CHAPTER 36
I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT'S CHARACTERS, THEY ALL BELONG TO ITV1
"Jeff wants to see Jack..."
Aaron shook his head at her, " AS IF THAT'S gonna happen...!" he jibed, but Jackson waved a hand at him, " no...LET HIM..."
Sarah sat up...her eyes all panda like, "what..."
Jackson turned to face her, " CALL HIM...tell him he can SEE Jack...BECAUSE I WILL BE THERE WAITING FOR HIM..."
Sarah fumbled with her mobile...as Chas, Aaron and Jackson looked on...Sarah was now placing the phone to her ear...she got Jeff's voicemail, "errr...it's me...look...I've been thinking and...well I suppose you can come around to see Jack...I thinking tomorrow..." she looked up to Jackson, who, with a stoney face shook his head affirming, "...yes tomorrow at midday...we are staying at the B&B in Emmerdale...there's ONLY one so you can't miss it...see yah then..." she ended the message, Jackson turned his back on her, Aaron turned to his mum, "CAN YOU take her home...", Chas pointed to herself, " WHAT ME...", Aaron gave her a glare, Chas swung into action, " Okay okay...come on love...let's get yah back...", Aaron watched as Chas and Sarah left the pubs back room, he turned to Jackson, "Jackson what thinking...", Jackson looked at him, and raised his eyebrowes, " just gonna thank him for trying to rescue me son..." he said with pure sarcasim, Aaron just KNEW there was gonna be trouble...
Aaron watched as the sun's first ray's shone through their bedroom window, he rolled over to see Jackson laying there staring at the ceiling...his head resting on his hands, "you never slept at ALL did yah..." he said to him, Jackson turned his head slightly, " YOU certainly DID...I know that...!", Aaron pushed out his bottom lip, " I was tired...IT'S NOT that I'm not bothered about...", Jackson sat himself up and turned to him, " Hey...I KNOW...sorry about last night...didn't turn out the way I planned..."
Aaron smirked at him, " I don't know...WE certainly had fun at the indian...and I'm still feeling yah now to remind me...", Jackson frowned at him, " YOU STILL sore...", Aaron nodded at him, Jackson brushed the lads face with his palm, " hope I haven't hurt yah...if yah still sore on monday we better visit the doctor..." told Jackson, Aaron didn't LIKE that idea, "Nah I'll be fine...", he glanced at the clock...it was alittle after 6.30, "I'll go make yah breakfast..." he jumped off the bed and went down the stairs...GOD it was a novelty to walk around stark naked in your own home again, he thought to himself...Jackson laid back thinking about midday...thinking about JEFF...
Sarah had a thick head...and it didn't help matters with Jack squealing like a lunatic...she turned to see him running up and down the stairs...Val came over and removed her STILL full plate of breakfast, she frowned at it, " FOOD not to yah taste is it pet...well Amy's been doing it see...Bacon alittle TOO crispy is it...", Sarah glared at the plate...the bacon WAS too crispy...it fact cremated..."just a brew will be fine..." said Sarah waving her hand at her, Val turned to see Jack again run up the stairs, " lively little blighter him inhe...So...you and our Gay builder were an item once then..." she enquired in her usual tactless nosy way, Sarah nodded, " yeah...it's a long story...", Val smiled at her, " bet it is...but I have a while before I start doing the rooms and..."
"VALERIE!" snapped Pollard, Val turned to see her husband at the top of the stairs with fresh towelling and linen strewn all over the stairway, Val turned to sarah with a smile, " looks like your son's caused us a little accident...", in fact the screaching was going straight through Pollard...with a hushened hiss to his wife when she went to help him he said, " THEY have to go...that little brat is driving our customers away with that racket!", he then smiled down to sarah, "JUST cleaning up yah room haha", Sarah stood and called to Jack, " come on son...time to get yah ready...", Jack didn't know Jeff was coming over...and deep down Sarah was dreading it...especially with the OTHER news she had to tell him...
Aaron washed up the breakfast things...and turned to Jackson who still sat at the table, "SO have you thought out how yah gonna face him...IF it were me I'LL...", Jackson turned to him, "YEAH alright, AS IF I WOULD NEED any tips from YOU...I KNOW exactly HOW you'd play it out!", Aaron came foward frowning, " HE'S got what's coming to him THAT'S ALL i'm saying..."
