Everyone was glad when Tuesday eventually arrived. Paddy had gone to pick Aaron up from the hospital with Chas mid-morning, his mother had insisted she be there to take him home. Jackson had wanted to be the one to take him home and care for him but he was at long last putting the finishing touches on Dale head. After today he would be all Aaron's until he found his next job. He'd visited Aaron the night before and he had been rather upbeat as Jackson and he messed around, receiving warnings from Hazel who had tagged along for something to do. He wasn't going to see him until when he got home from work in the evening so he hoped Aaron's good mood from the previous evening would last. He couldn't even afford to nip home on his lunch break to check up on him, see how he was settling in. But being able to sleep next to his boyfriend for the first time in three nights was enough motivation for Jackson to finish his work even earlier then needed.
It was fortunate in a way that Jackson had no idea about what was going on back at Smithy Cottage, it would have soured his mood.
"Aaron just let me help!" Chas exclaimed at her stubborn son who had so far refused to allow her to so much as open a door for him.
"No! I can do it." Aaron insisted as he unsteadily to his feet and used his crutches to get into the kitchen.
"That's what landed you in this mess in the first place!" Chas shot at him as she followed. She was starting to lose her temper with him. He was meant to be resting, not insisting on doing everything himself, even the doctor had said so before they left. She hovered over him as he poured himself a glass of water. "You need to let us help you!" At least until you get used to being on crutches."
"Look. See!" Aaron mocked holding up the glass before taking a sip. "I managed to pour myself a glass of water by myself."
"Chas shot her son a filthy glare before taking a deep breath. "Let me make this clear to you love." Chas started. "I'm your mum and I'm going to take care of you whether you like it or not." She told him. "Which means I can forbid you to move from the sofa or your bed the entire time you are going to need to use those crutches, meaning you will not be leaving this house for six months if you will continue to be so incredibly stubborn about all this."
Aaron glared at his mother, she had him there. He knew when he was pushing things to far with her and he was no. By the tone of her voice and dressing down, she meant what she said and he wouldn't put it past her if she locked him in Smithy Cottage for the entire duration of his recovery.
"Do I make myself clear?" Chas smiled as she took the glass from him.
The teen nodded his head minutely as he held her gaze. He wasn't about this and he was going to make known even though he was going to have to do as he was told.
"Good." She chimed stepping to the side. "Off you go then."
Aaron served her one more filthy look before hobbling past her and into the living room. As he was lowering himself carefully onto the sofa, Pearl burst through the surgery's connective doors with Clyde hot on her heels.
"Aaron, so glad to see you at Home!" She cried as she made her way to him. She stood in front of him with her hands clasped in front of her, huge smile plastered on her face as she looked at him. He hadn't been home for an hour and she had already come to be nosey.
Clyde however, instead of standing back like Pearl, made a go to jump up at Aaron. He'd not seen his owner in over four days nearly. Paddy had kept in the surgery with Rhona, while they got Aaron inside to prevent the excitable dog from causing any accidents. However the plan was ruined by Pearl who'd left him through.
"Clyde!" Chas barked at the dog, already seeing what was going to happen. Aaron was unsteady enough on his feet without the helpful push from the Alsatian to send him over. "Down! Now!"
"He's alright." Aaron said when he was eventually sitting down, both legs laid flat out on the whole of the sofa with his back to one of the arm rests. "Here Clyde." Aaron called as he patted his side.
Chas who had been lingering at the side ready to step in and restrain the dog if needed now took Clyde by the collar and guided him towards Aaron who gave her yet another scowl. She was going to have to start charging for them. "It's for your own good Aaron." She told him quietly. "One false move and you could be back in hospital again to fix it."
"Oh, you poor thing. It looks nasty." Pearl tutted as she caught sight of his leg while she listened to Chas.
He was still wearing a pair of pajama trousers that he'd been wearing the night before. Aaron was embarrassed that Pearl had seen him not dressed properly, but then it was easily over shadowed as he saw the look of pity that her face held. He tried to do something about hiding the splint that was obvious under the thin jersey material of his dark grey pajama trousers. But the effort was futile, no matter what he did it could not hide the fact his whole entire leg was in a full splint. He hated that it was obvious, there for everyone to see. It was only going to give people another excuse to stare.
