AARON & JACKSON
-1912: The Aftermath-
"No Turning Back"
The following morning Aaron woke up with a very stiff neck after getting about an hour's sleep, he decided to sleep in the living room following the events of the previous evening. He got up and had a wash in the kitchen sink, it was 7am. He decided to leave for work before anyone even woke up, he'd be way too early for work but he didn't care, he couldn't talk to anybody in the house at the minute, in fact he didn't want to.
Later that morning Chas, Adam and Hazel were sat having breakfast, only the odd word was spoken. A little while later, Jackson came downstairs in his dressing gown, holding Jak close to his chest. Hazel looked up and saw him and felt an immediate sadness "How are you feeling this morning love?" she asked, concerned for her son.
Jackson shrugged his shoulders and set about getting Jak's bottle sorted.
"Have you and Aaron sorted it out Jackson?" Chas asked.
Jackson frowned and swallowed hard as he shook his head "He never came to bed, so no not spoken to him" he told her quietly.
Chas frowned "Has anyone seen him this morning?"
Hazel and Adam both shook their heads.
"Aaron!" Chas yelled then got up, left the room and quickly checked the living room and a couple of other rooms but there was no sign, she rushed back to the kitchen "He's not here, his work stuff has gone"
Jackson snorted "Figured, first sign of tension he goes running back to him"
"You don't think? Adam questioned
"This is Aaron, every other time things have got tough he's jumped straight in his bed" his words however and understandably angered Chas who then slapped Jackson "You talk like he's some slag! Do not talk about my boy like that, we don't know what's going on, I mean you've said he's not been right since the cabin"
Jackson motioned his head toward Adam, who nodded.
Chas sighed in frustration. "I'm going to work!" she told them all as she stormed along the hallway and out of the house.
When Adam had left too Hazel was still sat in the kitchen watching Jackson with Jak, her heart warmed "My boys a natural"
Jackson smiled at his mum then down at Jak. "Why don't me and you stay in and have a chat today huh?" her tone wary
"I'll go and put him down" he told her, avoiding her question.
…
Chas was indeed going to work but she was going to be late, she had an appointment at the doctors and was sat in the waiting room, she checked the clock on the wall and tapped her foot nervously on the floor quickly. Eventually her name was called out and she followed the female doctor to her room and sat down. The doctor smiled at her. "So how've you been?"
Chas nodded with a smile. "Generally I'm fine but in the mornings I'm so sick"
The doctor smiled at her. "That is understandable I have your results back"
Chas nodded and waited eagerly.
"You are pregnant Miss Dingle" the doctor smiled at her and Chas smiled too and tears filled her eyes and she covered her mouth in surprise, even though the sickness was a giveaway it was amazing to have it confirmed. "Congratulations" the doctor added. "Now we'll schedule further appointments so we can check your progress, you told me you already have a son yes?"
Chas nodded and smiled. "Yes I did, is there a problem?"
"No, no" the doctor smiled. "Just checking for my notes" she told her and scribbled something down on a piece of card and handed it to her. "This is the date of your next appointment"
Chas nodded and took the reminder card. "Thank you doctor"
"You do have someone to help I'm assuming?"
Chas grinned "I do" inside she wasn't nervous about Adam's reaction at all she thought he would want it.
"Good you'll need it as you're very well aware"
Chas chuckled as she stood up. "Oh I am, thank you doctor"
The doctor nodded and watched with a smile as Chas left.
…
Jackson walked back into the kitchen and sat at the table opposite his mum. "You wanted to talk" he told her quietly.
Hazel nodded and smiled warmly at him. "How are you love?"
Jackson shrugged. "I'm struggling" he told her as he nodded. "Like my whole life is crashing in around me and there's nothing I can do to stop it, I'm so scared mum, I-it was horrible" Hazel nodded as she simply listened. "A-and now I can't even touch the man that I love because despite all of this, the effect on me it doesn't change that fact" Jackson broke into tears. "I love him so much mum, b-but I can't let him and I can't let myself touch him"
"But Aaron wouldn't hurt you Jackson" she said in a soothing manner as she held his hand.
