‘I never said that, Cynth, did I? But you seem like you don’t want to leave them.’

Cynthia sighed heavily, rolling her large blue eyes, and Mary Callahan saw just how lovely her elder daughter really was. And it hurt her, knowing that this beautiful girl had no real care for anyone in the world, least of all her two children. And they needed her. James Junior had developed a bit of a temper lately. Every time Cynthia left the kids behind he threw a tantrum.

‘Oh, Mum, I’m worried that’s all, I know they are safe with you.’

Mary didn’t react to her daughter’s words, but she could hear the drama in them. Instead she said to her granddaughter, ‘Come on, you, let’s go and see Granddad.’

Cynthia looked at her mother and said seriously, ‘Is that it, Mum? Are you not going to listen to what I’ve got to say?’

Mary looked into her daughter’s eyes and said quietly, but seriously, and everything she really thought about her elder daughter was there for anyone to hear, ‘No, Cynth, I’m not, and neither is your father or anyone else. The Old Bill has told Jonny about your little chat, and they have decided to overlook it. But I’m warning you now, girl, you’ve crossed the line. You want to be a grass you do it on your own because none of us are even remotely interested. In fact, if you were anyone else you’d be dead. So you listen carefully, and you listen good. You’ve gone too far this time. I wouldn’t start celebrating just yet, if you get my drift.’