Wise After the Event – Chapter 5
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DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV
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Bernice had gone off to bed, leaving Aaron and Robert alone in the living room.
"Poor old Lawrence, eh?" Aaron remarked.
"I had an uncle who had a stroke once," Robert replied, "I didn't say anything to Bernice as she's upset enough already as it is. But my uncle was like a vegetable afterwards, he couldn't move or speak and had to be spoon fed."
"What happened to him?"
"He died, but he was in bedridden for about five years."
"Hmm, I can see why you didn't tell Bernice."
"Anyway," Robert looked on the bright side, "It probably means I'm running the business long term, which also means that we're living here long term too. You okay with that?"
Aaron moved to embrace Robert, "As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we live."
They kissed, and held on to each other. It had been a tiring day.
"We never did get to drink our champagne, did we?" Robert looked into Aaron's eyes.
"We didn't get our quiet night in either," Aaron rubbed noses with his partner, "events spiralled out of control a bit after dinner."
"Oh well, it's still on ice, we'll have to toast our engagement tomorrow."
"Robert?"
"What, babe?"
Aaron looked apprehensive, "What would happen if Lawrence died? I mean to his business...and this place?"
"Let's cross that bridge when we come to it, shall we?" Robert took Aaron's hand, "Come on, let's get to bed. I don't know about you, but I'm whacked!"
Later, as Aaron and Robert lay spooned together, Aaron felt comforted by the feel of Robert's naked body against his own. His front was pushed against Robert's back, his arm outstretched against his fiancé's arm and their fingers intertwined. Aaron could not believe that he and Robert were now partners, living at Home Farm. His life had changed for the better and he knew that Robert was largely responsible for that. He leaned forward, his face near the back of Robert's neck and kissed his ear. Robert shifted and his fingers gripped Aaron's even tighter. Robert loved moments like this, when they just cuddled and loved each other. They didn't need to have sex together to prove their love: they could just lay like this, so close and so intimate: that was enough. They were still very passionate and wanted each other as much as any virile, aroused men, but sometimes just being together was enough.
Robert turned to face Aaron and their naked fronts came into close contact. It made them feel hot and playful, but they still did not want sex. They just kissed softly and their heads shared the same pillow as they gazed into each other's eyes.
"I love you, gorgeous," Aaron cooed. He had no qualms about terms of endearment with Robert now. He was absolutely convinced of Robert's sincerity towards him and could let down his barriers.
"I love you too, my little scruff," Robert kissed Aaron again. He had adopted a nickname that Chas had once used and it had stuck. Aaron knew that it was a term of affection and he actually liked Robert saying it: like a secret code between just the two of them. These were their own private moments where they could use pet names and just be together without anyone else knowing about it or getting in the way.
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The next day, Chrissie visited her father's lawyer to sort out a few things. She knew that Lawrence had once signed a lasting power of attorney form to allow her to take over his affairs if he ever became incapable of doing so for himself and that moment had arrived.
Chrissie and Andy sat in opulent leather chairs opposite the lawyer, Peter Grant. He consulted some papers on the desk in front of him and then looked up at Chrissie.
"I'm sorry to hear about Lawrence's predicament, but everything seems to be in order. We can arrange to have you legally take over your father's affairs due to the power of attorney that he signed. You'll be able to arrange to run his bank account and sign cheques on his behalf and so on, plus take over his business interests. I must say though, I'm surprised that your ex-husband's name is still on the board of directors."
"What?" Chrissie gasped, "I thought that my father had removed his name from the business."
"No," Peter replied, "Robert Sugden is definitely still listed as a director of Home Farm Estates. Lawrence has never asked for his name to be removed."
"Is there a way Chrissie can remove it?" Andy asked.
"She can," Peter answered, "but, as it stands, he's still a director. There could be a long and protracted procedure to get Robert removed and he can contest it in a court of law. Is he likely to do that?"
"Oh, trust me," Chrissie had a disdainful look on her face, "he won't give up without a fight!"
"Well, in that case, I'd advise leaving things as they are for now. It will cost you a hell of a lot to buy Robert out as things stand. It depends how important it is to you to get rid of him. Is he still connected with the business?" Peter asked.
"Yes," Chrissie looked crestfallen, "He's actually running the business at the moment while my father is ill."
Peter fiddled with the gold pen in his hand, "Well, in that case, he has a very strong case for keeping his directorship."
"How much would it cost to buy him out?" Chrissie asked.
"At the last valuation of the business, you'd have to offer him approximately eleven million pounds," Peter answered.
"And if I try to buy him out and he contests it?"
Peter put the pen down on top of the paperwork in front of him, "Then it would cost you considerably more. He's got the upper hand I'm afraid. If he's running the business successfully, he could hold out for a bigger pay off."
Chrissie and Andy left the solicitor's office in a rather sombre mood.
"Trust my brother to come up smelling of roses!" Andy said.
"Yeah," Chrissie replied, "He's fallen on his feet alright. He's got everything he ever wanted now. He's still a director in the company, he's living at Home Farm and he's got Aaron, who he obviously wanted all along. He's a jammy bugger."
Andy tutted and rolled his eyes, "You can say that again!"
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Aaron was getting really flustered. He had returned home early to cook a meal for Robert and it wasn't going well! He was boiling carrots and broccoli and that had taken his mind off the roast potatoes and lamb chops in the oven. Just as Robert entered the kitchen, Aaron was just taking some burnt offerings out of the oven and swearing up a storm!
