as long as everyone had a good time! I wonder if Brett and Mason are awake yet."
"Knowing Brett, he'll probably be in our kitchen already...cooking breakfast!"
"Cooked breakfast!" Aaron suddenly looked a bit green around the gills; and quickly disappeared into the bathroom again!
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Jackson had been correct in his assumption. When he walked into the large kitchen of his and Aaron's new house, he found Brett slaving over a hot stove, while Mason was setting the table in the breakfast nook.
"Don't bother to set a place for Aaron," Jackson instructed, "My other half is a little delicate this morning!"
"Aaron? Delicate?" Mason stifled a laugh, "I can think of a few phrases to describe him, but..."
Brett cut his husband short, "Is he OK?"
"Nothing that a good hangover cure wouldn't put right!" Jackson smiled at Brett, "I told him to go easy on that punch! What was in it?"
"Whatever it was," Mason chipped in, "Aaron was necking it like it was going out of fashion!"
Just then, a weary-looking Aaron appeared.
"Better?" Jackson still looked concerned.
"Yeah!" Aaron answered; then he looked at Brett, "Don't cook anything for me, mate!"
"Awww!" Mason had a mischievous grin on his face, "Got morning sickness, have we?" He looked in Aaron's direction.
"You're a sarky git!" Aaron directed his remark at Mason as he sat next to Jackson at the table.
"Could you imagine Aaron being pregnant?" Jackson chortled, "He'd be even more of a pain than he is now!"
"Oi, you!" Aaron playfully punched Jackson's arm, "Remind me again; why did I marry you?"
"'Cos, I'm irresistible!" Jackson fluttered his eyelashes in Aaron's direction.
"Yeah, right!" Aaron rolled his eyes skyward.
"I hope you're going to behave yourself on our visit to the Sultan's house next week!" Mason addressed Aaron.
"Who, me?" Aaron had a look of innocence on his face, "I know how to act in polite company!"
Jackson chuckled, "Yeah...when you're sober!"
"Here you go!" Brett placed two full-English breakfasts in front of Mason and Jackson.
Aaron caught a whiff of the freshly cooked food and jumped up, "Excuse me!" he gasped as he rapidly headed for the downstairs toilet!
"Aww...my poor baby!" Jackson sighed, although Aaron was now out of earshot.
"I hope he'll be OK by the time we go to London!" Brett said.
"Yeah, it's just a hangover!" Jackson replied, "He's looking forward to thanking the Sultan personally for paying his legal expenses. Have you seen the Sultan's London pad?"
"It's in a posh part, on the outskirts of the city, but we haven't been there before," Mason informed him, "Sounds like a big place...about twenty bedrooms!"
"Are you cooking for him, Brett?" Jackson asked.
"No, not this time," Brett smiled as he explained, "We're going purely as the Sultan's guests...he did say he would invite us when he was in London; and he's obviously true to his word!"
"Seems like a decent bloke!" Jackson observed.
"There ARE still some left in the world!" Brett giggled.
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"Are you STILL messing about on that thing?" Aaron was watching Jackson typing away on his laptop computer as they sat in their living room. Brett and Mason had left for their home a couple of hours previously.
"I've got to keep up my Chatterbox account; my public expects it!" Jackson defended his actions; he knew that Aaron sometimes wanted his undivided attention!
"You post far too many Natters!" Aaron frowned, "You know it only attracts these stalkers and other head-cases!"
"ONE stalker!" Jackson corrected him, "Anyway, I've blocked him now!"
"What's his name again?"
"I don't know...nobody uses their real name, do they?"
"You do!"
"Yeah, well I'm famous! There's no point in posting Natters if people don't know who you are, is there?"
"So, you don't even know his real name?"
"He calls himself 'Nads69'."
"That's if it is a 'he'!" Aaron said.
"Oh trust me...it's a 'he' alright!" Jackson chuckled, "I'd find it strange if a woman knew some of the stuff that he does!"
"Filthy pervert! I've seen some of the stuff he's sent, remember? It's the fact that he keeps saying that he's your boyfriend that creeps me out!"
"Anyway, like I say, I've blocked him now. I did warn him I'd do it, but he took no notice!"
