I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT 'S CHARACTERS...THEY BELONG TO ITV1
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MID- SEPTEMBER 2013
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Aaron Livesy laid on the sofa...
He was determined not to sleep, but he had done...because the light was starting to show itself through the thick curtains.
He heard a noise and tried to round his head...his neck bones cracked as he did so...he was going to pay for sleeping awkwardly.
Little Jack was then scraping a kitchen chair across the tiled floor and positioned it next to the counter...he then climbed up onto it and tried to reach the top kitchen cupboard.
The boy was on tiptoes now, danger signs were flashing before Aaron's eyes now and he leapt up from the sofa, and crashed into the kitchen, " Hey! what yah doing?"
Jack turned his head, " yeaahhhhhhh Uncle Aaron...", the boys eyes lighting up at the sight of him.
Aaron grabbed Jack and put him back down onto the floor, " you not do that" he said trying for an authortive tone, " could fall...break neck" he tried not to scold.
Jack was hugging his waist tightly, " have you moved back Uncle Aaron? Do you love daddy again?"
Aaron didn't want to answer that...all he knew...is that Joe had come for him the night before...and told him that Hazel had died.
He didn't know much about her death, just that it happened in the costcutters groceries around the corner the night before last.
Jackson had been in a right state...Aaron had only just stepped over the doormat when Jackson was yelling at him to go...he was mad as a hatter...not crying...just angry...and drinking...
WHY did he drink so much, when things got tough...yes his Mum had just died...but what about Jack...it was a good job the lad had been over at his mates for the evening.
Once they let Jackson drink himself into a stupor, he and Joe got him up on the bed where he could sleep it off.
Then as Joe and Aaron took stock of the situation there was a knock at the door, some woman Aaron didn't know was bringing Jack back. Aaron had stayed out of sight...he just wanted the lad to go to bed and if he had spotted him he would have been up all night.
Jack was tired and went straight to bed...the little lad knew nothing of what happened, everytime he asked for Nana Hazel all day yesterday...Jackson told him she was poorly.
Aaron pulled out a box of cornflakes and sprinkled them into a bowl for Jack, then once the boy was sat down he put them in front of him with a beaker of orange juice.
"are you back now?" the lad asked...eyes big and round...he was still dying to know why Aaron had suddenly appeared out from nowhere.
Aaron pointed to the breakfast bowl, " eat your breakfast..."
As the boy did so, Aaron went to the bedroom, the door was open on ajar and he could see Jackson still lying flat out on the bed snoring, he thinned his lips and turned back toward the kitchen...there was just no way Jackson was going to be able to look after Jack right now...he would have to call Sarah...as how much he would hate that...it would be best for the boy, for aleast until Jackson had sorted himself out, anyway.
When he looked around again, he saw that Jack was grabbing the remote control and pointing it toward the TV...the volume was far to high, " Jack! turn down" warned Aaron, gesturing his hand downward.
But it was too late...there was movement from the bedroom...Aaron swallowed nervously...Jackson was up.
Aaron hurried over to Jack, " get school bag"
Jack swung his head round, " but Uncle Aaron, it's too early..."
Aaron was not asking him, he was telling him, " just DO it...", the lad stomped off to his bedroom in a sulk.
Jackson was dragging his feet toward, he was rubbing his eyes and scratching the back of his head...yawned and sighted Aaron.
"YOU STILL HERE!" he barked.
Aaron nods his head toward Jack's bedroom, " help out...with lad"
Jackson sniffed, his head was banging, " ...and did I ASK for your help? Well...did I?"
Aaron shook his head, no he hadn't...but Joe HAD done, so he was here now.
Jackson shrugged him off and went to sit at the kitchen table...he was still fully dressed from the night before, " well...IF you wanna help out so much...you can GO and fetch me a couple of cans from the fridge..." he told.
Aaron came to sit at the table with him, " No..."
Jackson frowned at him, "WHY?"
Aaron swallowed, " because...you...had enough"
Jackson blew out a laugh, his eyes all glazed " NO I haven't...I haven't had MORE than enough..."