"I know, I know, but I was sexually attacked mum…t-there's bruises on my waist from that man's hands" he cried out and dropped his head in his hands. "Why would Aaron possibly want me like that?"
"Because he loves you, but last night son, it was very much unlike you to lash out at him like that"
Jackson nodded. "I'm angry at myself that's why, I let this happen and now look at the consequences of it…it's pushing him away again, he's gone back to the mine for god sake mum and we know where that leads to"
"I don't think Aaron even knows whether he's coming or going Jackson never mind able to think about doing all that with Mark again"
Jackson shrugged his shoulders. "I'm scared mum, I'm so scared, he's shut himself away, he's not eating, not talking and it's all my fault"
"Hey now less of that! What happened to you wasn't your fault love!"
"How do you figure that out eh?" he asked frantically as he wiped his tears away.
"It's like you said son, you were attacked, you did not ask for this"
"Doesn't make everything better though"
Hazel sighed and shook her head, she definitely agreed with him there. "No I suppose not, I'm here for you Jackson, we all are, just please don't forget that alright?"
Jackson blew out a deep breath and nodded.
…
Adam finished work early and wanted to see Aaron was okay, so he could reassure Chas who had been literally going out of her mind with worry even before it all came out the previous night. He stood outside of the mine complex and waited a while before he saw Aaron emerging. Adam watched him and it was clear Aaron hadn't seen him even as he walked out. Adam quickly walked up to him. "Alright mate?"
Aaron frowned. "What are you doing here?"
"Fancied a pint"
"You can have one at home"
"Well not today and you're joining me" Adam grinned and Aaron sighed, he didn't really feel like he had a choice in the matter and with only three hours sleep at most altogether over the last few nights he didn't have the energy to argue back so he followed Aaron into the pub which was filling with miners.
Adam ordered and once he got their pints he paid and walked over to a table with Aaron lagging behind. Aaron sighed as he sat down. "Why are we here?"
"Alright…I want to talk to you. Mate you're really not well"
Aaron shrugged. "I'm fine"
"But you're not, what's going on?"
Aaron rolled his eyes as Mark sat at the next table beside Aaron. "Nothing and I really don't want to talk about anything here"
Adam frowned. "What's the difference? You won't talk at home either so I'm pretty much wasting my breath aren't I?"
"Pretty much" Aaron said with a sigh and looked at his pint. "I don't even want that"
Adam narrowed his eyes at him. "Now I know something's wrong, fine are ya? Really?"
"Ah shut up Adam, I'm going to the loo" he said tiredly then got up from the table and to get out he had to walk through the gap between the next table where Mark was sat.
As Aaron got up Mark looked up at him. "You sure you're alright? You never turn down a pint"
Aaron scowled and shook his head. "Who asked for your opinion?"
Mark sighed. "I'm getting tired of this"
Adam frowned. "What do you mean?"
"He isn't well! He keeps having dizzy spells, he went mad because I put my arm out to help him"
"Oh that's right, I am here you know!"
"So what you gunna do about it Aaron? He cares about you and he needs to know!"
"Yeah I do need to know"
Aaron shook his head and walked off to go the toilet, leaving Mark and Adam to talk amongst themselves, but their discussion was interrupted when they heard Aaron scream loudly at someone, Adam instantly got up and ran over to him after he watched him push the innocent miner. Adam grabbed a hold of Aaron and dragged him back, his fists were ready just like they were on him the previous night, he couldn't let that happen. "What the hell Aaron?" Adam asked as he dragged him toward the door.
"He bumped into me!" Aaron raged his breathing heavy and agitated as he was led outside.
Once out in the open Adam flung him down to the ground in his own temper, he watched as Aaron hit the ground harshly and rolled a few times, ending up off the footpath and onto the road. "THIS HAS TO STOP, WHY THE VIOLENCE AARON?" Adam yelled angrily. "I am at the end of my tether here, WE ALL ARE!" he warned him.
