Peggy’s eyes narrowed as she took in a deep and weary breath. She wanted to ask him why was he asking about the rent. What business was the rent of his anyway, being just a child, but she thought better of it. Her son was frequently bottom of the class at school, but at home there was very little that passed him by. Peggy’s hand slipped over the pocket of her apron and felt the crackle of the envelope within. Little Paddy and Peggy, both hiding a secret deep in their pockets, held each other’s gaze.

‘Is Da going to go to work this next week, Mam? Will the rent be paid?’

Peggy shook her head, visibly irritated. ‘Stop asking me questions, Paddy, I don’t know, do I? It’s not as if I have Tommy Doherty for a husband, is it? Your father was out at work every day because Tommy, who never missed a day’s work, shamed him into it, and I can’t keep going over the road to ask for Jerry’s help. Jesus, I couldn’t stand the shame.’ Peggy’s words stuck in her throat and Paddy could hear she was trying not to become agitated as he heard the rosary beads click in her apron pocket. ‘Even Alice, a Protestant, doesn’t have my life. Oh, there’s something wrong there! She never sets foot in a church, not even her own. Full of sin she must be, and yet she has a husband like Jer and me – me, I have that fat lazy good for nothing upstairs!’

Peggy rolled her eyes up to the ceiling before she rubbed them with the back of her hands. Tommy Doherty had saved Peggy’s life on a number of occasions and was the kindest man they knew. He had saved little Paddy and the kids more than once too, because the house walls were one layer of brick and noise travelled well. The moment Tommy had heard raised voices or the sound of a chair flying across the kitchen floor, he would storm up her back path, into her kitchen and heave big Paddy off whoever was on the receiving end of his fists. On more than one occasion, that had been Peggy herself, with the boys huddled in the corner, crying. Peggy felt lost without the Dohertys for many reasons. Peggy’s eyes were red through lack of sleep and worry and her face was white, the only warmth in her cheeks a reflection from the red headscarf she wore tied around her curlers every day.