Jack was then at the table with his school bag in his grasp, " are you taking me to school Uncle Aaron...?"
There was a rap at the door at that instant before Aaron could answer his question...he got up and went to open it, Joe was standing there on the doormat, " is he ready?"
Aaron shook his head and ushered Jack out the door, " Yeah..."
Joe smiled at the lad and looked up to Aaron, " does he need picking up later?"
Jack was busy looking over the belcony, Aaron stepped nearer to Joe, " No...I ring Sarah...she do it..."
Joe agreed with him, " wise..." he tried to look beyond Aaron's shoulder, " hows he doing?"
Aaron shrugged, " not cry...same"
"That'll be the shock mate...just stay with him, and DON'T let him out your sight...he'll be in that fridge soon as your backs turned..."
Coming to that conclusion himself, he let Joe take Jack to school and closed the door to get back to him.
"Call me...if you need owt" Joe had said to him.
Aaron saw that Jackson was now sitting in the lounge on the sofa...can in hand...but the ring wasn't pulled. Aaron went over and took it off him...the builder let him. As he sat next to him he had the urge to drink it himself...this was way over his head.
He licked his lips...waiting for Jackson to have a go at him, " you...you have to tell Jack...what happened" he said, Jackson was turning his gaze to him...his expression telling him that THAT was a stupid thing to say.
"Oh right...AS IF I didn't actually know THAT! So brightspark how am I gonna be doing that a? Oh Jack you can't see you Nana Hazel anymore because SHE IS DEAD...IS that how?"
Aaron could see the builder was getting all riled up again, " Jackson..."
Jackson snapped his neck round looking at Aaron like he was something he had just stepped in " YOU can GO now! "
Aaron looked at him in surprize, " But..."
Jackson jumped up to his feet and looked down at him...he was all fired up now, " HAVEN'T YOU got anything BETTER to do?"
Aaron didn't...after all he had quit his job in the village...and hadn't bothered turning up to the new one in Sheffield...how could he go to that now...
"No...No job" he simply shrugged at him from where he sat.
Jackson sneered at him, " MORE THE FOOL YOU THEN, for not going off to Sheffield with your new mate!"
Aaron could see Jackson was putting two and two together and coming up with five, " Jason and me...we NOT...like that!"
Jackson stared at him...he slowly shook his head and flapped out his arm at him, "whatever...because I REALLY don't give a toss"
The builder had plonked his bum down onto the sofa again...head held in his hands...of hangover rather than in dispair.
Aaron buttoned his lip...letting the weird silence evade between them for a while, he looked around the room...at the furniture...at the photos...at the shoes in the corner...at the coats hung up on the door peg...Hazel's being one of them.
A copy of last weeks 'take a break' on the coffee table...reminders of her not being here anymore...
And turning his head slightly, he could see Jackson staring blankly at the magazine too...the builder suddenly blew out a laugh, but it wasn't one born out of amusement, " You know what? She only popped out to get a tin of baked beans for Jack...the shopkeeper found her slumped over the frozen veg..."
Aaron swallowed...licking his bottom lip...but before he could utter anything, Jackson was pursing his lips together and looking at him questioningly, " WHY was that do you think? What was she doing near the frozen veg for?... The tinned food is on the other side of the shop..."
Aaron looked back at him...was he expecting some kind of answer to that...he hoped not because he couldn't think of one. But luckily he didn't need to because Jackson was jumping up to him feet again.
"I need to go out..."
Aaron looked up to him. Why did Jackson want to go out for? To do what? Get more beer in...there was no way he was going to let him drink himself to death today...he had to sort his head out...and quickly...face up to...and be a man...over what has happened.
"Why?"
"I need to go see me Dad..." answered Jackson...sounding irritated that he had to explain himself to him.
"I'll go with you" Aaron told standing to his feet.
Jackson's face was telling him he was going to have none of that, " YOU can 'go' and get outta me face"
Aaron was not having it, he stood his ground to him, " I GO...WITH YOU" he said raising his voice to him, hoping at the same time this wouldn't completely make Jackson tip over the edge.
