‘What about money? If you ever need any dosh, all you gotta do is ask, girl,’ Eddie said genuinely. He’d always been generous to Joycie and, partly out of guilt, he’d even given her his house when Jessica had died.

‘I’m fine for money, but thanks all the same, Ed. When we sold our old house in Upney I used to beg Stanley to buy a flash car and stuff, but you know what an old miser he was. We virtually lived off our pensions and when the old fucker left, he never took any of our money with him. It was always in my bank account, you see.’

Eddie chuckled. Joycie had never failed to make him laugh when he was married to Jessica and she hadn’t changed one iota over the years.

‘So where’s Dominic today? Yous two ain’t split up, have you?’ Joyce asked her grandson suspiciously. Joey had rung her early this morning asking if he and Eddie could pop round, and she wasn’t stupid – something smelled fishy.

‘No, of course not. Dom’s visiting his nan. She’s very poorly and is in hospital at the moment with pneumonia. She has no idea Dom’s gay and keeps asking him when he’s gonna settle down with a nice girl and get married,’ Joey replied.

Eddie chuckled. ‘The poor old cow’s got a long wait, bless her.’

‘How’s Frankie? I haven’t heard a dickie from her since the children’s court case. Terrible news about them little ’uns, weren’t it? Why weren’t they allowed to visit her in prison?’ Joycie asked.

Joey glanced at his father. ‘Go on, tell Nan the truth,’ he urged. Joey had been furious when he’d heard the outcome of the court case. He’d wanted to attend, but hadn’t been allowed to, as Jed’s brief had stuck his oar in, saying it would upset the children to see him.

‘The pikeys have brainwashed them kids, Joycie. Both Georgie and Harry sat in the court and told the judge they didn’t want to see Frankie, apparently,’ Eddie told her.

Joyce sat with her mouth open. ‘No, I don’t believe it! Christ, it was only just before Christmas that they turned up here in bits looking for her.’

‘If you speak to Frankie, for Christ’s sake don’t tell her what the kids said, will ya? Knowing that will break her fucking heart,’ Eddie said.

Joyce nodded. ‘So, how is Frankie doing in that prison? I’d like to visit her if that’s OK. Have either of yous two been up there lately?’

‘I’m seeing her tomorrow. Dom was coming with me but because of what happened with the court case, I’m gonna go in alone and he’s gonna wait in a nearby pub,’ Joey said.