Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and Brenda had considered telling her brothers what had happened just to pay Dean back for betraying her so cruelly. But in the end she had chosen to keep schtum. Vinny had had many a run-in with Dean’s dad, Terry, and Brenda knew if Vinny found out that she had slept with Terry’s son, he would probably throttle her.
Feeling the bile in her throat begin to rise again, Brenda put her head back over the toilet and retched. It was sod’s law she was pregnant with Dean’s baby. That would be just her fucking luck.
Over at Bow Cemetery, Vivian was about to blow a fuse. ‘Don’t you dare! You’re far too old to be doing that now. Christ, if anyone sees you, you’ll be nicked for indecent exposure. You’re a big boy now, Lenny, and big boys have big dingle-dangles.’
Ignoring his mother, Lenny turned his back on her and his Auntie Queenie and pissed all over Old Man Taylor’s unkempt grave.
‘I shall give him such a fucking doughboy when I get him home. Played me up something rotten since we found out about Bill’s death, he has. In fact, just lately, I think that poxy school is doing him more harm than good. I think I’m gonna have to pull Lenny out of there for the sake of his own sanity.’
‘Now he’s fifteen, surely it would be better for him if he had a little job?’ Queenie suggested.
‘Doing what though?’ Vivian asked wearily. Her Lenny was hardly Einstein, poor little sod.
Queenie smirked. ‘I’m sure the boys will find him a job at the club. You just leave it to me.’
Michael was open-mouthed when Nancy climbed into his car. She was wearing chunky wedge-heeled sandals, a faded denim waistcoat, mauve hotpants, and her legs were the longest Michael had ever seen.
Noticing Michael looked rather taken aback by her outfit, Nancy suddenly wished she had worn something else. ‘I’ve got a wrap-over skirt in my bag. I only wore this because I was so hot,’ she explained awkwardly.
‘You look fine. In fact, you look better than fine. You look incredible.’
‘Thanks. You look nice too,’ Nancy replied. Michael was dressed casually today.
‘Right, shall we be on our way then?’
‘Yep. Where we going?’ Nancy asked, feeling her stomach churn with excitement. Michael had the roof down on his Mustang, and Nancy couldn’t wait to hit the road and feel the breeze fly through her hair.
‘Hainault Forest. I’ve got a picnic in the boot fit for a princess and that’s what you are, darling.’
Vinny politely kissed Karen’s mum on the cheek, then introduced his son to her. ‘This is your Nanny Maureen. Go give her a hug, boy.’
When his son hugged his nan then wanted to sit on his mother’s lap, Vinny urged him to do so. He had already thought of a way of getting Karen out of his and his son’s lives for good, but firstly he had to gain her trust.
‘Do you want to open your presents, Vinny? This one is from me and that one is from your nan,’ Karen said, pointing to two wrapped-up boxes.
Vinny plastered a false grin on his face while watching his son open his presents. Karen actually seemed quite good with Little Vinny, but sharing was not in Vinny’s nature. The boy was his property, he had raised him and that’s the way it would stay.
Brenda Butler ordered her pal to meet her in a café in Aldgate rather than their usual one in Whitechapel.
‘Whatever’s wrong? Why did you make me schlep all the way up here?’ Susan Shipton asked.
Brenda was near to tears as she explained all about her morning sickness. ‘And I can’t fit into my white jeans any more. I must be pregnant, I know I am. What am I gonna do, Sue?’
‘Well, you’re gonna have to get a test done for a start. I’ll come to the doctor’s with you.’
‘I can’t go to my doctor in case he tells my mum or brothers. Can’t you take a water sample to your doctor’s and pretend it’s yours?’ Brenda asked hopefully.
‘No, I bloody can’t! My mum would kill me if she thought I was up the spout, Bren. Why don’t you go to that dodgy doctor where Gillian Trott went? He does pregnancy tests if you pay him. In fact, he sells you tablets and all sorts if you pay him. He even arranged Gillian’s abortion for her. A pal of his did it.’
‘Where’s his surgery?’ Brenda asked.
‘It ain’t a proper surgery. It’s a room in his house where he sees his patients. He is a real doctor though, I think. Gillian will know his address. Shall we go and find a phonebox after we’ve finished our drinks? I know her number off by heart.’
Gulping the rest of her tea down in one, Brenda stood up. ‘Come on, let’s ring her now.’
With Michael and Vinny both out, Roy decided to make up for taking the other night off by tackling the paperwork alone. Within seconds of sitting down to start his tedious task, he was disturbed by the doorbell ringing. ‘Who is it?’ he shouted when he looked through the spyhole and couldn’t see anybody standing there.
‘It’s me, boy. It’s your dad.’
Recognizing his father’s voice, Roy yanked open the door. ‘Fucking hell, Dad. What you doing here?’
‘That’s a nice greeting. Can I come in? I need to sit down for a bit.’ Albie’s breathing was clearly laboured.
‘Do you want a drink?’ Roy asked, as he led his father inside.
‘I could murder a brandy, boy. Can you make it a large one?’
Roy was in a daze as he poured out two large brandies. His dad was only fifty-one, but looked more like an old-age pensioner. Gone was the thick mop of dark hair and the twinkle in his eye. His barnet had thinned and was now swept over his head to hide any bald patches. As for his eyes, they had completely lost their sparkle.
Roy sat opposite his father. The last time he had seen his dad had been about six years ago, and him turning up out the blue was a shock to say the least.
‘Nice club, boy. Much bigger than the last one, ain’t it? Where are your brothers?’ Albie asked.
‘Out. Look, Dad, what do you want? Vinny has only gone for lunch and he could be back any time. He ain’t gonna be too happy to find you sitting here, is he?’
‘How’s your mum? Still a handful?’ Albie chuckled, avoiding answering Roy’s question.
‘Mum’s fine. We’re all fine. Just cut the crap and tell me why you’re here, will you? Do you need money? Is that it?’
Knocking his brandy back, Albie shook his head sadly. ‘I’ve got the cancer, boy. I’m a very ill man.’
Michael grinned as he unpacked the picnic. He had asked his mum to do him proud and she hadn’t let him down. A whole roast chicken, pork pies, a knuckle of ham, tomatoes, six crusty buttered rolls, a big lump of cheese. She had even packed hard-boiled eggs, brown pickle, and a jar of her home-made pickled onions. Michael laid all the food out, then popped open a bottle of champagne.
Nancy propped herself up on her elbow. Michael had laid a big blanket on the grass and had brought a portable radio with him as well. It was very romantic.
Michael handed Nancy a glass of champagne and grinned. He had finished with Denise the previous day. It hadn’t been easy. At first she had burst into tears and begged him not to leave her. Then, five minutes later, she had flown at him and called him every name under the sun. Still, it was all over now, and he was free to do what he wanted. ‘Haven’t you ever been to Hainault before?’ he asked Nancy.
‘No. I didn’t even know there was a forest here. It is incredibly pretty.’
‘And so are you,’ Michael said, gazing intently into Nancy’s eyes.