Taxi to Eternity
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DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV
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To my good friends Sharon and Shawn. Thanks for the inspiration, Shawn, this one's for you!
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Chas carefully put the cake on the table in Aaron and Jackson's dining room. She paused to straighten the silver '5' which had gone over slightly at an angle; making it seem detached from the '2' which preceded it. The doorbell rang and, as she walked down the hallway to answer it, she paused to check her appearance in the mirror.
"God, you're getting old, Chastity!" she sighed to herself as she looked at the slim, grey-haired lady staring back at her.
Answering the door, she saw Paddy standing there, smiling warmly at her, "The traffic's a nightmare!" he said.
"Hello to you too, Paddy!" Chas was in her usual sarcastic mood.
"Sorry!" Paddy apologised, "I thought I was going to be late!"
"No, you're alright. They're not back yet; they stayed overnight in a hotel in London as their plane got in late. Aaron texted a few minutes ago; to say that their taxi had just left Leeds."
"Oh, good!" Paddy looked relieved, "Are the others here yet?"
"Hazel's in the kitchen cooking something; don't ask me what! Adrian and Jackie had this mad idea about buying some party poppers so they're out at the shops looking for some. Adam and Laura are in the garden and Ryan and Sue just phoned to say they're on the way from their house round the corner."
"What about the Dingle clan?"
Chas took a deep breath, "Marlon couldn't get away from his shift at the pub until later; but he will be here. Lisa's got the 'flu so she's not well enough to come, Belle's still travelling around Europe and Sam's gone with Samson to meet his girlfriend's folks."
"We're five days late with this anyway!" Paddy was being pedantic as usual.
"I know Paddy," Chas said in an exasperated manner, "but Aaron and Jackson decided that they would rather spend their anniversary in the Seychelles; I can't say I blame them!"
"Adrian and Jackie didn't want to go this time?" Paddy enquired.
"No!" Chas replied, "You know what teenagers are like! It wouldn't be 'cool' to be seen on holiday with their parents! Anyway, they knew that Aaron and Jackson would want to be on their own this time; they're really thoughtful kids, those two!"
"I wouldn't call them kids!" Paddy corrected her, "Adrian's nineteen and Jackie had her seventeenth birthday last month!"
"Yeah, but they're always 'kids' to us, aren't they?" Chas smiled, "Anyway, changing the subject, how's Leo?"
"He's OK," Paddy looked a little sad, "He took it really badly when his mother passed away, but he's over the worst now. His uncle Aaron has been such a comfort to him; your son is a wonderful man."
Chas had a look of love and pride all over her face, "Yeah, who'd have thought we'd be saying that when he was younger, eh? It must have been your influence on him."
"I don't know about that," Paddy was being his usual modest self; "I think it's more to do with Jackson's influence if you ask me!"
"Where do the years go?" Chas said, wistfully, "I still remember them getting married as if it was yesterday and now; here we are for their silver wedding!"
Chas and Paddy were standing chatting in the hallway; so when the doorbell rang, Chas only had to walk a few steps to answer the door. She opened it wide to allow Ryan and his wife Sue to gain entry to the house.
"I hope we're not late," Ryan said.
"We've brought a bottle," added Sue, handing it to Chas, "I managed to grab one from the shop when I left work."
"Thanks!" Chas and Sue hugged in greeting, "I'll put it in the kitchen; I'd better make sure Hazel hasn't burned the place down by now!" Chas left Ryan, Sue and Paddy to chat.
"So!" Paddy addressed the couple, "How are things at 'Livesy-Walsh Autos'?"
Sue flicked her long, blonde hair away from her attractive face, "Really busy!" she replied, "People are all into electric cars these days...your Aaron sure has a shrewd business brain when it comes to knowing what the customers want! I'm rushed off my feet keeping up with the paperwork!"
"Take no notice," Ryan grinned, "It's me that's rushed off my feet! It's like being on a constant treadmill with all the cars rolling through the workshop!"
"My job's just as hectic as yours!" Sue gave her husband a disapproving look, "Anyway, you're the service manager; you've got your grease monkeys to do the hard graft!"
"Yeah!" Ryan rolled his eyes, "...and Aaron as an MD; you know what a hard taskmaster he can be!"
"He's OK; he's just a perfectionist!" Sue replied.
"Alright you two!" Paddy interjected, "We don't want a 'domestic' here; not on a day when we're supposed to be celebrating!"
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Aaron and Jackson were touched that most of their friends and family had turned up for their silver wedding party. They looked tanned and relaxed after their annual trip abroad and it had given them a welcome break from running their two successful businesses; Livesy-Walsh Autos and Livesy-Walsh Building Contractors. Jackson knew that his business partner Adam, along with Adam's wife Laura, would keep things running smoothly while he was away and now that his son Adrian was almost twenty, he was also capable of keeping the ship on an even keel! Aaron, of course, had his trusty second-in-command Ryan to look after things in his absence.
Everybody was enjoying the party and much food and drink was being consumed! Hazel was sitting in a corner sipping her glass of wine when Adrian sat down to talk to her. Hazel smiled at the good-looking young man fondly; he was so much like her son used to be at that age that it was uncanny.
