CHAPTER 50

I DO NOT OWN EMMERDALE OR IT'S CHARACTERS, THEY ALL BELONG TO ITV1

A/N:THANKS for all your kind reviews...

At Dale Head, Jackson put a Tee shirt onto his son, " YOU are gonna have a great time with your Nana Hazel, and our Auntie Polly..." he told with a grin, Jack's little face was like thunder as his tantrum continued, " BUT I don't wanna go to shops...shops is BORRRING...I want to go with you and Uncle Aaron to Uncle Joe's BBQ!" he whinged stamping his foot.

Jackson made sure Jack's rucksack was packed up for the day, " you CAN'T go little man...it's for adults only...LOOK...as soon as you get to them toyshops you WILL be pleased as a button...and Nana Hazel and Auntie Polly are looking forward to it, ESPECIALLY Nana Hazel, she's been ill, and while she was in hospital she missed you...NOW you have an important job...YOU have to look after her while I'm at the BBQ...will you do that for me...", Jack nodded his head at him, " Okay Daddy...but I hate them sloppy kisses...they make my face all wet..."

Aaron then came through the front door, " right, are we off or what...your Mum and Polly are on their way over...", Jackson stood up, and turned, " did yah get them beers...", Aaron held up two 4packs, " WHAT do you think theses are yah div...Jack what's he like a..."

Hazel and Polly were then in the doorway, " THERE he is...MY little darling...all ready for a nice day at the shops, " she beamed, holding out her arms to him, to give a nice big sloppy kiss.

Polly turned to her, " COURSE he's not...what kid looks forward to a day at the shops..." she turned to Jack, "I'm sure we can find SOMETHING to do done there YOU lovely boy"

Hazel glared at her, " I THINK you are forgetting something Pol, HE'S MY grandson NOT yours...!", Aaron glanced at Jackson with a smirk, Jackson stooped down to Jack, "RIGHT you better be going HAVE a nice day!" he beamed,and watched as the 3 of them left through the door, Aaron turned, " I think Jack's in for it this afternoon with THEM pair...better him than me..."

Jackson laughed at him, in agreement " AND me" he then turned, "shall we go then...", Aaron grapped his car keys, " COME ON then" he sighed, " the earlier we get there, the earlier we can come back" , Jackson grabbed him, " PROMISE you're smile...for me...", Aaron pulled him his best fake smile, "WILL this do!"

Jackson shook his head as they exited through the door, " It'll HAVE to been..."

Jackson WAS so pleased when they finally reached Joe's house in Hotten, Aaron had put his foot down through the country lanes, Jackson hated Aaron's speeding...it scared him.

Jackson stared toward Joe's semi-detached across the street, " AT last...thought I was never gonna get here alive with YOUR driving...", Aaron turned to him and he grabbed the beers from the back seat, " " SORRY...shaken you up have I...", Jackson glanced at the cans, now in Aaron's grasp, " NO...but I BET them beers have!"

They both got out the car, and headed across the road, Jackson pointed out to the bright lemon VW camper standing on the drive, " WE should borrow THAT again sometime hey...", Aaron pulled a face, " NOT too soon...I wanna fly somewhere next time thanks", they heard the loud music playing out from round the back, " SEE!, I told you Joe has A GREAT place, didn't I.."

"about 100 times yeah, " shot back Aaron,as they rounded the driveway to the back garden, where a gathering of folk lay ahead, most mingled and chatted...some ate...of course that made Aaron hungry...especially when he got a wiff of something cooking on the barbie nearby.

Joe soon spotted them, and came over to them...BBQ tongs in his grasp, and an plastic apron that said ' I wear the frock in this house' flapping ahead of him, " JACKO MATE!...I thought you weren't ganna make it..." he cried.

Jackson smiled at him with an apology, " sorry bout that mate...we just had to sort Jack out first...", Aaron held up the beers, " AND get these in"

Joe nodded toward the barbie, "well help yahself to the food...I've cooked it with my own fair hand...and Rob's somewhere...he'll fridge yah beer!"

Jackson smiled at him, " believe me my little gannet will be helping himself to the food...", Aaron glared at him, " OI I'm STILL here you know!"

As Aaron helped himself to a burger or two, he managed to find two people he knew, camp Dave and Scott, Jackson went into the kitchen and handed the beers to Rob to put in the fridge, " alright Jackson love...glad you made it...Joey would have been gutted if you didn't show up", Jackson leaned on the counter, opening a can, " WOULDN'T of missed it mate...", Rob glanced out the window and laughed, " I see your Aaron is chatting nicely to your Ex...", Jackson nearly choked on his beer, "W-WHAT!"

Rob turned and pointed out the kitchen window, " Dan...he's just got back up from Manchester...his job never worked out there...so he came back...he were gutted when he heard you were married...AND to who...I must admit...I liked Dan...still do..."

Jackson raised his eyebrowes, " THAT'S a matter of opinion...", he then turned to see Joe come in through the door, " HEY you guys, foods getting cold..." he told, Rob nodded, "yeah...we are just coming, I were just saying YOU would have been gutted if he hadn't shown up..." he then snapped his head round to Jackson, " HEY did you and Aaron enjoy your time in the camper..."

Jackson laughed, as he took a sip of his beer out the can, " Yeah...it was AN experience...", Rob laughed pulling the ring from his own beer, " that's right Joe here said...about the dogging site!", Jackson glared at his best mate, Joe held up his hands, " SORRY mate...it were TOO good of a story NOT to tell!"