But Jackson's hardened stance loosened a tad...he waved an arm out to him flippantly with a sigh, " Whatever...Do what you like then...because YOU always do...just don't be getting yourself in the way, that's all"
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As Jackson slammed the flat door shut, Aaron followed him up the walkway to the stairwells, the builder talked as he walked, " i'll tell you what though...you wouldn't be anywhere near me if you KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO"
They stood at the lift, Jackson had his hands in his pockets looking at him sharply, Aaron stood there trying to look not bothered by the builders attitude.
"I know..." he said, not looking at him...looking at anyone and anything BUT him.
Jackson screwed his face up...he knew? He wondered WHAT he knew. "What?"
Aaron finally made eye contact and shrugged at him, " I know...JOE tell me"
Jackson was getting abit uncomfortable with this, he waved his hand out to him, " tell you what exactly? WHAT'S he said to yah?"
The lift doors pinged open, and Aaron lead the way into the piss stinking lift, " ALL of it..."
Jackson watched the doors start to slide shut, so Aaron stuck his foot in the way to stop them, the builder looked up to him quite surprised, " ...and YOU are still here?"
Aaron raised his eyebrowes to him...Jackson came in and the doors shut...and in total silence...the lift desended to the ground floor.
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It was a drizzley morning as they both stepped out of the van. The wind was gusty and it was whipping the leaves up all around them.
Jackson stood there on the wet grass nodding his head toward the row of houses, "Never brought you here, did I? THAT'S where I grew up..."
Pulling his hood up, Aaron stared over to the houses and nods. Jackson sucks his cheeks in, "Oh well better get this over and done with, I suppose"
Aaron went to lead the way, but Jackson grabbed his shoulder and stopped him, " Not you...you'll just rile him" he told looking straight to the house, and not at him.
Aaron pulled a face, " I not scared"
Jackson met his gaze...although he didn't hold it, " I am...for YOU that is..."
Aaron was insistant again...standing his ground, " I SAID...I go with you"
Jackson knew that Aaron wasn't going to listen to him anyway, so he started to lead the way towards the house with the blue door, " COME ON...if you must..."
Jackson stepped up to the door and pushed the doorbell, they wanted a few seconds and then it was pulled open by a mousey haired woman...she recognised Jackson straight away.
"Alright Eileen!" sung Jackson...why was he being so happy? thought Aaron.
Eileen looked up and down at the builder, " oh, it's you is it"
Jackson gave her a silly grin, " afraid so love...IS ME dad in?"
Eileen wasn't sure if Jerry would want to see Jackson...not with their history...it wasn't good for both of them.
But Jerry must have heard the voices because he was coming up the hall to stand behind her, "who is it?" he asked gruffly.
Eileen backed away from the doorway, " It's errrrr..."
Jerry focused on his estranged son, " oh...it's you...WHAT the hell are you doing stood there?" Aaron could see the older man wasn't best pleased to see his son.
Jackson rolled his tongue along the inside of his bottom lip before he spoke, " I've stopped by to tell yah sommit...can i come in?"
Jerry frowned at him, and shook his head firmly, " NO you can't...Josh is playing inside...I don't want YOU anyway near him..."
Jackson could see that Jerry really wasn't impressed about seeing him on the doorstep unannounced, so he told it straight, " That's okay...we'll just do this on the doorstep then...Mums dead...see yah"
Jackson turned on his heel and was back down the path in an instant, Aaron close behind him, Jerry was just processing what he had said to him.
"What!...Jackson...wait...you can't just shower me with that...and go"
Jackson really wasn't bothered, " watch me..."
Aaron could see the change in Jerry's face...he looked shocked...and by the way Jackson's face was...he really didn't care a toss about him.
"Jackson..." Aaron said grabbing his shoulder to stop him, Jackson shoved him off, " I said DON'T be getting in the way" he snapped.
Jerry was running up the path pulling a big green rain jacket around himself, "Jackson wait!"
Aaron turned his head to see the older man couldn't keep up with them, "Jackson...he's your Dad"
Jackson looked at him pulling a face, " Blimey! You're quick"
Both of them jumped into the van and Jackson was already starting the engine when Jerry was banging on the window, " Jackson! Wait Son!"
