Guessing what the phone conversation was all about, Jessica wrapped her arms around her husband’s toned waist. Harry’s wealth and generosity had been a shock to her, but she was thrilled for Eddie and the children’s sake. ‘You won’t have to work so much now. Why don’t you stop doing what you’re doing, Ed? I’m always afraid that one day you might not come home again. With all that money, you can set up a legitimate business. If you get someone else to run it for you, you can spend more time with me and the kids,’ she told him.

Eddie waved away her fears. ‘No one’s gonna hurt me, Jess. Anyway, I like what I do and I’m not a man who can sit on his arse all day. The kids are all grown up now and me and you spend every weekend together as it is.’

Kissing his wife on the forehead, Eddie gently released her arms from around his waist. ‘I’ll probably be home late tonight, babe. I’ve got some business to attend to with Raymond and I’ve gotta face the wrath of Pinky and Perky down at the Flag.’

Eddie’s humour never failed to make Jessica smile. ‘Love you,’ she shouted, as he closed the front door.

Hearing their father’s car pull off the drive, Joey and Frankie came downstairs. Their exams had now started and, as neither of them were taking very many, they only had to attend school on certain days.

‘Yous two are all glammed up. Where you off to today?’ Jessica asked them.

‘Southend,’ the twins replied in unison.

Jessica smiled. She loved the hustle and bustle of Southend on a sunny day. When she was young, her mum and dad used to take her and Raymond there for a day trip. ‘Now be careful. Are you going with all your friends? How are you getting there?’

‘There’s a big crowd of us going, Mum. We’re all travelling together by train, so we’ll be fine. I’ll look after Frankie,’ Joey said reassuringly.

Jessica smiled. Joey was such a sensible boy. She had now got over the initial shock of his little secret, and loved him more than ever. A beautiful person inside, he was just different, that was all.

‘Do you need any money?’ Jessica asked. She had forbidden Eddie to tell the twins about his windfall. They were leaving school soon and she wanted them to get a job and make their own way in life.

‘We don’t need no money, Mum. We’ve got a load left from our birthday,’ Frankie replied honestly.

As the cab tooted outside, Jessica gave them both a kiss. ‘Don’t forget to bring me back a stick of rock,’ she shouted as she waved them off.