Jed veered over to the empty slow lane, then put his foot down. He couldn’t read, so had no idea what the red sign-writing said, but he recognised the layout of the lettering at once.

‘Well?’ Billy asked impatiently.

Jed grinned. ‘Gotcha, ya shitcunts.’

Chapter Thirty-Eight

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Joyce was jumping around the lounge, punching her fists in the air like a deranged football fan whose team had just lifted the FA cup.

‘I wonder if we’ll recognise ’em. Did your dad say what time they’ll be home?’ she asked her granddaughter.

‘He reckons between four or five hours. I’ll have to tidy up, the place looks like a bomb’s hit it. Babs, do me a favour, give the boys a bath and put ’em to bed while I clear their toys away.’

‘I don’t wanna go a bed. I wanna see my brother and sister,’ Brett said sulkily.

Frankie picked her son up and swung him around. ‘You be a good boy, have your bath, put your jim-jams on, and when you’re done, Dom will go and get you and Kelvin a McDonald’s.’

‘I want Big Mac,’ Kelvin shouted, leaping up and down on the armchair.

‘Will Georgie and Harry be having McDonald’s with us?’ Brett asked. Kelvin was his make-believe brother, and he was very excited by the prospect of having a real one.

‘No, not tonight they won’t. They won’t be here until very late, so you won’t be able to see them until the morning. Now up them stairs, before Mummy changes her mind about the McDonald’s.’

‘Where’s Jordan?’ Frankie asked Babs as the boys ran up the stairs.

‘Having a sleepover at his girlfriend’s house, would you believe? He’s at the age now where he don’t need his mamma no more, but yours will need you. I can’t tell you how pleased I am for you, Frankie,’ Babs said, hugging her pal.

‘I can’t wait for them to arrive, but I’m ever so nervous about seeing them again. I bet it’s not all plain sailing, you know. They’re bound to have issues if they’ve been bought up by Jed, Alice and Jimmy.’

‘They’ll probably find it all a bit strange at first, but I bet you, within a month or so, they’ll be in their element living with you. They are so gonna love their mamma.’

Frankie grinned. ‘As long as they love me, I’ll be the happiest girl in the world.’

Eddie rang Gina to ask after the kids and let her know he was on the way home, then focused on his grandchildren again. Georgie had the figure of a voluptuous young woman and it worried him. ‘Who’s this boyfriend of yours, then?’ he asked her.

‘Who’s that you were on the phone to?’ Georgie replied, ignoring his question.

‘My wife, Gina.’