in, her smile tight as she spoke.
‘You’re back then.’
‘Where’s Dad?’
‘He’s putting the takings into the night safe at the bank.’ She then turned to Pearl, her voice clipped. ‘Put the kettle on.’
Pearl nodded, hurrying through to the kitchen, Dolly speaking again as the door closed. ‘The girl can make herself useful and we might as well start as we mean to go on. For instance, she can help your father with the cleaning up here.’
‘Hang on, Mum. She’s already working in the café, and don’t forget she’s five months pregnant.’
‘What’s that got to do with anything? Pearl isn’t ill. She’s just having a baby and doesn’t need treating like a china doll.’
Kevin shrugged, unwilling to get into an argument. If Pearl didn’t want to take on the cleaning it would be up to her to say so but, knowing his mother, he doubted it would do any good. What she said went, both in the café and up here in their flat.
‘Hello,’ Bernie said as he returned. ‘How was the meal?’
‘Fine.’
‘Where’s Pearl?’
It was Dolly who answered. ‘She’s making a cup of tea, and I’ve told Kevin that she can take over cleaning the flat.’
‘Blimey, don’t you think that’s a bit much? After all, the girl’s having a baby.’
Dolly’s face darkened. ‘I worked like a dog when I was carrying Kevin, and I don’t remember you protesting.’
Bernie lowered his eyes, and Kevin knew that, like him, his father was unwilling to argue with her. Once again his determination rose. There was no way Pearl was going to rule him. In fact, he would start right now, and this might be a way to earn a few Brownie points with his mother. If he could soften her up, she might be persuaded to give him a few quid.
When Pearl came back into the room, Kevin waited until she had put the tray down before speaking. ‘Now that you’ve moved in with us, I think we need to sort out a few things. My mother’s worn out after working in the café all day, and as she has agreed to let us live here rent free, I think you should take on the cleaning.’
Kevin threw a glance at his mother, pleased to see that she was positively beaming at him. He flushed with pleasure and then turned this attention to Pearl again, awaiting her reaction.
She was frowning, and for a moment he thought she’d protest, but then with a small nod she said, ‘Of course I’ll do the cleaning.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll give you a hand,’ Bernie said, ‘and why are we having tea? I thought you said we’d celebrate with champagne, Dolly.’
‘Don’t be stupid, and what’s to celebrate? I only said that for the benefit of the locals. Champagne indeed! We’re not made of money, you know.’
Kevin frowned, dreading an evening spent with his parents, something he usually avoided like the plague. Hang on! He’d decided that marriage wasn’t going to change his lifestyle, hadn’t he? There was nothing to stop him from going out later for a drink with the boys.
At eight o’clock Kevin was ready. Pearl looked surprised when he told her he was going out, but he’d told her in no uncertain terms that his mates wanted him to have a celebratory drink. She looked upset, but he ignored it, only flinging her a wave as he left.
Nobby and Dick looked surprised when they saw him walk into the pub, both offering to buy him a drink, but it was Dick who got them in.
‘Where’s your lovely wife?’ Nobby asked.
‘Indoors, where she’s supposed to be.’
‘And no doubt waiting for you to come home to bed,’ Dick leered as he handed out the pints.
‘Of course she is. Marriage has some compensations and I’ll give her a good seeing to later.’
Nobby smirked. ‘In that case you’d better go easy or you might get the brewer’s droop.’
‘No chance of that,’ Kevin bragged.
‘Have you heard the news about Derek Lewis?’
Kevin stiffened. ‘No.’
‘He’s been offered a full-time job at the gym.’
‘Oh yeah, doing what?’
‘Old Jack Spencer is retiring and Derek’s taking over. He’ll be managing the gym, and is already talking about offering more kids boxing lessons.’
‘What about his stall?’
‘According to the jungle drums, he’s keen to give it up, and you can’t blame him.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Come on, mate, it doesn’t take much working out. Pearl made a fool of him, but I reckon he still ain’t over her. I know she’s your wife now, but a lot of people ain’t got any time for her.’
Kevin relaxed. Yeah, Pearl had taken the fall, and as long as the locals continued to think that, he had nothing to worry about. He finished his beer, but with little money left he knew he only had enough for one round. ‘Well, mate, if they ain’t got any time for my wife, that’s just too bad. Now me, I’m gonna have another drink.’
Kevin ordered three pints and the conversation turning to horse racing – a sure bet that Nobby was going to place the next day. ‘This one’s a cert,’ he bragged.
‘According to you they’re all certs, but I reckon it’s a mug’s game.’
‘No it ain’t,’ he protested. ‘I won a few bob yesterday.’
‘Yeah, and you’ll lose it tomorrow.’
Nobby protested, and for a while went on about the virtues of the horse he’d been tipped would win.
‘If you want to waste your money that’s up to you, but right now, as you’re so flush, when we’ve finished these, it’s your round.’
Nobby got them in, and as they stood chatting a few people came up to congratulate Kevin, but he felt it was half-hearted. None offered to buy him a drink, and as he swallowed the last dregs in his glass, Kevin decided he’d have to leave before his turn came round again.
‘Right, I’m off to service my lovely wife.’
The others laughed, and as Kevin walked outside, the cold air hit him. He wasn’t drunk, it would take more than three pints to do that, but he felt mellow. It only took him a few minutes to walk home, and as he went upstairs to the flat he found it in darkness. With such an early morning start, his parents were rarely up after ten, and doing his best to tiptoe, he made for his bedroom.
Pearl was sitting up in bed when he walked in, the bedside light illuminating her wan face. She looked miserable, her huge eyes moist as she gazed at him.
‘For Gawd’s sake, what’s the matter with you?’
At his tone she stiffened, her reply barely a whisper. ‘N … nothing.’
With a new double bed in it, the room was a bit cramped, and though Kevin knew he still had to go easy with Pearl, he consoled himself with the thought that any sex was better than nothing. With a grin he threw off his clothes, and scrambled in beside her. ‘Good, glad to hear it. Now come here and give me a cuddle.’
As Pearl put her arms around him, Kevin became instantly aroused. Yes, he thought, marriage did have compensations. His hand lifted her nightdress and she groaned softly as he stroked her inner thigh.
Gently, he told himself as he positioned himself above her, fighting to control the need to hurt – to dominate.
‘Kevin, did you lock up?’ his mother’s voice