"Well, you're well rid of him!" Aaron scowled, "If I ever met him face to face...I'd give him a good slap!"
"That's my Aaron...always the diplomat!" Jackson chortled.
"I'm just saying..." Aaron gave up trying to wrench his husband away from the computer and went to the kitchen to fix a snack.
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A few days later, the gang were visiting the Sultan's house in London, as arranged.
"This is the life!" Aaron was stretched out on a sun-lounger next to the Sultan's indoor swimming pool. He was clad only in tight swimming trunks and Jackson admired his husband's fit body as he enjoyed his rum and coke.
Aaron looked at Jackson, dressed in light grey jogging-pants and a matching top. "Aren't you going in for a dip?" he asked.
"I'm having my drink!" Jackson replied, as if by way of explanation, "Anyway, I thought you were going to have a swim...or is your Speedo-clad display just for my benefit?"
"Turning you on, am I?" A mischievous smirk played around Aaron's lips.
"Always!" Jackson replied, although it was difficult for Aaron to tell whether he was being sarcastic or not!
"He's a top bloke, that Sultan!" Aaron said.
"Yeah, he's very down to Earth, isn't he? Pity he had to fly back to his own country so quickly."
"He's a busy man!" Aaron defended the Sultan, "Nice of him to let us stay here though. His wife is nice too, I suppose she's used to him dashing off and leaving her behind! Who'd be a 'sultana', eh?"
"Don't start that again!" Jackson remembered Aaron's 'sultana' jokes! "We'll have to get back home ourselves tomorrow anyway!"
Just then, Jackson's mobile phone rang, "I thought I had switched this off!" he said, pulling the offending item from the pocket of his grey top, "Hello!"
Aaron looked on as Jackson spoke to the caller.
"Yeah, that makes sense!" Jackson said, "Call me back with all the details, OK?" Jackson finished the call.
"Who was that?" Aaron was all agog.
"My agent!" Jackson replied, "He knows I'm in London and he wants me to call in at the London TV studios to meet a producer. Seems they're planning a new series and he wants me to audition for the role of presenter!"
"That's great!" Aaron was always happy when Jackson was in demand, "When have you got to be there?"
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? But we're due back home tomorrow!"
"I know, but I'll have to stay another day now," Jackson said.
"I've got to go back!" Aaron sounded disappointed that he and his husband would not be going back home together, "I had a call from Brian...the tax inspector is calling at the garage and I need to be there to go over the books!"
"Can't Brian handle it by himself?" Jackson suggested.
"No!" Aaron looked at Jackson, "Don't get me wrong, he's very capable and that, but I'll have to put in an appearance...otherwise it might look fishy if I do a disappearing act when the taxman cometh!"
Jackson looked as disappointed as Aaron that they would not be travelling home together, "Never mind, I expect I'll only be here for another day; we won't be parted for long! We don't usually spend much time apart."
Aaron was deep in thought, then he spoke, "I suppose we've reached a sort of a plateau, really."
"How do you mean?" Jackson raised his eyebrows.
"I mean...we're well-off, married, settled..."
"You're not getting bored with me, are ya?"
"No, never!" Aaron looked concerned that he was giving Jackson the wrong idea, "It's just that...I dunno really!"
"You think we're stuck in a bit of a rut?"
"No...I didn't say that, did I? Do YOU think that?"
"YOU were the one that started this 'reaching a plateau' business!" Jackson smiled, "I'm happy with things...never been happier!"
"Good; I'm glad you're not thinking of trading me in for a younger model!" Aaron chuckled.
"You've been in the motor trade too long! You're beginning to sound like a second-hand car salesman!"
"You are a div sometimes!" Aaron had an exasperated look on his face.
"That's more like it!" Jackson grinned, "That's the man I married!"
Aaron jumped up and crossed the narrow gap to Jackson's sun-lounger, "I'm glad you still recognise me!"
Jackson held out his arms to embrace Aaron and they kissed passionately. They broke the kiss and stared into each other's eyes, but they were interrupted by the arrival of Brett and Mason; both dressed in matching, full-length robes.
"Have you two had your dip? Or have you found something else to keep you occupied?" Mason was being cheeky.
