Face to Face

Part 52

'Please', Aaron prayed silently to himself, 'please don't let her have the baby yet ... not til we get to the hospital.' Outwardly he was calm, at least that's how he hoped he appeared because in truth, his insides were churning and his heart was racing, he was so very scared of what might happen. Chas was in labour and he was driving her to the hospital... him of all people! He couldn't believe it; he kept hoping it was a dream, one he would soon wake from or even for it to turn into yet another false alarm. There had been several of those this last week. The last one had seen Paddy take Chas to hospital at two o'clock in the morning, only to return with bump intact in time for breakfast.

And while his thoughts were on Paddy... just where the hell was he? It should be him in the driving seat, he'd know what to say to reassure his mother cos he sure didn't. Chas was either groaning in pain or cursing Paddy for not being there when she needed him. Aaron knew she didn't mean a word of what she said, that she too was scared she wouldn't make it to the hospital in time.

"Try phoning Paddy again." Aaron encouraged when his mother seemed free of pain, he hoped that would keep her mind occupied for a few minutes at least.

"If he doesn't answer this time I'm going to..."

Aaron cringed as he heard his mother's plans for her partner, her predicament really seemed to have feulled her imagination! Aaron's heart sank as it became clear the call had proved unsuccessful yet again. Hopefully Pearl had had more success reaching Paddy, if not then it seemed he would miss the birth of his son. 'Son!' Aaron had been secretly hoping for the baby to be a girl, he knew it was unbelievably selfish of him, wrong even but Paddy thought of him as his son, and he didn't want that to change in any way, and he feared it might once the baby arrived. He kept telling himself Paddy wasn't anything like his dad, that Paddy wouldn't turn his back on him like he had done. Still there were times when the old insecurities would plague him, make him doubt what he thought he knew. He hadn't let on to them of course, when a scan had confirmed the baby was a boy he'd made sure he showed all the right emotions, not that he was pretending, he'd meant what he'd said he just... well he just felt a little scared, was uncertain of his place in the Kirk household.

"Aaron! I...I think I need to push!"

Chas' panic filled words shocked Aaron out of his reverie, "Push!" He might not be a midwife but he'd seen enough on the telly to know what that meant, his heart began to thunder painfully in his chest, "No, no you cant" They were on a quiet country road just a few minutes from the outskirts of Hotton where the hospital was situated, his mam was just going to have to wait, no way was he delivering the baby! He tried to quash the horrifying thought but once in his head it swiftly took hold, 'I wouldn't be able to look her in the face ever again! Worse still what if something went wrong, what if I did something wrong and...' Again Aaron found himself jolted from his thoughts by his mothers shrill voice.

"Stop the car!"

Aaron's first thought was to slam on the brakes put panicked himself now he instead pressed down on the accelerator, "Just concentrate on your breathing we'll be there in a minute... phone the hospital, tell them you're on your way and that the baby's coming." That seemed like a good idea, hopefully they'd be waiting for her by the door. Glancing quickly at his mother Aaron could see she was tapping out a number on her phone, crisis averted for now at least he turned his attention to the road ahead, he was moving into the town traffic and to his great relief the hospital was now in sight, 'Please, just five minutes more.' That's all he needed, just five more minutes then his mam would be in the safe hands of a midwife.

Turning into the hospital's main entrance Aaron glanced again at his mother, she was flushed and perspiring, he hated seeing her in pain and so distressed, he felt so helpless so bloody useless. He didn't think words were much use at times like this but they were all he had, "We're almost there mam, it'll be ok..." 'Paddy!' Aaron had just spotted the father-to-be at the Maternity Suit's entrance, Pearl must have managed to get hold of him, "Mam, look, Paddy's here already, see I told you everything would be ok and it will be I promise." He was suddenly very sure of that.