"Are you OK Gran?" Adrian looked concerned for his Grandmother's welfare.
"I'm fine, sweetheart!" Hazel answered, "Don't worry about me! You go and have fun with the others; I'll be OK sitting here with my drink!"
"Can I get you anything? Marlon's brought some sausage rolls with him; they're really scrumptious!"
"No thanks, love, I'm sure they're very nice, but I'm full up at the moment."
Just then, Jackie joined them, "Gran! I'll put one of your old tunes on later...maybe you'd like to show us how you used to dance in the old days!"
Hazel looked into Jackie's beautiful, sparkling blue eyes; they reminded her so much of Aaron's, "You've got your father's cheek!" she chastised her grand-daughter; yet smiled at her at the same time.
Paddy was sitting on the other side of the room, chatting to Marlon, "It gets easier as time goes on, but there are days when I wake up and think she's still going to be there!"
"Rhona was a wonderful woman," Marlon looked misty-eyed, "She was a brilliant mother to Leo, I know he will never forget her."
"Of course he won't; neither will I. But he's got us to get him through it; and his Godfather Aaron of course. He's been so supportive these past few months."
"Yeah, he has. I'm proud to say that he's a Dingle! I can't believe how far he's come since he was an angry young man!"
"He's an old married man now!" Paddy chuckled at his own joke, "Twenty-five years, eh? I wouldn't have given them twenty-five minutes when they first got together!"
"They proved us all wrong, didn't they?"
Jackson banged a knife against a glass to attract everyone's attention, "I just want to say to everyone here; thanks for coming and wishing us a happy anniversary."
Their assembled friends and family clapped and cheered and Jackson looked slightly embarrassed, but he continued regardless, "As you all know, Aaron and I have had our ups and downs, but we've come through it all stronger than ever. I never thought we'd end up in a beautiful house with two beautiful kids, running our own successful businesses; but here we are today! Thanks to our Mums; and Marlon, for the lovely spread; and thanks for the cake, which looks delicious! Speaking of which," Jackson looked at his husband and beckoned him to stand by his side, "I think it's time we cut it and gave everyone a slice!"
Aaron and Jackson took the knife and cut the cake together to more applause from their guests, as Chas took a picture of them.
As they all stood around enjoying the cake, Chas took Jackson to one side, "Jackson, love, I probably don't say this as often as I should, but I'm so very proud of you. You've given Aaron such a wonderful life and I know he's so happy with you by his side. Bless you!" Chas kissed Jackson's cheek fondly.
"Oh, come on, Mama Livesy!" Jackson was welling up, "You'll have me bawling in a minute! Anyway, your son has given me just as wonderful a life too!"
"I'm serious!" Chas looked directly at him, "My son was in danger of destroying himself before he met you and you turned all that around for him; I'll always be grateful to you for that!"
Jackson looked at Chas; he did not know what else to say.
Chas picked up on his discomfort and changed the subject, "So, business is good, is it?"
"Couldn't be better," Jackson replied, "We've just completed that new wing in the hospice, where Rhona was looked after... before she died."
Chas looked a little sad at the memory, "I'm surprised that you haven't moved to a bigger house with all the money you must be making."
"Nah! We love this house," Jackson explained, "It's been really lucky for us! We've always had good luck since we've lived here."
"What's this?" Chas picked up a plaque from the shelf in front of her.
"It's a 'hospice plaque'," replied Jackson.
"A what?" Chas looked confused.
"We made a donation to the hospice to help build the new wing. They include an inscribed tile in the wall for every benefactor; and they give you a copy of the inscription to keep."
Chas looked at the words engraved on the plaque, 'Friends of Five Fields Hospice: Aaron and Jackson Livesy-Walsh'.
"So," Chas said, "Your names will be in that wall forever!"
"Well, I suppose when you put it like that; yeah! We'll always be there!" Jackson smiled.
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Later that night, Jackson was already in bed when Aaron appeared from their en-suite bathroom and climbed into bed beside him.
"God, I'm knackered!" exclaimed Aaron.
"Yeah, I know how you feel!" Jackson replied, "What with the journey home and the party, I'm done-in myself."
Aaron snuggled up to Jackson and kissed him, "Still, it's been great hasn't it? Like a second honeymoon!"
"Hark at you!" Jackson grinned, "You're getting soft in your old age!"
Aaron ignored Jackson's remark, "Jackson? Have I told you lately that I love you?"
Jackson looked into Aaron's blue eyes which always touched something deep inside him, "Tell me again!" he teased.
"I love you Jackson!" Aaron kissed his husband fondly.
"I love you too!" Jackson said, almost whispering the words, "Your Mum was asking me about our hospice plaque today."
"Oh yeah? Did you tell her the story?"
"Well, you know your Mum, she always wants to know the 'ins' and 'outs'! She said something quite profound though."
"What was that?"
"Well," Jackson continued, "She said that our names will be in that wall forever!"
"Yeah," replied Aaron dreamily as he kissed Jackson again, "We'll be together now, for all eternity!"