Tommy sank to his knees. ‘What did she have? Is the baby OK?’
James glared at him. ‘She had a little girl and she died, and do you know what? It’s all your fuckin’ fault, Tommy. Look at the state of you. You’ve got a lovely family and you’ve fucked things up this time, big style.’
Tommy stood up. It wasn’t his fucking fault that the baby had arrived prematurely and died. How the fuck could it be? Fuming that James was speaking to him like a mug, he punched his fist against the wall. ‘What hospital’s she been taken to?’
‘Whipps Cross, and don’t ask me to come with you ’cause I can’t. I was meant to pick Maria up hours ago. It’s her mum’s birthday and we were supposed to celebrate it with her. As usual, my life’s put on hold while I run around like a blue-arsed fly, covering up all your mistakes.’
Seeing red, Tommy grabbed him by the neck, shoved him against the wall and head-butted him. ‘Who do you think you’re fuckin’ talkin’ to? My kid’s just died, remember? Go on, fuck off and enjoy your meal, go and spend your evening with that slag, Maria.’
The sound of Maria being called a slag made James feel physically stronger than ever before. His nose might be throbbing and pouring with blood, but for once he didn’t give a shit. Lifting his leg, he kneed Tommy as hard as he could in the bollocks, and followed up with a swift right-hander.
As Tommy hit the deck, he stood over him with a look of contempt. ‘Don’t ever speak about my Maria like that again. Do you hear me?’
Tommy laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant laugh, it was false and vindictive.
James opened the front door. He had to get away before he lost it completely.
‘Ask darling Maria what sex with me was like. You think you’re so clever, Jimmy boy. I took her virginity, you mug. I stuck my big cock right up that tight little pussy of hers.’
James stood transfixed. Tommy was lying – he had to be. Knowing he had to get out of the house before he hurt Tommy badly, James forced his legs to walk away.
‘Ask the fuckin’ slag, go on, ask her!’ he heard his brother screaming.
Breaking into a run, James reached the car. Unable to think straight, he started the engine and drove off like a maniac.
Susan took a lug of the crack pipe and handed it over to the man who had brought the sunshine back into her life. After Kevin had left her, she never thought she’d find love again but, thankfully, with Dave she had, and she was willing to do absolutely anything to keep him. He’d been thrilled earlier when she’d taken him in the kitchen and waved the £300 in his face.
‘Keep it schtum,’ he told her.
Within minutes, he’d slung all of their friends out of the flat. ‘Me and Susan wanna spend some time on our own,’ he lied. The truth was all of their mates were skint and he didn’t want to share their windfall with them.
As soon as they left, he lifted Susan up and swung her around. ‘You’re a top bird, you are. Do you know that?’
He then went off to stock up on all their favourite goodies. ‘Don’t spend it all, Dave. Hold fifty quid back for emergencies,’ she told him.
He didn’t listen, but then again, he never did.
As he handed the pipe back to her, she smiled at him. ‘Now I’ve got rid of Johnny, will you move in with me properly?’
Dave nodded. His mother had chucked him out last week and he was at a loose end anyway.
Susan threw her arms around his neck. Their relationship had always been turbulent because of Johnny and, now he’d gone, they could really make a go of it.
‘I love you, Dave,’ she said.
Dave Taylor smiled, but said nothing. Susan wasn’t really his type, but she’d do for now. As soon as something better came along, he’d be off like a shot.
Maureen carried Alfie upstairs and put him to bed. Johnny kept firing questions at her about Susan and she was glad of some breathing space. Should she tell him the truth or shouldn’t she? Maybe it was time to come clean. She smiled as she walked back into the living room and saw Ethel plonked on the floor playing snakes and ladders with him. As usual, she had little decorum and sat with her legs wide open, showing all her clout.
‘Mum, for goodness’ sake. You’re showing Johnny what you’ve had for dinner.’
Ethel roared. Not used to much laughter indoors, Johnny quickly joined in. ‘Nanny’s got white knickers, Nanny’s got white knickers,’ he sang.
‘I can’t bleedin’ help it. It’s me arthritis and I can’t sit any other way,’ Ethel said, defending herself.
Maureen was glad to see that Johnny had cheered up a bit. He’d been very downcast earlier and she hated seeing him like that, as he was usually so bubbly.
‘I can’t fuckin’ get up. Help me up, Maur.’
