at the club?’
‘I was, but I then had to go out on business. I didn’t get back until late.’
‘Well, you should let Michael run the club for the next few nights and stay at home with Jo and the baby, Vinny. It was probably kids, but you can never be too careful,’ Queenie warned her son.
Vinny sighed. Michael had mentioned he had seen two little herberts hanging around outside the club earlier this week, so perhaps they were the culprits? But why would two kids have it in for him? It just didn’t add up.
‘I need to shoot out tonight, so best Jo stays here until I get back. I shouldn’t be too late.’
‘Where’s Little Vinny? Did you find him?’ Vivian asked.
‘Yeah, he’s round at Ben Bloggs’. They’re both coming to the party later and somebody is fixing the window as we speak.’
When Joanna left the room to get changed, Queenie stared at her son. ‘Has somebody got it in for you, boy? Best you tell us the truth in case we’re all in bloody danger.’
Not wanting to worry his mum or aunt, Vinny chuckled. ‘Don’t be daft. As you said, it was probably just kids.’
Nancy Butler had tears streaming down her face as she drove towards Queenie’s house. Michael hadn’t come home last night, hadn’t even contacted her, and Nancy knew their relationship was in trouble. Dean hadn’t been much help. Their conversation had been cut short as the kids were playing up outside the phonebox, but he had urged her to leave Michael. ‘Just get away from that family before it’s too late, Nance. You’ll regret it if you don’t,’ were Dean’s exact words.
‘Why you crying, Mummy?’ Adam asked innocently.
‘Because she was nasty to Lee, now Daddy hates her,’ Daniel replied.
Feeling panicky as a lorry overtook her, Nancy bumped the car up a nearby kerb. She had only passed her driving test a couple of months ago and Michael had bought her a Mini, but she rarely drove alone as she wasn’t confident enough. Feeling dreadfully sorry for herself, Nancy took a tissue out of her bag and blew her nose. No wonder Michael hated her right now. She was a crap driver, mother and wife.
Having helped decorate the street and tables with Union Jacks and bunting, Queenie and Vivian set about getting themselves glammed up. Most of their neighbours were as scruffy as arseholes, but Queenie and Vivian enjoyed standing out from the crowd. It was what they were all about.
‘Does this look OK, Queen? I lost weight in that hospital. Don’t look too big, does it?’ Vivian asked. She was wearing a pale blue sleeveless dress, navy shoes and a big straw hat.
‘You look a million dollars, Viv. But don’t forget to put your gold on. I’m wearing my sovereign today, and you should wear yours. What about my outfit? Not too over the top, is it?’ Queenie replied. She’d chosen a white sleeveless dress which she’d matched with a big red hat and red shoes. Both women had thought they were the bees knees since they were teenagers.
‘You look fabulous. When’s Vinny setting the disco system up in the front garden, Queen?’
‘He’s sorting it now. Right, shall we start taking the food out? I wonder what Stinky Susan has made?’
Vivian chuckled. Stinky Susan had moved into the house next door while she was in hospital. An unkempt-looking woman with permanently greasy hair, she had knocked on Viv’s door this morning and Viv had been greeted with a distinct whiff of unadulterated piss. ‘Christ knows, but I’m not eating anything she or anybody else brings. None of their homes are that wholesome, so we’ll just stick with our own grub.’
Queenie agreed, then linked arms with Viv. Usually, they avoided the neighbours like the plague, but there had been rumours flying about that Viv had been carted off to the nuthouse, and Queenie was determined to restore family pride. ‘Come on, let’s go and knock the nosy bastards dead.’
Having never driven to the East End before, Nancy panicked when she found many of the roads, including Queenie’s, were blocked off for street parties. Instead she headed for Michael’s club and was fortunate to find a parking space nearby.
‘Look, there’s Daddy! Dad, wait for us,’ Daniel screamed, as he and Lee chased after their father.
Picking Adam up, Nancy walked towards Michael. He had obviously stayed at the club as he was wearing different clothes to the ones he’d left home in the previous day. Nancy was relieved about that, as when she had rung the club late last night and again this morning she had been informed that her husband was not there.
‘I’ll take the boys from here, so you can go to your mum’s party,’ Michael said, avoiding direct eye contact with his wife. He could tell she had been crying and he knew if he looked at her, he would feel guilty.
‘I’m not going to my mum’s party. I want us to spend the day together as a family. Michael, I’m so sorry Lee heard what I said. He is a good kid and I swear, from now on I shall treat him the same as my own. Please forgive me. I love you and we owe it to our sons to make our marriage work, don’t we? Can you imagine how upset they would be if we split up? It would break their little hearts. Daniel and Adam would miss Lee so much if he went to live with you, and I could never give our boys up, Michael.’
‘And neither could I,’ Michael spat.
When Nancy broke down in tears, Michael held her close to his chest. His heart felt torn in two. He still loved her, but was that just because she had given him two wonderful sons? Bella made his pulse race every time he thought about her. But was it lust that he felt for her or true love?
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