Babs shuddered. ‘I think I’ll keep Kelvin home today an’ all, then. They can keep one another amused, can’t they? What about Joey, is he coming round again?’

Frankie nodded. ‘Joey and Dom have booked the rest of the week off work, so they’re both coming round. My nan and grandad wanted to come over as well, but I told the boys not to pick ’em up. I love ’em and all that, but they do my head in at times and I can do without the extra stress of them two arguing.’

‘I tell you one thing, sweet child, when them kiddies of yours arrive home safely, you have to show gratitude to that Katie girl. I always said she was OK, didn’t I? I knew she were genuine.’

Frankie put her head in her hands to hide the embarrassment she felt. ‘I know, and I feel so awful for the way I spoke to her in prison. She only wanted to be my friend and just because she was a traveller, I treated her like a piece of shit. I will never judge a book by its cover again, Babs, and as soon as I’ve got Georgie and Harry settled, I will make it up to Katie. I owe her big time.’

Over in Rainham, Joycie was extremely perturbed by Joey’s refusal to make Dominic come and pick her and Stanley up. Since her husband had written off her beloved Jaguar, Joycie had got quite friendly with her local mini-cab firm and today she had no intention of missing out on all the drama.

‘Hurry up with them pigeons, Stanley, then go and get yourself spruced up. Oh, and pack your overnight bag.’

‘Where we going?’ Stanley asked, perplexed.

‘Frankie’s. I told you the other day that Eddie was going to Scotland to find Georgie and Harry. Well, Joey rang this morning, reckons he might have found them.’

‘Who’s coming to pick us up, Dominic?’ Stanley asked.

‘No, we’re getting a cab. I’ll ask for that elderly man, Sid. He always does a special price for me, lovely chap he is.’

‘Has Frankie actually invited us over?’ Stanley asked suspiciously. He knew how Joycie had a habit of turning up at people’s houses when she wasn’t particularly welcome.

‘Nope, don’t think she wanted us there, but we’re going anyway,’ Joycie replied stubbornly.

‘We can’t just turn up uninvited, love. Frankie’s probably at her wits’ end, and she might not want people around her if she ain’t herself.’

‘Well, Dominic’s going round there with Joey and he’s not even related. Whether Frankie likes it or not, we’re the only grandparents she has and we shall be there for her in her hour of need. Now, chop chop and get your arse in gear.’

* * *