I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT 'S CHARACTERS...THEY BELONG TO ITV1
AUTHORS NOTE: Thanks for all the reviews x
Xxx
MID-MARCH 2013
The sea is so gentle, as the calm waves lap up on to the goldern sands.
The sun is so bright, and the rays feels so good on me back...
And a shadow is caste over me...I look up and Aaron is smiling down at me with a pair of silly sunshades on...and THAT cap!
"don't just stop there and gorp at me you div, rub some more cream into me..." I cry at him...but I am only teasing and he knows it...he always knows it.
First I hear a 'shit' as the cream squirts up into his face...and I smile cheekily.. he LIKES that anyway!
And then I hear the slap of his hands on me back, as he massages the cream into me.
"What a way to spent our first anniversary a...on our favourite beach..." I say.
Aaron smiled as he finished applying the cream and capped the bottle up...he then laid beside me...poor Aaron...red as a lobster...but there's no telling him...
Suncream is for wimps...
I lay there quietly...and Aaron is fidgety...he's ALWAYS fidgety on the beach...because he can't just lie there...
He turns his head to me, " I'm hot! I'm gonna be taking a dip, me"
And he's up on his feet again kicking sand in me face... HE laughs when he realises as I cough and spit out the sand from my mouth.
"Are YOU coming in..." he asks.
I shrug, " not yet...maybe in a while..."
Aaron jogs off to the sealine and turns, his face obscured by the bright sun now..."hey Jackson!...
...WILL YOU WAIT FOR ME...!"
Jackson opened his eyes...and as he raised his head off from the pillow, he feels that his eyes are wet...he wiped them quickly with his hands.
He liked dreaming...especially about Aaron...it helped him forget the reality of the situation, he, all alone in this bed...Aaron stuck in that damned hospital.
He sat up and stretched...it was sunday it was their anniversary...a year ago they had got wed...and the way they SHOULD be spenting it was only happening in his dreams.
Jackson swung his legs round and got up...there was a few things he wanted to sort out today, so he decided he couldn't just lie there in self pity, like he did most sunday mornings now, he had things to do, folk to see, pick up Jack from Sarah's...drop Aaron's stuff over to Smithy...
He grabbed his towel and headed out to the bathroom to grab his shower.
Xxx
In the village Rhona watched as Chas and Paddy were standing in the middle of Aaron's old bedroom in Smithy cottage.
"NO Paddy! " cried Chas, " his bed went in THAT direction...it's got to be the same or NOTHINGS gonna jog his memory, is it"
Paddy was flustering around with the bed, as he was turning it...Chas stood there hand to her face supervising...Rhona laughed, she felt wrong for doing so, but them two together...it was like a comedy act with all their bickering...
...then again they DID have history.
And at that thought, Rhona stepped foward, "look I've made a brew down stairs...wanna come down and have it, or it's gonna get cold, otherwise"
Paddy smiled at her, "Now, THAT sounds definately WHAT we need..."
Chas had other ideas, as she waved her hand about her, " BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THIS...Jackson will be through in a bit with all of Aaron's stuff...we NEED to get it sorted Paddy!" she told, raising her voice in concern.
Paddy grabbed her shoulders, "AND IT WILL BE! just calm down...we have PLENTY of time...it's gonna be fine..."
Chas wasn't so sure, but she shook her head, " OK...JUST a quick brew...I'm telling yah,I want this all finished today..." and with that she was heading down the stairs leaving Paddy to manage the bed on his own.
Xxx
Jackson drove his van up to Smithy and as he came to a halt, Chas was already flying out the door to the house, " ABOUT time Jackson, WHAT took you...we need to get Aaron's room all sorted..."
Jackson had barely stepped his foot out of the van, as he watched open mouthed, as Chas was forcing open the vans rear door.
Jackson stepped around and joined her, " ALL of his shirts are in this bag...all his trakkies and jeans are in this one...well the ones he left at mine anyway..."
A lot of Aaron's things were of course lost...lost in the crash in his holdall.
Chas was already snatching up the bags, " ohhhhh WHERE is our Cain! He should be here helping us...trust HIM not to be around when you need him to be..."
Jackson placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled at her, " HEY! I am here now...WE'RE get it all sorted and ready for him, I promise..."
Chas shook her head, " yeah...COURSE you will love, but lets crack on shall we..."
Clearly struggling with the bags, Jackson half smiled as she trotted back off toward the entrance to Smithy in her high heels, trying to avoid the melting patches a pack ice that was littered about the pathway.
Blimey Chas WAS in a panic...the Consultant had only said to them the day before that Aaron could come home the first week of April...that was some 2/3 weeks away...
But he could understand it...it was best it all be ready for him.
Xxx
Jackson glanced around the room...it WAS like old times, Aaron's old room in Smithy.
The rows they had in here...when they first got together...he could hear them play out now in his mind as he sat on the bed...their old bed...the one he had made love gently to Aaron for the first time.
