Vinny punched the wall right next to my head. ‘Now listen to me and listen to me good and proper. It really don’t look good on me when pals of mine tell me my mother is out gallivanting with Old Bill. Straight Old Bill, might I add. I’m telling you now – and I mean this with all my heart – if I hear you’ve been out with your boyfriend again, I will kill the bastard.’

I flinched as Vinny produced a small handgun and began waving it under my nose. ‘Don’t you dare threaten me or Freddie,’ I seethed. ‘I’m your mother, show some respect. You’ve got a bloody short memory, Vinny. Think of all the things I’ve done for you over the years. All the alibis I’ve given you. I even set up the burglary at the Huntingdon-Browns to give you and Roy a leg-up. As for covering for you over Bonnie, d’ya know how hard it was for me to look June Tarbuck in the face after what you did? Even more so when the poor girl hung herself. She was rumoured to be pregnant, an’ all. Bet you didn’t know that, did ya?’

‘Like I give a shit about Bonnie fucking Tarbuck. Good riddance to bad rubbish is what I say.’

‘Have you got no feelings?’ I slapped him hard around the face. ‘You disgust me at times, d’ya know that?’

‘Well it was you who raised me to become what I am. Remember all those bedtime stories, Mother? King of the jungle, king of the wilds, king of the East End, king of the fucking castle. You mapped out my future from the cradle, a future that would benefit you.’

‘What do you mean by that?’ I bellowed. ‘Everything I’ve ever done, I’ve done it for you.’

‘And you,’ Vinny smirked nastily. ‘Got a nice house, lovely furniture, plenty of money and a good life now, ain’t ya? You don’t even have to pay for your shopping when you get called to the front of the shop like royalty. That’s what you always wanted. You can’t kid a kidder, Mother.’

I could feel the tears running down my cheeks. Vinny had never spoken to me that way before. I was in shock, and utterly disgusted with him.

‘You can stop with the waterworks, Mother. I ain’t getting the violin out. Hard as nails, you. You didn’t even cry when Nan died. You don’t fool me.’

‘Get out!’ I screamed. ‘Get out of my house and don’t come back. You and I are finished, boy.’

Vinny put his face close to mine. His breathing was heavy. I could smell whisky. ‘Good. About time I cut the apron strings from you, Mrs Manipulative. But believe me; if I ever catch you even talking to that pig again, those kids of his will be fatherless. Got me?’

Sobbing, I slid down the wall and put my head in my hands. ‘Just get out,’ I repeated.

As the front door slammed behind him, I could only sit there, broken-hearted and helpless.