DoubleFace

Fourth story in the Steve and Nick series, please do read the previous three as they will explain how the characters got where they are in this one.

This story follows RUNAWAY.

The man passed without a word as George caught a whiff, of expensive paint.

The same paint he smelled every time he got close to the huge painting of his mentors.

"Aiden?", he gasped.

Turning on his heel he searched his surroundings with his eyes.

But the man........had gone!.

"Goodbye..... George".

"My firecracker".

2 years on from the day Aiden disappeared.

Looking around the room at all the flamboyant colours and outrageous outfits, George smiled.

Not something you usually do at funerals, but this was Grey Dawsons final shout and it was as loud and eccentric, as colourful and as fun as he had been in life.

Grey had succumbed to a heart condition he'd had all his life, the stress of the past few years had finally worn him down and he'd passed peacefully at his home.

In his final weeks he'd spent time preparing George for his future as owner of New Image Gallery.

Organising little parties at his home to introduce his colleagues to his successor, holding court from his huge armchair, weak, thin, pale but never once a complaint passing his lips.

His paint explosion coffin with the words 'LOVE IS LOVE' emblazoned down the side in huge fancy gold letters had gained a round of applause as it entered the chapel as 'Love Is In The Air' by John Paul Young played and the crowd sang and danced.

As per Greys explicit instructions there was not a drop of black to be seen, except the soles of the shoes of the dancing congregation.

If anyone could put the 'fun' in funeral it was Grey Dawson.

Sitting back in his seat at the wake in the pub, George drowned himself in his memories of the man.

The day he'd tapped him on the shoulder at college open day, the enthusiasm with which he'd surveyed his artwork, the excitement in his eyes as he'd introduced him to Aiden for the first time.

His face at each leg of the 'Love is Love' tour, bright, cheerful, but struggling to breathe and even move some nights back at their hotel.

The happiness as he watched George and Aiden interact that Christmas, the joy as Aiden tearfully accepted his trust in leaving him the gallery.

The defeated look on his face when he'd shown George the letter from Aiden and the amended will.

The love in his eyes as he'd whispered his final goodbye to George just days before he passed.

He couldn't help but wonder if Aiden knew Grey was gone, he'd half expected him to be there, but then he guessed of course he wouldn't because he'd know George would be, and he didn't want to see George anymore.

Of course Aiden would know, it had made the national as well as local papers, Grey was known far and wide, and now so was George.

Twisting his now re-shaped and perfectly round ring on his right ring finger he couldn't help but wonder, where Aiden was.

Was that him he'd bumped shoulders with 2 years ago?.

Did Aiden still love him the same way George still loved him?.

His repaired 'Love is Love' bangle held a little tighter to his wrist where it had been fixed after the clasp broke, but it comforted him, it reminded him of a time when he was truly........ In love.

The family all missed Aiden still, despite the way he'd treated George, they'd never meant for it to go as far as making Aiden disappear from their lives completely, they'd just wanted him to realise his mistakes, but then they couldn't really blame him for going, it was after all George that ultimately ended their union.

George had been approached many times, by twinks, playboys, budding young artists who thought they could 'sleep' their way into the art world by banging the gallery owner, those looking only to profit from association with him, and those looking for dirt to dig to sell to the highest bidder.

But George remained unmoved and true to his one true love, Aiden David Walsh.

He also had a new gallery manager, the wonderfully colourful pillar box red (again) haired Bridget Dolan, nee Jones.

He'd been delighted when Bridget and Mark had moved back and tracked him down through Steve and Nick.

Having heard the story of the disaster that had been the end of him and Aiden, she'd hugged him tight like she used to in college, she hadn't grown much and was still a twig but she had the biggest heart.

With Bridgets amazing people skills, and qualifications in Arts and Media studies, she was perfect for the job.

Life was amazing, life was full, but his heart, was only half full.

He wanted........ Aiden.

He didn't know if he was even alive anymore, his name seemed to have vanished into thin air.

George didn't know how to find him, or whether he would even want him now, is he even single anymore?, he could be married, he just didn't know, but he had to take a shot!.

He didn't want to put an ad in the paper or anything like that, or appeal in public, that would just be tacky, but he wanted him to know that George wanted him back.

But how to do that?.

He'd brainstorm with Bridget late into the evening, but not wanting to cause a rift with her and Mark he tried not to monopolise her too much, after all losing his precious time with Aiden was what had broken them, and he didn't want to do that to his best friend.

He'd decided, one way he was pretty certain he would bring Aiden back would be to step into the unknown, again, as he had the day Aiden disappeared.

This time on his terms.

A new exhibition, a risky endeavour, one that would either make him, push the gallery to new heights, prove him worthy in the art world, and bring his love back to him.

Or it would break him, ruin him and lose him everything.

'DOUBLEFACE'.

Georges creation of his twin faces, the abused and the saved boy side by side.

He had destroyed Aidens beautiful painting, but he still had the original print tucked in the back of his portfolio away from prying eyes.

Now he'd shared his story with his best friend Bridget, and was about to share it with the world.

His true story, written from his memories, 'Doubleface' was already at the publishers waiting to be released, and the beginnings of a plan for a new exhibition, if the timing was right it would be explosive.

She'd been shocked by his story, but firm in her belief that George could pull this off.

He thought Grey would approve of his idea, the man had pushed boundaries with 'Love is Love', and broke through those lines, despite some homophobic reviews and hate, 95% of the feedback had been undeniably positive.

People still came to the gallery, years later to see the giant pictures that had become a permanent fixture.

The plaque Aiden had placed there for him, still shone as he polished it, every single day.

'Love is Love'

Photographer: George Dance

Good luck for your future, you will go far.

Aiden Walsh.

"My future is bright and I hope that you will be in it", George sighed as he polished the plaque for the last time before locking up that night.

His family were worried that by releasing his memories to the world George would become a target for hate and bullying, but they also knew that George had become extremely strong, in his heart and in his mind, and they knew that some of that strength had come from Aiden, the one who'd unchained George from his nightmares in the first place.

His Dreamcatcher!