"Alright pearl, let's not over crowd him." Chas said, clapping her hands together. She could tell that Aaron was starting to feel uncomfortable with unwanted attention and her practically announcing to everyone he was practically like a china doll now, didn't help.
"Sorry, I was just coming through to make Paddy and Rhona some tea." Pearl explained startled.
"No need. I'll make some and bring them through." Chas stopped her. She didn't want the older woman to be hanging around just when she's gotten Aaron home. He still needed time to get settled in peace.
"Oh alright. I'll be going back then." Pearl said a little deflated as she headed towards the sugery.
"Thank you Pearl!" Chas called after with a Cheshire grin.
"You're horrible to her." Aaron commented with a smirk as Chas headed into the kitchen.
"You're no better love!" Chas laughed.
"True." Aaron agreed as he flicked on the TV.
At five a clock Jackson returned home from Home farm, having handed in the keys to Dale head finally finished with the place much to Declan's happiness. He was excited to see Aaron at long last. As he walked through the front door he was greeted by Chas, Hazel and Paddy quietly chatting in the kitchen with the door to the lounge closed.
"How's everything?" Jackson asked as he walked through to the kitchen table and rested his hands on the back of any empty chair.
"Great." Chas smiled as she held a cup of tea in her hand from her seat. "He's through there asleep, so don't wake him. He's only just gotten his head down."
"I gotcha." Jackson nodded, pulling out the chair from the kitchen table and taking a seat along with Chas and Paddy as Hazel seemed to occupy herself at the stove. Even though he desperately wanted to see Aaron, he knew better than to go wake him up. He needed his rest and from he what he remembered the nurse telling him, he hadn't gotten much of it whilst in hospital.
"I'm making cottage pie for tea! So I hope you're hungry." Hazel announced from behind them as she heated some vegetables in a pan.
"Starving." Jackson said as he rubbed his flat stomach.
"It won't be for another twenty minutes though." Hazel added.
"Oh right, I think I might go grab a shower then." Jackson said getting up and looking towards the lounge door.
"I think if you're really quiet and don't wake him Chas will allow you to go through." Paddy giggled as he caught Jackson looking to the room where Aaron was.
Without needing to be told twice Jackson quietly headed towards the door and opened it up as he stepped inside the dark room. The curtains had been drawn, letting in a small amount of light from the low evening sun underneath. As he crept over to his boyfriend lying still on the sofa, he could hear the others in the kitchen.
"You're making me sound horrible!" Jackson could hear Chas hiss at Paddy followed by a slap on the shoulder.
"I'm merely hinting that you've turned into the worlds motherly person." Paddy giggled before he shut the door, not wanting there banter to wake him up.
He looked so peaceful lying on the sofa asleep, but he knew better than to buy that. He smirked as he saw Clyde lying between the Sofa and coffee table on the floor. The Alsatian looked up as he approached before going back to staring off into thin air with his head on his paws. He wondered how comfortable Aaron was on the sofa as he stared down at him, he never once knew Aaron to lie on his back as he slept for any amount of time, usually he slept curled up on his side. A blanket from the back of the sofa had been pulled to cover him and pillow was placed haphazardly under his head.
Jackson ran hand over the top of Aaron's closely shaven head, careful not to wake him and placed a kiss on his forehead before silently going back into the main part of the house.
"How long has he been asleep?" Jackson asked quietly as he clicked the door shut behind him.
"An hour or two." Chas answered him. "Not long after he took his medication. Seemed to help him drift off."
"That's good." Jackson said. "I don't think he's been sleeping to good lately."
"I'm not surprised love!" Hazel said who was now sitting at the table with the others. "He's been through an awful lot. First coming out and his suicide attempt, then Darrel attacking him and pushing him down the stairs and now this! I'm surprised he's still standing."
"Yes, thank you mum for reminding us." Jackson gritted out through his teeth.
"I'm only saying. . ." Hazel huffed.
"Anyway, one of the Nurses up on the ward Aaron was on told me that Aaron hadn't been sleeping?" Jackson told them.
