Chapter 12
"Do we have to do this now?" Aaron moaned crossly, towelling himself dry in the bedroom after his shower. He wasn't long in from his work, had spent the day looking forward to a quiet night; the telly or perhaps just a couple of pints. The text from Paddy telling him they were having visitors that evening had left him feeling grumpy and out of sorts; cheated of his evening.
"It's less than two weeks away, Aaron," said Jackson, reasonably. "We need to decide." He lay on the bed, already showered and dressed, admiring the view.
"But with all of them!"
"Well they are all coming to Scotland and they need to help decide where we're staying. It won't be easy to get somewhere."
"Why not?" asked Aaron.
"Think about it; we're ok to share a room, but the rest of them? Mum and Paddy, Chas and Cain? Or perhaps Paddy and Cain, Mum and Chas, do you think they'd go for that?"
"No I suppose not," agreed Aaron, a grin briefly lightening his grumpy expression. "I just hope Paddy has plenty of cans in."
"I stocked up in the supermarket in Hotton on the way home," Jackson said smugly, catching the towel as Aaron threw it at him.
"Clever git!" said Aaron, opening a drawer, looking for clean boxers; lingering a second or two longer, knowing that Jackson was watching him, admiring.
He pulled on his clothes, not bothering with socks or trainers, then held out his hand to Jackson, pulling him from the bed, pulling him into his arms for a quick kiss before heading downstairs to face the evening.
Hazel was in the kitchen, the table piled high with bags she was systematically emptying into cupboards and fridge, with a separate stack, waiting to go in the freezer.
"There's mince made in the pan, just needs heated; and potatoes peeled, change the water and put them on to cook Jackson, will you. And Aaron, put this lot in the freezer for me."
"What time are my mam and Cain coming over?" asked Aaron, suddenly finding his arms filled with freezing bags of food.
"Half seven, eight," Hazel replied. "Freezer Aaron, now!" she continued sharply.
...
They had eaten, cleared away and Jackson had the laptop on the kitchen table, already searching the internet – again - before Chas and Cain arrived.
Aaron lay stretched on the sofa in the living room, trying to watch the television, not seeing what was on the screen. He sipped at a can in his hand; barely grunting hello as Paddy let the visitors in, not moving from the sofa.
"Hello Aaron," said Chas, looking down at him, her greeting ignored.
"Oi!" exclaimed Cain. "She's speaking to you."
At that, Aaron looked up, glaring at Cain.
"Come through to the kitchen," interrupted Paddy, not wanting the evening to start badly. "You too Aaron, please," he continued, his gaze steady, encouraging.
Aaron flung himself to his feet, quickly pushing his way ahead of Chas and Cain, claiming the seat next to Jackson at the table. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself; he didn't know why he was feeling so narky with them; after all he had agreed to them staying together while the trial was on. Jackson gave him a quick smile, briefly touched his leg under the table with his own.
"Wine or a can, Chas," asked Hazel, handing Cain a can without even asking.
"A can please, Hazel," said Chas, taking the seat next to Aaron.
"So have you found anywhere?" questioned Cain.
"Not yet," admitted Jackson. "It's er...tricky."
"What do you mean, tricky?" said Cain crossly. "One double room – I suppose you pair of..." he paused, catching the word he was going to say, seeing Hazel's eye upon him.
"I suppose you pair," he revised, "will want a double room. And four singles. What's the problem?"
"The problem is that none of the hotels, guesthouses or B & Bs in the town have that many single rooms," blurted out Hazel, saving Jackson the difficulty of explaining. "Which means we either share," she glared at Cain, daring him to interrupt, "or we each have a double to ourselves."
"Well I'm not sharing with my sister, or him," Cain nodded towards Paddy. "And I'm afraid you're just not my type," he smirked at Hazel.
Unfazed by his remarks, Hazel raised her eyebrows, "you wouldn't be able to keep up, Cain," she said, verbally patting him on the head like a little boy.
Behind the laptop screen, Jackson slid lower in his chair, grinned at Aaron, was relieved to receive an answering smile, allowing him to hope his mood was thawing.
"Well I don't mind sharing," said Chas, "save money, won't it."
"You are not sharing with him!" Aaron exclaimed, glaring at her, looking to Paddy for confirmation.
"I didn't mean with Paddy," said Chas, a little bemused at Aaron's sudden outburst. All that was behind them; they had both moved on, she thought he knew that. "I meant with Hazel."
"Well I'm up for it if you are," smiled Hazel. "What about you boys?" she looked between Paddy and Cain, her eyes sparkling with laughter now.
Their faces were pictures of horror; mirror images of what they thought of that idea, even had they both not protested their dislike of the idea in absolute unison; there was no mistake, they would not be sharing.
"Right then," continued Hazel, "That's a double, a twin and two doubles or twins, but check if they have any singles Jackson."
Jackson looked at the computer screen, clicked, clicked again, looked up, looked at the faces round the table, the faces watching expectantly.
"I'll be a few minutes, checking availability," he said, hoping they would take the hint, move away, stop watching him. "Can I get another can, and a pen and bit of paper?
Aaron got up; by the time he had reached the fridge, taking more cans out, there was a general scurry of movement away from the table. He handed Jackson his can, keeping one for himself; then found his way blocked by Chas, found himself herded to a quieter corner of the kitchen as Paddy, Cain and Hazel wandered through into the living room. He lent against the work top and waited.
Chas glanced at Jackson, engrossed; she would rather have spoken to Aaron alone, but at least Cain and Hazel had gone out of the room with Paddy.
She looked at him, looked into his face, surly and scowling, wondering what she had done wrong now.
"Are you still alright, with this, Aaron? With us staying together? It's just..." Chas paused, uncomfortable, awkward in what she was trying to say. "It's just if you'd rather we didn't, now's the time to say."