Jackson stood up and glanced at his watch...it was 10.00, " look I've got a couple of hours till he arrives...I'M gonna see if I can KEEP MESELF busy in the mean time..." he went and pulled on his muddy works boots and raised his eyebrowes knowingly at Aaron, " SEE if I can earn SOME of that money back, I'VE spent on YOU last night" he told him, Aaron smirked, "YOU loved it...", Jackson winked at him and went out the door...knowing the next time he'll see him was over at the B&B...ON Jeff's arrival...
Jeff pulled his car into the village, and parked up outside the B&B, Val, who was hosing her nice spring flowers, looked up and immediatley decided to take an interest here, "hello there...wanting a place to STAY the night pet...WE can offer you a WIDE range of...", Jeff waved his hand at her...as his eyes searched the direction of the B&B, "NO...it's fine...i'm only here on a visit i'm afraid...", THIS got Val's attention, " OH...one of me guests..." she had seen this gent before in the Woolie, and took his arm, " OHHHH of course...that Sarah lass...and that pesky little bra...NICE little lad of hers...please come inside...DOES she know yah stopping by..."
Jackson was watching from his van...he had only just got back from a couple of hours casual...cash in hand labouring...he got out and went into Dale Head to clean up...THEN...it was time for his visit...
Sarah came down the stairs of the B&B, and saw Jeff sitting in the lounge area waiting for her, OF COURSE Val happened to be dusting the bar nearby...glancing over to them accasionally, Jeff smiled at her, " Hi...long time no see..." he said, trying to break the ice...Sarah thinly smiled at him, " yeah well...SO..." she sat down, " WHERE are yah staying...", Jeff shugged, "OVER at Shawn and Julie's, you remember them...THEY said they'd be Jack's godparents when I adopted him...if i...well IT never happened did it...", Sarah just shook her head...and glanced at the mantles clock...WHERE THE HELL was Jackson...
Aaron was chasing after Jackson around the bedroom, " BUT I WANT TO BE THERE..." cried Aaron with a frown...Jackson turned as he pulled on a clean Tee shirt, "NO AARON...look...I NEED to handle this on me own...I CAN'T be having to deal with YOU kicking off over there...", Aaron's mouth was agape, "AS IF i would..", Jackson glared at him...Aaron smirked, " well...maybe I would...a tad...", Jackson came across and kissed him on the lips, " JUST stay put...and when I get back I'll take you...and JACK out for a pub lunch...", Aaron had to smile about that thought...he couldn't wait...but he still worried..YES he proberly would of kicked off...BUT...in the mood Jackson was in...the WAY he was wound up last night...WOULD HE...
Sarah bit her nails, as Jeff rattled ON about his new project at the company...THAT HE was in favour again...Sarah tried to look interested and nod in the right places..."...SO you see...everythings ON the up Sarah...I'm BACK on form and on me feet...WE'VE got the baby to look forward to...and you and Jack can come home...well our new home...", he then gazed about, " AND where IS the little guy...don't tell me he's turned shy with his uncle Jeff...", Sarah's mind was in termoil...this wasn't the plan...JACK should NOT have to see Jeff again...but then she sighed in relief...Jackson had just entered the room...Val came over to him, " hiya Pett...what can I do yah for...", Jackson waved his hand at her, " nah...you're alright Val...just here to see these pair...",Val pulled a face..." RIGHTO..." she then continued to faff about nearby...
Jeff looked up to Jackson, " Jackson...this is...is unexpected...", Jackson pulled him a grin, I BET it was", he sat down and turned to Sarah, " YOU not told him Sarah...", Jeff turned facing the pair of them, " told me what...", Sarah didn't know what to say...SHE didn't really know what Jackson had planned...
Jackson gave Jeff another friendly grin, " I've come over to THANK yah...", Jeff felt a alttle uneasy here, he swallowed, " look Jackson...I KNOW you must have seen the fire investigators report...the fire...it was..."
Jackson raised his eyebrowes at him, " STARTED by a cigarette...seeing YOU'RE the only one who smoked in that house...I'd confidently SAY you started the fire...but hey..." he came forward and slapped his hand on Jeff's knee, " it was an accident right!...you were just CARELESS that's all...no harm done...nobody died did they...", Jeff couldn't relax...although Jackson had that constant annoying grin plastered on his face on the outside...there was just something in those big brown eyes telling him...Jackson WASN'T smiling inside.
