‘All mended now. Vinny did well today. Those bikers were fecking arseholes. Nobody will grass him up, so don’t be worrying about it.’

‘You were there?’ This was madness. Was I awake or was I dreaming, I wondered.

‘I’m always there, looking over you. I’m your guardian angel. Told you to look out for a sign from me, didn’t I? Vinny will go from strength to strength now, mark my words. That Yvonne was wrong for him. You did well getting rid of her,’ smiled Mary.

I started to cry. It was so surreal. Here was my best friend ever, dead fourteen years now, chatting away to me as though she was still alive. It seemed real, but very confusing. ‘I’m so sorry I lost your rosary beads. My mum sold ’em at the jumble sale.’

‘Yes. I know. They went to a good owner. Religious, yet fecks and blinds like me. You mustn’t blame your mum. She didn’t mean to sell them. You need to make things right with her.’

I was laughing and crying at the same time. ‘Are you able to see your boys all the time too?’

‘Yes. Patrick helped you out, didn’t he? I was pleased about that.’

‘How’s Daniel doing, Mary? I haven’t seen him for years.’

‘Still nutty as ever. I have to go now, Queenie, I’m being called back. You take care, my darling friend, and keep a close eye on Vinny. He’s your nutty boy – he’ll always need you by his side.’

‘Mary, Mary,’ I shrieked. But she was gone, like a genie in a flash of smoke.

I woke shortly after, and sat bolt upright. It must have been a dream, but it seemed so real. I remembered every word Mary said to me, so I wrote them down. I felt comforted, happy. Dream or no dream, I would treasure my visit from Mary for ever.

Two Months Later

Queenie was dozing in her deckchair, when she felt something attack her leg. She leapt up shrieking. ‘Gertcha, you horrid bastard creature! Get off me leg.’

Viv let herself in Queenie’s house. ‘Cooey.’

‘Help! Help me, Viv,’ Queenie screamed, kicking her leg in the air in the hope of dislodging the kitten, but it was clinging on to her like a psychotic leech.

Viv slung a glass of water over Vinkle and he scarpered.

‘Ooh, that did hurt. Look! He’s scratched me to shreds and bitten me. Poxy thing. Next time it comes back, I’m gonna drown it in a bucket of bastard water.’

Viv couldn’t hold it in any more. She burst out laughing.

‘It ain’t funny, Viv. I’m bleeding to death ’ere. I wouldn’t mind, I ain’t seen the horrid little creature for over a fortnight. It’s obviously moved in with some other poor bastard family. It only pops back to kill me birds and attack me. I always fed it regularly an’ all,’ Queenie said in earnest. ‘And gave it milk.’

Viv was hysterical by this point, holding her crotch to stop her from wetting herself. ‘The sight of you hopping around with Vinkle stuck to your leg is a sight I’ll never forget, Queen.’