As the couple carried on asking questions about Georgie, Jed became extremely bored. I"d better be going now. Her mum"s waiting in the motor for us."
Jed started to chuckle as he walked away. He had just had a brilliant idea, but it was far too busy, being Christmas time, to do it today.
If he came over here again, he would go to the toilet, s.h.i.t in a carrier bag, and smear it all over Harry Mitch.e.l.l"s headstone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE.
Terry Baldwin was woken up at 7 a.m. on Christmas morning by somebody ringing his mobile phone.
Who is it?" he asked, still half-asleep.
Hearing his pal Keith"s voice, Terry sat bolt upright. One sec, let me get a pen and paper."
Terry scribbled down the address and listened intently to what Keith was telling him. No probs. I"ll meet you for a beer tomorrow lunchtime and settle up with you then, if you like."
Terry ended the call and ran back up the stairs. He entered his daughter"s bedroom and gently shook her awake.
What"s up? What"s the time?" Sally asked, bleary-eyed. She"d been on the wine again until late last night.
Terry smiled as he waved the piece of paper at her. Happy Christmas, darling. Now get your a.r.s.e out of bed, because me, you and Luke are going to pay Jed O"Hara a little visit."
Another person up with the larks on Christmas morning was Frankie. She was so excited about receiving her first ever car as a gift, she"d barely been able to sleep.
Jed had gone out the previous evening with his cousin, Sammy, and brother, Billy. Frankie had heard him roll in about two in the morning and she wondered if he"d brought the car home with him.
She flung open the trailer door and walked outside. There was no sign of any new vehicles, just the usual ones that belonged to the people on the site. Feeling disappointed, Frankie went back inside to get herself and the baby ready. Although Jed was reluctant, they were spending the day at his parents" house.
Why can"t we invite them over here, Frankie?" he"d asked her repeatedly.
Frankie had refused. There just wasn"t enough room, especially as Shannon, Billy and their monster of a son was joining them. Jed"s other brother, Marky, was going to his wife"s parents. Jed had never been back to his parents" house since the day they"d left. It had obviously frightened him when he had been beaten up by that awful man, and what annoyed Frankie was that Jimmy, the actual culprit, had got away with it, the womanising a.r.s.ehole.
Jed got up as Frankie had just finished dressing Georgie. He looked rough, and Frankie guessed that he"d got well p.i.s.sed the night before.
Did you have a nice evening? Where did you go?" she asked him.
The Derby Digger in Wickford. Proper night it was, full of travellers in there. Billy didn"t come in the end, he went over Marky"s, so it was just me and Sammy boy."
Frankie nodded. She didn"t really care where he"d been or how inebriated he"d got; all she was interested in was getting her hands on her log book and car keys. Guessing that he might have hidden the car down the road, away from her prying eyes, she smiled.
Shall we open our presents now?"
Jed nodded. He"d hidden Frankie"s in his horse-box, so went off to get them.
Frankie sat Georgie on her lap and they opened her presents first. She laughed and clapped her tiny hands, even though she was far too young to understand what Christmas was all about. In fact, she seemed more interested in the wrapping paper than the actual gifts they had bought her.
Your turn," Frankie said, handing Jed a big gift bag.
Jed loved the black leather bomber jacket that Frankie had bought him. He studied himself in the mirror. Where did ya get it? It"s well cool," he asked.
Unable to get out shopping a lot, Frankie had asked Gary and Ricky to choose a decent leather jacket for her. They had seemed reluctant when they knew it was for Jed, but had done what Frankie had asked them because of what she"d said in court.
I got the bus into Romford one day," Frankie lied. Jed didn"t like her mentioning either of her half-brothers and if he found out they had chosen the jacket, he probably wouldn"t wear it.
As Jed handed her a big sack of gifts, Frankie could barely contain her excitement. Perfume, gold earrings, a pair of leather ankle boots he"d even bought her a funny-looking machine with a load of disc things to put inside it.
That"s one of them CD players, Frankie. No one plays ca.s.settes any more. You"ll love it, trust me. My cousin Sammy"s got one and the music sounds so much better on it," Jed explained.
Frankie left the smallest present until last. Surely this had to be the car keys? As she undid the paper and a pink plastic Swatch watch fell out, she struggled to hide her discontent.
Jed winked at her. Your big present is over at me mum and dad"s. You can open it later in front of the family."
Frankie clapped her hands in glee. He"d obviously hidden her car at his parents" house, bless him.
Over in Rainham, Joyce was sipping a large Baileys while indulging in a bit of present-opening herself. Last year, the first Christmas since Jessica"s death, had been b.l.o.o.d.y awful, but this year Joyce was determined that they would all have a fabulous time.
