Chapters (48)
- Cover
- THEFEUD
- Dedication
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- PROLOGUE
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
Jessica smiled. ‘And Dominic likes you, too. That’s how I found out, I saw the way you were with one another yesterday. It reminded me of how me and your dad were when we first got together.’
Joey gave a half-smile. ‘You and Dad are still like that now. So, Frankie never told you, then?’ he asked.
‘No. I did ask her earlier, but she denied all knowledge. I take it that she knows?’
Joey smiled. ‘She’s the only one who does know. I haven’t told anyone else, I swear I haven’t.’
Tilting Joey’s chin towards her, Jessica stared into his eyes. ‘Now listen, my darling, and listen carefully. You must never bring Dominic to the house again and you must never go out with him around this area. If anyone finds out, Dad will lose the plot. Where does Dominic live?’
‘The Angel, Islington,’
‘Well, from now on, you’ll have to meet him where he lives or somewhere miles away from here.’
Joey nodded. ‘What will happen in the long run, though, Mum? I mean, if we stay together, I can’t keep Dominic a secret for ever, can I?’
‘You can and you will, Joey. You have to, you have no choice. Believe me, son, if your dad finds out, he will not accept it, not in a million years.’
Feeling anxious, Joey squeezed his mother’s hand. ‘Be truthful with me, Mum. Please don’t lie. If Dad did find out, what do you think he would do to me?’
Jessica felt her eyes well up. ‘My guess would be, he’d disown you. As for Dominic – remember, your dad’s got a temper. Who knows that he might do to him? Your guess is as good as mine, Joey.’
THIRTY-ONE
The following morning, Jessica felt under the weather, so Eddie offered to run the kids to school.
‘You look peaky. Stay in bed. I’ve gotta go out anyway. Dad’s solicitor rang me, he wants to see me urgently and I promised Auntie Joan I’d take her shopping. Her old legs are playing her up a bit, bless her heart.’
‘Thanks, Ed,’ Jessica mumbled, as she ran to the toilet to be sick.
Joey poked his head around Frankie’s bedroom door. His sister had got in late the previous evening and she knew nothing about the conversation with his mum. ‘Take some normal clothes in your bag. I need to talk to you. Let’s bin school today and go to the pub instead. We’ll just tell Mum we got our days mixed up and thought we didn’t have to go in,’ he whispered.
Frankie smiled as she stuffed her jeans and T-shirt into her school bag. Thinking of Jed, she tucked her mobile phone in as well. She would ring him later and, if he wasn’t busy, maybe they could meet up again.