Wise After the Event – Chapter 4
-O-
DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV
-O-
Chas was sitting in the back room with Jason. He had made them both cups of tea and they sat on the sofa together and Jason took Chas' hands in his own.
"So, you gonna tell me what's going on? You seemed reluctant to tell me about you being pregnant. What's the matter?"
"This is all such a mess!" Chas looked close to tears, "I had morning sickness a while back but I put it down to something I ate. I couldn't believe that I could be expecting. I thought I had some sort of tummy trouble, but now, I recognise the signs from when I was carrying Aaron."
"But, I still don't understand why you said that you didn't know how I would take the news."
"Well, the point is, I'm four months gone...so the baby can't be yours Jason," Chas' tears rolled down her cheeks, "We were getting on so well and now this has happened. I can't expect you to take on another man's child: especially as my ex is responsible."
"Your ex?" Jason looked a little shocked, "So, this is Gordon's child? How did that come about?"
"It was when we thought we were getting back together," Chas continued, "I only slept with him the once. That was before...well, you know what happened as well as I do. God knows how Aaron will take this when he finds out. He'll see this child as the spawn of the devil! Maybe I should have a termination."
"Now hold on Chas. You can't get rid of the baby just because you think Aaron might object. He's got his own life with Robert now."
"What about you, Jason? I don't want to lose you."
"Oh, babe, you are silly," Jason gripped Chas' hands more tightly, "I love you and this changes nothing as far as I'm concerned. I'll help you to bring up the little one. There's no way I can let you do this on your own."
"Oh Jason, I do love you. What did I do to deserve you?"
"You're a good person, a lovely girl and I know you're the one for me. That's all that matters."
Jason pulled Chas into a hug, "We'll get through this: I know that neither of us are spring chickens, but we'll cope. Do you know whether it's a boy or a girl?"
"Not yet. The doctor has arranged for me to have a scan. He's a bit concerned as pregnancies later in life can be tricky."
"You're a tough old bird," Jason chortled, "You'll be okay!"
"Oi!" Chas pulled away from Jason's embrace, "Less of the 'old' if you don't mind!"
"I'm only teasing," Jason smiled at Chas.
"Will you marry me?" Chas said, "Oh, sorry, that's very modern of me. It's supposed to be the man who proposes, isn't it?"
Jason moved in for a kiss which Chas eagerly accepted and responded to, passionately. When they broke apart, Jason gazed into Chas' eyes, "You beat me to it, I was just about to ask you. The answer's yes, by the way."
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That evening, at Home Farm, another engagement ritual was being played out. Aaron had arrived home from the scrap yard and Robert was in the dining room, waiting for his partner with the table set for a meal. It looked wonderful, with the best plates and cutlery laid out and the candles lit. There was a little jeweller's box sitting on Aaron's plate.
"What's all this?" Aaron took in the sight before him.
Robert sank down on one knee, "Aaron Dingle, would you wear my ring to show the world that you're my fella? Please marry me and do me the great honour of becoming my husband."
Robert picked up the box, flipped it open and revealed a platinum ring inside, He took both the ring and Aaron's hand and placed the ring on Aaron's finger, "It fits perfectly," he said, his eyes damp with emotion.
Aaron was temporarily lost for words. He looked into Robert's eyes which were staring up at him expectantly and his own were welling up with tears, "You know I'm gonna say yes!"
Robert stood up again and they threw their arms around each other and kissed. The kiss went on for ages and neither of them wanted to break it. But, they needed to come up for air at some point, so the kiss ended.
"Where's Bernice and Gabby?" Aaron asked, suddenly aware that they were alone.
"Bernice has gone to visit Lawrence and Gabby's away on a school trip. So, we've got the place to ourselves for a while," Robert smiled and Aaron noticed how handsome he looked in his burgundy jumper and expensive jeans. Being engaged to Aaron seemed to give him a special glow that Aaron had never seen before.
"I feel bad now," Aaron said.
"How come?"
"Well, I haven't got you a ring."
"Aaron," Robert gave Aaron a peck on the lips, "I told you before, you don't need to give me anything...just yourself. As long as I've got you, I'll never want for anything else. You make my heart skip a beat every morning, you give me a warm feeling inside all day and you give me passion when we get to bed at night. What else could I ever ask for?"
Aaron kissed Robert again but then Robert pulled away, "Well, nice as this is, I've got to check on the dinner. You go and freshen up and I'll put the champagne on ice."
"Champagne, eh? Okay, babe, see you in two shakes!" Aaron was grinning from ear to ear. Robert's quest to make Aaron happy seemed to be working!
A little later, they enjoyed their delicious meal, delighting in their time alone in the house.
"I didn't know you could cook this well," Aaron remarked as he tucked into his beef wellington, potatoes and vegetables.
"Just one of my many talents," Robert's cheeky grin was so familiar to Aaron.
"I'll have to learn to cook," Aaron said, "I want to be able to make you a meal too."
Robert looked at Aaron fondly, his man wanted to please him so much and it filled him with both pride and joy, "You don't have to do that."
"No, I know, but I want to!"
After their main meal, Robert served up baked Alaska for dessert. They had just finished their sweet when Aaron's mobile phone beeped and he took it out of his pocket to look at it, "It's a text from my mum."
"Is she okay?"
"She says she wants to tell me something and can I call round to the Woolpack sometime: sounds ominous."
"We'll have to pop round after we've finished dinner."
Aaron looked stunned, "I thought you wanted a quiet night in as we've got the place to ourselves?"
"Well, whatever your mum wants to tell you, it might be important."
Aaron was touched that Robert would give up anything for him. He leaned across and kissed him, "I do love you, you know?"