Who wants another Baileys?" she asked, topping her own gla.s.s up to the brim.
Stanley glared at her. Take it easy, Joycie. It ain"t even twelve o" bleedin" clock yet."
Joyce poked her tongue out at Stanley. Open that one, you miserable old sod," she said, handing him a present.
Stanley got excited as he tore the paper off and stared at his gift. Joycie had already given him the usual jumper and slippers, but this was a specialist book, all about breeding top-cla.s.s racing pigeons. Thrilled, he thanked his wife and immediately began flicking through the pages.
That"ll keep the old b.a.s.t.a.r.d quiet," Joyce whispered, as she handed Joey another present. Her grandson had already opened his aftershave and had loved that.
Joey tore off the paper and held the T-shirt up in horror. It was plain black and had the words GAY AND PROUD printed across the front in bright pink letters.
I can"t wear this, Nan," he said bluntly.
Why not? What"s the matter with it? I told the man in the shop that you were gay and he said you would love it."
As Dominic burst out laughing, Joey couldn"t help but giggle himself. You"ve still got the receipt, ain"t ya, Nan? I won"t wear it. Take it back and get your money back."
Joyce was annoyed. I can"t take it back, I had it printed at one of them T-shirt places where you tell "em what you want on the front."
Well, I"m afraid you"ve wasted your money then, Nan, "cause I wouldn"t be seen dead wearing this."
Give us it "ere then, if you don"t want it. Your grandad can wear it when he"s cleaning out the pigeon shed," Joyce said, tutting.
Picturing Stanley wearing the T-shirt, both Joey and Dominic creased up laughing.
Stanley looked up from his book and shook his head in total disbelief. Put it in the bin, you silly old woman. I ain"t wearing no T-shirt that says the word "gay" on the front!"
Does it b.l.o.o.d.y well matter what"s on the front if you"re only pottering about in the garden?" Joyce argued.
Stanley shook his head. I ain"t arguing with you, you senile old bat. Now put the b.a.s.t.a.r.d T-shirt in the bin."
Terry Baldwin was in deep thought as he drove towards the gypsy camp in Hainault. His wife, Anne, had insisted that he and Sally pay Jed a visit after dinner rather than before. Anne wasn"t Sally"s birth mum and she"d been getting sick of Sally"s behaviour of late.
I am not having my Christmas ruined by that daughter of yours, Terry. The girl"s psychotic. She needs help, love, and I"m getting poxed off with our lives being turned upside down by her. I can"t believe you"re going out today, of all days, and if you"re not back within two hours, then don"t bother coming back at all."
Are you OK, Dad?" Sally asked him.
Terry nodded. Luke was asleep in the back of the car and Sally had a big smile on her face for the first time in ages.
Turning up the radio, Terry hoped for Sally"s sake that by taking her to see Jed, he was doing the right thing for her fragile state of mind. With his contacts, he could probably have found Jed yonks ago if he"d have really wanted to. The reason he hadn"t was purely selfish. He had become so attached to his grandson that he was happy to provide for Luke himself and have him living at his house for ever.
As Terry drove onto the site, he ordered Sally to stay in the car in case Jed wasn"t at home. He knocked at the trailer door. Keith had told him that it was the second one in on the right.
Can I help you? Whaddya want?" shouted an old woman opposite.
Terry walked towards her. He wouldn"t pa.s.s as a traveller, so the only option was to pretend he was related to the Mitch.e.l.ls. h.e.l.lo, I wonder if you can? I"m Jed"s girlfriend"s uncle. I was visiting other relatives over this way, so decided to surprise Frankie and Jed by dropping in. I have their presents in the car."
The old woman looked at him suspiciously. She didn"t trust gorjers, never had done. Well, you won"t find "em "ere. Jed"s spending Christmas over at his father"s house and don"t be asking me where that is, "cause I won"t be telling ya."
Terry smiled as she slammed the door in his face. The silly, toothless old bat had already given him every little bit of information he needed.
Unaware that a gentleman was on his way over with revelations that would turn her Christmas upside down, Frankie was trying to make the best of a bad situation. Alice had been stuck like glue to Georgie all day, and sitting opposite Shannon at the dinner table was doing Frankie"s head in.
As a roast potato was chucked across the table at her by Shannon"s horrible son, Frankie was annoyed as everybody erupted with laughter.
He didn"t mean it he was trying to aim for my plate," Jed whispered, as he saw the annoyance on his girlfriend"s face.
Frankie stood up. She was too excited about her car to be hungry or upset. I"m gonna feed Georgie now she must be starving, Jed."
Alice leaped up. You sit back down. I"ll feed Georgie girl."
No. I want to feed her myself," Frankie said indignantly.
