It Takes One to Know One
Part 53
He was half way home, still not in an area he was familiar with but try as he might to concentrate on the road ahead, his gaze kept moving to the steering wheel, to his hand, to his bruised and bloody knuckles. How was he going to explain the injury? Jackson would want to know how he'd done it and Paddy would be suspicious of it too, especially after yesterday when he'd liked to have decked Drew Hardy.
He was going to have to lie barefaced to them both, say he'd done it at work. He'd put a few hours in when he got back so he wouldn't be lying about actually going to work, so that would be one less thing for him to feel guilty about.
Maybe they wouldn't notice? Yeah right! They might have other things on their mind right now, Jon for one, but they missed nothing where he was concerned.
He wouldn't see Jackson until this evening; the older man couldn't make the planned meeting with Gary later that afternoon, not that he needed to go. Paddy would be there and him and Jon of course. The boy was staying with them for now; he'd needed a great deal of persuading to do so though.
The fifteen year old had walked into the kitchen a rucksack containing his stuff hanging off his shoulder, evidence he'd suffered more violence at the hands of his father on his face. Obviously shaken by what had just happened he'd quietly apologised for the trouble he'd caused them and then turned around and made for the door. Jackson had got there before him, gently asking him where he thought he was going. Jon hadn't wanted to tell them, but with some encouragement and reassurance from Cai he had reluctantly opened up. He'd had it all worked out to a point, he planned on making his way to Liverpool, his brother was at university there, living in student accommodation and he was going to stay with him. He'd had to admit his brother knew nothing about his plans, and that he'd not thought past getting there. The boy was adamant that he was going though, and a tense half hour had passed as they had tried to talk him out of it. Paddy finally getting through to him by saying Cai was testimony to the fact running away didn't solve anything, that he'd needed help too and only when he had accepted it had his life got back on track.
They'd coaxed Jon into having some breakfast and as he'd eaten with them he'd opened up some more, hesitantly telling them why he'd been so intent on leaving home.
Things were going from bad to worse between him and his dad, he'd tried talking to him but he wouldn't listen; he wouldn't have it that he was gay. He'd taken his phone off him, kept him home from school, away from what he'd called outside influences and he'd told him he was to have nothing more to do with Cai. Hardy was aware of his home circumstances and had blamed 'what went on' at Smithy cottage and his 'exposure to it' for his son's announcement. They'd had a huge row the night before about it and his father had hit him again.
They had later found out from Cai that Jon had been at theirs since the early hours of the morning. He'd decided he wasn't sticking around for more of the same from his father and had snuck out the house and then walked all the way to Emmerdale, He'd thrown stones at Cai's window to wake him up, he had no money and hoped Cai could lend him some.
Cai had let him in and had then tried to talk Jon out of running off, to instead talk to them about what was really happening at home. He'd more or less succeeded but then his father had turned up and the ugly scene that followed had made Jon even more determined to go, to put as many miles as he could between the two of them.
With a lot more reasoning they'd eventually got Jon to agree to them involving Gary Elias. Paddy had phoned him and got the ball rolling; today's meeting was to update them on the situation.
He hadn't noticed the miles passing as he'd been lost in thought, but as he surfaced from his reverie and realised he was almost home his eyes again settled on his hand. He'd tried not to dwell on the waste of space responsible for him hitting out in anger, but every now and then he found himself thinking about him and wishing it had all turned out differently for Jackson's sake.
Cain had found him some work and just as he'd finished that his phone had rung, Paddy wanting him home right then if possible. Gary was coming round earlier than planned, wanting to speak to them before Jon and Cai got in from school.
He'd traipsed up the hill in his overalls, his hands tucked firmly in his pockets, consciously hiding the evidence of his loss of temper.
As he'd stepped into the kitchen Paddy had greeted him with a smile and his customary "Alright?"
He'd wanted to say 'yeah, fine' but he couldn't because he wasn't, he felt weighed down by disappointment. He'd so wanted to sort the mess that was Jackson and his father's relationship; he'd desperately wanted to stop the pain it caused him. But he'd failed miserably and now he had to somehow keep what he'd done from Jackson, and the weight of such a secret added to the burden.
He really needed to talk about it; he needed someone to help him make sense of it all. His silence had Paddy ask... "What is it?"... Which was just the cue he needed, "You're not going to like it."
He'd been right about that, Paddy had warned him off going to see Walsh, especially about going about it behind Jackson's back, but after reminding him of that he'd sat and quietly listened to him retell events.
"I wanted to hit him, I was itching to..."
"But you didn't?" Paddy asked anxiously.
Showing Paddy his hand he quietly admitted, "I punched a wall instead."
Heaving a relieved sigh Paddy said "I can understand your frustration, the man was giving off mixed signals, and then to say that!"
"How can he love him but hate what he is? That doesn't make sense, not to me anyway."
"You made him face his feelings today, probably for the first time. Maybe when he's had some time to think ..."
"He's had eight years to think Paddy, one visit from me isn't going to make any difference, hasn't made any difference, he said it himself 'Nothing's changed' I was stupid to think it would."
"I know I told you not to go but...well I understand you wanting to put things right and I admire you for trying."
He not been expecting that, and although he didn't think he was deserving of any praise it helped knowing Paddy wasn't mad at him. Telling him had made him realise that he couldn't keep it from Jackson, not if it meant lying to him.
A knock on the front door brought their conversation to a close, it was Gary and with some sobering news. As he'd joined them by the table he told them he'd again been to see Drew and Alice Hardy, He'd spoken to them the day before, they'd proved uncooperative, not liking the fact social services were involved in their business and especially not that Jon was temporarily in the departments care. He'd gone back to day to try and mediate further only to be told they wanted nothing more to do with Jon saying he had brought shame to the family.
"They've disowned him, just like that!" Paddy shook his head in disbelief even though he was very well aware that Jon wasn't the first teenager to be disowned by a parent, it really shouldn't shock him anymore but it did.
"Hardy's got to be the most unreasonable man I've ever met, he's unbelievably opinionated, but he may well climb down off his high horse at some point and see sense, time will tell."
Gary didn't sound hopeful and neither was he, not knowing Jackson and his father were still estranged eight years on.
"I've also spoken to Jon's brother over the phone. He was totally unaware of what's been going on, he says he hasn't been home in quite some time, surprise surprise he doesn't get on with his father! Anyway as much as he'd like to have Jon with him, it's not in any way feasible, he doesn't think there are any family members who will take him either, not if it means going against his dad. I'll have to check that out of course, but I could well be looking for a permanent placement for Jon and wanting to get ahead of myself if possible I was wondering how you felt about taking him on a permanent basis?"
He listened to Paddy tell the older man they would have to discuss it with Jackson before making a decision but he already knew what his boyfriend's answer would be.
Their unconventional family was about to get bigger!
TBC