Maureen laughed as she struggled to help her mother-in-law move her fat arse off the carpet. ‘I’m bleedin’ knackered. I’m gonna love yer and leave yer now,’ she said.
‘Night, Nanny Ethel,’ Johnny said, kissing her.
Maureen saw her to the door and watched her go across the road. ‘Night, Mum.’
Ethel opened her front door and waved.
Maureen went back into the lounge and sat next to her grandson. ‘There’s something I’ve got to tell you, Johnny. I had a chat with Mummy earlier and we’ve both decided that it’s best if you come and live with me.’
Johnny shook his head. ‘I have to live with Mum. She gets ill when I’m not there and she’ll have no one to put her to bed. Dave Taylor’s horrible – he won’t help her when she gets sick.’
Maureen felt a lump in her throat as she looked at his genuine little face. ‘You shouldn’t have to put her to bed, Johnny. She’s the adult, you’re the child, she should be looking after you, but unfortunately, she’s not capable.’
‘But I love her.’
Maureen ruffled his hair. ‘I know you do, darling, and you’ll still see her. She’ll come and visit you ’ere.’
Johnny looked at her pleadingly. ‘If I ask you something, Nan, will you tell me the truth?’
Maureen nodded. ‘Of course I will, darling.’
‘Mum doesn’t love me and doesn’t want me, does she?’
Maureen was choked as she looked at him. She’d lied for her daughter for years and now she had to be cruel to be kind. ‘No, darling, she doesn’t,’ she replied honestly.
As his eyes brimmed with tears, she held him to her chest. ‘Nanny wants you to live with her, Johnny, and she will always love and take care of you.’
Johnny looked at her dubiously. He didn’t know whether to believe her; he was too used to his mum’s lies. ‘Do yer promise never to give me away, Nan?’
Maureen smiled. ‘Cross my heart and hope to die.’
THIRTY-FOUR
James sat in the corner and stared at his empty glass. After leaving Tommy’s, he’d stopped at the first boozer he’d come across. The place was empty, a shit-hole, and it matched his mood perfectly.
Going straight home to Maria after what Tommy had just said was totally out of the question. He needed to sort his head out, work out whether to confront her or not. He felt ill, sick to the stomach. Standing up, he walked back to the bar.
‘Give us another brandy, and make it a treble this time.’
The fat, tattooed barmaid smiled at him. The blokes that usually came in were pig ugly; James was a bit of eye candy and she was desperate to get chatting to him.
‘You having a bad day, love?’
James shook his head. The last thing he needed was polite conversation. ‘Nah, I’m fine.’
‘You don’t look fine. What you done to your face? You been fighting?’
James usually prided himself on being polite to all and sundry. Today, was an exception though. ‘Just give me the fucking drink, will yer?’ he yelled.
Surprised by his own rudeness, he snatched the glass, apologised, and quickly sat back down. This whole situation was fucking his head up and he needed some answers quickly.
Maria was fuming as she studied the takeaway menu. So much for their big night out at a posh restaurant. They’d be lucky to get a few manky leftovers from the local chinky at this time of night. Throwing the menu down in temper, she tried James’s number once again. His phone had been switched off for hours and each time she tried to get through to him, she became more and more infuriated.
‘How dare he turn his fucking phone off? He makes himself look such a knob, chasing around after Tommy like some fucking Joey. I’m not putting up with it any more, Mum. I swear on my life, I’m putting my foot down from now on.’
Janet put an arm around her daughter. ‘Now calm down, Maria. James has got a heart of gold, and if Lucy’s gone into labour and Tommy can’t be found, then he’s bound to help out. You’ve got to remember, he didn’t know that you’d booked the restaurant. He just thought we were eating at home.’
Maria burst into tears. She’d planned tonight with such precision. Her big news would be delivered on her mum’s birthday, in the beautiful restaurant, and now, thanks to Tommy, everything had been well and truly fucking ruined.
As Bobby Adams pulled up outside Tommy’s house, he was surprised but pleased to see his car on the drive. He hadn’t been able to contact him by phone, the bastard hadn’t been answering. Bobby was well pissed off with Tommy and he’d had visions of driving around all night looking for him. Thank God he’d struck gold by trying the house first.
Bobby banged on the door and waited patiently for an answer. It didn’t come, so he looked through the lounge window. Seeing Tommy sprawled face down on the sofa made his blood boil. Probably out of his nut again, he thought angrily. Getting more wound up by the second, Bobby pounded on the glass with his fist and caught his diamond ring against the lead.
