She sat at her little kitchen table and put her head into her hands in utter despair. This was happening more and more, and she knew that something would have to be done before that girl drank herself into an early grave.

No wonder that boy was a mad bastard. What had he ever had in his life that was constant, that was good? She had a memory, suddenly, of Little Freddie as a baby, only about eighteen months old. Jackie was half cut as usual and she was saying to the boy, 'Here, Freds, phone Daddy.'

And the child had picked up the phone and said over and over again, 'Tunt, tunt.'

He could not say 'cunt' yet, but Jackie had rolled up.

Joseph had said to her then, all those years ago, 'God help that child, Lena. Between the two of them he has no fucking chance.'

And he had been right.

Chapter Twenty-Three

'I have never felt more happy in my life, Jimmy.'

His wife was relaxed, so liquid in his arms, that he felt as if he had been given a second chance at happiness. In the last couple of years she had gradually become again the girl he had known, the woman he had always needed.

Last night had been one of the most fulfilling nights of his life. His Mags had given herself to him with such forcefulness he had been amazed. All the hurt, all the distance was gone, and this was a new beginning for them, a new start to a marriage that even at its worst was better than anything else he could imagine.

He kissed her gently on the lips and she snuggled closer to him.

It was so long since Maggie had felt this calm, this happy, and she wanted the feeling to last as long as possible.

Jimmy held his tiny wife in his arms and marvelled at the change in her. Whatever had ailed her after Jimmy Junior was born, it seemed it was finally gone, and the laughing, happy girl he had married was back for good. Just to hold her like this was wonderful, to feel her soft skin next to his, to smell her perfume.

Unlike Freddie, and even Glenford, birds had never been a top priority with him and he had never really wanted anyone other than Maggie. He had taken a few fliers over the years but they were few and far between and he had regretted them immediately. No other woman had ever made him feel like his Mags did. And Little Jimmy was like the icing on the cake. He was their world, and they would see that he had everything that they had never had.

'So is Ozzy giving all his businesses over you, then?'

Jimmy kissed her again. 'It seems like it, but he ain't giving them to me as such, though Freddie won't believe that. I am just going to run them all for him. Like I do with all the other businesses.'

'He must really trust you, Jim.'

He smiled then. 'I hope so, babe, he ain't never had any reason not to.'

He was so dependable, her Jim, no one would ever say a bad thing about him because he was as right as the mail, as her mum always pointed out.

'What's he like?'

'Who, Ozzy?'

'Well, who else, you twonk!'

He shrugged, and hugged her even tighter, laughing at her as she knew he would.

'I told you, he's… different. He's sort of very much his own person, and when you are in his company you know he is someone of repute, someone important.'

Maggie could hear the pride in her husband's voice and she thought it was probably this self-effacing way he had that made Ozzy think so much of him.

'He sees you like I do, Jimmy, as a handsome, clever and kind man.'

Jimmy laughed. 'I think he sees a different side to me actually, but I will take your word for it.'

They laughed together. The hard-nosed Jimmy she rarely saw, and she was glad of that. But she knew it existed, and she had heard about his escapades, knew he was capable of violence if necessary. She knew he would use his considerable strength but only when all else failed. He was not a vindictive man, and she was lucky in that respect. But he was a serious Face in their community and she must bask in his reflected glory whether she wanted to or not. Jimmy had taken out enemies on more than one occasion, she accepted that. But he had to do it, that was what Ozzy expected from him and what he paid him for.

Brought up as she had been on the periphery of that world, she understood it was nothing more than a means to an end. It paid for their life, made sure they were taken care of. It was, after all, his chosen profession and his prerogative.

When he came home, though, he was just Jimmy, her Jimmy, and he was a husband and father. And she loved this man so deeply, nothing could change her feelings for him, no matter what he did.

He was also popular, not just with their close friends, but with everyone they mixed with, except, of course, Freddie. She forced Freddie from her mind, he had no place here, not any longer. He had spent too much time like a spectre between them. She would not allow him to hurt her or her family ever again.

It had taken her far too long to realise that her mother's old saying was true: 'People only do to you what you let them.' How many times had she heard that over the years?

As long as she let Freddie dictate her happiness, she was never going to experience any. Now she had fronted him, made him frightened of the truth coming out, and she felt almost euphoric in her happiness.

Jimmy Junior was, when all was said and done, her child. Hers, and her Jimmy's. They adored him, and no matter what anyone said, or anyone did, they could not take that away from them.

She glanced at the clock and saw it was eight thirty. They had slept in for the first time in years, and she had enjoyed it as well. She missed her baby, though. He had taken to coming in to them first thing and getting a few cuddles before they all got up and ate breakfast together.

It seemed strange without him, but she yawned happily. She had better get her arse in gear and go and pick him up. But Jimmy's hand on her breast told her that she might be longer than she had first thought.

'You what?'

Rox sighed, and said again, 'I am pregnant, Mum.'

Jackie was bleary-eyed as usual, and Rox wondered why she had come round to this house on her way to work when the woman she called her mother didn't even function until after three o'clock.

'The wedding is being brought forward, that is what I am trying to tell you.'

Jackie yawned and searched through the legion of empty fag packets on the kitchen worktops until she found a cigarette. Lighting one she said sarcastically, 'Oh, well. I'll sleep better for knowing that, Rox.'

Roxanna closed her eyes in annoyance. No congratulations, nothing.

Freddie padded down the stairs and Roxanna smiled at him. It was a forced smile as always and he said tiredly, 'So, Dicky boy has been rogering my baby, eh?'

Rox was hurt by her father's words. And her own mother had no interest in what was going on in her life, but then, when had she ever been interested in anything other than drinking and this big twit who was allegedly her father?

'So, and?'

Freddie took the cigarette from his wife and pulled on it deeply before saying, 'Always got a fucking answer, ain't you? Suppose I decide to take umbrage, eh? Give him a fucking kicking, what would you do then?'

Rox shook her head sadly and he was reminded of just how good looking his daughter was. She was so like Maggie, thank fuck, and not the fat whore who was now eating a slice of day-old pizza. In his own way he was proud of his Rox. Considering the way she had been dragged up she was a fucking diamond, really.

'Here, Fred, I just realised you'll be a fucking granddad!'

Jackie's laughter turned to a hacking cough and she spat into the sink. The scene made Rox, with her morning sickness, feel like heaving.

She flapped her hand at her mother. 'You are like a fucking animal, Mum.'