Robert stroked Aaron's cheek with his thumb, "I know babe...and I love you too."
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Chas was dreading Aaron's visit, She had psyched herself up, ready to tell her son about his sibling's impending birth, but she was on tenterhooks as Aaron and Robert appeared in the bar of the Woolpack. She invited them into the back room and asked Charity to hold the fort. Charity mumbled in a disgruntled fashion but Chas ignored her: she had covered for Charity enough times to be owed a few favours.
Chas sat the lads down in the back room. She did not know how Aaron was going to react and was glad that Robert was there for support.
"I've got some really big news," Chas said hesitantly.
"Don't tell me," Aaron said before she could continue, "You're getting married to Jason?"
"I don't know how you guessed, but yes, we are going to get married."
"I knew it!" Aaron looked pleased with himself, "I'm chuffed for you mum, congratulations!"
"Yeah," Robert chipped in, "He's a sound bloke that Jason, I hope you'll be very happy, Chas."
"Thanks," Chas was pleased that the engagement news had gone down well, "but that's not the big news."
"Sounds pretty big to me," Aaron joked.
Chas looked at Aaron, She loved to see him smile, but she was convinced that her next item of news would wipe the smile off his face, "Anyway, the thing is, I'm pregnant!"
Aaron's smile quickly evaporated to be replaced by a look of shock, "Pregnant? I thought you were too old!"
"That's hardly very diplomatic, is it?" Robert gave Aaron one of his disdainful looks.
"It's okay," Chas replied, "it knocked the wind out of my sails too, I can tell you."
"So," Aaron digested the information, "Jason's going to be a daddy and I'll have a half-brother or sister."
"Well, not exactly," Chas took a deep breath and decided to tell Aaron everything up front, "the baby will be your full brother or sister."
"Eh?" Aaron was confused.
"Before I found out about Gordon's abuse, we were trying for reconciliation, as you know. I'm sorry to tell you that the baby is Gordon's. The dates fit."
Aaron stood up and paced the room, with his hands on his head, "NO! This isn't happening. How could you have been so stupid, mum?"
"Jason and I have talked it over and he said he'll help me to raise the child. I thought about a termination but I just can't do it."
"Well," Aaron exploded, "you needn't expect me to have anything to do with this sprog." He stormed out of the room.
"Aaron!" Chas called out, but knew that she was wasting her time.
Robert jumped up in order to chase after Aaron, "Don't worry Chas, I'll calm him down. It'll just be the shock, that's all."
"Thanks, love," Chas knew, in that moment, that she did indeed have a really good son-in-law.
Robert found Aaron outside the side door of the Woolpack. He knew that he would find him there as it was often a place that his fiancé would go to think things over.
Aaron looked at Robert with tears in his eyes, "Can you believe this? My mother has gone and got herself knocked up by that monster!"
Robert was the voice of reason, "Calm down, babe. You know that your mother was seeing Gordon before you told her about the abuse. She broke it off as soon as she knew the truth: it's just unlucky that she happened to get pregnant. I'm with you though. If I'm honest, I thought she'd be too old."
"Old enough to know better," Aaron replied, "She's ruined everything. She was just getting her life back on track with Jason and then this happens." Aaron's tears were streaming down his face and he was shaking.
Robert pulled Aaron into a tight embrace, "Calm down, gorgeous, take deep breaths."
Aaron was moved. His fiancé knew him so well and he realised that he would never give up on him. Aaron could scream, shout, throw tantrums...and Robert would take it all in his stride. It dawned on him in that moment that he had the most wonderful partner in Robert. He could count himself lucky that Robert loved him...unconditionally.
Robert's soothing embrace calmed Aaron's nerves. He began to realise that he had been too harsh on his mother. She had done nothing wrong and neither had the unborn child.
"I should go and apologise to my mum, shouldn't I?" Aaron looked at Robert for advice and support.
"In my opinion, for what it's worth, yes you should."
They returned to the back room where Chas was still sitting, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. She had obviously been crying since Aaron and Robert left.
It hurt Aaron to see his mother in so much distress. He was terrified that she would have a relapse of her PTSD symptoms and she needed his support, "I'm so sorry mum!" Aaron embraced his mother and she hugged him back.
"You've got nothing to be sorry for sweetheart," she cooed, "I was almost physically sick when the doctor told me. I had no idea I would get pregnant at my age and from just one time..."
"Shhh!" Aaron whispered in his mother's ear, "Everything will be alright. Me and Robert will help out. After all, I don't think I've done a bad job with Liv, so another little one will be a piece of cake. He or she can't help who their father was, any more than I can."
Chas drew back to look at her son, "I'm so proud of you! You've grown up so much in these past few months. I thought you'd disown me...and the baby."
Aaron put his hand on Chas' tummy, although she wasn't 'showing' yet, "This little one is my brother or sister."
"That's the thing I've always admired about you, son. You are so loyal to your family," she then focussed on Robert, "You've got a diamond here, Robert!"
Robert smiled, "I know!" he said, simply.
"There's one good thing," Aaron said.
"What, love?" Chas asked.
"At least my little brother or sister won't have my scumbag of a father to contend with!"
Chas and Robert didn't reply. There wasn't really any answer to that!
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When Aaron and Robert arrived back at Home Farm, they found Bernice in the living room, sitting quietly and nursing drink. Robert knew Bernice well enough to realise that something was wrong, "Is everything okay?" he asked.
Bernice looked close to tears, "Its Lawrence, he's back in hospital. He had another massive stroke. They've stabilised him, but he's unable to move or speak: they don't know if he'll ever recover."