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garden.’

      ‘It doesn’t give me much of a break though, does it, Vinny? I’m going down the Roman all day on Saturday with Viv, so best you up your fatherly duties by then.’

      ‘Glad you and Auntie Viv are OK. Who made the first move?’

      ‘Don’t change the bloody subject. I know you love Ava, but you can’t put on me so much. I haven’t had a chance to tidy upstairs properly and change the bedding since Tara and Tommy left. I’m no spring chicken now. I might look like one still, but me bones ache some days and I get tired in the afternoons.’

      ‘When did Tara and Tommy leave?’

      ‘The day Bren came out of hospital. I told you yesterday. Whatever’s wrong with you lately? It’s like talking to a silly boy, and you’ve got a face like a smacked arse.’

      Rather than admitting to his mother that he’d spent most of the day visualizing his brother fucking Bella and wishing it was him, Vinny stood up, waving his hands. ‘I’m going now. Can’t be doing with you when you’re in one of these moods. And you shouldn’t be coming out with insults such as “silly boy”. Champ wasn’t exactly bright, was he? How would Auntie Viv feel, hearing you saying that?’

      ‘Me and Viv both call him next door “silly-boy-got-none”. Unlike you, Viv hasn’t had a personality bypass,’ she sniffed. ‘Sod off then, and don’t bother coming back until you’re more cheerful. Or on Saturday, when you will be looking after your daughter for once.’

      Without saying goodbye to Ava, who was in the garden with Fred, Vinny slammed the front door behind him.

      Driving off like a maniac, he immediately regretted his actions and punched the steering wheel. Out of all the birds in the world, why did Michael have to fall in love with that cunt?

      As soon as Bella left, Michael Butler listened to the messages on his answer machine. There were nine in total – six from Katy and three from Vinny.

      Pacing up and down the room, Michael wondered what to do for the best. Katy was young, worked for him, so was it fair to sack her over the phone? It had to be wiser to do so in person. He should blame her dismissal on the boys’ recent bad behaviour and pay her off with a wad of money. Surely that would keep her sweet? And quiet, regarding him and her.

      Before he could pick up the phone and ask Katy to meet him, the buzzer disturbed Michael’s pre-planned speech. Nobody else was at the club, so he answered it himself. It would be proper handy if it was Katy. Save him a journey.

      ‘It’s Vinny,’ came the gruff voice over the speaker. ‘Where the fuck you been and why aren’t you answering your phone?’

      Michael ran down the stairs and flung the door open. ‘Sorry, bruv. I had a visitor last night – Bella. She’s back from Italy and we’re gonna give it another go.’

      ‘How very romantic! And did it not occur to you that me and Mum might be worried if you wasn’t answering your phone?’

      A bit taken aback by Vinny’s obvious anger, Michael shrugged. ‘I’m a grown man, Vin, give me a break. I had to switch both phones off in case Katy rang. Good job I did: she’s left tons of messages.’

      ‘I’m not interested in your fucked-up love life, Michael. If you’re silly enough to take a bird back who has already dumped you, that’s your lookout. What I wanna talk about is Dagenham Dave. He needs to be taught a bit of a lesson. Brenda might be a pain in the arse, but she’s still our sister.’

      ‘But she threatened you with the Old Bill, Vin,’ Michael reminded his brother.

      ‘So what. It’s a direct piss-take at us, him clumping Bren. We won’t kill him, but he needs a stern warning. People will think we’re mugs otherwise.’

      ‘What people?’ said Michael, wondering why Vinny was getting in a lather. ‘Bren and Dave had a punch-up. Big fucking deal. They’re back together now and everybody knows what a nightmare Brenda is.’

      ‘I was out with Eddie Mitchell yesterday. Even he agreed that Dave needs a good hiding. I’ve done a bit of research and heard through the grapevine that he serves up in the Cross Keys at the weekends. Barred from there is our Bren, she’s down the Roundhouse. So, we’ll stalk the Keys at the weekend, take Carl with us to entice the cunt outside. There’s a graveyard opposite. The perfect place for Dave to be taught who not to mess with in the future.’

      ‘I can’t make Saturday. I’m seeing Bella.’

      ‘Business before pleasure, Michael. And family before whores. Always remember that, bruv.’

      As Vinny turned his back and walked out the premises, Michael wanted to give him a slap; disrespecting him was one thing, but having a dig at Bella was another. Instead he punched the wall. Vinny was obviously in one of his Jekyll and Hyde moods and until he snapped out of it, he was best left alone.

       CHAPTER EIGHT

      Michael Butler put the boys’ breakfast on the table.

      ‘Ain’t you having none, Dad?’ Lee asked.

      ‘Nah. And I need yous two to pop out for hour or so about half eleven. Someone’s coming round and I need to talk business, in private.’

      ‘Who’s that then?’ Daniel enquired.

      ‘Nobody you know,’ Michael lied. Today was the first chance he’d had to talk in private with Katy and he was absolutely dreading telling her that there’d be no more her and him, and he didn’t need her taking care of the boys any longer. A thousand pounds he planned to give her as a pay-off, and he only hoped that would soften the blow.

      ‘But I thought we were grounded?’ Daniel questioned suspiciously.

      ‘You were until today. Can’t keep you locked indoors for ever, can I? Just learn to behave yourselves in future. And keep away from Donald and Mary’s café. If I hear you’ve been within a hundred feet of that joint, I swear I’ll send you both away to a bloody boarding school. Understand me?’

      ‘If we’re not grounded any more, does that mean Katy will be coming back to look after us?’ Lee asked.

      ‘No. Katy won’t be coming round any more.’

      Daniel pushed his plate away and leapt up. ‘Why? What’s she done wrong? We like Katy looking after us, don’t we, Lee?’

      ‘Yeah. We like Katy a lot,’ Lee added.

      ‘Tough shit. Anyway, you’ve only got yourselves to blame. I wouldn’t have got rid of Katy if yous two had behaved. That was the whole point of her being here.’

      Eyes blazing, Daniel punched the table then locked eyes with his father. ‘Don’t fucking lie! You’ve been shagging her, I bet.’

      Grabbing hold of his brazen son by the throat, Michael pushed him up against the wall. ‘Katy’s nearer your age than mine. What do you take me for, eh? You ever spout such crap or speak to me like that again, you’ll know all about it, for sure.’

      Upset because he was probably never going to see the bird he’d had wet dreams over again, Daniel Butler burst into tears.

      ‘Get off! I mean it! Leave me alone, you filthy little ratpig,’ Vivian squealed, as Fred clung on to her leg and rubbed his little dingle-dangle against her brand-new nylons.

      Queenie tried not to laugh, but couldn’t help herself as she picked up Fred and put him in the back garden.

      ‘Disgusting bastard creature. Look, it’s laddered me bleedin’ tights. New on today, these were,’ Vivian complained.

      ‘Go and change ’em, but hurry up. We’re running late,’ Queenie said. For years it had been a ritual that Saturdays were spent visiting their loved ones’

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