I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT 'S CHARACTERS...THEY BELONG TO ITV1
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MID- SEPTEMBER 2013
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Jakson call me plise A x
That was what he had typed into his phone, he wondered whether Jackson even was bothered that he was leaving.
He hadn't got back to him at all...and over the last day or so it had been the 4th text...
and as yet...no reply.
Aaron had his thumb over the send icon and bit his lip...pondering whether it was even worth sending him another text, maybe it was better to just call him.
"OI YOU! stop yah texting and get back working...this may be yah last day sunshine, but that's no excuse for yah to go slacking..."
It was Cain who was yelling at him...he was pointing a monkey wrench at him, all fired up, as Aaron pressed send and pocketed the mobile in his overalls to get back to it, Debbie was coming out from inside the garage at that moment, " Oh chill out Dad!" she cried and went to Aaron's side at the motor he was working on, "who were you texting anyway..."
Aaron looked at her and pulled a face, " no one", he wasn't going to tell her that he was trying to contact Jackson.
Debbie sighed and watched as Aaron set back to work on the engine, "look...seeing your Mum's organising this going away party for yah in the pub tonight, you can finish early..."
Cain snapped his head up...screwing up his face, "YOU WHAT! he gives one days notice and he gets to go early!"
Debbie sighed at him, " DAD! Chill out yeah"
Aaron smiled at his cousin, and put his spanner down, " I'll go make us brew, yeah...", Debbie nodded with a smile and watched him disappear inside the garage to put the kettle on.
She turned to her dad, " why are you so narky for?"
Cain looked abit uncomfortable about her asking that, he shrugged it off, " I'm not..."
Debbie put her hands on her hips, " I think you are..."
Cain knew he had been beaten...she could always get it out of him, " Ohhhhhh...it's him! I'm gonna miss the waste of space that's all..." he hissed, then he pointed his finger at her, " but don't you EVER go telling him that or else!"
Debbie laughs, " don't worry Dad, your secrets safe with me..." she promised.
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Later on, Aaron had gone to the pub and sat in the back room to eat his bacon butties, as he sat there in the armchair he pulled his mobile out from within his overalls and checked his messages...he had recieved a big fat zero.
He had had enough of this...Jason had mentioned to him that he had tipped off Jackson the other night that he was leaving the village. Aaron was angry at first, because he didn't like no one interfering in his life...but he was sort of glad...well was...because after all what had been said between him and Jackson...he was sure he would have called him...
But there was still nothing...
He huffed and put the phone to his ear...Jackson's number was ringing...
"Come on...come on..." he whispered under his breath. It went to voicemail...he wondered if Jackson was doing this deliberately, but he left a message anyway...the one and only message because he wasn't going to bother trying again.
"look...if you get this...call me...you KNOW why...call me..."
Chas was then coming in through the door, at the corner of her eye she could see that Aaron was pocketing the phone and was getting back to chomping at his bacon butty.
" who was that you were calling love...?" she asked looking at him with a big grin on her face. Aaron frowned at her and held up an arm, " no one..."
Chas had an incline of the who...but she didn't want to row with him...not on his last day, she folded her arms, " so...you all packed then...?"
Aaron shrugged his shoulders as he chewed his sarnie, " not much to pack...just holdall..." he answered with his mouth full.
Chas laughed, clapping her hands together, " travelling light? always a good thing kiddo...makes it easier for yah if you decide to come back..." she realised by the look on Aaron's face that she was digging her self a hole and was quick to correct herself, "...not that you are coming back here...you are gonna have yourself a great time in Sheffield"
Aaron looked at her, unsure how to take her exceptance of moving away. Chas realised this and came to sit next to him, " look son...I AM okay with this now, I know I went mad at yah at first, but IF THIS is what it takes for you to make you happy...then I'm all for it kiddo"
Even though his mother was grining at him, Aaron was still abit skeptical, he raised his eyebrowes at her, licking the tomato sauce off his fingers one by one, " really...?"
Chas was shaking her head at him now, "yep...I am...anyway I wouldn't be organising tonight for yah, would I?"
Aaron nods, maybe at long last mum was coming to his way of thinking, " thanks Mum..."
Chas held out her arms to him, " hug please!"
Aaron rolls his eyes but lets her embrace him tightly, " I love yah son..."
Aaron rested his chin on his Mums shoulder and rubbed her back, " I love you to..."
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Later on, Aaron sat on his bed and checked his mobile, no messages recieved...no response from Jackson...
He sighed and stood up, catching his reflection in the mirror...he looked at himself then took in a deep breath...because they were all waiting for him downstairs in the bar...the family his friends...the ones stopping by to use it as an excuse to get a free drink.
It was time to make his entrance...even though it was the last thing he wanted...he had to go now...he would look a right div if he changed his mind now.
No...it would have to take something REALLY big to make him stay now...
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Aaron came down the stairs and went through into the bar, he decided on a pair of smart jeans and his favourite black sweater to see himself off in.
Adam was first to spot him coming through the door, " alright mate? Thought you weren't gonna show for your own party just then!"
Aaron pulled a face, " free beer...as if!"
Adam patted his mate on the back, " well...when you get yourself sorted in Sheffield give me a call...I've always fancied seeing Sheffield me..."
Jason who had come to stand between then at the bar scrunched up his face at the farmer, "WHAT! what would you do when you got there...milk the nearest cow?"
"yeah...Bet they are looking for lots of farmers round there!"
Aaron and Jason looked at eachother and laughed at him...Adam pulled a face...were they laughing at him?
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A little further away, Paddy picked up his pint and took a sip, he nodded his head toward the lads, " so...hows he been?"
Chas leaned on the bar looking as the lad were laughing again, " he's been fine...lets just say we cleared the air...I've finally excepted that this is what he wants..."