"What's going on?" Robert opened a window to let out the smoke and steam.
"I was cooking your dinner, but it's ruined!" Aaron surveyed the incinerated meat and potatoes on their trays on the worktop, "I'm useless at this."
Robert scooped Aaron into his arms and planted a big kiss on his lips.
Aaron drew back and looked at Robert quizzically, "I thought you'd be mad that I spoilt your meal."
"Mad?" Robert looked amazed that Aaron would think such a thing, "Why would I be mad? It's the thought that counts. You wanted to please me and I love you for that."
Aaron's pained expression suddenly changed to the biggest smile that Robert had ever seen, "I love you too, babe."
"Well," Robert also looked at Aaron's less than successful attempt at cooking, "it looks like take-away tonight. Chinese, Indian or pizza?"
"It's my own fault," Aaron said.
"What is?"
"Marlon offered to give me a cookery lesson, but hard-man here had to try to go it alone," Aaron pointed at himself.
Robert laughed, "You should have asked Marlon to cook it for you."
"If I had of done," Aaron looked into Robert's eyes, "then it wouldn't have been my own work, would it? I wanted to do this for you, so much."
"I know," Robert kissed Aaron again, "and I do appreciate it. But next time, at least let Marlon give you guidance: or maybe he could supervise."
"Yeah, unless you've developed a taste for cremated food!" Aaron chuckled. Robert had cheered him up.
"Er, I think I'll pass," Robert pressed his finger on Aaron's nose.
"Pizza it is then!" Aaron said as he reached for the phone.
They both laughed.
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The next day, Aaron was in the Portacabin before Adam arrived.
His best friend clumped up the steps and entered to see Aaron beavering away at his desk, "Blimey, you're early! Did your hubby kick you out of bed?"
"He's not my hubby," Aaron replied, "well, not yet anyway."
Aaron stood up and crossed over to where Adam was standing. He turned serious and looked Adam in the eye, "Listen, we've been mates for a long time, haven't we?"
"Yeah, of course we have. Why, what's up?"
Aaron shuffled nervously, even with his best mate he could still be hesitant and bashful when talking about personal things, "Well, what I wanted to ask was, me and Robert have been talking and, well, would you be best man at our wedding?"
Adam was overcome with emotion, "Oh, mate! I'd be honoured. Come here."
Adam drew Aaron into a hug, just as Robert entered the Portacabin. He looked at the two of them engaged in a tight embrace, "Hands off my fiancé, you cad!" Robert's smile indicated that he was joking.
Adam let go of Aaron and turned to face Robert, "No worries pal. I'm not turning, even for my best mate here. I'm not even bisexual, unlike some I could think of!"
"Is that remark aimed at me?" Robert was still smiling.
"If the cap fits!" Adam was nearly always in the mood for a wind up.
"Listen, Robert," Aaron cut in at that point, "Adam's just agreed to be best man at our wedding."
"Oh, that's great," Robert said as Adam moved to give him a hug too.
"Now you're pinching my fiancé, you tart!" Aaron laughed as he looked at Adam.
Adam's look of distain did not require him to give a spoken reply!
Robert's phone rang and he answered, "Hello, Chrissie, I'm at the scrap yard. Well, I didn't know you were coming into the office did I? I'm not psychic! Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes."
Robert looked at Adam and Aaron, "Gotta go! The ex is at Home Farm getting her knickers in a twist about something," he said as he departed.
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Chrissie was waiting in the office at Home Farm. Andy had offered to accompany her to a showdown with Robert, but she had thought that it might be prudent for him to stay away.
"Where's the fire?" Robert said as he entered.
"Sit down Robert, I've got something very serious to discuss."
Robert did as he was told, for once.
Chrissie looked at Robert, studying him carefully, "Now, just to keep you in the loop, my dad is unable to manage his own affairs, so I've exercised the right of power of attorney, so you need to run things past me from now on. I've decided to sell Home Farm as we need to pay for his nursing home treatment. So, as this place is being sold, it means the Home Farm estates part of the business is also up for grabs. As you are still on the board of directors, you are entitled to a pay off. I'm not going to fight you on this as the money it would cost by going through the courts can be better used elsewhere. I've seen the solicitor and he reckons you should get about eleven million pounds as a settlement. But, I'm prepared to offer you twelve million cash, out of dad's money, if you go down without a fight. What do you say?"
Robert's business brain quickly kicked into action. He weighed up the pros and cons and then spoke, "I've got a better idea."
Chrissie held him with a fixed stare, "If you try to get a penny more, we'll take it to court if necessary."
"No, I wasn't going to say that," Robert replied, "How about we get Home Farm valued, you give me the house and grounds at face value, plus the Home Farm element of the business...and you keep your other business interests and start up somewhere else. It will save you finding a buyer for the house and you can keep the cash that you'd be giving to me."
Chrissie mulled it over, "I expect it would work, but we'd have to let the solicitor handle it and put everything on a legal footing."
"Of course."
Robert then had an afterthought, "What about Bernice and Gabby?"
"Dad signed a prenuptial agreement with Bernice so she'll get her cut of the proceeds. In any case, she's still married to my dad, so she's still his wife, even though he's not in a fit state to look after her. But, she'll be okay. I expect she'll move out when dad no longer owns this place."
"Well," Robert said, "we are related, sort of, so I won't see her thrown out on the streets."
"That's settled then," Chrissie and Robert stood up and they shook hands, "I'll put all this to the solicitor and I'll be in touch."