Sharon laughed and said in the voice of a much older woman, ‘You don’t think that when they are up all night teething. Though, to be fair, my Lenny does his share. I am lucky with him in that respect.’

Geraldine grinned. ‘Wish he had a brother!’

They both laughed at that.

‘You will find someone, a good-looking girl like you!’

Geraldine smiled, but she knew her family name would be off-putting to most men. It was hard living her mother down. She said as much and Sharon felt for her friend.

‘None of that matters if a bloke really cares for you, Gerry.’

Geraldine sighed heavily. ‘I love me mum, but sometimes I fucking hate her. Especially when she’s out in the street fighting with the neighbours! Honestly, her mouth!’

Sharon couldn’t help smiling. ‘She is funny though at times, Gerry.’

Geraldine Dornan grinned then, and her beautiful face was shown to its best advantage. She really was a good-looking girl.

‘I laugh, Sharon, but deep down I could fucking muller her myself. But, you know, for all her shouting and swearing, she loves us lot. She ain’t had the easiest of lives, as Reggie is always pointing out. Thankfully, since he’s been home she has calmed down a lot.’

Sharon busied herself making a pot of tea; she could hear the pride Geraldine felt for her brother in her voice.

‘Him and my Lenny have really hit it off. I’ve never known Len to have such a close mate before. I think it’s good for him, you know? I suppose it is because they are such similar people.’

Gerry was holding the baby up in the air and she said loudly, ‘They even bleeding look alike. Everyone remarks on it.’ She laughed in a naughty way as she said, quietly, ‘Here, you don’t think Mr Scott slipped my mum a length do you? I mean, she was hardly fucking Snow White in her day!’

Sharon laughed; she felt a bit guilty, but Geraldine was funny, there was no doubt about that.

‘Don’t let his mother hear you say that, she is such a Holy Joe!’

She realised what she had said and she was surprised at herself. But Geraldine did that to a person. She made you as irreverent as she was.

‘I don’t know how you stand it. She’s like the voice of doom all the time. She could take the joy out of winning the pools, that miserable old bag.’

They were laughing again and, as Sharon placed the teas on the table well out of baby Lenny’s reach, she said seriously, ‘Fancy a day out shopping tomorrow?’

Geraldine nodded in appreciation. ‘That sounds right my cup of char.’

Sharon smiled as she said, ‘And no thieving, all right?’