Jackson wound down his window and pulled the nastiest glare he could muster up, " I'm NO son of yours...your words not mine...now MOVE, or I'll run you over"
Jerry was shaking his head stepping away from the van as the engine reved up, "Jackson!...PLEASE SON...don't be like this..."
Jackson raised his eyebrowes, " don't be like what exactly?...that I don't give a stuff? Well, you're be right there dad...I'll stick an obituary in the free ads for yah, with the date of the funeral..." and with that said, Jerry was nearly knocked flying as Jackson floored the gas pedal and the van sped off with a screech of the tyres.
Aaron looked at him...Jackson was facing the traffic up ahead grinning like a loon...Aaron was worried about him...why wasn't he grieving properly...this wasn't normal, was it?
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When they got back to the flat, Jackson was fretting about picking up Jack from school.
The builder pulled on his jacket, but Aaron stopped him, " I NEED to pick up my Son!"
Aaron shook his head at him, " No...Sarah done it" he told.
Jasckson looked at him, it looked like he was about to explode at him, "What..."
Aaron swallowed, " I call her...it's best...for Jack" Jackson was then pointing a finger into his chest, " don't be telling ME what's best for me son...alright!"
Aaron shook his head and stepped back alarmed at his firey mood. But Jackson did that, he would just flare up at the drop of a hat.
But the builder sat on the sofa, and shook his head, calming down, " ohhhhh maybe you are right..."
Aaron sat down in the arm chair and watched him closely, the builder looked up and smiled at him, " did you see the look on me dads face when I told him Mum had died...HE deserved that!" he sneered.
Aaron bit his lip, then noticed the small card lying on the doormat...he went over and picked it up. It was from the undertakers.
"Jackson..." he held up the card for him to see.
"I'll do that tomorrow, can't get me head around it today..."
Aaron shook his head, " okay...", Jackson leaned back on the sofa and looked at Aaron closely, the way the younger lad was viewing him.
"YOU think i've lost it, don't yah? But I can assure you mate, I've still got all me marbles, thanks"
Aaron focused on the carpet turning the Undertakers calling card in his fingers, "yeah...I know"
All of a sudden, Jackson leaned foward clapping his hands together, " I'm hungry"
Aaron stood up...he could do with getting out the flat fot a bit...on his own, " I can get something...from Chippy"
Jackson shrugged at him, " if you like"
Aaron watched as Jackson looked away, then pulled out the roll of banknotes from his pocket that Cain had given him, and slipped out a tenner, " I won't be long..."
Aaron was opening the front door when Jackson rolled his head around to face him, "Aaron...I'm...I'm glad you are here..."
Aaron half smiled at him, and was off out the door. Jackson turned to look at the floor...just a hint of a pleased smile was evident on his face...until he looked up into the direction of his mothers room.
He stood up, and went into the bedroom. He gazed around the room. The floral bed. Her dressing gown hanging up behind the door. Allsorts of momentos from faraway places scattered about the room including a cuddly lion fron South Africa.
He sat on the bed, his hands in between his legs, and looked up to the photo on the bedside unit next to the lamp. It was of him and his Mum in Whitby. He was only about 14 in it. A kid and his Mum.
The lump was rising up in his throat and he swallowed it down...but his eyes were watering up too...and as much as he forced them not to...a tear ran down his cheek.
"Mum..." he whispered. Then buried his face into his Mums pillow and cried...cried in pain. Because it hurt inside so much... Why now...why take her from him now...
First Aaron...HIS Aaron the old Aaron...
and now Mum...
He sniffed back his tears and sat back up again...seeing for the first time the two things shining at him on the side...
...two rings...two wedding bands...and he recognised them at an instant, because HE had been the one who had bought them...
the rings were his and Aaron's.
ARTHURS NOTE: THANKS AGAIN FOR THE REVIEWS...HAD ABIT OF TIME TODAY SO HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER, THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE APPRECIATED...COULD GOOD COME OUT OF HAZELS DEATH?...I THINK SO.
INPUT/OPINIONS/OAR IN TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK...