Prodigal Son – Chapter 5

-O-

DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV.

-O-

Aaron had tossed and turned all night. Jackson was his usual loving self, trying to put his mind at ease, but Aaron was still beating himself up over Eden. He felt like calling the hospital, but he knew that Chas was by her younger son's bedside and she would call if there was any news.

Aaron's phone vibrated and he saw that he had a text from Adam. He jumped out of bed and, after looking at his slumbering husband, still exhausted from a sleepless night, he made his way downstairs to make a call.

"How are you this morning mate?" it was good to hear Adam's voice.

"Didn't get much sleep last night. Jackson's still soundo, I kept him up most of the night, bless him."

"Whoa...too much information lad! Any more news on Eden?"

"No, my Mum's with him. Last I heard: he still hadn't come round. By the way, how did your date go after you left Bar West? What was her name...Justine?"

"HUH!" Adam sounded well cheesed off, "Justine, indeed! You'll never believe this, mate, but she, or is it he, was one of those 'lady-boys'. You know, a woman's tits but a bloke down below, if you get my drift."

Aaron laughed out loud, in spite of his sombre mood, "You're joking...so he was really Justin?"

"It's not funny," Adam scolded his friend, "I didn't have a clue 'til I had my hand around something I shouldn't have had my hand around! Yuk!"

Aaron was still laughing, his best mate had just cheered him up, "So, you might just as well have pulled me then?"

"Don't even go there," Adam was not best pleased, "at least I'd know what to expect with you, if I ever copped a feel like, but it came as a big shock! She, or rather he, was gorgeous as a bird. I might have known it was too good to be true...finding a cracking girl like that in a gay bar. I think I'll stick to straight clubs in future."

"If you need counselling, my fees are very reasonable," Aaron joked.

"You're a bright spark, Livesy."

"Oi, my name's Walsh, remember?"

"Sorreee!" Adam laughed, "I forgot you were an old married man."

"Not so much of the old, you! Anyway, you still on for the big church do?"

"I'd better be, as you asked me to be best man."

"Are you sure you're comfortable with the whole 'gay marriage' thing?"

"What? You know me well enough by now, pal. I might not be too happy about grabbing hold of another bloke's todger, but it doesn't bother me if you do it," Adam thought about the statement that he had just made, "...er, to Jackson I mean!"

"Aww...and I thought you were ready to come out of the closet!"

"After last night, I'm staying firmly locked in mine, mate...and I'm throwing away the key," Adam chortled.

"Your loss!" Aaron laughed along with his best mate who had just made him feel better, as always.

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Over breakfast, Jackson nearly choked on his toast when Aaron regaled him with the story of Adam's exploits the night before. He found it hilarious. As luck would have it, Jackson was working in Hotten that day so he was able to give Aaron a lift to the hospital. Aaron went straight to the ward where Eden was staying and found his mother by the bed. She had nodded off, but roused when her eldest son walked in.

"Hello, love," she greeted him with a smile.

"Any change?" Aaron looked at Eden, lying there with drip-feeds, his left leg in plaster and a big bandage round his head.

"No, he hasn't stirred yet," Chas looked at her younger son fondly, "he just seems to be sleeping like a baby."

Just then, the door opened and a man entered the room. He was in uniform and Aaron recognised him as the fireman who had given CPR to Eden the previous evening.

"Sorry," the fireman said, "I don't mean to intrude only I was in the hospital and I just thought I'd look in on Eden. How is he?"

Aaron introduced the man to his mother, "This is the hero that kept Eden alive until the ambulance arrived."

Chas stood up and crossed over to the man and embraced him, "I don't know how I can ever thank you," she said, softly.

"No thanks needed...and I don't know about hero," the man said, modestly, "Just doing what I've been trained for."

"I don't think I've ever met a fireman before," Aaron looked at the man, "What were you doing at Bar West?"

"I WAS off duty," the man replied, "You make it sound like I was there as part of my job!"

"Sorry," Aaron apologised, "So, were you just having a night out?"

"A night out? That's a bit of a Freudian slip, isn't it?" the man smiled, then extended his hand for Aaron to shake, "I'm Franco, by the way."

"Aaron...and this is my Mum, Chas."

"To be honest, I'd never been to that place before. I'd seen it: gone past in the fire engine more than once, but my curiosity finally got the better of me. So, there I was, not knowing what to do or how to chat anyone up. I saw Eden looking at me, but he was with you and some other guys, so I didn't pluck up the courage to approach him."

Aaron was amazed, this guy was a fire fighter and he imagined that he would be fearless and confident. Yet Franco seemed shy and unsure of himself.

"He was with me, my husband and my best mate," Aaron continued, "So, you liked what you saw when you clapped eyes on my brother? You should have taken the plunge...I know he fancied you!"

"Did he?" Franco sounded surprised, "I wish I'd had the balls to speak to him now. Maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"Don't feel bad," Chas interrupted, "What you did for my son was wonderful. I'm a believer in fate, I expect the accident would have happened anyway, regardless of whether you had got together with Eden or not."

"Thanks," Franco looked relieved, "But I wish now that I HAD at least broken the ice, maybe we could have gone on a date or something."