"What? That's nonsense. He was sleeping while we visited him sometimes!" Chas argued. She didn't want to admit that what had happened to her son was troubling him more than he was letting on. They needed to deal with one thing at a time but at the moment things seemed to be thrown at them from all angles.
"He was faking it." Jackson sighed, hating to admit it himself. "What's happened to him lately has been troubling him more than we like to think. It was stupid of us to think he was doing alright."
"But he returned back to work and was doing alright." Paddy commented.
"That's what he wanted us to believe." Jackson said as he walked further into the room and rested against the countertops. "I doubt he'd been coping for a while. Take Clyde for starters! He's always with him."
"Yes, but that doesn't mean anything. Loads of people are inseparable from their dogs." Chas scoffed. "Edna is never without tootsie."
"That's a whole lot different to Aaron and you know it." Jackson shot at her. Her lack of wanting to accept what he was saying was beginning to get on his nerves. "You were there when he told us that he didn't feel safe without that dog!"
Chas couldn't argue with that, it was true.
"Exactly." Jackson said taking her silence as a yes. "We need to really look out for him. Make sure he's okay."
"This is Aaron we're talking about?" Hazel chipped in.
"And that's exactly why we need to make sure he's okay." Jackson said before he quickly held up a hand to Paddy who was about to speak to stop him. He could hear movement in the next room. He went over to the door and opened it carefully, to see Aaron stirring from his sleep. Clyde was up on his feet and at his side, head resting on Aaron's hip. Without Aaron noticing Jackson slipped his head from out the door and turned back into the kitchen. "I'll go grab that shower now, before dinner's ready." Jackson told them. "Just remember what I said."
He quickly nipped upstairs to grab a shower before coming back ten minutes later fresh from the shower and clean of dust from work. Aaron was standing in the kitchen when he walked in, resting against the sink using his crutches, as Hazel and Chas whizzed round him getting dinner sorted.
"Alright." Aaron greeted when he spotted Jackson.
"Yeah, you?" Jackson said as he made his way over to him, dodging Hazel as she swung round with a pan full of hot water and cooked vegetables.
"Sound." Aaron answered him.
Jackson didn't care that the others were in the room, he hadn't seen Aaron all day and he wanted to show him how much he missed him. He slipped his hands round Aaron's waist careful not to unbalance him and leaned to kiss him tenderly on the lips. When he pulled away he was met with a confused look on Aaron's face but was soon distracted when Chas told him to sit down.
"How's Aaron going to sit down?" Jackson asked from his seat at the table while Aaron was walking towards his usual seat.
"Like any normal person." Aaron shot at him with sarcasm.
Jackson rolled his eyes. He knew the question sounded stupid but he wasn't sure whether Aaron would be able to sit at the table. He watched as the teen got to his chair and was then about to move the chair out from the table. "Here, let me." Jackson said.
Aaron was about to tell him he could do it, but he saw Chas watching him from the corner of his eye a reminder of what she'd threatened him with earlier. "Thanks." Aaron mumbled as he stood back. "Could you like, turn it to the side please?"
"Sure." Jackson said, smiling inside as Aaron let him help. It was a big step from Aaron. He turned the chair to the side and watched as Aaron freed his arms from the crutches and perched on the edge of the chair, with his side to the table and his leg stretched out in front of him.
"Tada!" Aaron mocked, smirking at Jackson who had been a little skeptical.
"They taught him how he'd have to adapt for his leg at the hospital before he left." Paddy told Jackson as Hazel placed the plates onto the table.
"Tuck in!" Hazel said as she sat down with them.
After dinner, Jackson and Aaron went into the living room. With Aaron not being much help with the washing up or clearing away, Paddy had sent the two of them into the other room to have some time alone together. They closed the door behind them, shutting out the noise of the other adults and switched on the lights dotted around the room. Jackson just hoped Aaron was in the mood to talk.
A/N – Fingers crossed these regular updates will keep regular! Thank you once more for the helpful feedback I've been receiving! It's great to know you're loving this fic as much as I am writing it! Hope you're enjoying it!
