‘Can we go now, babes?’ Nicole whined at Gary. What Frankie had said had gone in one ear and straight out the other. She couldn’t help it if she had a high sex drive, could she?

‘Yeah, we need to make a move, guys. We’ve got to get our nails done and have a sunbed before we start getting ready for the party tonight,’ Amy added.

Gary and Ricky stood up and both gave their sister an awkward hug. ‘Keep your chin up today. I know it’s difficult, girl, but we’ll never give up looking for Georgie and Harry for you. One day we’ll find ’em, I know we will,’ Gary promised her.

Frankie saw her brothers out and went to check on the kids in the garden. The house her dad had bought for her and Babs to live in had five bedrooms and a massive garden, so there was plenty of room for the kids to play happily in.

‘Sing to me, Frankie,’ Rosie shrieked, running towards her. She was a sturdy little girl with chubby little legs to match and as she neared Frankie she held her arms out to her. Taking hold of Rosie’s hands, Frankie had tears in her eyes as she remembered singing the same song to Georgie when she was her sister’s age.

‘Ring a ring o’roses, a pocket full of posies, atishoo, atishoo, we all fall down,’ Frankie sang.

Rosie giggled as she fell onto the grass. ‘What a matter?’ she asked, realising her big sister was crying.

‘Nothing. I’m just being silly because I love you so much,’ Frankie replied, scooping Rosie into her arms.

The rest of the day was full of laughter and tears. Most of the laughter came via Joyce, especially when Eddie said he was sorry to hear the Jaguar had been written off and asked Joyce if they were going to buy another car.

‘Not on your nelly. That dirty old pervert nearly killed me! He can’t drive no more, he’s bleedin’ senile,’ came Joycie’s humorous reply.

The sadness was all centred over conversations about Georgie and Harry, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room when Frankie asked, ‘Do you think when she’s sixteen, Georgie will try and track me down? Or do you think she’s totally forgotten who I am?’

At nine o’clock everybody bar Stuart and Dominic were quite inebriated. The Chinese takeaway had been greedily eaten by all and Jordan had just taken Brett and Kelvin up to bed.

‘Oh dear, I feel ever so giddy, Stanley,’ Joycie said, laying her head on her husband’s lap.

Stanley immediately jumped up. Joyce had laid her head right near his crotch area and any woman’s head that came within a foot of his John Thomas would always dredge up terrible memories of what Pat the Pigeon had done to him that time.