Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Aron stared out of the window. Against all the odds, the marquee had been delivered and was well on the way to being erected. Things definitely moved quickly if enough cash got splashed around. He shuddered to think how much they’d spent the previous day to get this wedding back on track. Still, neither Granny nor the Professor were short of it.

“You know you’re butt naked?” Paul said. “What if someone sees?”

Aron moved away and perched on the end of the bed.

“Do you think one of us should be supervising down there?”

Paul patted the pillow next to him. Aron crawled up the bed and snuggled against Paul’s body. The cold from the window evaporating as Paul’s warmth enveloped him.

“All in good time,” Paul replied. “We’re having a management meeting right now.”

“Let’s make the most of it. I fear all peace will be shattered once Granny clocks they’ve arrived.”

It was nice to be in a man’s arms again. Especially ones that belonged to Paul Higgs. He examined the room in the cold light of day. It didn’t look like it had changed much since Paul had lived there.

“Do I spy a CD player over there?”

“Yes, Aron,” Paul replied. “It plays music. You’re not that young, you know.”

Aron scrambled up and wandered over to the item. To his joy there was a stack of CDs.

“I love history. Let me see.”

The top one was the Prodigy. Not a bad start.

Next came Seal.

Typical. He had amazing music taste even as a teenager.

Then. Bingo.

Aron held the CD aloft.

“ The Lion King soundtrack?”

Paul shrugged. “ Hakuna Matata is a tune.”

God he was adorable. This moment seemed more intimate than the passion they’d shared only a few hours earlier. Aron put the CD on the side. He wandered around the room, stopping to study a picture of young Paul standing proudly on top of a mountain.

“You are nosey,” Paul replied. “Anything suspect has been cleared out of this room decades ago.”

“So you admit there were said items.”

“Oh most certainly,” Paul replied.

“How many boys have you smuggled in here, I wonder.”

Paul beamed. “An army’s worth. Did you think I developed my animalistic sexual prowess when I met you?”

“Your animalistic sexual prowess? Wow.”

Paul sniggered. “You are such an easy mark.”

Aron jumped onto the bed and lost himself once more in Paul’s arms. He leant up and kissed Paul. The instant lust of the previous night fired through his system, directly to his cock. Paul must have noticed, as he broke the kiss.

“Down, boy,” he said. “We’re late for duty as it is.”

Sighing, Aron snuggled into Paul one last time. They both would have to report in at Granny’s soon. Things may be on the home straight. The mission was clear. Get everything in place. Have Christmas Day. Then wedding.

Then what?

As much as he didn’t want to spoil things with a heavy talk, the uncertainty was killing him. Did Paul see this as a welcome distraction? Or did he expect more to come from this?

Aron didn’t even know if he wanted that. With Paul and the potential job, his head was fried. Maybe he should stay within the wedding bubble for a while. Let things play out by themselves.

“You haven’t dozed off, have you?” Paul asked.

“Nearly. I need a shower to wake me up. I didn’t get much sleep last night for some reason.”

“Main bathroom is across the hall. Don’t forget to mess up your bed.”

Aron got up. “This is all very illicit. I like it.”

“Do you?” Paul replied.

“Of course,” Aron said. His heart was hammering and he hoped he wasn’t blushing too furiously. “Don’t you?”

Just as Paul opened his mouth, the front door banged.

“Shit,” Paul cried. “Go. Go. Go.”

Aron grabbed his clothes from the corner of the room and fled.

“Paul?” the Professor shouted up the stairs. “Aron?”

“Up here, Dad. We slept in. I’ll check Aron is up.”

Aron palmed his cock at Paul before disappearing into the spare room. The temptation to give the Professor an eyeful in retaliation to the Gucci robe incident was strong.

Another day, Professor Higgs.

Once inside the bedroom, he steadied himself against the door. What had Paul meant? Had he been about to say something earth-shattering?

Fuck!

Three hours later and they were done. To be fair to Edwin and Anais, they had pulled some good quality stuff out of the bag. Even if Anais looked as though she needed a bottle of wine and a week in a health spa to get over the stress.

The marquee could be removed in half an hour, leaving a green carpet, huge floral arrangements and a small dais at the front for the happy couple.

Aron took it all in. Each seat had a pashmina Anais had sourced from a knitwear collective in south London. They’d bought them out. They would be gifts for each guest after the ceremony. Mercury had his eye on any left for the youth project he worked with. Aron had promised him first dibs.