That first morning waking up...Aaron was ALREADY up and about...and became all formal and asking whether he wanted a tea or a coffee...
He smiled at the thought, such a long time ago now...
Chas was then coming in barking orders at Zac, " ABOUT GLAD YOU'VE turned up...you can give Paddy a shifty on with that Wardrobe at mine..."
Zac was holding up his hands to her, " ANYTHING you say love...just be leaving them drinks for us ready behind the bar...could be thirsty work this..."
She then seemed to notice Jackson sitting still on the bed, " HEY! don't just be sitting there love, there's STILL plenty to crack on with, you know..."
Jackson stood up, and pulled out something from one of the bags he had brought in from the van, "Actually, I got a few things for him..." he handed over a photo of himself with Jack and Aaron...the one snapped on Blackpool pier...
"...and there's a few drawings from Jack...silly things but Aaron always stuck them up..."
Chas gazed at the photo, now in her grasp, " Team Jackson on holiday a...it's a nice photo love...I'm sure it'll you know help him..."
Jackson swallowed down hard...he had to keep it together...but Chas was the one breaking down now, she looked up at him with teary eyes, " WILL he remember though...will he be Aaron again...the old Aaron, because I start to think and think and come up with all these ideas that he just gonna be this half person who is a shell to his formerself..."
Jackson took Chas into his arms and held her for a while...he felt her pain, knew her pain...
because he had been feeling it often enough.
He knew he HAD to be the strong one now...he HAD to be the one to take charge...
Xxx
With MOST of it done, and as ready for Aaron as well as they were going to get it, Jackson had to leave and pick his son up from Sarah's.
Jackson pulled up on to the driveway to Sarah's place , and as usual like it was every week when he came here, Sarah had the door open and Jack was flying out with his rucksack.
Jackson cuddled his son, " hey little man...whos missed you?"
"you have!" came Jack's reply...Jackson dug his face into his sons shoulder...he always felt comfort in that...
Sarah was then upon them, " you look worn out Jackson..." she commented.
Jackson stood up and shook his head, " we were errr...getting 'the' room ready..." he had to be cryptic because he didn't want to say the 'A' word infront of Jack, because it always started him off with a shed load of questions...first one 'WHERE is my uncle Aaron...'
Sarah raised her eyebrowes at him, " so...it's soon then..."
"yeah...in a couple of weeks" Jackson replied trying to keep up the smiling, " anyway, we better get going, I've gotta get this one to Judo for 6, and I've only got a couple of hours..."
"well he's had his tea, so that'll help yah..." told Sarah watching as Jackson helped his son climb into the van...instantly he was crawling into the driving seat grabbing hold of the steering wheel.
As Jackson slammed the door shut and rounded over to the drivers side, Sarah came forward "oh I almost forgot! We've set a date for the wedding, now that the divorce has come through with Jeff...keep the 12th of July free...the pair of you are invited..."
Jackson looked up as she said 'pair', " who... me and Jack?"
"NO silly! you and...Aaron" she mouthed, but there was no danger of Jack listening anyway, he was still playing goods driver inside the van.
Jackson nodded his head with a smile and opened the drivers door, " COME ON you, shift over...we gotta pop over to Joe's place before Judo..."
Sarah waved as they reversed out of the driveway, and pulled away up the road.
Xxx
In no time, Joe opened the door to see Jackson and Jack standing there, " alright mate! come in..."
Jackson wiped his feet as did Jack copying his dad, " so what brings you round...this is unexpected mate"
Jackson was immediately flipping out his wallet from his back pocket and was handing Joe over some money, " there you go mate 140 notes...that us squared for the what you borrowed me for THEM flights..."
Joe looked up at him, " you didn't have to pay me now...you're skint arn't yah...you can..."
Jackson was waving up his hands refusing to take the money back, " NO! I don't want it...I always pay me debts me!"
Joe knew his best mate was a proud man, so he pocketed the money and offered them a drink instead, " have you time for a beer..."
Jackson scrutinized the time and nodded, " errrr...yeah, go on then, I'll have a beer with yah..."
Jack was sitting in the armchair, " mines a beer too Joe" he sang.
"HIS' a be a squash actually, can't be having you turning up to Judo knocking out those other kids with beer fumes, can yah..."
Jack was jumping up, " Joe can I look at your fish?"
Joe smiled at the lad, " go on then, you know where they are, upstairs..."
Jack ran off with his orange squash as Jackson and Joe sat down with their cans, " look...I'll have to apologise for Rob the other night mate...he had NO right saying that to you..."
Jackson waved his hand, " all forgotten mate"
"No it's not...he had no right saying Bar West's golden couple are no more...he were just pissed, that's all"
"I said it were forgotten mate...maybe he has a point, a? We are no more...in a sense anyway..." Jackson told glancing to the carpet, then looked up at him, " out is he?"
Joe stood up and went and handed him an envelope, " yep, working late AGAIN...it's getting to be a habit...there you go...happy anniversary mate..."