‘Tommy, I know you’re in there. Answer this fucking door before I break the bastard thing down.’
Bobby Adams was not a man to be kept waiting.
As Tommy opened his eyes, he wasn’t sure where he was. He could hear banging and shouting and wondered if he was still at Mustapha’s. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and recognised his own living room. Seconds later everything came back to him. Lucy, James, the baby – he remembered the whole caboodle. Guessing that James had come back to either kick off again or apologise, he staggered to the front door. Seeing Bobby Adams sent shivers through his spine.
‘You took your fucking time,’ Bobby said, as he pushed him into the lounge.
About to tell him to fuck off, Tommy noticed the colour of his face and shut his mouth. Bobby’s nose and cheeks were beetroot red and that was never a very good sign.
‘What’s up, Bob?’ he said, in a grovelling voice, as he was shoved onto the sofa.
With a look of pure disgust on his face, Bobby stood over him sneering. ‘Look at the fucking state of you, and you’ve got the cheek to call yourself a man, Tommy Hutton? You had everything, boy, and you fucked up big time. You’re now a junkie. How clever are you, eh?’
Tommy shook his head. He needed to dig himself out of this one, fast. Arms spread in innocence, he tried to excuse himself.
‘You don’t understand, Bob. Me baby was born today, it was premature and it died. A little girl, it was, and we lost her.’
Bobby stared at him with revulsion. How dare he blame the poor baby? The cunt had been out of his nut for months and hadn’t given his unborn child a second thought. ‘I’ve no time for sob stories, Tommy. In fact, I don’t care if you’ve lost your mum, nan, or virginity. I’ve come here tonight for one reason only and that’s to tell you you’re out of the fold. I don’t want you working for me any more – you’re a fucking liability.’
Tommy was shocked. He might have fucked up a bit lately, missed a couple of runs, but he’d always been loyal to Bobby, fucking loyal. Knees shaking, he stood up to face the man.
‘Look Bob, I know I’ve messed up a bit recently, but I’ll get meself sorted. Why are you binning me? What have I done to deserve that?’
Unable to stop himself, Bobby grabbed his neck with his goalkeeper-sized hands and shoved him
against the wall. ‘Don’t take me for a fool, Tommy. Did you really think I wouldn’t find out that you were knocking about and selling smack with that filthy fucking Turk?’
As he squeezed Tommy’s neck, Bobby laughed at his fear. ‘Well, answer me. Did you?’
Tommy could barely breathe, let alone talk. As Bobby let him go, he slid down the wall.
‘I’ll make it up to you. I’m sorry,’ he croaked.
Bobby shook his head and walked towards the door. As he opened it, he turned around. ‘Oh, and there’s a couple of other things. Number one, don’t even think of grassing us up, ’cause I’ve changed the whole set-up and, number two, stay away from Freddie.’
Tommy was shell-shocked. ‘Whaddya mean, stay away from Freddie? He’s me best fuckin’ mate.’
Bobby smiled. ‘Not any more, he ain’t. I mean it, Tommy, stay away from my nephew. If I find out you’ve been within ten foot of him, I promise you, I will fly back from Spain and personally kill you with my bare hands. Understand?’
Tommy nodded. He didn’t have the guts to disagree.
Cursing that the kitchen door was locked, James gave a gentle tap. After half-a-dozen large brandies, he’d realised that the only person in the world he wanted help and advice off was his mum. Knowing that Maria was probably still next door, he’d parked his car in the street behind and hopped over the fences. He couldn’t face seeing her, not yet anyway. He’d toyed with the idea of ringing Freddie and demanding if he knew the truth, but he decided against it. Freddie had been friendly with Tommy ever since their Feltham days and it wasn’t fair to put him in such an awkward position. Not only that, James wasn’t sure whether he wanted to know, or could handle the truth himself just yet.
Having put Alfie and Johnny to bed earlier, Maureen was unable to concentrate on the telly and had chosen to have an early night herself. It had been a truly awful day, full of drama and upset. Even now, her mind couldn’t rest. She’d spent the last hour tossing and turning. Hearing a noise outside, she sat up. She’d heard something a few minutes ago. She was about to get up and investigate, when there was a thud against her window that sounded like a stone. Nervously, she peeped through the curtains.