She went back into the kitchen, prepared for the fact that her mother was going to give her an earful about why Jessie should never be allowed out without a chaperone. Her mum worried about Jessie looking so much older than her years, and she did too. But, by the same token, her Jessie had her head screwed on. It was strange because Jessie was much closer to Michael’s mum than hers. Who would ever have thought that? Hannah seemed to understand her granddaughter in a way that Lana couldn’t comprehend. If she didn’t know better, she might actually think her own mother didn’t like her only grandchild. Lana always seemed to be finding fault with her. It hurt Josephine because her Jessie was a good kid, but all Lana saw was the girl’s appearance, and she seemed to insinuate that Jessie being well-developed was a black mark against her somehow. It wasn’t something that anyone could have prevented. Nature had endowed her daughter with good looks, a great figure and a bone structure to die for. She was a sensible girl, who had never given them a day’s worry, and that was the most important thing as far as Josephine was concerned.

Lana was still fuming at being called an old bitch. ‘Did you hear the way she spoke to me, Josephine? Who does she think she is? You need to put a stop to that fucker’s gallop, I’m telling you.’

Josephine looked at her mother, saw the way she was bristling with indignation, determined to make her point about her only grandchild, and suddenly she heard herself bellowing loudly, ‘Oh, Mum, will you give it a rest, for fuck’s sake? She’s fourteen years old! Get off her back, and give her a chance.’

‘You let her get away with murder. You are making a rod for your own back, madam.’

Josephine was trying hard to keep a lid on her anger. ‘Do you know what, Mum? Jessie is a fucking good kid, she does well at school, she goes to Mass without a fight, she helps out around the house. She never pushes her luck. She is my baby and, unlike you, I don’t look for flaws, or weaknesses. She’s still a kid, Mum, so let her be one while she has the chance.’