Aaron had to smile as it struck him how Franco was acting like a love-struck teenager and, more surprisingly, over someone that he had never really met properly. Had Franco actually got together with Eden, he wondered if the fireman would have been so keen to know him, but he felt that it was not his place to speak ill of the brother who was lying incapacitated and unable to speak for himself.

Franco asked, rather shyly, "Would you mind if I call again? I'd like to know how he gets on."

Chas smiled, she was touched that this good-looking man was so taken with her youngest son, "Please feel free, Franco. I'm sure Eden would want to thank you himself, when he wakes up."

"Thanks for letting me see him," Franco headed for the door.

"Hold on a minute," Aaron said, "If you want, you can give me your mobile number and then I can let you know how he's doing."

"That's very kind of you, Aaron," Franco smiled and Aaron could see why Eden had liked the look of him, he was very handsome and looked really fit in his uniform, "I do hope he will be OK."

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Jackson answered a knock at the door of Dale Head cottage. He was surprised to see his mum standing on the doorstep.

"You're back!" Jackson gasped, "Sorry, that's obvious, isn't it?"

"As the youngsters these days would say, 'No shit, Sherlock!'" Hazel laughed as she entered the room.

"Why didn't you call me? I could have picked you up at the airport."

"I got a taxi. Anyway, I didn't want to disturb you at work," Hazel plonked herself down on the settee.

"How did it go with the ashes and stuff?"

"It was nice, actually. Rafael said a few words, even though he was fighting back the tears, bless him. Still, it brings everyone closure, I suppose."

"So, you're back in plenty of time for our wedding," Jackson looked delighted that his mother would be at the most important ceremony of his life.

"Actually, I've got a little surprise for you," Hazel continued, "By the way, where's Aaron?"

"He's still at the hospital with Chas."

"Oh yeah, sorry! Any more news on Eden?"

"The last I heard...he's still in a coma," Jackson grimaced.

"Oh the poor lad!" Hazel was sad to hear the news.

"Anyway," Jackson wanted to pick up on his mother's previous statement, "What's this surprise?"

"I was hoping that I could tell you and Aaron together, but it doesn't matter," Hazel continued, "I found out that Carlos bought a villa on an island in the Balearics, Formentera I think. I didn't know anything about it until Rafael told me: he was in on it you see. It seems that Carlos wanted to surprise me with a holiday home but, before he could tell me about it, he passed away, bless him. It's only a little villa with one bedroom, no swimming pool or anything, just suitable for two people, but it's in a lovely spot."

"You seem to know a lot about it," Jackson looked at his mother with a quizzical expression.

"Rafael showed me the place on the internet," Hazel explained.

"So, you've got even more money coming in when you sell that too," Jackson observed.

"Well, that's why I wanted to tell you and Aaron together," Hazel smiled at her son.

"Eh?" Jackson did not understand.

"I'm going to keep it. It will make the perfect getaway spot."

"But, why did you want Aaron here to tell us together?" Jackson was still none the wiser.

"Well, I want you and Aaron to have it! It will make the perfect holiday home for you two and I thought you might like to spend your honeymoon there."

"But, surely you'd want it for yourself?"

Hazel took Jackson's hands in her own, "Listen my darling, you know how I love to go travelling: but I'd rather be foot loose and fancy free, rather than be tied to one particular spot."

Jackson felt that his mother was making excuses, "But, you could still sell it and make a profit."

"No! Carlos has left me very well off, what with his money and the sale of the villa we lived in. I don't need any more money and I'd much rather this little villa got some use by my nearest and dearest. Carlos would have wanted it this way too if he was still here...he loved you like his own son."

Jackson was touched, "Well, if you're sure."

"Look on it as a wedding present. Like I said, it would be a lovely spot for a honeymoon for you and Aaron...you haven't got anything planned, have you?"

"No."

"Well then, that will solve one problem and, in future, you can go out there as often as you like. It will be your own place in the sun."

Jackson embraced his mother. He knew when her mind was made up and that there was absolutely no point in arguing.

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At the hospital, whilst Hazel was back at home telling Jackson about her extraordinarily generous gift, Aaron sat with Chas, staring at Eden in his sickbed. Suddenly, he thought he saw a small movement.

"Mum!" Aaron shouted, "His eyes just flickered."

Sure enough, Eden stirred and came round.

"Eden? Are you awake, baby?" Chas cooed.

Eden tried to focus. He felt as if several workmen were hammering on the inside of his skull, "Where am I?" he croaked.

"You're in hospital, you're safe," Chas gripped Eden's hand.

"Hospital?" Eden was trying to assimilate the information that he had just been given, but he had no memory of the events leading up to his hospitalisation, or of the two people who were staring anxiously at him. He looked at Chas more closely: she was dressed in a maroon top and had a gold chain around her neck.

"Why aren't you wearing a uniform?" Eden asked.

"What's he talking about?" Aaron was confused.

"If you're a nurse, you should have a uniform," Eden reasoned.

"I'm not a nurse, sweetheart, I'm your Mum!"

Eden looked perplexed, "Mum? You're not my Mum! My Mum's dead!"