liyah heard, “You must be Beth, where is she???” Aaron sounded annoyed. He stepped into the porch.
“Here,” she said putting her hand up like a child in a classroom leaning on one of the crutches for support.
“You blocked me AGAIN!” he said.
“You didn’t message me all day, I figured.... well you know....”
“Isn't there like some four day rule? And aren't you supposed to message me first??”
“What four day rule? And aren't you like meant to message me first?”
“Do you like me yes or no?”
“Duh, yes of course,” Aaliyah said with as much attitude as Aaron was exhibiting anger. He stepped past Beth and kissed Aaliyah full on the mouth. “Then don’t EVER block me again.” He put his arms around her and held her tight.
“You're stood up?” he asked eventually, pouting, as he had only just realised.
“Crutches,” she said.
He kissed her lightly on the lips then and lifted her up into his arms, “Where we goin?” he asked.
“Taking Beth home and picking mum up from bingo.”
“You'll have to drive then, my cars a two seater,” she nodded her acquiescence.
“You realise you're the first woman EVER, to block me!” he said and she nodded again smiling. He smiled back, a full whole hearted smile. Then they remembered Beth, “Beth, this is Aaron, Aaron this is Beth”
“I know,” he said “Hi Beth,” never taking his eyes off Aaliyah who he still cradled in his arms.
“Aren't your arms tired?” Aaliyah asked him.
“Never,” he said and kissed her again a long soft tender kiss.
Beth stood there not knowing what to say or do.
Weeks passed, every instance Aaron got he drove to Basingstoke to see Aaliyah. When the time came for Aaliyah’s CT scan Aaron ensured he would be with her. He parked the wheelchair outside the room and went to book her in. Aaliyah had been in a good deal of pain after over exerting and he was determined she would rest as much as was humanly possible.
As Aaliyah sat waiting a nurse walked up pushing another wheelchair with a little girl in it. The little girl was wearing a headscarf but Aaliyah could see she had no eyebrows. The nurse walked off and left the two girls alone. “What you here for?” the little girl asked Aaliyah. >“Ahhh I broke my back, so I need to know how much damage has been done, you?”
“I have cancer in my bones, they need to know how much has been infected.” it was said in such a matter of fact way, the way one might say, 'I turned the television over' and Aaliyah couldn’t decide whether she was overwhelmed with pity or awe. She introduced herself and the girl said her name was Tori. The two girls chatted easily until Aaliyah saw a familiar figure turn the corner.“Hey do you like Pseudonym?” she asked Tori, Tori nodded her head vigorously.
“Who's your favourite?” Aaliyah asked.
“AaronG, he's so cute!” Tori said placing her hands on her cheeks blushing.
“Well, if I'm not mistaken he's walking towards us right now!” Aaliyah said. Tori laughed, then her face dropped when Aaron took the seat next to Aaliyah. Aaliyah introduced them and decided there and then, that some of the fund raising would go to helping little girls like Tori realise their dreams.
The last CT Scan had been good news, and the operation had a seventy-five percent success rate of full recovery. Aaron decided to do a parachute jump to raise funds. The money for the operation was raised within the first twenty-four hours. By the time the jump took place there was nearly ten times the required amount, and the hospital children’s relief fund became the beneficiary. Children like Tori would get to live out their dreams, just as Aaliyah had hoped.
Aaron placed Aaliyah’s wheelchair at the edge of the target. Talking to her from the airplane via video call Aaron walked to the edge of the cargo door, “I love you Aaliyah,” he said, then tripped and fell out of the plane. He free fell for a while, Aaliyah watched from the ground, “Aaron pull your chute...” she repeated over and over again. Aaron landed bang on the target and managed to get it so that the chute covered him and Aaliyah, “Hello,” he said and kissed her as the chute fluttered down around them. When the chute was pulled off them he was still kissing her to cheers from the crowd.
There was a gentleman stood behind Aaron waiting, “Aaliyah I would like to introduce you to jump instructor Grant, my father.”
The following week Aaliyah went to London to watch Aaron recording their new album. After the session Aaron took her to London for a meal and then he pushed her along London bridge, where he knelt down by her side and proposed to her. Aaliyah looked at him in disbelief, as she pulled herself to her feet to accept him. This felt like a dream, a beautiful dream and one that she must wake from soon. As Aaron slipped the ring onto her finger they kissed and a round of applause went up from passers by who had stopped when they realised who the boy was.
