Five pounds, Peggy thought, maybe she would get enough to pay the rent arrears off in one night. But the children were hungry, they needed chips, so she would see to them first.

‘Oh, and put a pair of heels on, no slippers on my patch.’

Peggy’s heart sank. She walked away and didn’t turn around, pushing the pram with her head held high and her slippers flapping on the pavement, her humiliation complete. She couldn’t even sell herself, wasn’t good enough for that, because she didn’t own a pair of shoes to her name.

*

There was a queue in the chip shop and it was almost an hour before she arrived home to be greeted by a cacophony of noise. The pain in her abdomen had increased with a vengeance as she’d stood in the queue. She decided that it was worse when she stood and when all this was over, when she had saved her family and they were out of the woods, she would return to the doctor and let them take it all away. What a relief that would be, the rent up to date and a life without pain.

Little Paddy had done all that he could to stop the boys from crying and complaining, he’d even resorted to using Max, letting his brothers hold him one by one, but after half an hour little Paddy’s last resort had lost its appeal. He went out to the entry and dark thoughts ran through his mind. His mother wasn’t coping and he didn’t know what he could do to help. He’d thrust his hands into his pockets and, as he did so, looked up to the Dohertys’ bedroom window. She was there and he’d whispered her name.

‘Kitty? It’s all going bad, Kitty.’

Tears had filled his eyes as the street lamp flicked on overhead and the day relinquished its hold…

‘Little Paddy?’

It was Peggy in the entry, pushing a pram. He could smell the vinegar-soaked newspaper and he laughed with relief. ‘Mam, I thought you weren’t coming back!’ he said.

‘Where’s your da?’ she asked, turning the pram in through the gate.

‘He’s not home yet,’ his voice falling again, along with his hopes, for his mother looked dreadful. As Peggy walked into the house, the complaints the children had stored ready for her return were all silenced by the smell of the hot chips. Even Scamp flew out from under the table.

‘I put Max away,’ whispered the second-youngest to his brother.

‘Sit still, everyone,’ Peggy said as she and little Paddy handed the newspaper parcels to the boys, all sitting in a row of wriggling excitement. The youngest licked the fat off the paper and smeared newsprint all over his face. The others began to giggle at the sight, their mouths stuffed full of chips and the room was filled with laughter.