He really hoped the weather would be kind. It was gorgeous inside but to have the wedding in front of the whole of Queens Crescent was no less than his grandmother deserved.

They only had room for fifty seats inside. Aron had encouraged Granny and the Professor to be brutal with the guest list. Something the Professor had struggled with but Granny had taken to with aplomb.

Across the way, Edwin consoled Anais. Her idea for Parkin to wear a cream tuxedo had been met with scorn by Granny. Poor Anais had pushed a little too hard and been rewarded with a Beatrice Wimpole dressing-down.

Aron stiffened when he saw his parents enter the marquee.

What are they doing here?

Before he had a chance to go over, Paul abandoned tying garlands to the tent poles and was by his side in seconds.

“Where did these new helpers come from?” he asked.

“Typical that they arrive when everything is pretty much done,” Aron replied.

Paul squinted over. “Has your mother had a haircut?”

Aron giggled. “Yes. Her hairdresser evidently hates her.”

Guilt instantly stabbed into him. So far, she had been making a huge effort. Surely it wouldn’t hurt him to at least meet her halfway. Bitching about her with his sometimes lover wasn’t a good way to achieve that.

“I suppose I should go and say hello.”

“I’ll come with you,” Paul said.

They wandered over to where Granny held court.

“Hey, Aron,” his father said. “Granny tells me you’ve saved the day. Well done, son. I’m proud of you.”

“Yes. Very quick thinking on your part,” his mother added.

Aron found himself choked up. He caught Granny’s eye. She winked.

“Thanks,” he managed.

Paul glanced at him. Gently, he moved to the side so that their bodies were touching. No one else would have noticed, yet it made a world of difference for Aron. This gentle support was something he never knew he needed. He’d become so used to travelling through life solo.

Whether he believed it would last, at that moment he had Paul on his side. No matter what.

“What brings you over here?” Paul asked. “You must be hectic at your place too.”

“We’re going out for Christmas lunch tomorrow,” Aron’s mother said. “So we thought we’d come over and offer our services. It seems we’re not required.”

Did he detect a tone there? Or was he on the hunt for things that didn’t exist? It was so hard to know for sure.

“Philip and I are going to find some old photographs this afternoon,” Granny said. “It might be fun to have them dotted around the Nickleby. You’re very welcome to join us.”

“Aron?” his father said. “Are you part of this?”

Before he had a chance to reply, Paul stepped forward. “’Fraid not,” he said. “I bet Aron lunch that we wouldn’t get finished before one and it’s only half twelve. I believe I’ve lost.”

Granny stared hard at Aron.

“I’d say you have,” she said. “I hope you’ve got somewhere lovely planned. Mind you, on Christmas Eve you will struggle without a reservation.”

“Don’t worry,” Paul replied. “You don’t need one at McDonalds.”

She shook her head. “Lucky Aron. I think we can do better than that, folks. How about we do an hour with the photographs then head to The Bluebird for a late lunch?”

They all nodded their approval.

“It’s a shame you can’t make it, Aron,” his mother said. “It’s been a while since we saw you over the Christmas period.”

Aron wanted to scream that was hardly his fault. He felt uneasy at this eradication of history. She had rejected him time and time again.

“I’ll see you on Boxing Day,” he managed.

She nodded.

The tent became very claustrophobic.

“We should get moving,” Paul said. “I can almost taste that Big Mac.”

They said their goodbyes and hotfooted it out of the marquee. The drizzly cold day came as a refreshing relief. Aron gulped in the air.

“Are you okay?” Paul asked.

Aron nodded. He’d spent years wishing his mother would come round. Now she showed all signs that she had begun that journey and he was rejecting her. What did that make him?

The same as her.

“Aron?”

“I’m fine,” he said quickly. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Do you mind if we swerve McDonalds?” Paul asked. “I’ve got a better idea.”

“I’m all yours.”

Paul raised an eyebrow.

“Figuratively speaking,” Aron added.

God forbid I’d show any more interest than an erection.

“Good stuff. Let’s go and get changed.”

Aron followed Paul back to the Professor’s. He’d promised to stay another night there and brought some things over. With it being Christmas Eve, Granny insisted that she spend the following morning with Aron.

The Professor and Paul had already arranged to do a breakfast shift at a homeless shelter. Then all four of them were to come together for Christmas dinner. It was like the official melding of the dynasties.

At least two people around the table were getting their acts together. Aron still found himself in a world of confusion.

Maybe Santa would fix everything.