Connie waited until he was out of sight before speaking to Dolly. ‘Like Derek, I reckon your son deserves a slap or two.’
‘How dare you? It’s Pearl who’s to blame, not my son.’
‘I’m not as gullible as my Derek and can read between the lines. How come you’ve just accepted that Kevin is the father? I mean, if Pearl is such a tart, it could have been any number of men.’
Dolly’s face suffused with colour, but her stance was rigid. ‘Just what are you accusing me of?’
‘Bending the truth, but don’t worry, I’ll talk Derek round. I don’t want him going down for giving your son a beating, even if Kevin deserves one.’
Dolly leaned forward, towering over Connie. ‘Good, we understand each other then.’
‘Yes, we do, and now I’d like you to leave.’
‘Don’t worry, I’m going,’ was Dolly’s parting shot as she sailed out, the street door slamming behind her.
Connie sat down, gripping the edge of the table, her mind cursing the lot of them – Pearl Button, Dolly Dolby, and her bloody no-good son. Bitter thoughts raged. What a mug she’d been, allowing herself to become fond of Pearl, the girl becoming like a daughter. She’d welcomed her into her home, made her a part of the family, when all the time the bitch was sleeping with Kevin on the side. Derek had been made a monkey of and, God, she’d like to get her hands on Pearl bloody Button.
Connie looked up as Derek came back into the room, his face looking haggard and drawn. ‘I know you’re hurt, love, but you’ll get over it.’
‘No I won’t, Gran. I love Pearl … still love her.’
‘Derek, she ain’t the girl we thought she was,’ Connie said bitterly. ‘She’s just a tart.’
‘I can’t believe it, Gran. You know Pearl, and at any time did she strike you as a tart? Maybe I should talk to her again, hear her side of the story. She may not want to marry Kevin, and if she doesn’t—’
‘No, Derek,’ Connie quickly interrupted, ‘don’t even think about it. She pulled the wool over my eyes and yours, but she’s a slut all right. She was going out with you, but that didn’t stop her from inviting Kevin up to her room and offering him sex. As Dolly said, Pearl thought he was a better catch and set out to trap him. I reckon she was hoping to get pregnant, but kept you on the side just in case her scheme didn’t work. Christ, love, ain’t the fact that she’s carrying another man’s child proof enough?’
Derek’s eyes darkened. ‘Yeah, you’re right, but I’m off to find Kevin. No matter what Dolly said, he still slept with my girl and he deserves a slap.’
‘No!’ Connie cried, jumping to her feet and grasping Derek’s arm. ‘Think before you act. Kevin ain’t to blame. Pearl made a mug of him, just as she did you, and now he’s lumbered with marrying her.’
Derek’s huge hands clenched into fists, veins bulging on his forehead. ‘All right, I won’t touch Kevin Dolby, but I’m going to the gym. I’ve got to take my anger out on something, so it had better be a punch bag.’
Connie sagged as the door slammed behind Derek. She’d done it, talked him out of attacking Kevin Dolby, and now she slumped onto the chair again. The room was quiet, with only the ticking of a clock breaking the silence as her thoughts raged. Yes, Dolly had bent the truth in some way, but she was trying to protect her son and it was understandable. Anyway, there was no getting away from the fact that Pearl had used Derek. Tears filled Connie’s eyes. The girl had broken his heart and she dreaded how long it would take him to get over it.
It was seven o’clock that evening when Kevin sneaked out of the café. At first he’d balked at the idea of marrying Pearl, but his mother had been relentless – until he reluctantly accepted his fate.
He knocked on Bessie Penfold’s door, just wanting to get this over with so he could go down the pub and drown his sorrows. The old woman glared at him, but he forced a tight smile. She was another one like his mother, a dominant, mouthy old woman, whom he usually kept well away from.
‘Yeah, what do you want?’
‘I’d like a word with Pearl.’
‘You’d better come in then.’
Kevin stepped into the shop and through the back, following her upstairs. When they reached the first landing Bessie stood at the bottom of another flight of stairs, her voice loud for such a tiny woman. ‘Pearl, you’d better come down here. There‘s someone to see you.’
‘I’d like to speak to her alone.’
‘Yeah, I bet you would, but that’s up to her.’
It was obvious that Pearl was shocked to see Kevin. He forced a smile. ‘You and me need to talk – and in private.’
‘Yes, all right.’
Bessie pointed to the front room. ‘You can talk in there. If you need me, girl, I won’t be far away.’
They stepped into the room, Pearl immediately sitting on an old sofa, her body stiff with tension. She opened her mouth to speak, but Kevin interrupted.
‘It’s my baby, ain’t it?’ he said without preamble.
Her eyes widened. ‘Yes, but how did you know?’
‘You told my mother that it wasn’t Derek’s so it didn’t take much working out. Anyway, that’s why I’m here. She sent me to see you.’
‘Your mother sent you? But why?’
‘Because I owned up.’
‘You told her! Oh, Kevin. What did she say?’
‘What do you think? She ain’t too pleased, but she says we’ve got to get married.’
‘Oh, thank God.’
‘Thank my mother. We’re to make the arrangements straight away, and after the wedding we’ll live with my parents.’
‘Live with them! But—’
‘You heard me. I ain’t working so we’ve no choice. When I can raise some money we’ll move out, but until then it’s good of my mum to put us up. Oh, yes, and though you can have the weekend off, she wants you back at work on Monday morning.’
‘No, please, I can’t face her, or Derek, and—’
‘Mum’s had a word in Derek’s ear,’ Kevin cut in, ‘and you’ve got to face her sooner or later.’
‘She spoke to him? What did he say?’
‘I dunno, I wasn’t there, but he knows we’re getting married.’
Pearl’s eyes were moist. ‘He’ll never forgive me.’ Her voice rose. ‘Kevin, please, I can’t face him yet. I don’t want to work in the café, I … I’d rather stay here.’
‘Well, that’s too bad. Mum said something about damage control and she wants you back – so that’s that. Until we’re married, you can kip down here, but there’s no reason why you can’t return to work.’
‘No, please, Kevin.’
‘Look, you know my mother. If you don’t show up she’ll come over here and drag you back.’
‘She … she’d do that?’
‘I wouldn’t put it past her. Anyway, after your shift on Monday, we’re to go to the registry office in Wandsworth.’
‘That soon?’
‘Yeah,