Aaron pushed himself to his feet. "Leave it Adam" he told him more calmly before he ran off.
Oh no, Adam was not letting him out of his sight so he started running after him. Eventually he caught up to him and they walked at a fast pace side by side. "I-I'm not safe to be around Adam, I'm not who you think I am"
"Oh shut up and get home now!" he told him.
…
Jackson was suddenly aware of raised voices and he got to his feet and walked out into the hallway to see Adam and Aaron arguing. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded.
"Ask him! He's just nearly gave some guy a pasting for no reason at all! Good job I was there!"
"I wouldn't have been in that pub at all if it wasn't for you!" Aaron shouted, then he stormed into the living room to avoid them, and upon seeing Jak in his rocker, he stopped instantly and he slowly started to cry. Jackson and Adam stood in the doorway and watched as Aaron fell to his knees in a complete breakdown.
"I'm sorry" he sobbed out, aiming his words at Jak. "I-I can't do this anymore"
Chas walked through the front door as she had finished work for the day and frowned when she saw Jackson and Adam stood in the doorway of the living room. "What's going on?"
Aaron didn't even hear his mum and his words just continued. "I can't pretend anymore"
Jackson's eyes fill with tears at the sight of him. "W-What do you mean Aaron?" he asked as Chas pushed through them and saw what they were seeing, Aaron on his knees on the floor with his back to them.
"I'm a murderer" he answered.
Jackson and Adam frowned as Chas walked over to Aaron and slowly knelt down in front of him
"Don't be silly, that's all in the past love" she told him but Aaron was having none of it, he knew the truth, they didn't.
"No - no it's not" he told her as he sobbed.
Adam sighed. "It was months ago mate, before me and Jackson even met you"
Suddenly Chas felt a change in Aaron's demeanour as he started to rub each temple ferociously with his hands, his eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy. She frowned and shook her head at Adam and Jackson basically and in no uncertain terms for them to shut up, Chas cautiously got to her feet and picked Jak up as she did so.
All of a sudden Aaron began to laugh. "Good idea" he told her.
"What do you mean by that?" Adam asked quickly. Aaron got to his feet and turned to them. Adam's eyes widened. "Oh my god" he muttered.
"What?" Chas asked as she and Jackson exchanged a confused look.
Adam walked to Aaron and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Y-You d-…you did it didn't you? You lied to me, y-your jacket…the bl-…." He had to stop he couldn't speak as it was.
Aaron was blank and void of any emotion now.
"What?" Jackson asked with a raised voice.
"What's going on Adam?"
Adam shook his head as tears strolled down his face.
"What did you do Aaron?" Jackson demanded, angrier now.
Aaron sighed, closed his eyes for a brief second and looked at them again. "I-I killed him"
Adam immediately turned away, his face scrunched as he fought with his emotions but they were too strong, they came out in floods silently for now. Jackson stepped back away from him as he simply stared at Aaron. Chas didn't believe it and shook her head at her son.
"He's dead Jackson; y-y-you don't have to worry anymore. He's never going to hurt you again, y-you shouldn't have stopped me, b-but you did a-and I couldn't leave it…I-I found an old gun in the cabin a-and I went back out. I shot him dead"
Adam stepped away from him to, his cries now audible and he shook his head in complete denial.
"No" Jackson managed to say but it was almost a whisper. "No…No…y-y-you didn't" he told him as he shook his head then he turned but Adam was blocking the doorway and he had to push by him to run out and then, out of the house.
Silence filled the room and Chas wiped her tears away and turned and walked out and along to the kitchen with Jak in her arms, she was in shock.
With the front door left a jar Adam and Aaron heard Jackson being sick in the front garden. Aaron looked down and sank into the chair beside him, he felt calm a weight had certainly been lifted from his shoulders, but he also knew there was no turning back now, damage was done as soon as he opened his mouth he accepted that.
TBC…
