The boys ignored their aunt’s stern warning and carried on taking the piss. ‘Let’s take some photos of him sitting on it and send it to the East London rag. Can you imagine what a laugh that will create in Canning Town?’ Ricky chortled, nudging his brother.

Joanie moved closer to the boys and, unable to control her temper any longer, slapped both of them around their smarmy faces. ‘If you send anything to the papers, you’ll have me and Vi to deal with. And shall I tell you something: if anyone needs laughing at, it is yous two pair of weirdos. I’ve never known two men at the ages of twenty-seven and thirty that have never had a serious girlfriend before. It ain’t fucking normal, and I’ve started to wonder if yous two bat for the other side like our Joey does. Now, do yourselves a favour and get your arses inside that building before I really lose my rag.’

With the smiles now wiped off their faces, Gary and Ricky did exactly as they were told.

The short service was nearly over by the time Vi, Joanie, Gary and Ricky returned to their seats. Joey stood up, handed the rings over and shared a poignant look with his father that nobody else in the room would understand. A particular woman was on both of their minds, and Joey knew, from the glimpse of sadness he’d spotted in his father’s eyes, that no matter how much his dad thought of Gina, in his heart she would always play second fiddle to his beautiful mum, Jessica.

Chapter Twenty-Four

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Eddie and Gina’s honeymoon consisted of a long weekend away in London. Being a man of extravagance and class, Ed booked them into the Savoy Hotel and they then spent a wonderful weekend taking in the sights and sounds of the best city in the world. Eddie had never been a lover of foreign holidays. The last time he’d been abroad, his brother Ronny had gone missing, so he’d had to cut his holiday short and fly back home. Ronny had been found barely alive – he had been shot in the spine and paralysed – and that had put Ed off foreign holidays for life. Having said that, Gina was a big lover of New York and Ed had promised to treat her to a proper honeymoon in the Big Apple once she had had the baby.

Gina was giggling to herself as she started to pack their clothes into the case. She had made Eddie take her to see a musical the previous night and he had hated every single moment of it.

‘What you laughing at?’ Ed said, pinching her bum.

‘You! Them poor people sitting behind us last night were really pissed off with your comments. That woman’s son was in the bloody show and she was ever so posh as well.’