DISCLAIMER: I do not own Emmerdale or it's characters, they belong to ITV
CHAPTER 19
A/N: Thanks for the reviews.. xx...I KNOW you just wanna punch Jeff...I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL...even writing about him gives me the hump...but please be patient...I can't rush it...it wouldn't be feasible...hope everyone is OK, (just read that Hazel goes barking on Emmerdale and starts to create a shrine to Jackson...poor Hazel...JUST so glad Jackson lives on here..!) xx
Sarah and Jack had been around Dale head for a couple of hours, and Jackson was in his element spenting time with his son...Aaron would join in to,leaving Hazel to entertain Sarah...although Sarah would NEVER keep her eyes off Jack...Jackson had just finished playing a round of car racing on the X box with Jack, when he turned to his son, " blimey you're red...you must be roasting up like a chicken in that jumper...come here..." just as Jackson stood and went to pull off the boys jersey, Sarah was up on her feet raising her voice, "COME ON JACK...it's time we were off...", Jackson looked up at her, "what...", Aaron, who was lying on the floor sat up, " but it's ONLY been a couple of hours..."
"Jack's got school tomorrow..." told Sarah...then there was a knock on the door, Hazel stood up and answered it...and all turned to see Jeff enter, " ONLY ME..." he said with a cheerful laugh, Sarah glared at him, "Jeff...I did say...I'll get a cab here and back...what's the point of having a brother in the cab business and not take advantage of it..." she told in jest, Jeff smiled, " I wanted to come...how are you Jackson...Aaron...", both of the boys glanced at eachother, Aaron politely smiled at him with amn acknowledgement, Jackson stuffed his hands in his pockets, " alright Jeff..." he returned with a forced smile, Jeff looked down to little Jack, " hello YOU...has you been behaving...", Jack grabbed his dads hand for comfort, "He's been a good as gold" Hazel chipped in, " we LOVE having him..."
Jackson looked down to his son, " Oh well...time for you to go home then...", Jack's face fell and he became clingy to Jackson, " come on little man...lets get yah coat...", Hazel watched Jackson put the coat on his son, " he's REALLY growing up now...bet he's out growing all his things...shame he doesn't have a little brother..." she sighed.
Jeff smiled and placed a hand around Sarah, " oh...you not said owt Sarah...", Sarah looked annoyed with her husband, " now's NOT the time..."
"Oh bollix to all that..." he faced them all, " Sarah's pregnant...Jack's gonna have a new brother or sister..."
Hazel looked over toward Jackson and Aaron...both boys glancing at eachother...there was a deadly silence...and it was Hazel who pasted on a big smile, and came forward, " WELL...what can I say...CONGRATULATIONS...to you both...", she turned to Jackson, trying to encourage him to join in, Jackson raised his eyebrowes...necked his beer...then came toward Jeff and held out his hand, " congratuations mate...", Jeff shook his hand, "Thanks Jackson...that means a lot to us...doesn't it Sarah...", Sarah gave them a quick smile,"yes it does...but please...lets not tempt fate a...we haven't even had the first scan...", Jeff laughed, "everything is FINE...this is something to celebrate...Hazel raised her half full glass of wine, "here's to you both...", Jackson tried to smile..Jack WOULD have a half brother or sister...it was just Jack would never see it...not when he would be with them somewhere...Jackson faced Aaron...HE didn't look happy...he looked pretty much down in the mouth over Sarah's pregnancy...
Sarah turned, "look...JACK must get home now...he's worn out bless him...", Jackson could see Jack was pretty much finding it hard to keep his eyes open, Jackson turned and nudged him, " COME ON LITTLE MAN...time for you to go home now...", Jack looked at his dad with big sad brown eyes...he looked tearful, Jackson leaned across and handed him the electronic spelling game, " look what I found in yah old room...you used to like that...keeping the mind ticking over...", he ruffled his son's curls as Sarah took the boys hand, " well...thanks Jackson...we're see you tuesday...and this time HE will be there...", Jackson stood up, "see that HE is..." he warned her, Aaron who had been very quiet patted little Jack's head, "see you soon little mate..."
Jack looked up to Aaron clutching his spelling game, " bye bye uncle Aaron..."
Jackson, Aaron and Hazel stood on the doorstep, and watched the car pull away, Jack was waving to them from the back window, Hazel sighed, " oh bless him...", Jackson waited until the car was out of sight, then followed his mum and Aaron back into Dale head.
In the car Jeff pulled on to the motorway, he patted Sarah's knee, " see love, they took it well...they are happy for us..." he told, Sarah shrugged, "Yes..but we could have waited a little while longer...", Jeff laughed out loud, " NO WAY...I was bursting to tell folk...THIS IS GREAT NEWS..." something was beginning to irriate him...that noise...an electronic noise, like a tune...Jack's spelling game, he was happyily playing on it, the electronic wiz would sound out SPELL THIS ...SPELL THAT..., Sarah turned and glanced over her shoulder, and smiled at her son, " he's playing with his spelling game..."
Jeff laughed, "you what...A SPELLING GAME...damn boy can't even spell his OWN name...let alone anything else...", he faced her, " tell you what...when OUR kids born...he or she will go places...it won't need some spelling game to help it..."