"You'd better watch it, sunshine!" Aaron scowled at Mason, "Or you might end up in that pool a lot quicker than you thought!"
"Looking forward to tonight?" Brett cut in to try to prevent Aaron and Mason having a dig at each other.
"Yeah, should be good!" Jackson was also trying to change the subject, "Are you two going back home afterwards?"
"The Sultan's chauffeur is driving us home later in his Roller," Brett replied.
"All the way to Yorkshire?" Jackson looked amazed.
"Yup!"
"Have you got room for Aaron?" Jackson asked.
"I thought all four of us could go back together," Mason butted in.
Jackson explained about his last-minute change of plan. Brett and Mason understood and confirmed that Aaron was welcome to hitch a ride with them.
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That evening, the foursome enjoyed a few hours in a 'celebrity hotspot' in the city. The nightclub was quite lively, although they did not see many famous faces; in fact, Brett and Jackson were probably the most well-known people in the place that night! The Sultan's chauffeur arrived at the appointed time to give Aaron, Brett and Mason a lift.
"The chauffeur wants to know if you want a lift to your hotel," Aaron said to Jackson.
"No, that's OK!" Jackson smiled at his husband, "No point in sitting in a lonely hotel room! I'll stay a bit longer and get a cab later on."
"OK, babe, if that's what you want, see you when you get back home," Aaron kissed his husband goodbye.
After the other three had left with the Sultan's driver, Jackson sipped his drink and relaxed for a while. He was just about to finish his drink and make tracks for his hotel when a familiar voice called loudly from behind him.
"Jacquesone!"
Jackson spun around to be confronted by Pierre Dupont, his photographer acquaintance!
"Oh, Jacquesone! It's so nice to see you!" Pierre trilled in his 'camp' tones. He grabbed Jackson and 'air-kissed' him on both cheeks.
Jackson saw that a young, good-looking lad was accompanying Pierre. The photographer noticed that Jackson was looking at the young man and introduced them, "This is Deano!" he said, "Deano...meet Jacquesone Livesy-Walsh!"
"Pleased to meet you!" Deano shook Jackson's outstretched hand. He was about Jackson's height, with short, tousled, highlighted brown hair, light stubble covering his chin; and mesmerising clear-grey eyes.
Pierre and Deano sat at Jackson's table, without being invited! Pierre continued, "I 'ave just finished a photo-shoot with Deano...he's, 'ow you say, a coming-up model!"
Jackson had to smile inwardly at Pierre's less than perfect English, but he bit his lip and kept a straight face. "What brings you to London?" he asked.
"I 'ave ze photo-shoot from 'ell, dahling!" Pierre gabbled in his usual fashion, "I 'ad to snap a group of silly, giggling girls in front of London Bridge! I'm glad I was meeting Deano as well...it made the trip worthwhile!"
Jackson wondered just how far Pierre had gone with Deano on his photo-shoot, knowing the photographer's proclivities, but he decided that discretion was the better part of valour and did not enquire further.
Before Pierre could go into any more detail, his mobile phone rang. He answered and looked at the other two, "I 'ave to go...my friend 'as arrived at the tube station! I'll see you soon Deano, dahling! Mmmwahhh!" he 'air-kissed' his companion. "Au revoir, Jacquesone! Mmmwahh!" Jackson looked on as Pierre disappeared from view like a visiting whirlwind!
"Can I buy you a drink, Jackson?" Deano smiled and stood up.
Jackson did not see the harm in sharing a drink with Deano, "OK, thanks!" he smiled back, "I just need to go and powder my nose first!"
"OK, mate, I'll get the drinks while you're gone!"
Jackson spent the next hour chatting to Deano. He could tell that the lad was a huge fan of his and he was flattered. As time went on, he began to feel intoxicated; although he felt that he was getting groggier than he should do; for the amount of alcohol that he had consumed.
After a while, Jackson could not withstand the atmosphere in the club any longer, "I need some air!" he stood up and the room started to spin!
"I'll come with you!" Deano accompanied Jackson and held on to him as he stumbled towards the exit.
The last thing Jackson remembered was being bundled into a taxi by Deano, before he lost consciousness.