He got up and went to the sink. He turned the tap on and let it run cold for a few seconds. Our hot and cold pipes run side by side and the cold pipe always gets hot. Like we have Gold Tap Features and a Fireplace Feature, but anything you can’t see is shite. And ever since my dad got mad with the last plumber and went and self-turned up the pressure on the mains there’s a knocking when you turn on the cold tap. It’s like someone knocking an iron pipe on a stone very fast.

Then he filled the glass of water and drank half of it. He still had his back to me.

The answer is yes, he said. That’s why I was jumped.

Cool by me, I said. I just wanted to know. Do Mam and Dad know?

Mam knows. I’m not telling that fucker anything.

That was the first time I realised that Tony properly hated my dad. I couldn’t believe I never saw it before. Like when my dad comes into a room Tony leaves. If he can. And Mam is always on his side. And I used to be jealous. But now I understood. Maybe I didn’t hate my mam as much as before. But what made them hate each other? I don’t know. There was probably a lot going on that I didn’t see. The Dog was lying against the Aga watching us with one eye. Tony went over to him and squatted down. How are you, doggy Dog? You don’t give a fuck do you as long as you can have a sleep by the heat? He turned around to me. The look on his face was totally sad. I wish I was a dog, he said.

66