‘Are none of you eating your chocolate, after I’ve gone and got it for you?’

Kevin pushed the bar to the end of the arm of the sofa. ‘Lost my appetite, babes, shove it in the fridge.’

Ged reached for the remote for the TV and didn’t say a word. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife.

‘So, when are you two meeting again? I’m not rushing you, Kev, but I need to get ready for work soon.’ Had she just called him Kev? Old habits die hard, eh?

Ged turned to face his mother and knew before he asked that she wasn’t going to like what he had to say. ‘If you’re at work, why can’t he stay with me for a bit? I mean, you don’t get in until after midnight?’ The little shit, why the hell was he telling him that? Kevin turned to face her.

‘I’ll be gone before you come home, and it will be good that we can spend some quality time together.’

‘No, Kev, I don’t want you here when I’m not. I’ve said he can come and meet you where you’re staying once he’s well enough.’

Kevin shook his head. ‘I’ve told you I’m sleeping on a sofa at my brother’s.’

She was backed into a corner. If she said no, then she’d be the bad guy yet again. She shrugged. ‘Just be gone before I get home then. Ged, do you want me to make you something to eat before I go?’

Kevin jumped in before he could answer. ‘I’ll get us a kebab later if that’s alright. Is the Doner Hut still going or what? Eh, Clare, do you remember when we had it nearly every night? It was mint.’

She nodded and for the first time she broke a smile. ‘Do I remember? Of course I do. I banged on about three stone because of them kebabs. It’s took me ages to get that weight off.’

Kevin was quick off the marks. ‘You’ll always be perfect to me, babes, whatever size you are.’

Nancy had been texting Ged all day. She wanted to come over and chill with him, but he kept blanking her. She had texted him to say she had some news to tell him, big news. But he hadn’t replied. He had his dad now.

Kevin sat with his feet up. Clare had gone to work, and it was time to relax. It felt like he had never been away. He’d told Ged that everything was just like he remembered it, and in fairness it was.

They sat eating their kebabs when there was a loud knock on the door. Kevin tensed. Being in jail made a man jumpy. Ged sighed.