with her mother over Shay not liking her.
‘She’s only a little girl, love, and it’s probably strange for her to see her father with a girlfriend. She’ll come round in time. You just need to be patient and persevere.’
Johnny entered the room. ‘How’s my two favourite girls?’ he asked, scooping Donte off the floor and lifting his giggling grandson above his head.
‘We’re fine, Dad,’ Melissa beamed. She was so pleased her father had finally accepted her son. ‘I don’t know what time Jase will be back. He said he had some things to sort out today.’
‘I know. We had a little chat last night,’ Johnny replied. ‘I can’t see him and Shay on the streets so I told him they can stay here until he sorts something.’
Melissa leapt off the sofa and hugged her father. ‘Thanks! You’re the best dad in the world.’
Jason Rampling pulled up on the Mardyke Estate and studied the ring again. It was simple, but nice. A bit like Mel in a way. He wasn’t looking forward to putting it on her finger though. The very thought gave him the heebies. Getting married was such a big deal and even though he planned on telling nobody, if Mel did accept the proposal, Darlene was bound to hear it on the grapevine, then chop his bollocks off.
Two years ago, Jason’s previous motor had been stolen off the Mardyke, so no way would he chance leaving the ring inside the car. He picked up an empty crisp bag off the floor, put the box inside and shoved it at the bottom of the carrier bag that held the bottle of drink he’d bought from the offie. He dropped his phone in the bag as well, then picked up the second box, the one he’d purchased in a different jeweller’s. He had to win Darlene over. His cock was urging him to.
Jason took the stairs two at a time and banged on Darlene’s door. He’d been ringing her all afternoon, but she’d been blanking his calls. He knew she would forgive him though. She always did.
Darlene flung open the door. She’d had a good cry earlier before tarting herself up to the nines. She’d known by how many missed calls she’d had that Jason would be back. ‘What d’you want? Said all I had to say to you earlier.’
‘You look nice. You going out?’ Jason knew she always pretended she was going out when they rowed, so decided to play along with her.
‘Yes. But where I go and what I do has sod-all to do with you any more. You worry about Plain Jane.’
Jason pulled the box out of his pocket and handed it to Darlene. She wore massive gold hoop earrings and had been vexed when she’d lost one last week. ‘An olive branch,’ he said.
Darlene glanced at the earrings, then handed them back to him. ‘I’m not being bribed, Jase. Neither am I being the other woman. You either knock things on the head with Plain Jane or it’s over between us, for good.’
Jason could tell she was warming, so told Darlene what she wanted to hear. ‘I can’t lose you, Dar, so I’ll knock her on the head. I love you, babe. You know that.’
Putting the bolts across the inside of the front door in case her son came home, Darlene grabbed Jason’s hand and literally dragged him into the bedroom.
‘Jason’s phone is still switched off. I hope he’s OK. He didn’t say he’d be this late,’ Melissa stated worriedly.
Carol looked at the clock. It had just gone eight and she was ready for bed. The tiredness and lack of appetite were becoming more difficult to hide from her family, and Carol hated them looking at her with worried eyes. ‘I bet he’s had a lot of things to sort out, love, and his battery has died. Might even be checking on his brothers and sister. Don’t worry. He’ll be home soon,’ she yawned.
Johnny was none too impressed. Jason had left here at dawn this morning and it didn’t take fourteen hours to travel to Hatten poxy Garden and back. Thank God they were looking after Shay, else Johnny would now be thinking his daughter’s wide boy of a bloke had run off with his five grand.
‘Your mum’s right, Mel. Jason told me earlier he had lots to sort out and wouldn’t be home until tonight,’ Johnny fibbed. He suddenly felt anxious. Had he put his wife’s happiness in front of his daughter’s?
‘Babe, I really do have to go now,’ Jason repeated, unclasping Darlene’s hands from around his neck.
‘So you’re definitely gonna tell Suzie tonight you won’t be seeing her any more?’ Darlene asked again.
‘Yes. Already told you that ten times. Same as I told you I rang my nan and she said she’d look after Shay for me.’ Suzie Smith was the first name Jason had thought of to blurt out, but his lies were now spiralling out of control. Sex with Darlene was always even more mind-blowing after an argument, but now his ball bags were emptied, he just wanted to leave.
‘When you coming round again?’ Darlene asked, pure desperation in her voice.
Jason gave her one last peck on the lips. ‘Soon. I promise, babe.’
‘Where have you been? I was worried about you, Jase. I thought you’d had an accident,’ Melissa gabbled, throwing her arms around her boyfriend’s neck.
‘I’m sorry. My sister rang me earlier, crying her eyes out. Kyle fell over and cut his head open so I had to take him up A and E. Then me phone died,’ Jason said, kissing Melissa on the lips. He’d luckily found some Juicy Fruit chewing gum in his car to get rid of the taste of Darlene’s vagina.
Johnny was stony-faced when Jason sauntered into the lounge holding his daughter’s hand. ‘Help your mum up to bed now, love. She can barely keep her eyes open, but was determined to stay awake to make sure you were OK, Jason,’ he said, his voice laden with sarcasm.
Donte and Shay were already in bed, so as soon as Carol and Melissa left the room, Johnny stood up and kicked the door shut with his Dealer boot. ‘Where’s the ring?’ he barked.
Jason took the box out of the carrier bag and opened it. He handed Johnny an envelope. ‘The receipt and a grand is in there. I looked at dearer rings, but thought Mel would like this one more.’
Johnny stared Jason in the eyes. ‘I am warning you one last time. If you do have other bits of skirt on the go, you need to sack ’em off. Because if I find out you are cheating on my daughter, I will not only cut your cock off, I’ll ram it down the back of your throat and get great pleasure in watching you choke to death. Now, do we understand one another?’
Jason Rampling could not sleep. He had got himself into such a predicament and Johnny’s threat kept swirling around his brain. He did love Darlene, but they were hardly the next Romeo and Juliet. He supposed, in a way, she was the mother figure he’d never had. He’d always felt safe at her home, loved and wanted. All the things he’d never felt with his own mother.
Sighing, Jason turned on his other side. Darlene was becoming more clingy of late, which was worrying. She didn’t seem to give a shit if the neighbours heard them arguing, whereas in the past she’d always turn the music up. And she’d threatened to tell Andy about their affair last time she’d caught him cheating on her. Jason doubted she’d ever carry out that threat, but he’d hate Andy to find out. They weren’t as close now as they’d been at school, but Jason would still feel guilty for betraying his one-time best pal in that way.
Juggling a double life was not going to be easy.