/

With his mam safely on the Labour Ward, Aaron's first thought was to phone Jackson, after filling him in on the latest developments his boyfriend had said "You did good." Had he? All he'd done was drive his mother to hospital, he hadn't wanted to, had tried to worm his way out of taking her, but Paddy was out on a farm visit, one that just happened to be in the back of beyond. Pearl's car was up on a ramp at the garage, he'd been working on it when his mother had rang to tell him the baby was on its way. Not liking the idea of being alone with a woman in labour he'd suggested he phone round all their family and friends, he knew any one of the women would have been more than happy to take her, but his mother had insisted he drive her and reluctantly he'd had to agree. If he'd known things would progress so quickly he'd have just phoned an ambulance!

"Have you decided on a name yet? Times finally run out!"

Aaron could hear Jackson laughing, but he didn't find it funny. With all the stress of the last hour he'd forgotten that he was responsible for choosing the baby's name. Chas had wanted to carry on the Dingle tradition of giving the baby a biblical nane and Paddy had been happy to go along with that. He though hadn't been at all happy with any of their suggestions, he didn't want the kid teased about his name as he grew up and felt sure names such as Boaz or Ebenezer would ensure just that. In the end his mam and Paddy had got fed up of him turning his nose up at their ideas and had one day shocked him by telling him he now had the honour of naming the baby. Thankfully there were a few he actually liked, and he'd drawn up a short list, still he hadn't decided on one in particular... so what was it to be?

"Aaron! Are you there?"

He'd got lost in his thoughts again, "Yeah sorry, you got me thinking about names. Jackson what am I going to do I can't decide."

"Well give me half an hour to finish off here and I'll come help you. See you soon babe."

Jackson had ended the call before he'd had chance to reply, obviously eager to get here, that was because his boyfriend knew he needed him and not just to help choose the name. Jackson had picked up on his fears about Paddy, had gone all out to reassure him but knew he just couldn't shrug them off completely. Slipping his phone back into his overall pocket he pulled out the piece of paper he had tucked in there, it was his shortlist of names. Staring at it he mulled over each one in turn, he liked Asher, thanks to the singer it had a modern feel. He liked James too, it was one of those names that Pearl had called timeless, seemingly it had been popular for century's. He might well have picked that if the name wasn't shared by Carl King's brother. Carl! He'd hated the man with a passion once, he could enrage him in the blink of an eye. Now he felt nothing, Carl had become a nonentity since accepting the baby wasn't his. It had been him that had convinced Carl of that fact, that day in the pub, when he'd asked who the father was, he'd looked Carl straight in the eye and said " Paddy. Do you honestly think I would have anything to do with her if the baby was yours!" Carl had eyed him coldly before stalking from the pub, he knew he'd lost Chas for good this time.

"Aaron! Come on, come meet your brother."

It was Paddy's voice that snapped him out of his thoughts this time, he looked towards the doorway to where the older man was standing, he looked so happy, his face beaming with joy, Aaron could only smile back as he got to his feet and hurried over to join him.

According to Paddy's excited chatter his mam needed stitches! Urgh! Now that was just way too much information. Paddy should have stopped at the weight of the baby and the exact time of birth, that's all he'd needed to know, that and that mother and baby were doing well of course. While his mam was being attended to, she'd sent Paddy to get him, they wanted him to be the first to see the new arrival.

Curtains were drawn around his mother's bed and Paddy led him past that over to where the baby was, before he knew it Paddy had placed the little boy in his arms. He was a chubby little thing, and he didn't have much hair... but he was beautiful and he reminded him very much of Paddy... he was most definitely Paddy's son. Aaron suddenly felt the sting of tears and furiously blinked them away, with emotion threatening to overwhelm him he forced out, "You've got a son now Paddy."

"I've got two sons now." Paddy said patting Aaron's arm proudly.

Aaron could only nod, he'd so needed to hear that. A stray tear trickled down his face but he didn't care, he was happy and content, finally all was right in his world.

"Well is he Enoch or Hosea or..." Paddy asked eager for his baby son to have a name.

"No he's..." Suddenly settling on the name that was at the very top of his list Aaron said proudly,"Ethan."

End