Valerie sat beside her and ate her stew. Where the fuck are you, Jeremy? You’d better get back before Ma does. Neither Jeremy nor Rave had turned up at school, which she knew for sure because Dave and Mitch had accosted her at lunchtime, looking for them. At first she’d felt excited that Jeremy, the good boy, had finally done something bad, but that had been hours ago. It was just after six when Valerie began to worry.

Fred

Fred turned on the car radio. REM’s ‘Let Me In’ was playing. He turned it down but left it on. The police car had a clean leather interior and a green pine-smelling cardboard tree hanging from the mirror. ‘I just had her cleaned,’ he said.

‘Sorry?’

‘The car.’

‘Oh, it’s lovely. Mine is a mess.’

‘That’s kids for you.’

‘It’s me and Valerie, to be honest. It drives Jeremy mad – that and the fact that I can’t use roundabouts.’

He smiled to himself.

She looked out of the window as the rain fell. He could tell that she was wound up by Bridie and Valerie’s behaviour because her hands were all twitchy. He was glad to be out of there.

‘So, where to, me lady?’

‘Well, we didn’t exactly get to eat our tea, so how about the chipper?’

‘A woman after my own heart. I know just the place.’

He drove her to Dun Laoghaire to a small chipper overlooking the sea. They sat opposite one another by the window sharing a large cod and chips.

‘Sorry about my mother and Valerie.’

‘Stop apologizing. It’s fine.’

‘And I don’t know what’s going on with Jeremy. He never just leaves me in it like that.’

‘He’s a teenage boy. He’s off doing his own thing.’

‘I know you’re right. It’s just not like him, is all.’

When they’d finished their tea, they took a walk together by the pier. It was cold and raining but, arm in arm, neither minded. In fact, it brought them closer – gave them a reason to hold on to one another a little tighter.

‘Did you ever want kids?’ she asked.

‘Oh, yeah,’ he said. ‘I wanted a football team.’

‘And now?’ She was slightly alarmed.

‘And now I don’t make plans.’ He squeezed her. ‘But you never know what tomorrow will bring.’

‘You’re telling me.’ She chuckled but she seemed distracted, staring out at the sea.

‘I can take you home, if you like, Mai.’

‘I just wish I knew if Jeremy was back. Valerie isn’t the best with Ma.’

‘I’m sure he is. I know I wouldn’t miss a meal at his age.’

‘True. He never does.’

‘There you go.’

They walked on.

‘What’s the worst thing you ever did to your ma?’ she asked, out of nowhere.

He thought for a minute. ‘So many to choose from.’