Vinny pulled up in the hospital car park, switched the engine off and gave his mum a hug. ‘I know I don’t say it as often as I should, but I really do love you, Mum.’
‘And I love you too, boy, much more than you’ll ever know. Right, let’s go and get your Auntie Viv and pray to God she likes that fucking kitchen.’
Hoping to break the ice quickly, Joanna opened the door to her mum and Sandy with the baby in her arms. It was a bank holiday, Little Vinny had gone out to play and Joanna was praying the little sod wouldn’t come back while her mum was here.
‘Aw, Jo, isn’t she beautiful!’ Sandy gushed.
Deborah stared at the child. She had expected it to be dark-haired and olive-skinned like Vinny and had been prepared to dislike it on sight, but Molly was nothing like her father. She was blonde, chubby and the bonniest baby that Deborah had ever laid eyes on. ‘Can I hold her?’ she asked, her eyes brimming with tears.
‘Of course you can, Mum.’
The next hour or so passed pleasantly. Both Sandy and Deborah complimented Joanna on her house, Vinny wasn’t mentioned at all unless Jo said his name, and baby Molly had them all eating out of the palm of her chubby hand.
When the front door opened, Joanna’s heart lurched. Vinny had gone to pick up his Auntie Viv and said he was going to make himself scarce for the rest of the day, so Jo knew it had to be Little Vinny. It was, and he was accompanied by Ben Bloggs.
‘Where’s me dad?’ Little Vinny asked.
‘He’s gone to pick your Auntie Viv up from hospital. Mum, Sandy, this is Vinny’s son, Vinny, and his friend Ben.’
‘Pleased to meet you both,’ Little Vinny replied politely.
‘Pleased to meet you too,’ Ben Bloggs added.
‘Jo, did Dad leave me any money? Only me and Ben are bored and we want to go to the pictures.’
‘No, he didn’t, but let me get my purse and I can give you some.’ Jo was so relieved the child hadn’t showed her up in front of her mother that she would happily have given him the contents, but instead she handed him a five-pound note.
‘Cheers, Jo. Bye, ladies and Molly,’ Little Vinny shouted, as he and Ben marched out of the door.
As they ran off down the road, Little Vinny waved the five-pound note in Ben’s face. ‘Told you I would get money off the silly slag, didn’t I? Now who can we ask to get us some fags?’
Vivian stood open-mouthed as she stared at her kitchen.
‘I knew it, she don’t like it,’ Queenie mumbled, punching her son in the arm.
‘It’s even got a dishwasher, Auntie Viv, look,’ Vinny said, pointing out the appliance.
All of a sudden, Vivian clapped her hands together in glee. ‘It’s the bollocks! I love it!’
‘Thank goodness for that,’ Queenie muttered.
‘And we’ve got another surprise for you, haven’t we, Mum?’
Queenie nodded. She had been worried how Viv would react on walking into the house, having to face how empty it was without Lenny, but so far she had been fine. However, Viv hadn’t seen her second surprise yet and even though Queenie thought she would be thrilled, she was nervous in case it had the opposite effect and send her sister back into a depression.
Vivian followed Vinny and Queenie up the stairs and gasped as they opened Lenny’s bedroom door. All his toys, clothes and other belongings that she had thrown out for the dustmen were now back in the room, including Zippy the monkey, who was perched in his usual place on the bed.
Vivian burst into tears, but they weren’t sad tears, they were ones of happiness. Out of all the things she had done when she was ill, chucking her beloved son’s belongings out was the thing she had regretted the most. ‘Oh dear God. This is wonderful! How did you get the stuff back from the dustmen?’
Crying happy tears too, Queenie hugged her sister. ‘The dustmen never took it – I did. I knew how much you would regret throwing Lenny’s belongings away once you felt better, Viv, so I rang Vinny and he collected it from mine and stored it at the club.’
‘I am so relieved. This has to be the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me. I feel like a part of Lenny is back here with me now. Thank you both so much.’
Vinny took his aunt in his arms, rocked her side to side and kissed her on top of her head. ‘No need to thank us. We’re your family. Welcome home, Auntie Viv.’
Nancy Butler poured herself a glass of wine and dejectedly flopped onto the armchair. She had just been upstairs to apologize to Lee and entice the boys downstairs. Lee had been understanding, but Daniel had looked at her with hatred and refused to come out of his bedroom until his father came home, which had upset Nancy immensely. As for Adam, he was far too young to understand what was going on.
Desperate to speak to somebody, Nancy debated who to phone. Her friend Rhonda had gone to stay with family and Nancy knew her mother wouldn’t be very sympathetic, as she always sided with Michael when it came to Lee.
Picking up her handbag, Nancy opened her purse and stared at the phone number that Freda had given her the day before. She’d had no intention of contacting Dean, didn’t think it was right now she was back with Michael, but she was desperate for a friendly ear to tell her troubles to. Freda had told her under no circumstances should she ever call Dean from her home phone, so Nancy folded the number up and put it back in her purse. She then ran up the stairs. ‘Come on, boys, get your coats on. I’m taking you out for a burger.’
Vinny walked into the club and was surprised to see Michael sitting alone with a bottle of Scotch. ‘What’s up with you? You had another row with Nancy?’
When Michael explained what had happened earlier, Vinny tutted and shook his head in disgust. ‘You need to get rid of her, bruv, she’s a wrong ’un. What about that other bird? Have you got back in touch with her yet?’
Michael shook his head dismally. He was still constantly thinking about Bella and was sure she was the reason why he couldn’t get an erection with Nancy. ‘If I tell you something, you won’t take the piss, will you?’
Vinny shook his head, but when Michael admitted he had erectile dysfunction, Vinny couldn’t help but burst out laughing. ‘Alfie can’t get it up! Who would ever have thought it, eh?’
‘You ain’t fucking funny. I wish I’d never told you. If you tell anybody else, I swear to you, Vinny, me and you are finished.’
‘Calm down, you tart. I’m just messing with you. The only reason you can’t get it up with Nancy is because you’ve met someone else. Go on, ring the other bird – what you waiting for?’ Vinny asked, pouring himself a large Scotch and downing it in one.
‘What you doing here so early? You got problems as well? I thought you were picking Auntie Viv up.’
‘I did pick Auntie Viv up. She’s back at home, loved the kitchen, and you should have seen her face when she saw Champ’s room, Michael. Bowled over, she was. As for problems, I have my fair share, trust me on that one.’
‘You not getting on with Jo?’ Michael asked. He had been gobsmacked when he found out Jo was Johnny Preston’s daughter, and guessed that Vinny had only got with her out of some sadistic lust for revenge.
Vinny shook his head. He then admitted that Little Vinny had started to spiral out of control, and told Michael that he had found Yvonne Summers. ‘You should have seen the state of the fat slag, bruv.