Jackson was wide eyed as he took the envelope...he then screwed his face up and sobbed abit, Joe sat beside him and pulled his mates head to his shoulder, "I know mate...just let it out yeah...better out than in, Jack'll be busy with feeding the fish...I'm sure Rob won't be missing another two..."
He smiled as he said that...Jack did have the tendency of over feeding them!
Jackson pulled himself together and wiped his eyes with his sleeve, " sorry mate...it's all I do at the moment is cry...I'm getting sick of it meself!"
"are you gonna go see him..." asked Joe reaching for his Beer can.
Jackson shook his head, " yeah, just as soon I've dropped the little man off to Judo...I'll show him this ...HE'LL be made up mate...most people have forgotten...you can't blame them mind, because of all what's happened"
Joe smiled at him, " you know where I am mate, when he's home and things might get hard for yah for any reason...anytime you want to talk I'm here for yah...forget Rob, HE'S not your mate, I am..."
They stood up and Jackson hugged his mate and kissed him on the cheek, " cheers for that...and cheers for the beer!" he downed it and called out, " COME ON JACK, leave them fish alone it's time to go mate!"
Jack was running down the stairs and bolted into the room with his empty squash beaker that Joe took off him.
"Right lets get you to this judo..." Joe smiled at them and watched them go...
Jackson wanted to get something before he dropped Jack off...something for him to sign.
Xxx
Jackson had spent 10 minutes trying to find the right anniversary card for him and Aaron.
The shopkeeper kept glancing at his watch at the counter, so he settled on a biggish card with two bears in a heart on the front.
Immediately after jumping back into the van he opened up the card and searched desperately for a pen, luckily he found one in his glove compartment.
After taking a few moments to think about what he wanted to put, he settled on:
To My Aaron,
Still loving you with all my heart
Within this year my love has grown...
and I want to just say...I'm waiting for you...
Love Your Jackson XX
He chewed the end of his pen, debating how tacky or cheesy that sounded, but it'll have to do...because he needed to get there before visitors time ended.
He handed the card over to his son, who was busy playing with his DS
"sign your name in that will yah mate..."
Jack took the card and frowned at his dad, " is it a birthday card..." Jackson had his fingers covering up the name Aaron, " yes mate...chop chop mate, we're gotta be dropping you off at Judo remember"
Jack took the pen and wrote his name in it, and afterwards he stuffed the card in the envelope and turned the engine...
First he needed to drop of Jack at Judo, and then for the hospital.
Xxx
Aaron was watching the TV when Jackson entered the ward room, he clutched the card tightly, " hiya mate...only me" he said with a silly grin.
Aaron turned his head from his pillow looked at him then turned back to the TV screen.
Jackson bit his lip and sat in the chair beside the bed, " I've bought us a card look, for our anniversary...a year ago today we...did it...got married..."
Aaron wasn't listening he was smiling at the telly.
Jackson held over the card to him, " do you want to read it...Jack signed it as well mate..."
Aaron took the card and stared at it...then let it slip from his hand and it ended up on the floor.
Jackson sighed out heavily...there was STILL no way of knocking through that brick wall, after stooping down and grabbing the card he placed it onto the side unit, " I'll just leave it here, shall I"
Aaron said nowt...
Jackson tapped his fingers...then remembered the photos in his jacket pocket, " oh yeah, I've brought something to show you...it might help you remember us..."
Aaron turned his head and watched closely as Jackson placed down two photos down in front of him.
Jackson pointed to the biggest of them, " this is of YOU, ME, Jack and Bonnie...", he watched Aaron's reaction to it.
"...and the other is of Clyde, Paddy gave it me"
Aaron picked up the photo of Clyde and looked at it closely, Jackson gazed at him, he was sure he saw something other than the blank gaze in Aaron's eyes...
There was just a hint of recognition there, a glint...not much, but THERE WAS some reaction there...
And Jackson smiled, " Happy Anniversary Aaron..."
Xxx
Jackson laid his head down on his pillow...he stared at the shadows of the ceiling...and then turned his head to the vacant pillow beside him...and closed his eyes...
On that golden beach, I lay there watching Aaron as he stood up and kicked sand into my face.
"I'm HOT! I'm gonna be taking a dip, me!"
I spit the sand form my mouth as I watch Aaron look down at me with that gorgous smile of his, " are YOU coming in?"
I shrug, " not yet, maybe in awhile..." I Say.
And Aaron jogged off toward the sealine, he turned around, the hot sun obscuring his face, "Hey Jackson..."
I look up to him.
"WILL YOU WAIT FOR ME..."
I swallow and climb to my feet, then padded over the soft hot sands towards him.
Aaron, standing there with his hands loosely on his hips and facing towards the blue sea.
I grab his hands and hold them...and look deeply into his eyes...my heart beating like mad!
" Aaron...I WILL ALWAYS WAIT FOR YOU..."
and I kiss him on the lips...
Aaron pulled away and smiled and started to run into the sea...and on turning he called back to me.
"...good...because I'm coming back..."
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