‘I think Frankie is up to something, he’s come into school this morning and he looks like he’s gone ten rounds in the ring, do you know anything about it?’

Ged sat up as best he could. ‘No, I know nothing. Is he alright? Is he marked?’

‘All I know is that whatever he’s caught up in isn’t doing him any good. Ged, if you know anything that might help him please let me know. I’ll keep it between us two.’ He looked at the teenager closely, watching his body language.

‘I know nothing, so you’re pissing in the wind, sir. Frankie is big enough to look after himself. If he’s a marked man, then it must be someone who can have a fight because Frankie can hold his own.’

Clare walked back into the room holding two cups. She bent down to put them on the table. ‘So, I hope he’s talking to you nice, Mr Knight, because you should hear the abuse he’s given me this morning. A right cheeky bleeder he is.’ She blushed and shook her head. ‘Sorry for swearing, but I’m at the end of my tether with him. His bell-end of a father is out of jail today and I’ll tell you something for nothing; I can’t promise to keep my mouth shut when he comes here.’

Ged was up in arms. This was his old man she was talking about, he was sick of it, sick to death of hearing her bad-mouth him all the time, even in front of Mr Knight now. ‘She’s only saying that because she’s got a new man. Yeah, my dad’s mate it is. She knows that when he finds out he’ll be visiting Sam so that’s why her arse is twitching. Payback time, isn’t it, Mother?’

Clare gritted her teeth. ‘Have you heard him? This is how he thinks he can talk to me now. I’ll end up putting him in care, see how he likes that?’

Donny knew he had to intervene before it all blew up. ‘OK, OK, let’s just take a minute. It’s a stressful time for both of you. Ged, you can’t speak to your mother like that. You need to stop it, but Clare, you need to think about how you talk to your son too. You are the parent and you should lead by example. I’m here to help, but I didn’t come round to watch you two rip each other to shreds with your words. Everyone needs to calm down. Ged, button it will you and just be quiet for a few minutes. You should be resting not kicking off.’