Sarah knew it...but Jeff was unsure, " well...I still feel BAD...MY GOD...IF Jack...if he had...", Jackson leaned back, " IF he had died...HE NEVER DIED JEFF...he's safe and sound...YOU know that...You've seen him...when he was at the hospital...all perky...and talkative...", Jeff felt a prang of awkwardness, Jackson sighed out, " WELL...I know I was kinda HARD on yah at the hospital...TELLING YAH to stay away from MY son...BUT...I was harsh on yah...TOO harsh...considering you did TRY to rescue my beautiful little boy...the APPLE of my eye...", Jeff gave out a nervous laugh, " HEY...COURSE I tried...the flames though...god...I feel SO bad Jackson...I blame meself...especially when the report said it was a cigarette...MY cigarette...I felt SO bad...SO SO bad..." there were tears in his eyes...IT was this Jackson couldn't take...he bolted up and leaned toward Jeff...face so angry...it looked as if he was about to explode, "LIAR LIAR LIAR!"
Jeff tried to squirm in his seat, Val was hurrying over, " please I don't want any trouble here...", Jackson snapped his head round at her, " YOU GOT SOME HOOVING TO DO OR OWT!", Val quickly hurried off, Jackson turned back to Jeff, " JACK's told us Jeff, HE'S told Sarah HE was alone in that fire...HE saw yah GO OUT...", Jeff stood up, "look I'm going I not...", Jackson grabbed Jeff by the scruff of his shirt collars, " I'VE NEVER FELT LIKE THIS ABOUT ANYONE...the HATE in me...FOR YOU!", Jackson was red...anger fired up in his eyes, "YOU...YOU..." those red eyes started to well up...when he realised his own words...that terrified him, " YOU LEFT HIM TO DIE!...TO BURN", Sarah stood up...she hoped Jackson wasn't going to do something silly...but Jackson raised his fist...he was gonna smash THAT face in...he'd DO TIME for him...it was worth it...but...
"DADDY!", little Jack was on the stairs looking over the bannister, Jackson realised he had Jeff at his scruff, and immediately let go...his son had saved him from the hate...Jackson just felt love now and instantly hurried over and picked him up, he then brought him over to Jeff, " LOOK at him Jack...BECAUSE after today...YOU'LL NEVER have to see him again..."
Jeff turned to Sarah, " Sarah i'm sorry...I...I...", Sarah looked up to him, " YOU MAKE ME SICK!...Jackson's right you left him to burn..AND I can guess why..." she stared into his eyes knowingly, "...what was it exactly...YOU run out of drink was it..."
"Sarah please!", cried Jeff...it was a plead..., Sarah spat at him, "...AND would you do that to YOUR own child would you...IF he or she were in that position...LEAVE it to burn!", Jeff came forward and touched Sarah's abdomen, " No...of course not...I...I.." he didn't know what to say...he was in a divver...
Sarah removed his hand from her, and simply told him, "there IS NO baby..."
Jeff looked at her in sheer disbelief, " what...you...what happened...you...you lost it...the stress i mean..."
Sarah nodded, " I proberly WOULD of done...IF there had been a baby...but NO...THERE-WAS-NO-BABY-TO-BEGIN-WITH!", Jackson looked at her, " YOU WHAT...", Sarah turned to him, "I'm sorry...BUT YOU don't know what HE'S been like since we left Spain...the stress...he...he could be aggressive...I was afraid he'd HURT me...so I pretended I was pregnant,he wouldn't hurt me then...I didn't mean for it to GO so far...BUT it was him who blurted it out...I just had to go along with it..."
Jackson shook his head in disbelief, " YOU are just as BAD as eachother...", Jeff glared at her, "YOU LYING CONIEVING BITCH!"
Jackson, his son still in his arms, saw Aaron come through the door...Val was with him, "IT'S okay Aaron I NEVER HIT him...", Aaron came forward, " you should have done...I STILL CAN" he cried, Jackson shook his head, " No...because THAT'LL harm my case...I'm gonna go for custody...I know they said I had a cat in hells chance...but...the FACTS have changed...BEFORE, those legal people would only have seen a STRAIGHTLACED couple...Jeff had amazing Job that brought in all the readies...and there was alittle one on the way...to play with Jack...and then there was us...gay couple...both not THAT qualified...no prospects...BUT..." he smiled at them both, " THINGS have changed now...YOU two have split up...THERE IS no little one ON the way...YOU'VE GOT NO HOME TO SPEAK OFF between the pair of yah...and THERE'S ME...funding YAH both, by putting you up here in the B&B..."
Aaron smuggly smiled, as he took in what Jackson said...and they...the three of them left the B&B to start a little life with out THEM pair...AND if she wanted a court room battle...then bring it on...because Jackson felt confident now...
...at last their life was getting back on track...and so much to look forward to...
xx
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