Striding into the club, Nathan saw Jake and John sitting at one of the tables. They looked up as he approached. He leaned on the table, his face close to John’s. ‘You ever speak to me like that again and I’ll rip your nuts off.’ He grinned. John knew he was only half joking. ‘Find out who’s trying to have us off. I want a name by tomorrow. Then we’ll make the cunt wish he’d never been fucking born.’ Nathan stood up and straightened his tie. ‘Tonight, I’m off out with my boy.’

John nodded. ‘Yes, boss.’

Jake bounded into the pub like an excitable puppy and Grace couldn’t help but smile. She groaned inwardly as she saw his father close behind him, although her grin remained fixed on her face.

‘Hello, you two,’ Grace said as they approached the bar.

‘All right, Mum,’ Jake asked.

‘Grace.’ Nathan nodded.

Nathan looked fresher than when she’d last saw him. It seemed he’d had a shower and changed his clothes at least, but his face looked drawn, and his tailored suit didn’t quite fit like it once did.

‘Two pints please, Mum.’

‘Pints? No whisky, Nathan?’

Nathan shook his head. ‘Not tonight. Stella will do fine.’

While Jake chatted to his friends, Nathan sat alone at the bar, staring into his pint of lager as though it held the key to life’s mysteries. Grace took him a fresh drink. She had never known the phrase, a shadow of his former self, to fit someone so aptly as it did him right now. But he had brought all of his misery on himself; she couldn’t let herself forget that.

‘How have you been, Nathan? I’ve not seen you much.’

‘I know, sorry,’ he said, mistaking her observation as a complaint. ‘It’s just been hard to get my head around stuff.’

She nodded sympathetically. ‘I can imagine.’

He looked up from his glass. His eyes shining; he was clearly drunk. ‘I’ve missed you, Grace.’

She smiled in response. What was she supposed to say to that? Well I haven’t missed you at all, Nathan. In fact, not having you around here has been heaven. I only wish you’d remained a dribbling wreck a little while longer. Of course, she didn’t say that though. Just keep him sweet, Grace – for now.

‘But we can catch up later, eh?’ he grinned.