Aaron sighed, his eyes flicking all round the kitchen, seeking escape. He let his eyes rest on Jackson a moment; Jackson engrossed in what he was doing. He knew Jackson thought it was important that they stayed together, had encouraged him to accept the idea; he had done, had asked Chas and felt pleased, realising that Jackson had been right, seeing her delight.
Finally he looked at Chas, shook his head, a tiny movement, resigned, bemused, he wasn't sure quite how he felt.
"No, it's fine. It's just...I'm tired; I'll be glad when it's all over."
"If you're sure then, cos, Cain and I, we can easily get somewhere else," said Chas, missing a chance to ask, to understand him, just a little more.
Aaron looked at Jackson, aware now that he was watching him, smiling at him, his huge chocolate brown eyes full of unspoken encouragement.
"I'm sure," said Aaron firmly, "we'll all stay in the same place. You finding anything Jackson?"
"There're a couple of possibilities, need to run them by everyone."
A few minutes later they were all gathered round the laptop as Jackson flipped through the websites of the hotels, the B & Bs, that appeared to be able to accommodate them. Aaron said nothing, not joining in the buzz of discussion and debate; he didn't really care where they stayed, he just wanted it over, finally behind him. Eventually they settled on some sort of order, a shortlist that suited everybody. Jackson agreed to phone them in the morning, the evening had passed, it was later than they expected, the chance to finalise arrangements gone until the next day.
"What about travelling up there?" Hazel asked, her cheeks glowing after a glass or three of wine. "Are we all going together?"
"You and Chas can go by broomstick," muttered Cain into his can of lager.
"What did you say?" asked Hazel, not catching his words.
"I said the lads can get the car back," Cain said, covering his tracks. "The Megane they borrowed the other week."
"Thanks Cain," said Jackson, looking towards Aaron, waiting for him to speak, to add his thanks.
"Yeah, thanks Cain," added Aaron, responding to Jackson's unspoken prompt.
"Oh, I don't know," said Chas. "Maybe Paddy and Hazel would prefer to go separately. Paddy?"
Surprised at the question, thrown into confusion at having to give an opinion, Paddy muttered and mumbled, dithered, stuttered.
"Well, maybe...perhaps. What do you think Cain? Perhaps we don't need to decide now?" His head swithered from one to another, wanting someone to agree with him, someone else to make the decision.
Aaron looked at Jackson, caught his eye, raised his own eyes upwards, indicating his desire for escape. Nodding, agreeing, Jackson began shutting down the laptop. Around them, animated conversation flowed between their relatives, plans and possibilities thrown into the melting pot of ideas, argued for and against by each and all.
Unnoticed, Jackson and Aaron moved from the kitchen, crossed the living room, reaching the safety of the stairs; freedom beckoned, the freedom and privacy of their bedroom.
Reaching their oasis of peace, Jackson flung himself on the bed, Aaron perching awkwardly on the edge.
"Oh my god!" exclaimed Jackson, laughing, stretching, putting his hands behind his head.
"What is there to laugh at?" said Aaron moodily.
"If I didn't laugh at them, I'd go mad," he smiled. "Did you hear what Cain said?"
Aaron shook his head.
"He said that our mums could go by broomstick. Broomstick! Amazed that one of them didn't hear him; they would have so had him! And we've got three days with the four of them! Madness!"
Aaron smiled; he couldn't help himself, seeing Jackson, catching his infectious laughter, he allowed the pictures to form in his mind; Chas and Hazel on matching broomsticks, soaring and diving, tumbling and crashing.
"Yaaayyyyy! A smile!" teased Jackson, rolling round, pulling him backwards onto the bed. "Now! What could I possibly do to keep you smiling?" Looking down at Aaron, his dark eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Fuck me senseless, let me wake up on the 4th when it will all be over," Aaron smiled up at him, his bad mood evaporating. "Failing that, stick a DVD on and come under the covers with me."
"What do you want on?" asked Jackson, going to the pile of DVDs beside the small television.
"Nothing heavy," replied Aaron, sliding out of his trackkie bottoms, sliding under the covers, leaving his trackkies to drop to the floor.
Jackson turned two DVD boxes towards him in suggestion, smiling, hinting which of the two he would prefer.
"Okay, 'Kinky Boots' it is then. But don't think I don't know you fancy that Lola one," Aaron teased.
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," smirked Jackson, dropping his jeans before sliding under the covers, pulling Aaron into his arms. "I dare say I could fancy you in a pair of thigh high boots," he let his cold fingers trail along Aaron's bare thigh under the covers. "Shiny red PVC ones, 6 inch heels..." Jackson's voice took on a dreamy quality, his eyes misting, imagining the scene playing in his mind.
"No way!" exclaimed Aaron, laughing.
"And you could wear them under your overalls, nothing else, then I would peel your overalls off leaving..."
"Keep it in your dreams, Walsh!" Aaron interrupted. "You can be such a perve!"
"And you love it!" replied Jackson, pulling him in closer, stealing a kiss, enjoying the response from his lips, the movement in his body as he pushed himself closer, continuing the kiss.
"Right, film," said Jackson as their lips parted, as they cuddled further under the covers against the cold. "I'll give it a while, let Chas and Cain get away, then get coffee."
But there was no coffee that night, there was very little film seen or enjoyed, very little fantasy entertained. Sleep quickly overcame them, tangled and entwined bodies sharing their night; peaceful and troubled, dreamless and dream-filled. As Aaron's sleeping mind was flooded with pictures, images, teasing him, tormenting him still; Jackson was beside him, stirring, not to full wakefulness, yet not asleep either but able to take him, hold him, comfort him, allowing him to sleep again, knowing nothing but his presence until morning.
