‘He’s easy on the eye, I’ll give him that,’ snorted Shauna. ‘Not that he’ll stay that way when Connor gets to hear about this.’

‘I don’t want him hurt!’ Aysha burst out.

‘Have you told Joey about this? About you being up the duff?’

‘Yeah, I have.’

‘And he’s run a mile?’

‘Of course not! He wants us to get married. We’re going to get married.’

‘Your father,’ said Shauna, ‘is going to be very disappointed in you.’

‘Oh come on, Mum!’ Aysha beat a fist on the counter in exasperation. ‘That’s nothing new, is it? He’s always been like that with me, and you know it! Besides, I’m not his little girl any more, or yours. I’m a woman. I love Joey and I’m fucking well marrying him. There’s nothing you can do about it.’

Shauna was still sitting at the kitchen counter an hour later when Connor came home. Usually, she would have the evening meal simmering on the stove by now. Connor looked around the kitchen, but there was no sign of any food coming. Shauna just sat there, staring at the counter.

‘What’s up?’ he asked.

‘If I tell you, don’t kick off.’

Connor stiffened. He’d had a whole day of aggravation: lots of late-payers to be chased, and Kylie had dumped him over the phone, telling him in tears that she was sick of him and his fucking family, then ringing off. He wasn’t too bothered, but she’d kept the ring that’d cost him one boring afternoon’s browsing around jeweller’s shops and a hefty seven hundred pounds. Now, something else. This day just kept getting better and better.

‘Why should I kick off? What is it?’ he asked.

‘Aysha . . .’ Shauna was shaking her head.

‘What about her? She OK?’

‘She’s pregnant. And it’s Joey Minghella’s.’

Connor sat down on a bar stool. ‘You’re fucking kidding me.’

‘No, I’m not. Silly little fool thinks she’s in love with him. They’re going to get married, she said.’

‘He’s a dosser. He’s useless.’ Connor recalled Joey’s knife attack on Tobias, who was a cunt but hadn’t deserved that. He’d been happy to kick Joey’s unstable arse out the door. Now here the little bastard was again, lingering like a bad smell.

‘I told her,’ said Shauna.

Connor stood up, began pacing restlessly. ‘This ain’t happening,’ he said.

‘Really? Looks like it is.’

‘No,’ said Connor, and headed for the door. ‘Never in a million bloody years.’

‘Connor,’ said Shauna.

‘What?’ He stopped in the doorway, turned back.

‘I just wondered. How’s Kylie? Haven’t seen her lately.’

Connor was still for a moment. Then he said, stony-faced: ‘Mum – fucking well butt out of my love life, OK? I’m not ten. And for your information – Kylie is history,’ and left.