Paddy was pleased, even though deep down he didn't want Aaron to leave the village, past experience ALWAYS showed it was a big mistake to go against him...he just dug his heels in further and made matters worse...for everyone.
"Yeah it is...he'll be fine Chas, I promise"
Rhona looked up to them and smiled, " you never know...but this could be the making of him"
Chas agreed, and with a cheeky glance over to her son she said, " and he might well meet some hunky fit new man!"
Rhona gasped, " REALLY? pack MY bag now if that's the case I'm gonna be going with him!" she told playfully, Paddy nudged her in the arm, " oi you, who needs hunky machanics from Sheffield when you've got me!"
Rhona smiled as she glanced at Chas, " ohhhhhh arn't I the lucky one!"
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Aaron sat down as Zac and Lisa came over, " well...we just want to wish you all the luck in the world love...you look after yourself" told Lisa with a warm smile.
Zac agreed, " yep you do that son...don't worry about her...we'll look after her..." the older Dingle briefly glanced toward Chas behind the bar, Aaron nodded with a grateful smile, "thanks Uncle Zac..."
As he watched Zac and Lisa go, he snatched up his mobile from the table and checked it...his eyes nearly betrayed his disappointment.
Jason stepped over with his pint, " has he called?" he wasn't daft...he KNEW what Aaron was doing.
Aaron sighed and shook his head, Jason came and sat beside him, " I wish I never told yah I told him your plans...I just thought it would help that's all"
Aaron picked up his pint and looked at him, " his...loss...I have better life..."
Jason raised his own pint, " I'll drink to that mate..."
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Frank Harrington came into the pub and went to the bar, he had heard there was some leaving do going on, and was pleased it was a Dingle.
"So...the village is going to be one Dingle lighter is it?" Harrington said to Chas, he looked all pleased with himself.
"Pint is it?" she asked, biting her tongue.
"thanks...well just to let you know I won't be missing him...pity all YOU LOT don't go with him"
Chas really wanted to throw the beer in his face, but thought against it...this man owned most of the empty houses around the village...had a high standing...and friends in high places.
"I just drink up my pint and let you get on with it shall I..." he told with a wink of the eye and went to sit down...glancing across to Aaron as he did so.
Cain was staring at him as he approached his nephew, " I'm sure he's bent him...you'd know if you had what they call it...Gaydar..."
Jason shrugged glancing towards Harrington but not making it obvious as he did so, "nope...can't say I've seen him before anywhere..."
Cain glared at Jason, " do you mind..."
Jason instantly realised that this ment Cain wanted a private word with his nephew, after vacating the seat...Cain was plonking himself down in it, " so...this is it then..."
Aaron shook his head, licking his lips, " yeah...suppose"
Cain laughed at him, he was sad he was going...but he wasn't going to let him know that, "well...just tell them where you learned all your skills from, a.."
Aaron was cheeky, " from college?"
Cain opened his mouth at him, " yeah right! I've taught you MORE than any dumbass college tutor could show yah...just go remembering that!" Cain was then searching the inside pocket of his jacket, " here...take it..."
Aaron's eyes widened at the wad of rolled notes in his uncles grasp, " but..."
"take it...it'll set yah up for a while...finding digs don't come cheap, do you get me"
Aaron hesitated, but then took the roll and stuffed it in his jeans pocket, " thanks Cain..."
"DON'T get all soppy...just look after yahself kiddo..." and with that Cain was up and gone.
Aaron felt sad and lonely...it was getting all too real now...he could handle it, he would have to...once he had settled in Sheffield and doing his new job...making new friends...he would be fine...it was just the thought of doing it...
He found himself looking towards the exit doors everytime it swung open...but he was never there to see him off.
Jason turned from the bar and noticed that Cain was gone and Aaron was all alone now, so he came back to him, " I'll get us another round in, shall I?"
Aaron nodded at him, forcing on a smile, " yeah..."
Just as Jason turned back to the bar and Aaron was about to go to the gents, the doors swung in and Joe was coming into the pub.
Aaron stood open mouthed...why was Joe here? That could only mean one thing! Was Jackson with him? Had he come to see him off...or even stop him from going...
Joe's eyes darted around him, taking in all the faces...then clocked Aaron...the lad had seen him too.
"Aaron...!" he called.
Aaron came forward...he looked puzzled, " what...what are YOU doing here...?"
Joe swallowed...how could he tell him...just blurt it out? " Aaron...you have to come back with me, I need your help..."
Aaron shrugged at him, "why?"
Joe's voice became hushed, " it's Jackson..." he started, realising that Aaron was now looking over his shoulder for the builder to walk into the pub.
"He...he here?"
Joe shook his head, " no he's not...he's..."
Aaron dismissed him with a wave of the arm, " he don't care...wants to end it...got what he wants! Me move away!"
Joe was following him back to the table, Chas was collecting glasses nearby and looked up, Joe was causing quite a commotion now, " what's going on here then " she asked out right.
Joe ignored her...and focused on Aaron, " Aaron please listen to me...I can't cope with him on my own..."
Chas stepped forward, Aaron was being hassled, " WHAT'S going on"
Aaron sat down, " he's just leaving..."
Joe shook her head, " NO Aaron...please come with me..."
Cain was then approaching, " is HE causing trouble?"
Joe bravely ignored him too, " Aaron you really have to come with me..." he told firmly.
Aaron jumped up...he was mad now..." WHY? WHAT FOR?...it's over..."
Joe swallowed the lump down that was starting to rise in his throat, " it's his Mum...she's...
..." he swallowed again, "...Hazel's died..."
ARTHURS NOTE: THANKS AGAIN FOR THE REVIEWS...
INPUT/OPINIONS/OAR IN TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK...