Face to Face
Part 39
She'd burnt the toast, over cooked the eggs but Paddy had dutifully eaten everything Chas had put on his plate. Aaron hadn't missed the older man's eagerness to please. Jackson though thought he was reading too much into it. Well perhaps he was, but he had reason to worry. He'd made a promise to himself last night about keeping Paddy and his mam at arm's length and he meant to keep it!
He'd not eaten his breakfast, no way was he going to force a plateful of rubbery eggs down his throat, not for anyone. Jackson had picked at his and politely thanked Chas for going to the trouble of feeding them all before she too went to work. That's when she'd announced she wasn't going in today, that she needed a day off to think.
"A day off to think! " Aaron had heard it all now. "Can't you do that while you're packing up all them chocolates?" He asked as he tossed his toast over to Clyde who like Paddy devoured every morsel.
"No, there's too many distractions there." Chas stated as she headed upstairs to take a shower.
"There'll be distraction enough here!" Aaron said pointing to the surgery door.
"By that you mean Paddy?" Jackson asked in between sips of tea.
"He'll be in here every five minutes, checking on her, seeing if she's alright, if she needs anything."
"He'll not have time; he's got surgery, his rounds..."
"He'll make time!" Aaron insisted, he knew exactly how Paddy would be, he'd seen it all before. He got to his feet then; he was going to have to make a move as he was running late for work. "I'll have to go, you ready?"
"Almost," Jackson replied finishing off the last of his tea. As Aaron moved towards the door he called after him, "Wait for me."
Aaron opened the front door, stepped outside and leant against the wall yawning as he did so. He'd not had much sleep last night, not between his mother turning up and then worrying about the effect she'd have on Paddy. He'd given his dad some thought too but not for long, he was determined to forget all about him after yesterday's revelation. It was easier said than done though. The bastard was still managing to creep into his mind, just like now!
Realising Jackson was now standing beside him he turned to face him and found himself being kissed, it was tender and love filled and he responded in kind. Only after Jackson had pulled away with a satisfied smile on his face did he realise they'd been kissing in full view of the village.
His heart racing he stared down the hill, there were plenty of people about. Doug and Bob were talking by the shop and Edna Birch was walking her dog! If not one of them then someone else had to have seen them!
"Aaron?"
Turning back to look at Jackson he demanded, "Why'd you do that?"
"What?" A second ago Aaron was melting against him, now he was giving him his best 'you just pissed me off' look. Why?
"Kiss me out here! Where everyone could see!"
His hackles were rising now. They'd not had five minutes to themselves since waking up. Aaron being in one hell of a hurry to get downstairs, determined to stop Paddy and Chas having any time alone together. All he'd wanted to do was kiss the man he loved before he went to work. He hadn't given any thought to where they were or to who might see, and why should he? All the other couples in the village kissed and cuddled openly, why shouldn't they. They'd long since been accepted as a couple, and he was certain that the only person who would have...did have a problem with them being openly affectionate was Aaron himself. And if he was to be completely honest with himself he was starting to resent him for it. Angry now he opened his mouth and let rip,
"Because I love you and I'm not ashamed of what I feel for you. I just wish you could say the same thing about me!"
He stalked off then, over to his van, ignoring Aaron's plea to wait, driving off and leaving the younger man to think over his words. Not that he thought they'd have any effect. 'Shit' he thought as he passed Carl King's haulage van, he'd wanted to remind Aaron to keep well away from him today, and insist that if their paths did cross to keep his gob shut, his hands in his pockets and his temper locked up in its cage! Paddy and Chas had already warned Aaron along the same lines but he'd have felt a lot happier if he'd said his piece too. Why did he have the feeling today was going to be 'one of those days' the sort of day you wished you'd just stayed in bed.
Pulling the front door closed behind him he'd made his way down to the garage. He was none too proud of himself right now. He'd hurt Jackson, he hadn't meant too, but then he never did, he just never stopped to think before he opened his big mouth. All sorts of crap had, over the years, rolled off his tongue, backchat, abuse, hurtful, spiteful and cruel comments. It had once been his weapon of choice, his first line of defence, and it had served him well. But like his temper he had very little control over it. Not so nice stuff seemed to trip easily off his tongue, but not the nicer things, they put up more of a fight! He had trouble showing his feelings too, especially when the whole world would see them. It wasn't just with Jackson, although it only really mattered where he was concerned. So they'd kissed in the doorway! It wasn't really such a big deal was it? The ground hadn't opened up and swallowed him whole, lightening had split the sky and burnt him to a cinder, Edna hadn't fainted or dropped dead from shock. He was really going to have to do something about... "What?" Some woman was now leaning her head out of a taxi window, asking for directions. He'd been so deep in thought he hadn't heard a word she'd said.
"Smithy Cottage?"
"Yeah." Gesturing behind him he continued. "That's it there. You looking for Paddy?"
"No. Jackson Walsh. "
"Jackson?"
"Yes, do you know him?"
"You could say that." Aaron replied, thinking of all the many and varied ways he knew Jackson.
"Well I'm his mum, Hazel and you are?"
He'd forgotten all about Jackson's mother, and how eager she apparently was to meet him. He thought he'd have Jackson by his side when they eventually met, and that wasn't supposed to be for a few days yet! But here she was in the flesh, living and breathing before his very eyes and maybe even breathing fire when he told her just who he was. Through a now dry mouth he said a little self-consciously, "Aaron, his boyfriend."
TBC