the rest of the East End. Unrecognizable from when we were kids. The schools are far better in Essex.’
Vinny explained he’d been badgering his mother to move, without success, then told Eddie about Brenda’s latest escapade. ‘I’m embarrassed to call her my sister, Ed. I goes to the hospital to try and help her and she threatens to grass me up to the Old Bill about things that happened years ago. Mum’s insisted I leave her to get on with it. I wanted to give the geezer a right pasting, obviously – cheeky bastard. I mean, you don’t hurt a woman, do ya? Even a nightmare like Brenda.’
‘I feel your pain, Vin. My Ronny’s more of a hindrance to me than a help. I cringe every time he starts opening his trap after a bevvy. Mouth starts running away with him and he’s a fucking liability. However, if I had a sister and a bloke clumped her, I’d have to give him a dig. That geezer took a massive liberty. Bren’s your flesh and blood.’
Vinny had no feelings for his sister whatsoever, but nodded in agreement. If Eddie Mitchell thought giving Dave a pasting was the right thing to do, then he would. He might not love Brenda, but he adored a bit of violence.
Having seen her sister arrive home, Queenie gave it half an hour, then strutted up her path and rang the bell.
‘Oh, it’s you. What do you want?’ Vivian asked, pursing her lips.
‘Us to get back to normal. Can I come in? Only if Nosy Hilda sees me standing on the doorstep, the whole of Whitechapel will know our bloody business.’
Secretly pleased that Queenie had made the first move, Vivian marched into the kitchen and put the kettle on. ‘Spoke to me like shit you did, Queen. So hurtful, some of the things you said.’
‘I feel exactly the same about the stuff you said to me. Why don’t we just forget all about the row? We’re both as bad as one another when we lose our rag. If Mum were still alive, she’d bang our bleedin’ heads together.’
When Vivian and Queenie argued as kids, they’d always make up by linking their little fingers together and singing a rhyme. It was Viv who held hers out first.
Queenie chuckled as their fingers entwined. ‘I’ve missed you, you miserable old cow.’
‘Not as much as I’ve missed you, you cantankerous old bat.’
Talk about things coming in threes, Michael Butler pondered to himself. First, he’d had to sack two of his bar staff for thieving. Then his ice machine had broken. Now the toilet in the men’s was blocked. It was the end to a perfect day – not.
Depending on the day and people involved, Michael would occasionally hire his club out privately. Today was one of those days when he wished he hadn’t. Irish Danny had been a big old lump who’d probably killed himself due to his love of food. The club was packed with rowdy Irish relatives and there had already been two punch-ups.
Sighing as he heard yet another alcohol-fuelled rendition of ‘Danny Boy’ being belted out over the mike by some pisspot, Michael poured himself a Scotch, sank back in his leather chair and swung his legs on top of his office desk. He shut his eyes and was disturbed seconds later by a pounding on the door. ‘What?’ he yelled.
‘You’ve got a visitor, boss.’
‘Who?’
‘A beautiful lady.’
Michael leapt up and kicked the leg of his desk with frustration. Katy had been stalking him via phone all day and he’d told her not to come here tonight. ‘Send her in,’ Michael spat. No way was he going to succumb to her charm. The only fuck she would get tonight would be him telling her to ‘fuck off’.
He was pouring himself another drink when the door opened. He turned, ready to treat Katy to a barrage of abuse, then dropped his glass in shock.
‘Bella!’ he exclaimed.
As dawn broke the following day, Michael and Bella were still trying to sort out their differences. Michael wasn’t happy with Bella’s explanation as to why she’d disappeared for months. It had hurt him beyond belief when she’d told him she was staying away because she ‘needed space’. Obviously, he was elated to see her, but he wasn’t about to allow her to waltz back into his life as though she’d never been gone in the first place.
‘Something don’t add up to me, Bell. I can understand you shooting back to Italy to visit your sick nan, but not for all that time. You obviously got cold feet. I ain’t no mug, so don’t lie to me. We don’t have a future unless you tell me the truth. Did you get cold feet? Or did you meet another geezer? There’s definitely something you ain’t telling me.’
Bella was sick of repeating herself. She’d guessed Michael would be peeved, but thought he would’ve been more pleased to see her. They’d not even kissed yet and he was as cold as ice. ‘I am not lying to you, Michael. My nana was at death’s door for a long while. Even the doctors were amazed she finally pulled through,’ Bella lied. What else could she do – admit that she’d fucked his brother senseless?
‘OK, so I believe your nan was ill. That still doesn’t explain you telling me you needed space. I thought we were a couple and I wanted to be there for you. That’s what people that love one another do, Bella. No matter how awful the situation, we’re meant to support each other. You were my rock when Adam died. I try to return the favour and you push me away like I’m some nuisance, a worthless piece of shit. I was still grieving an’ all, you know. I didn’t get over my son’s death overnight. Still bloody haven’t, and probably never will.’
Bella was a tough cookie, barely ever cried, but she finally broke down. She had been selfish, had not given Adam’s death a thought when she’d first blanked Michael’s calls, then ordered him to give her some space. How she hated herself for that now. But she’d been so consumed by guilt, she couldn’t think about anything other than what she’d done.
‘Well, say something then. Crocodile tears don’t wash with me.’
‘The truth is I was worried about the pace our relationship was developing. I love you with all my heart, Michael, always have done and always will. But to take on your two boys is a massive ask. Not so much from my point of view, but I have Antonio to think of – he is my world. Your sons are much older, and I’m not sure it would work out if we all lived together. No way will I risk my son’s happiness by rushing into anything, especially marriage.’
‘More lies, Bella? You were probably at it with some other geezer,’ Michael spat accusingly. He had no idea why he was being so horrible to her. Was it guilt because he hadn’t been able to keep his cock in his trousers?
When Bella began to sob and plead her innocence, he finally softened. Sitting next to her, he put his arms around her. ‘I’m so sorry, babe, I know you’d never cheat on me really.’
‘And I’m so sorry too.’
Michael held the woman he loved close to his chest. ‘Everything will be all right, Bell. Please don’t shut me out again though, that’s all I ask. My life was like an empty shell without you, and believe me, I’m no soppy bastard that usually comes out with such crap. But it was. I only feel whole when we’re together.’
Laughing and crying at the same time, Bella held Michael’s handsome face in her hands. ‘I swear to God, I will never shut you out again.’
‘Things will work out, you know. Perhaps I came on too strong, mentioning marriage and stuff? I know it’s not gonna be easy, us making a go of it with the three boys. So let’s make a pact to take things more slowly. There’s no rush for us to move in together. And even if we decide we want to, there’s certainly no rush for us to get hitched. We’ll make a fresh start. Go on some proper dates, and when the time feels right we’ll introduce the boys properly. Sound OK to you?’
‘I’ve