‘Right, Jeanie’s on her own now. You sure you don’t want me to come with you?’

‘No. You wait ’ere and I’ll tell you all the gossip afterwards. Oh shit, she’s got more customers now, look. Bloody nuisances.’

‘Not to her they ain’t, Queen. The woman’s trying to earn a living.’

Queenie grinned. ‘Sorry about Sunday, what I said about Bill and stuff.’ Whenever she and Viv argued, they always made up quickly. Each one looked on the other as her rock; it had been that way since they were kids.

‘No worries. Everything you said was more than likely true anyway. Bill still hasn’t told me where he was. I’m sorry for what I said to you too. Bill had arrived home Sunday evening, inebriated, and all he would say was that he’d got drunk the night before and stayed at his pal’s house. No apology or anything.’

‘Is Lenny still liking the nursery?’

‘Loving it. He’s mixing ever so well with all the other kids too. I’m so pleased and it’s made my mind up. I’m not sending him to no special school, Queen. I shall put his name down at Brenda’s school and he’ll start there in September.’

‘Good for you. If Lenny gets any grief, Brenda will stick up for him. Right, Jeanie’s on her own again. I won’t be long.’

‘Morning, Queen. Your hair looks nice. You had it done different?’ smiled Jeanie Thomas.

Queenie and Viv both wore their hair the same. Straight, shoulder-length and dyed blonde. ‘No. It’s the same style, but Viv and I have found a new hairdresser. Alan has a shop in Roman Road, the Bethnal Green end.’

‘Oh right. I’ll have to give him a try. How’s Albie and the boys?’

‘Albie’s Albie and it’s the boys I want to speak to you about – well, one of ’em anyway.’

Jeanie put the tops she was holding on a rail, then turned to Queenie. ‘What’s up?’

‘Does Slack Alice have a daughter called Yvonne?’

‘Yeah. Yvonne got engaged to my Trevor. Broke his heart when she called the engagement off. Not the first time she’s done it, by all accounts. She’s been engaged to two other blokes an’ all. One was twenty-seven.’

‘Really! How old was she when she got bloody engaged to these other blokes then?’

‘Dunno, love. I’m glad things ended with Trevor though. I never liked her much. Can’t stand her bleedin’ mother either. It was horrible seeing my boy so upset, and he still ain’t over her I don’t think. He is dating another girl now though, Mandy. It’s early days, but Mandy seems nice. Comes from a decent family too.’

‘Aah, I hope your Trevor’ll be happy with Mandy. Yvonne has now got her claws into my Vinny and I ain’t happy about it at all. Vinny’s besotted with the dopey mare and I don’t see the attraction. I met her for the first time on Sunday. All she did was bleedin’ giggle.’

‘She’s a bit old for your Vinny, ain’t she?’