‘Yep. Fine, thanks. You off to work?’

‘Albie doesn’t work, Viv. He sings for peanuts, like a performing monkey.’

When Viv rolled up in fits of laughter, Albie glared at both her and Queenie. Neither ever had a good word to say about him. Witches, the pair of them were. ‘I’ll be home later today, Queen. They’re having a lock-in at the pub for one of the regulars ’cause it’s his birthday, and they’re gonna pay me extra to sing for longer.’

‘Christ, you’ll need to take the wheelbarrow you lug your meat about in to carry home all your wages,’ Queenie cackled.

Viv roared.

‘Bollocks to the pair of ya,’ Albie said, before walking off in a huff. He wasn’t really singing all day. He was going round Maureen’s for dinner and leg-over. She was his saviour, was Maureen. She gave him something to look forward to in his otherwise miserable life.

‘Been lovely weather this past week, hasn’t it?’ said Molly Wade. She always felt uneasy around Queenie, never quite knew what to say.

‘Yes. Meant to be nice this coming week too,’ replied Viv.

‘Listen to this one, Nanny,’ Lenny ordered, as he began jigging about and singing to Jerry Lee Lewis’s ‘Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On’.

Molly chuckled. ‘Isn’t that the musician who married his young cousin?’

‘Yes. The pervert. Thirteen years old, she was, should be bloody ashamed of himself. I wouldn’t buy his records and put any money in the dirty bastard’s pocket out of principle,’ snarled Queenie.

Viv stared out the window on tiptoes, craning her neck. ‘Vinny’s on his way, Queen. She’s with him.’

‘Can I sit on your lap, Nan?’ asked Brenda.

‘Of course, darling. Where are Roy and Michael, Queenie?’

‘Working down the Lane, then they’re playing snooker. I’ll warm their dinners up later.’

Queenie took off her apron and checked her hair in the mirror.

‘Hiya all,’ Vinny said. ‘This is Bonnie. Bonnie that’s my mum, my Aunt Viv, me nan, my little sister Brenda and this little groover ’ere is Champ.’ Vinny grabbed his cousin in a playful headlock.

‘Thank you for allowing me to come to dinner. It’s a pleasure to meet you all,’ beamed Bonnie.

As soon as dessert was over, Vinny and Bonnie left.

‘I’d best be making a move now too. I’ve got lots of bits to do in preparation for next weekend’s bazaar.’ Molly had reconciled with the vicar and her church friends, but was still thoroughly embarrassed Queenie had bellowed the F and C words in the church hall, of all places. Her friends and the vicar had never mentioned the incident since and neither had she. She doubted her friends had forgotten about it, mind. She never would.

‘Thanks for the lovely dinner, Queenie.’

Queenie politely kissed her mother on the cheek. ‘I wrapped a piece of apple pie up for your supper.’

‘Oh, that’s kind of you, love. Thank you.’

When her mum left, Queenie sat next to Viv. ‘You can tell Vinny don’t like Bonnie much. He was entirely different with that Yvonne, wasn’t he?’