Sarah turned, " Jeff that's not fair...Jack's got learning disabilities, that's all...", Jeff laughed again at her, " that's what THEY call it...these soft schools...face it...the boy's plain THICK...you can't blame him though...takes after his father...a back street builder...that's ALL his son gonna be...as I said, " he flashed a smile at her, " OUR kid will go places...", Sarah shook her head, as they followed the route to Leeds, THAT noise still bugged Jeff, he cried out to the lad, " JACK...switch that flaming thing OFF...or I'll toss it out the window...DO YAH HERE ME...", Jack looked up...then focused his brown eyes on to his mum, she held out her hand to him, " give it here darling...you can have it when you get home..."
"IF HE's GOOD..." added Jack, "if you play me up...YOU know what happens...", Jack squirmed in his seat...he wanted his daddy...daddy would never shout at him...or grab him...he only raised his voice if he did something REALLY naughty...but he never hit him...not like uncle Jeff...
...and the car carried on to Leeds...
The thunder storm rolled on as Aaron stared towards the bedroom window...the flashed of lightening alooming his face as his head laid on his pillow...the rain started to hit the window pane noisely...it was lashing down... he had been thinking...since he had got into bed...Jackson as always nodded off straight away...but a " What yah thinking..." surprized him, Aaron turned his head to see Jackson smiling at him from where his head lay, "I...thought you were alsleep...silly me, I should have known the snoring at stopped..." he jested, Aaron pulled him a frown, " I DON'T SNORE..." he protested, " That's ME mum you can hear...", Aaron tried to smile, but Jackson knew there was something on his partners mind.
"Sooo...what is it...waht yah thinking...are you worried...", Jackson asked, now propping his head up onto his elbow and looked down at Aaron, Aaron nodded " worried...me...don't be soft...", Jackson wasn't convinced, " you are...somethings on yah mind...is it about them fake passports...what it means...OUR plans...", Aaron shook his head at him, " Nah...it's NOT that...I promise yah..."
"Then WHAT is it then..." asked Jackson gently, Aaron sighed heavily...he KNEW Jackson wouldn't just give up asking, "Alright, alright...it's Sarah being pregnant...that's on me mind ok..."
Jackson raised his eyebrowe, " Ohhh...BEEN THERE GOT THE TEE SHIRT..." he said pulling him a grin, " and rather NOT go back there...if you get me drift...", Aaron wasn't smiling, " It's NOT that you div...it's...it's that baby...when she has it...Jack'll be second best...won't he...", Jackson sat up, " what...YOU don't know that...anyway...Jack will be us by then...remember...", Aaron hadn't thought of that...he kept forgetting, " yeah...he will be...it's just that...I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE...being second best...when me dad got with Sandra...everything was okay...until THEY had their baby...IT became everything...I was forgotten about...THEY didn't care...just didn't want that life for Jack...", Jackson started to brush Aaron's cheek with his fingers, " YOU big softie...THANK YOU...thinking of Jack like that...it makes me happy...how much you've come to love my boy..."
"but HE'S NOT is he..happy I mean...he was SO quiet..." told Aaron, Jackson laid his head back down, "I know...but it won't be for much longer...THEIR days for having him are numbered..."
The next morning Aaron was up for work, as he made breakfast, Hazel was sat at the small table, " Jackson having a lay in his he...don't blame him...HE's been working SO hard lately...must be raking it in...", Aaron nodded...but never looked at her...Jackson WAS working hard...he needed to...they needed the money, " So...it's good new about Sarah and Jeff...", Aaron glared at her, "WHAT...", she slanted her gaze, "..the PREGNANCY...it's good news...and NOT just for them...you two as well...", Aaron joined her at the table with his breakfast, "What yah going on about..."
Hazel rolled her eyes, Aaron could be SO dense at times, " THEY will be busy with a new born WON'T they...Jack'll have more time over here..." she said finishing with a smug smile, Aaron nodded...that could be true but he looked up to her, " yeah...but HOW do you know that..."
Hazel just looked at him in surprize, " BECAUSE...I'M A MUM...you should have heard Jackson when he was a new born...TALK ABOUT SCREAMING THE HOUSE DOWN...I was a complete reck...and Jerry was never up to much..." Aaron smirked as he munched on his toast, " he's still like it now..."
"like what...", asked Hazel sipping her tea...Aaron stood, "screaming..." he then added, "No wait...THAT's screaming queen..."
"cheeky bleader..." told Hazel...she then got out her bottled of pills, " oh well...time for me meds...",Jackson was then down the stairs yawning, " morning sleepyhead..." Hazel sung, Jackson sleepily gazed at Aaron, " YOU still here...", Aaron playfully hit him with the tea towel, " I feeding yah mum...and making SURE she takes her meds...you know she needs reminding HER...", Jackson nodded smiling...he watched his mum swallow the tablets...who would make sure she took them when they were gone...
At lunchtime Aaron was working on a motor at the garage...he then heard his phone tingle, tossing aside the spark plugs, he reached into his overalls, and pulled out his mobile, looking at the display he frowned...he put the phone to his ear, " TOM...thought you weren't talking to me anymore...what..." his scowl turned into a smirk, " YOU HAVE A BLOKE...YEAH RIGHT...You are having me on..so what's he do...A MECHANIC...OH...just like me...is THAT your type...what's his name then...", Aaron's pulled a face...
Tom was going out with...Matt...Aaron was happy for Tom...but this was Matt he was going out with...and WHAT would Jackson think...he disliked Tom because of his feelings for him...and he hated Matt, because all he did was leer at him...
...and Tom had practically invited himself over that evening with MATT
...Jackson was gonna just love this!
TBC...ALL REVIEWS WELCOME AS ALWAYS...XX