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
‘Please don’t have a go at me, but I found out today that I’m pregnant. I’m really sorry if I’ve let you both down.’
Joyce hugged her daughter. The timing wasn’t perfect but, nevertheless, she was thrilled. She’d always fancied being a young grandma. She could barely wait to get dolled up and go out walking with the pram. As for babysitting, she would look after the child as much as Jess would allow her.
‘I’m so pleased for you, darling. Now, don’t you worry about being young and not being able to cope. Your old mum will teach you the ropes and I’ll be there for you as much as possible. Perhaps Eddie will buy you a house nearby, so I’m always on hand to help out and babysit.’
Stanley sat paralysed in the armchair. He’d had so many high hopes for his beautiful daughter and now she was up the spout by that Mitchell bastard.
‘Are you OK, Dad?’ Jessica asked him.
Stan nodded and looked the other way. He didn’t want her to see the tears in his eyes.
‘What about the wedding? Will you bring it forward or get married after the baby’s born?’ Joyce asked.
Jessica shrugged. ‘I’ll speak to Eddie tonight. He doesn’t even know that I’m pregnant yet. I don’t really want a baby out of wedlock, so the sooner we tie the knot, the better. I’d rather do it before I start showing.’
Joyce nodded. She could understand where Jess was coming from. Walking down the aisle with a stomach like a rugby ball never looked good on anyone. She squeezed her daughter’s hand.
‘Whatever you and Eddie decide, me and your dad are right behind you, aren’t we, Stanley?’
Stan said nothing. The quicker he got out of this bleeding nuthouse the better.
‘Stanley, what do you think you’re doing? Where you going?’ Joyce shouted.
Ignoring his wife, Stan put on his checked cap and slammed the front door.
Eddie ordered another drink and glanced at his watch. His bloody father was late and he was doing buttons to know what had happened.
Five minutes later, a beaming Harry Mitchell strolled into the pub.
‘Well, what’s occurring?’ Eddie asked him. Ushering his son over to an empty corner of the pub, Harry sat opposite him. ‘They’ve gone.’
Eddie shook his head, ‘Who you on about? Who’s fucking gone?’