Eddie crouched down, took her hands in his and looked as sincere as a child. ‘I swear to you, all I’m gonna do is buy off that boy. I want Frankie home and him out of her life. If I pay him enough, he’ll move on and he won’t come back. These pikeys are fly-by-nights, Jess. They ditch one bird, then they’re with another five minutes later. He won’t return searching for our Frankie, not if the money’s good enough, I bet ya.’

Jessica sighed. She wanted to believe Eddie, but didn’t know if she could any more. ‘It’s not as easy as that, Eddie. What about the baby? You seem to have forgotten that Frankie’s pregnant. If Frankie wants to keep the child, Jed’s bound to want to see it at some point.’

Every time Frankie’s baby was mentioned, it was a struggle for Eddie to keep his temper intact. ‘That pikey piece of shit probably already has about ten kids dotted about the country. That’s what they’re like, all fucking inbred. None of ’em go to school and the only thing they learn is to fuck one another. Pat Murphy reckons Jimmy O’Hara’s wife, Alice, is his cousin, so that says it all! I dunno about you, Jess, but I refuse to let my daughter live in that community. Now, are you going to your mother’s with Joey, or what?’ Ed asked angrily.

‘Yes. I’ll get up now, wake Joey and we’ll get going.’ Jessica said sadly.

Annoyed with himself for shouting at her, Eddie held Jessica tightly. ‘I’m sorry, babe. You know what I’m like. I’ll ring you when I’ve sorted things, then you can come home.’

Staring into his cloudy eyes, Jessica knew he had bigger plans for Jed than he had admitted. She was worried now, really worried. The last thing she wanted to do was betray Eddie, but she knew she had to do something. Feeling terribly guilty, she pecked him on the lips. ‘I love you,’ she told him.

Thankful she was OK about his plans, Eddie smiled at her. ‘And I love you too, babe.’

Jed laughed as Frankie polished off her second egg and bacon muffin. ‘Sure sign you’re eating for two. You’ll be as fat as a bull soon, you will.’

Frankie playfully punched him. When she had first got with Jed, his warped sense of humour used to give her the hump. Now she just joined in with him. ‘I don’t care if I get big and fat. If you don’t want me, Jed, there’s loads of others that will.’

Jed grabbed Frankie’s face and, not caring about the other diners watching, stuck his tongue down the back of her throat.

‘Do you mind? That’s disgusting,’ said a grey-haired woman sitting nearby.