LITMIR.BIZ

       5

      ‘Are you sure he said that?’ Franny Doyle looked at Chloe-Jane incredulously as she laid the few clothes she did have out on the spare bed.

      ‘Yep. He said as long as it was alright with you, I could stay for as long as I liked.’

      Franny gave a small smile. ‘It’s not really my decision.’

      Chloe chewed her gum noisily. When Alfie had brought her to the flat, no one else had been in and he’d only just managed to have time to show her to the spare room before rushing out to his club which was almost opposite the flat.

      Chloe remembered he’d said something about Franny, but she hadn’t really listened. She wasn’t the least bit interested in any of Alfie’s girlfriends. But then Franny had come in, and they’d both given each other a fright as they’d bumped into each other in the darkened hallway.

      That had been two hours ago and for some reason this woman wanted to know all about her, asking her questions about her life. Chloe-Jane wanted not to like her but for some reason she couldn’t help warming to Franny.

      Chloe’s eyes glinted slyly. ‘But it is to do with you. Uncle Alfie said if you didn’t mind then I could stay longer … So is it alright? Can I stay?’

      Franny wasn’t sure what to say. She could see Chloe was desperate. Behind the front was a vulnerable young woman who was essentially still a child. Her body was that of a woman though, albeit a glamour model. Huge breasts, almost cartoonish in look, disproportionally formed the contours of her tiny body. Huge eyes and full lips gave her sensuality older than her seventeen years which Franny was certain would attract the wrong kind of attention.

      It wasn’t Chloe’s fault but it slightly niggled her that Alfie hadn’t bothered to tell her his niece was coming to stay or even ring her for that matter. She knew she was being silly, especially as things like this never usually troubled her. Maybe it had something to do with her finally deciding she was going to tell Alfie that she’d move in with him. Perhaps it was selfish, but the idea of having someone else in the flat whilst she adjusted to giving up her independence hadn’t been what Franny had imagined.

      But then what was she supposed to do? Chloe was Alfie’s family and he didn’t have much of that, and if she was going to be with Alfie long term, well that made Chloe her family too. And reading between the lines, it was clear Chloe had had a difficult time of it.

      Franny could tell Chloe was proud, just like Alfie, but she hoped the girl would eventually open up to her. She knew through experience what could happen if problems and secrets went unresolved. She also knew what it felt like to be lost.

      Franny smiled at Chloe, suppressing a sense of foreboding. ‘Yes Chloe, of course you can stay as long as you want.’

      Chloe couldn’t contain the sound of excitement in her voice. Franny was clearly an easy touch. Before she knew it she’d have her eating out of her hand. Things were beginning to look up. ‘I’ll pay my way.’

      Franny looked sceptical. ‘Don’t be silly, you haven’t got any money. Besides, Alfie wouldn’t expect that. You’re family.’

      ‘I will though, then there’ll be no problem.’

      ‘There’ll be no problem anyway.’

      ‘Are you sure?’

      ‘Of course I’m sure, it’ll be lovely and I’m sure Alfie will feel the same.’

      ‘No way. No fucking way. Do I look like I’ve got baby-fucking-sitter written all over me boat?’ Alfie Jennings did not need this at all.

      ‘But I’ve told her now, Alf.’

      ‘Well un-fucking tell her, Fran. I ain’t got time for this shit now. And who’s going to fork out for her? Muggins here. I don’t even know her and I’m supposed to cop the bill for her? It’s bad enough having to fork out for me ex and me daughter who I never see but who still wants to spend me money, let alone some waif from me half-sister.’

      ‘You can be really horrible sometimes, Alfie.’

      ‘So you like to keep on telling me, but I like to see it as being real. I ain’t having someone leeching off me, family or not. So you can tell her she ain’t staying here.’ Christ, this was the last thing Alfie needed. What happened to Sarp had really shaken him up, and he didn’t want to have to worry about anything else. He had to think about what to do, and having Chloe here wasn’t going to help one little bit.

      ‘Alfie, come on!’

      ‘Franny, listen, I’ve got a lot going on right now, babe, so when I say no, I mean no. I can’t deal with it at the moment. So just get rid, will ya.’

      Chloe-Jane listened at the door as Franny and Alfie argued. Her heart was sinking. She’d hoped against hope that unlike the majority of people in her life, her uncle might actually want her around. But clearly she was wrong.

      ‘I’m not going to do that. If you want to, you tell her. I’m not going to do your dirty work for you, Alf.’

      ‘Fine then, I will.’ Alfie headed for the door but Franny grabbed his arm, holding him back.

      ‘Alfie, no! Wait!… You can’t.’

      ‘Firstly, I can and I’m going to, but secondly, how come you’re bothered; what’s it to you?’

      Franny frowned, annoyed. This was the part of Alfie which irritated her and sometimes made her doubt the relationship. He could be so compassionate at times, but then there were times when he was like this. Ignorant. ‘What do you mean, what’s it to me? She’s your niece and she’s just a kid, plus it’s obvious she’s got nowhere to go.’

      Alfie snorted.

      ‘I hate it when you do that, Alf.’

      Alfie looked surprised. ‘Do what?’

      ‘Snort when you know I’m right.’

      Alfie’s roar of laughter made Chloe jump but she continued to listen, her resentment towards her uncle growing greater.

      ‘You ain’t right, babe. She’s a player.’

      ‘She’s a seventeen-year-old kid, Alf.’

      ‘Yeah, a seventeen-year-old kid who wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of Playboy.’

      Everything about this moment made Franny want to walk out and go back to her own flat. She hadn’t

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