‘I do, yeah,’ said Abs. ‘They were giving you a right kicking, the toerags.’

Distracted, Abs couldn’t help but glance in the mirror behind the bar to see if he could find Kelsey. He didn’t want to miss any of the party, but nor did he want Jez to make any rash decisions.

‘You came up and you chased them off.’ Jez scraped off bits of the damp label from his bottle of beer. ‘You walked me back to the house and I cried my eyes out all the way.’

Abs vaguely recalled what happened. Those kids were really pummelling Jez, he remembered that, but it all happened a long time ago now. ‘It’s history, mate.’

‘And then you got us out of that fix in Wales,’ said Jez. ‘If it weren’t for you, we would all be in jail.’

‘Yeah.’ Abs didn’t want to talk about that, he didn’t want to think about it, and closed his mind to it. Abs liked to stay cheerful, he was Mr Positivity, but Deano’s death had also spooked him, and he couldn’t shake the memory of that menacing guy at QuidStore.

‘You’ve always protected me.’ Jez lifted his bottle and Abs picked up his glass of champagne, and they clinked. ‘And I thank you for everything you’ve done.’

Abs tried to make light of it. ‘Stop it, you’re making me well up.’

Jez gripped his arm so tightly that he winced in momentary pain.

‘I’ve got to tell someone, Abs.’ Jez’s face twisted in misery. ‘It’s gnawing away at me.’

‘You don’t have to tell anyone,’ Abs said forcefully. ‘Deano is responsible for what happened, he did it, and now he’s gone, so let’s just get on with our lives.’

‘No, I need to tell—’

‘Mate, you’re hurting me.’ Abs pulled his arm from Jez’s fierce grip.

‘I’m sorry.’

Abs clicked his fingers at the barman, nodded at Jez’s empty bottle. ‘Another beer over here, as quick as you can. This man needs a drink.’

‘Danny…’ whined Jez.

Abs was shocked, because it had been many years since Jez had used his real name. It reminded him of when they were two lonely kids at the home and Jez used to sneak into Abs’s bed at night for comfort, and it sent a chill down his spine.

Jez was in a bad way, that was clear, and Abs had to turn the situation around. He would take Jez home, sit him down and use all his powers of persuasion to make sure he didn’t go to the police to confess what they did.

‘We don’t need that any more,’ Abs told the barman when he plonked the beer down, and then turned to Jez. ‘You’ve got to hold in there, bruv. What do I always say? Come on, repeat after me, teamwork…’

‘Makes the dream work,’ said Jez reluctantly.

‘We’re going to get through this.’ He clapped Jez on the shoulder. ‘I’ve got your back, buddy. Let’s go home.’

But then he heard a voice, loud and raucous. An ear-splitting shriek filled the room, feedback as Kelsey took the microphone too near speakers.