After a sleepless night, Queenie did her best to plaster a smile on her face. She’d managed to get the boys’ bikes. Kenneth who owned the bike shop had told her she could pay off the eight quid she owed a pound a week. The trouble was, she had no idea how she was going to pay it. What’s more, they had no Christmas dinner. She hadn’t had the money to pick the turkey up.

Albie had begged her to borrow some money off her mum or Viv, but Queenie was far too proud for that. Neither did she want that Bill Harris knowing her business. She’d have a few choice words for him later, that was for sure. That’s if he had the guts to show his smarmy face.

‘We’re going out on our bikes now, Mum. What time d’ya want us back for dinner?’ asked Vinny. All three of her sons were confident riders as they’d often ridden their friends’ bikes. They’d been overjoyed with their boxing gloves and bikes. Their little faces had been a picture.

‘Come back about three-ish. We’ve only got saveloys, potatoes and veg, I’m afraid. But we’ve got a cake I baked for afters, and custard.’

‘Aww. I wanted turkey, Mum. We always have turkey,’ complained Roy.

‘Well, not this year we bleedin’ don’t. You wanna think yourself lucky, you three. I bet there ain’t many boys who got boxing gloves and bikes. You don’t know you’re born sometimes.’

‘Are we skint ’cause Dad got mugged?’ enquired Vinny.

‘No. We’re skint because I spent all Dad’s hard-earned cash on you three. Now sod off out for a while and leave me and your father in peace.’

Hearing the boys excitedly ride off down the road, Queenie picked up her screaming daughter and turned to her husband. ‘Whatever we gonna do, Albie?’

‘I don’t know yet, love. But something’s bound to crop up. It always does.’

‘I got a bone to pick with you an’ all. What’s the story with you and that blonde bit Micky is besotted with? Only I bumped into ’em the day you got attacked and she sort of hinted that you and her had history.’

Albie felt his heart rate increase tenfold. ‘I knew her when I was a lad, that’s all. Cilla used to live opposite my mum.’

‘And …? Only if Micky’s expression was anything to go by, there’s more to you and Cilla than meets the eye.’

Albie could feel his cheeks burning up. ‘If you must know, I had my first proper little fumble with her. I was only a lad at the time.’

‘How old is she?’

‘Oh, I can’t remember offhand. I hadn’t seen her for years. If I had to guess, I’d say she’s about eight years my senior.’

‘Did you have sex with her?’

‘Goodness, no, Queenie. It was only a fumble,’ Albie lied. ‘And I was only about fourteen if I remember rightly.’

‘Gawd stone the crows! The woman wants locking up. She’s a danger to society, the dirty bleedin’ mare. You wait until I see her again. She won’t be looking down her nose at me next time, when she hears what I have to say.’