As the conductor walked away, Jimmy scowled and whispered under his breath, ‘Cheeky fecking bastard.’

Callum glared at him. ‘Jimmy, stop, he means it. You’ll have to walk the rest of the way home if he throws you off.’

Jimmy grinned. ‘No I won’t,’ he said and, opening his hand, flicked out a one-pound note.

Callum’s eyes opened wide. ‘Where did you get that?’ he asked.

Jimmy laughed. ‘It was sticking out of your man’s pocket and I lifted it.’

Callum was speechless, his heart pounding as he looked down the bus to see if had anyone noticed Jimmy holding the note. Jimmy grinned from ear to ear.

‘You’re home,’ Callum said as he stared out at the shops and warehouses they passed until they came towards the houses. He just wanted to alight from the bus as fast as was possible. He willed every inch of the journey to go faster so that he could dismount in one long stride. He held his hand up to Eric who was travelling in the opposite direction on his round and waved at him as he passed. He saw Ena walking out of the butcher’s and making her way towards Cindy’s, where she called in most days for a natter, and then he saw Mary, cleaning the windows in the Seaman’s Stop. She stopped and stood still, staring at them. Callum gave her a half-smile, half-raised his hand, but she didn’t acknowledge him because it wasn’t Callum she was looking at. The bell rang out.

‘The four streets,’ shouted the conductor and Callum was off the platform, long before the bus had stopped. As he strode out ahead, hands in pockets, leaning forwards, Jimmy caught up with him.

‘Callum, what’s up with you? I’ll spend the pound on fish and chips for all of us tonight. Straighten your face, will you, or Mam will want to know what’s up wit’ you; I don’t want to tell her I robbed a quid before I got home, do I?’

Callum didn’t answer; he wanted to say that he would choke on fish and chips paid for with money that would get the conductor into trouble when he returned to the depot. His anger simmered as he walked and he felt the need to run as far away from Jimmy as possible. The sight of Mary, her crestfallen expression, her lack of a wave back added insult to injury. He spat out the question he had to ask his brother. The question that had leapt to the front of his mind the moment Jimmy walked out of the prison gates.

‘Have you written to Mary while you’ve been inside? Are you going to be seeing her, let her know you’re out and home?’

Jimmy had had to run to keep up with Callum. He was slightly breathless as he answered his brother. ‘Mary? Mary who?’

Chapter Eleven