Rob was laughing again, " and Aaron!...'i see no dogs!' he really is neive isn't he, " Jackson nodded with a smile, " it's a reason WHY I love him...", Rob nodded at him, " yeah...I know THAT...but come on...IS he really that dense! EVERYONE knows what a dogging site is...", Jackson narrowed his eyes and snapped his neck round to him, " YEAH ALLRIGHT!...Aaron didn't...GOT a problem with that!", Rob turned up his nose and headed out the door, " Sor-rey!...didn't MEAN to talk out of turn!" he said, Joe turned to his mate, " I so sorry about him...he gets abit mouthy when he'd had afew...", Jackson downed his beer, and turned to him, "IT'S not your fault...BUT...I'm telling yah...I won't have him taking the piss out of me MY Aaron...your boyfriend or not!", Joe shook his head, " he won't...I promise..."

Jackson cracked him a smile, " sorry...I KNOW i'm over protective sometimes...I just can't help it...", Joe leaned next to him at the sink, " SO how is things...have you heard owt from the court..."

Jackson nodded, and looked at him, " I got a letter on Thursday...and I'm seeing me solicitor Monday...the case is being heard on 7 the July...", Joe shrugged at him, " look...I know I'm only training to be a lawyer and all...but...IF I can help you understand the legal stuff...JUST ring me, yeah"

Jackson nodded, facing the floor, " cheers Joe, you're a real mate...it's just that...I get scared sometimes...", Joe looked up, " of what..."

"of it ALL...the case...Sarah winning...failing Aaron and Jack...I wanna prove that I CAN LOOK AFTER THEM both...", Joe laughed and opened up his can of beer, " you do...AND do it well...Jack's a really good little lad...and Aaron...well YOU know how I felt about him when you met...HIM decking you in all...BUT...he's grown to be GOOD for you...and you him!", he placed his arm around his mates shoulders, " YOU'LL be fine...it'll ALL work out fine for you all...just wait and see yeah..."

Jackson smiled at him, "yeah...yeah yah right..." but Joe got the impression that just maybe, he was trying to convince himself.

Later on the BBQ started to disband abit, Aaron sat on a deckchair talking to Camp Dave, Jackson came over to catch Aaron stuffing a hot dog down his neck, " YOU STILL hungry...", Aaron sheepishly licked his fingers, Camp Dave laughed, " He's A GROWING LAD!" he then got up to join Scott, he turned to then both," Joe and that are going to Bar West...are you twos joining us...", Jackson shook his head, " Nah...WE'VE really got to get back...", Aaron stood up, and took Jackson's arm, " NO...you go...I'll get back for Jack...AS you've said, you don't get to see Joe that much...IT'S FINE...I'll see you later...", Jackson turned to him, "are you sure"

Aaron nodded with a smile, " IT'S FINE I SAID...anyway I went to Bar west yesterday didn't I...IT'S ONLY fair..."

Jackson pulled him into a hug, " cheers Aaron...BUT I'm not drinking...I've just had the one...so i'll take the car, and YOU get a cab back home, " he shoved a tenner in his hand, " and I'll see you in abit!", Aaron pointed to him, " you be careful in MY car yeah...", Jackson raised his eyebrowes at him, " I'll look after IT, just as much I look after YOU!" he teased.

Later at Bar West, Joe and Jackson had a couple of games of pool, where Jackson won BOTH times...but Joe was used to that, Jackson also knew his place, "the WINNER buys...I KNOW!", he joked, and hurried off to the bar to buy a pint for Joe, and an orange juice for himself.

At the bar, as Jackson waited for his order, Matt came to his side, he slapped a hand on his back, " ALRIGHT Jacko mate...", Jackson wasn't going to let him get to him, he turned with a smile, " alright Matt...not out with Tom I see..."

Matt leaned on the bar, clutching his beer bottle, " Nah...he was out yesterday...INFACT...he saw Aaron here yesterday...", Matt searched for a reaction, but didn't like what he got, " YEP!" said Jackson, snapping his head round, " Aaron told me...HE tells me everything!"

Matt sighed and nodded, " yeah...well...I suppose he mentioned all the pool games with Flynn, and then the flirting...HE'S a lad!"

Jackson licked his botton lip...he DIDN'T know about that...but he wasn't gonna let Matt wind him up, " HE SAID...Flynns a mate...JUST like Tom or Greg...NOW I need to be getting this pint to MY mate..." he then hurried off, Ryan was then at Matts side, " YOU really can't help yourself winding him up...can yah...", Matt necked his beer, " I quite enjoy it...look, NO ONE can be THAT happy...Jackson will crack...it's just a matter of time...", Ryan shook his head," remind me NEVER to get on YOUR wrong side...WHAT IS SO SPECIAL about this Aaron anyway..."

Matt turned, " nothing...JUST the fact that's he's unavailable...I set my self a challenge that's all...I Always GET what I want..."

Jackson sat down with Joe in a booth, " ...and he told me that Aaron were flirting with Flynn..." Jackson said, trying to release some stress...

Joe turned, " HE'S WINDING YAH UP!..."

Jackson sighed at him, " I know...I shouldn't let it get to mah, it's just that...IT's HIM!", Joe placed a hand on Jackson's arm, " It's fine just ignore him...he'll soon get bored with yah..."

Jackson liked to think so...but as he looked up, he could see Matt staring at him...he rose his drink at him, and had a big smirk across his face...

TBC...

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