‘Once again he’s dragging his heels about visiting his daughter in hospital,’ Molly said.

‘What do you mean?’ Jack asked, hurt. ‘I was always there for Rabbit.’

‘So why can’t you be there for Grace?’ Molly shouted.

‘Because Grace is not sick!’ he roared. He got up and stormed out.

‘What about your stew?’ Molly shouted.

‘Shove it up your arse,’ he roared, and he kicked her banner before he grabbed his jacket and keys.

‘Did my da just curse?’ Davey said, shocked.

‘I think me granda’s broken,’ Juliet said, and Jack slammed the front door, headed outside and got into his car.

Something’s broken, she thought as he drove away.

Chapter Forty-One: Davey

Chapter Forty-One

Davey

DAVEY RECEIVED A TEXT from Francie:

Call me when you’ve landed.

So he called him.

‘You’re home, brilliant. I thought you might be delayed by that storm in Atlanta.’

‘Since when have you tracked my flights?’

‘Since I set up a gig in aid of cancer and MS in Rabbit and Johnny’s names.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘You heard, we’re having a reunion – a Kitchen Sink and The Sound combo featuring Louis’s nephew Jason on vocals.’

‘No.’

‘You have no choice.’

‘Get someone else.’

‘There is no one else. You are our drummer. Whether you like it or not.’

‘Don’t do this.’

‘It’s done and it’s sold out.’

‘Jesus Christ.’

‘I prefer to be called God, but whatever.’

‘When?’

‘Tonight.’

‘You’re messing – you have to be messing because that’s fuckin’ insane.’

‘Yeah, I’m not. A few reasons for that – tonight is Friday night, and that’s when all the locals come out to play. The place is booked out for a self-help conference next Friday. You’ll be gone the Friday after.’

‘I haven’t rehearsed.’

‘You’re a professional. You’ll be grand.’

‘I haven’t played those songs in twenty years.’

‘Listen, man, you were shite then, you’ll be shite now. No one cares, it’s a laugh for charity and it’s in memory of Rabbit and Johnny, so put on your big boy pants and get down here. We have five hours rehearsal before soundcheck.’

‘Who knows about this?’

‘Everyone. Grace is fine with it. Your ma and da are coming.’

‘Marjorie?’

‘Sworn to secrecy. I know you two have been Skyping with a capital S,’ he said.

‘Don’t start,’ Davey warned.

‘Don’t have time to start. I’ll see you at the back of The Escape in an hour.’ Francie hung up.

Davey sat on his old bed in his old bedroom. It had fresh paint on the walls now, and a floral duvet. He stared out the window at a five-year-old kicking a ball while his mother sat on the wall speaking on the phone.