Not wanting to cause an argument, Eddie held Jessica in his arms. ‘Of course I’m annoyed and I’ll let them know that. But the thing is, Jess, kids will be kids. I used to bunk off school, me brothers did it too. Gary and Ricky were the same – it’s what kids do, ain’t it?’

Jessica shook her head. ‘I never did it. I was too frightened to do anything like that, I was worried I’d get caught.’

Eddie laughed. ‘You wasn’t a Mitchell though, was you?’

Eddie went upstairs and spoke to the kids, calmly, but firmly. ‘Now, I want to know where you’ve been hanging out. And what you’ve been doing. And don’t lie to me, because I will find out the truth.’

Frankie nudged Joey. ‘We’ve been changing out of our school uniform and going to the café in Dagenham,’ Joey mumbled.

‘And sometimes we sit in the park,’ Frankie added.

‘Well, from now on you’re going to school every day. And you’re both grounded until New Year,’ Eddie told them. He was sure they were telling the truth. He could see it in their eyes.

‘Oh, but Dad. What about our Christmas disco?’ Frankie whinged.

Eddie winked at her. ‘You should have thought of that before you played hookey. Now, get your devious little arses downstairs. I’m starving and I wanna order some dinner.’

Jessica wasn’t quite as forgiving as her husband and she ignored the twins as they sat down to eat.

‘Would you like some more rice, Mum?’ Frankie asked her.

‘No, eat it yourself,’ Jessica replied angrily.

At nine o’clock the twins both yawned. ‘We’re going to bed now,’ they said.

They knew they had got off lightly and they didn’t want to push their luck.

Once her deceitful offspring were out of her sight, Jessica began to relax a bit. ‘Shall we have another glass of wine?’ she asked Eddie.

Eddie stood up to fetch another bottle and was interrupted by the phone ringing. ‘All right, Doug? How’s tricks?’

‘OK, mate. I want you and Jess to come round for dinner on Saturday night. It’s Vicki’s birthday and I’ve got a surprise planned for her. She’ll definitely want your Jess to be there, I know that,’ Dougie said.

‘Yeah, that’s fine. What time do you want us round?’ Eddie enquired.

‘About eight.’

‘So, what you got planned then?’ Eddie asked, intrigued.

Dougie lowered his voice. ‘I’m gonna propose and, as long as she says yes, I’ve booked a holiday for us to go on next week. It’s in the Caribbean, I’ve arranged for us to get married out there. I’m not gonna tell her till we get there. I thought I’d be spontaneous and shock her, for once.’

Eddie laughed. ‘You’re a fucking boy, you are.’