Chapter Text
Roaming down the street of Emmerdale, he didn’t know anybody around. The whole place had changed. There was nothing he could make out. He didn’t think anybody from his life at the village would be here. They probably all moved on ages ago. He decided to take a look over the cemetery, see who was there.
He went along the place. He caught sight of a gravestone, it read:
In Loving Memory of
Sarah Sugden
(Nee Connolly)
25th March 1952 – 16th November 2000
Wife of Jack
And devoted mother of
Robert, Andy and Victoria.
Oh my god, Sarah had died. He didn’t know that. She would be over sixty by now. She died seventeen years ago. Robert…poor Robert. She must have taken the mother role with him. Andy? Victoria? They must be her other kids. He took a further look through the graveyard, he stood by the graveside of Jack Sugden. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He went further down the graveyard and saw the gravestone of Pat Sugden.
“Hello mum, I'm back. How are you doing?” He knelt down. “It’s been a while, hey. I’ve come back to see my baby brother. Well, he’ll be like thirty now, won’t he? I’ll make sure he remembers you, mum. Cos I’ll always love you, even if I did act a pain sometimes. Oh, how much I wish you were still here. This is for you.” He laid a flower on the bed of old dated flowers, all dead. This would be the first fresh flower in years.
He went around and saw another familiar gravestone –Seth Armstrong. “How you doing, old timer? I missed you too.” His Uncle Joe probably is dead by now. He wondered if Kathy was still around. He didn’t remember her for years. He still loved her, but she probably moved on by now.
“Hey!” A woman got his attention.
He turned around. “What?”
“What are you doing here?”
“It’s not private land, is it? And it’s a free country last time I checked.”
“Mouthy, aren’t we?” She smiled. “Sorry to bother you. I was just here to put some flowers on my mother’s grave.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” He gave a sympathetic smile.
“It’s alright.” She walked over to the grave, he followed, curious.
It was Sarah Sugden’s gravestone. He started to stutter with shock – this woman was his sister. “A-are y-you Jack Sugden’s daughter?”
She looked puzzled at him. “Yeah. What is it to you?”
“Just curious, that’s all.”
“I’m Victoria. And yeah, I’m Jack Sugden’s daughter.”
“Hey Victoria…nice name.” He got her to smile as he did. “Can you tell me where the pub is?”
“Just up, right in the middle. You won’t miss it. There’s a big sign and it’s big.”
“Thanks.” He started to walk to it.
Meanwhile, Robert and Aaron were sitting in the corner of the pub, tucked away in a booth.
“Where’s Victoria? The food isn’t as good. And Marlon’s off.”
“Oh, Vic has gone to mum’s grave to put some flowers on. She’ll be back soon.”
“Why didn’t you go?” Aaron asked, concerned.
“It’s sometimes hard to remember, you know…that night. I’ll go tomorrow and put some on. If you don’t mind coming with me.”
Aaron put his hand on Robert’s arm. “You can talk to me anytime if you need it. You should let someone in.”
“Not today, Aaron. It’s just hard remembering it. But if you don’t mind coming to the grave later. The anniversary’s the worst day for me, it hits me the most hardest. You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, it’s the same with Jackson. Birthdays and his death.”
Robert smiled, sympathetically. “Thanks Aaron.”
“We’re married. It’s in the vows.”
“Well, not properly yet. We could do it soon.”
“Yeah, book it with Harriet if you want. Well, I’m not going to Las Vegas for it.” Aaron smirked.
“I can’t believe we were actually going to do that. It must have been a spare of a moment thing.”
“Yeah.”
Just then, the pub door opened to reveal a familiar face to Robert. Aaron saw the shocked and worried expression on his face.
“Are you alright, Robert?” He asked, concerned.
Robert didn’t reply, he just looked at the new arrival. “Jackie…”