Jed pinched his girlfriend"s b.u.m. Let Mum feed her, babe, she don"t see as much of her now. Then, after we"ve eaten dessert, you can have your surprise present."
The mention of her present was enough to make Frankie agree and sit back down. Jed might have bought her a car but, little did he know, she had an enormous surprise for him also.
Unable to stand the suffocating smell of s.h.i.t in such a confined s.p.a.ce, Terry Baldwin pulled into a pub car park. Me mate Andy owns this boozer. Let"s go in there, Sally, and while you"re changing the baby, I can have a quick pint."
Is it definitely open? It"s four o"clock, Dad."
Yes, he"s having a private party. You don"t want Luke to be stinking of s.h.i.t when he meets his dad for the first time, do you?"
Andy made a real fuss of Terry as he entered the pub. Christ, this is a nice surprise. To what do I owe this honour?" he joked.
Watching Sally walk into the toilet, Terry pulled Andy away from his pals.
What"s up?" Andy asked.
Terry shrugged. I"ve got to go round Jimmy O"Hara"s place and I was wondering if I could borrow one of your guns."
Frankie was filled with antic.i.p.ation as Jed handed her her surprise present to unwrap. She had looked on the way in to see if she could spot the car, but she hadn"t seen it. Jed was very clever at hiding stuff and Frankie guessed that he"d probably hidden it at the back of his father"s land somewhere.
Don"t keep us all waiting. Open it, then," Alice urged.
Frankie ripped off the wrapping paper and stared at the box. Jed laughed, as every time she opened one box, there was a smaller one inside. Frankie"s heart lurched as she got to the final box. It was a bit small for car keys, but it couldn"t be anything else, surely?
Smiling at Jed, Frankie took the top off. I didn"t want this," she said as she stared at the ring with revulsion.
Jed ignored her. He knew that Frankie had been expecting a car and he also knew how to play her. He knelt down beside her. I never bought you a proper engagement ring, did I, babe? Real diamond, that is, cost me an arm and a leg, it did, but you"re more than worth it, Frankie."
As Jed slipped it on her finger, Frankie began to cry. But I thought you was getting me a car. I do like it, Jed, but I need to have a car more than I need a ring."
Shannon nudged Alice. Ungrateful little wh.o.r.e," she said as she walked out of the room.
Ordering everyone to leave them alone, Jed shut the door. I wanted to buy you a proper engagement ring, Frankie. I love you and I want everybody to know that you"re gonna be my wife. I can get you a car any time, can"t I?"
But when? If you don"t get me one soon, I"ll forget how to drive," Frankie sobbed.
Seeing headlights looming through the window, Jed stood up. Who the f.u.c.k is this?" he mumbled to himself.
As soon as he recognised the unexpected visitor marching towards the house, Jed turned to Frankie in blind panic. Stay "ere and don"t move."
Who is it, Jed?" Jimmy O"Hara shouted.
Jed ran into the kitchen. It"s that Sally"s dad. Go and answer it, Mum. Tell "em I ain"t "ere. You stay "ere with me, Dad, please."
Furious that the man she"d seen beating up her youngest son had the audacity to come back on Christmas Day, Alice picked up the rolling pin and ran to the front door.
Whaddya want? Jed ain"t "ere," she shouted.
When Sally appeared from behind her father with her son in her arms, Alice glanced at the baby and gasped.
Terry immediately took control. Andy didn"t keep his guns at the boozer any more, so he had no tool whatsoever on him. He hadn"t intended to use the shooter he wasn"t that silly. He"d just wanted to scaremonger and ruffle a few feathers if he needed to. He held his hands up, flat, palms towards Alice.
Listen, we don"t want no grief, I promise you that. This is my daughter, Sally, and this is your grandson, Luke. All we want is to speak to Jed. It"s about time he met his son, don"t you think? I know that Jed"s living in Hainault and if I can"t see him today, I"ll go there tomorrow."
Not knowing how to handle the situation, Alice called for Jimmy. She had no doubt that this man was telling the truth. The boy was the spitting image of Jed as a baby.
Frankie opened the lounge door a tad. She wasn"t stupid and had guessed who the caller was and what was going on. She had sort of recognised the man"s voice.
You"ve got no right coming "ere on Christmas Day. And so what if it is Jed"s kid? He"s engaged now and he"s got another family, ain"t he?" Jimmy shouted.
As Terry Baldwin started shouting the odds back, Billy ran to the front door. Jed stayed cowering in the kitchen.
Furious that her boyfriend"s name was being dragged through the mud when he hadn"t done anything wrong, Frankie laid Georgie on the sofa and marched into the hallway. What sort of man was Jimmy O"Hara, allowing his son to take the blame for his own mistakes and infidelities?