BooksBarbecue
Back The Jump
Chapters (52)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Acknowledgements
  5. BOOK ONE
  6. Chapter One
  7. Chapter Two
  8. Chapter Three
  9. Chapter Four
  10. Chapter Five
  11. Chapter Six
  12. Chapter Seven
  13. Chapter Eight
  14. Chapter Nine
  15. Chapter Ten
  16. Chapter Eleven
  17. Chapter Twelve
  18. Chapter Thirteen
  19. Chapter Fourteen
  20. Chapter Fifteen
  21. Chapter Sixteen
  22. Chapter Seventeen
  23. Chapter Eighteen
  24. Chapter Nineteen
  25. Chapter Twenty
  26. Chapter Twenty-One
  27. Chapter Twenty-Two
  28. Chapter Twenty-Three
  29. Chapter Twenty-Four
  30. Chapter Twenty-Five
  31. BOOK TWO
  32. Chapter Twenty-Six
  33. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  34. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  35. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  36. Chapter Thirty
  37. Chapter Thirty-One
  38. Chapter Thirty-Two
  39. Chapter Thirty-Three
  40. Chapter Thirty-Four
  41. Chapter Thirty-Five
  42. Chapter Thirty-Six
  43. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  44. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  45. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  46. BOOK THREE
  47. Chapter Forty
  48. Chapter Forty-One
  49. Chapter Forty-Two
  50. Chapter Forty-Three
  51. Chapter Forty-Four
  52. Epilogue

As he listened to Jonnie H. he watched Annie and Donna looking after the baby, saw how Donna put the child on her lap and kissed its downy head. He could see the naked hunger in her eyes and it was like a knife going through his very soul.

He would give her what she wanted; he would hand her Georgio on a plate if that’s what it took to keep her happy.

He only wished he could give her what she really deserved.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

Alan and Donna walked out of the flats and he checked the car over before they got into it. They were both amazed to find it intact. As they drove out of the inaptly named Harmony Row towards Argyle Street, Donna settled back into the comfort of the seat.

‘What did you think of Annie?’ Alan asked her.

She shrugged. ‘I liked her, but not at first! Once we had had a little chat we were fine, though. I was surprised to find that Jonnie H. was a cockney. It seemed strange hearing his voice after all the Scottish accents.’

Alan laughed with her.

‘There’s a story there with Jonnie H. and Annie. When he was in the Smoke, he was a sod for whoring. He patronised Shepherd’s Market and Kings Cross. It was a standing joke with everyone. He always went for the rough trade. Then, all of a sudden, Jonnie H. was getting married. We were all amazed. I done the food for his wedding, Georgio will tell you . . .’

Donna turned in the seat. ‘You mean, he was there? At their wedding?’

Alan swallowed heavily. Taking a deep breath, he said, ‘Nah, of course not. I mean it was the talk of the town, like. Nothing more.’ He saw Donna visibly relax.

‘Anyway to get back to me story. It turned out that Annie, she was only about seventeen then, was a tom from the Market itself. He picked her up one night in his motor and that was that. He took her away from it all. She was a right looker and all. I mean, she looks all right now and she’s ready to drop her chavvy any day. It caused a sensation at the time, but as Georgio said to me once - in reality, Jonnie done himself a favour. He got what he wanted and he’s happy. He paid the toms to do what he wanted. Now he has one on tap, if you like.’

Alan roared at his own humour.

Donna stared at him stonily. ‘They seem very happy to me.’

Alan waved a hand at her. ‘They are happy - happiest couple I’ve ever seen. He worships her. But myself, I couldn’t marry a tom. I know it sounds nasty, like, but I just couldn’t do it.’