The Traitor

As he walked back out to the garden, Joyce glared at him. Stanley had always done just as she had wanted throughout their entire marriage, and she couldn’t understand what had suddenly got into him. Remembering what he’d said about Frankie, she went up the stairs and knocked on Joey’s bedroom door.

‘Joey, it’s Nan. Can I come in?’

‘Just leave me alone. Go away,’ Joey shouted.

Desperate to know exactly what had happened the night before, Joyce tried the handle. The door was locked. After the morning she’d had, Joyce quickly lost her temper and screamed at her grandson.

‘Open this door now, Joey, else Raymond will kick the bastard thing down. He’s on his way over, you know. He’ll be here in five minutes,’ she lied.

Her fib worked, and as Joey unlocked the door, Joyce stormed in. As she clocked the state of her grandson’s bruised face, Joycie’s temper melted.

‘Oh my God! What happened, love?’ she asked, as she sat on the edge of his bed.

Joey just burst into tears. ‘I tried to help Frankie, and Raymond caught me with his elbow. It was an accident, he didn’t mean it. Frankie’s gone, Nan. What am I gonna do without her? We’ve never been apart before.’

Joyce held him tightly. ‘You listen to me, Joey. That won’t last with that gypsy boy. Different breed, that mob are. Wicked bastards, I should know. One of ’em put a curse on me years ago. Frankie’s young, headstrong, but that boy’ll show his true colours, and when he does she’ll come back.’

‘I don’t think she will, Nan. She loves him. It’s as though he’s cast a spell on her. And what about the baby? She won’t leave him if she’s got his kid, will she? I hate him, Nan. He’s wrecked our entire family. I mean if it weren’t for Frankie getting with Jed, Mum would still be alive, wouldn’t she?’

Desperately wanting to put a smile back on Joey’s face, Joyce thought of the dogs. Buster and Bruno, the twins’ Rottweilers, had been living at Pat Murphy’s since the night Jessica died. Joyce didn’t like dogs very much. Bleeding nuisance they were, pissing and shitting all over the place. ‘I tell you what. Why don’t you get yourself dressed and go and pick Buster and Bruno up? I’m sure they’d love to come home and they’ll be a bit of company for you, Joey.’

Joey sighed. Buster and Bruno were no replacement for his sister, but at least they’d give him something to focus on.

As he got out of bed, Joycie played her ace card. ‘Before you trot off to Pat Murphy’s, I need you to do me a favour. Your grandad’s having one of his funny turns, says he’s moving back into our old house. Go and talk to him, love. Don’t tell him I sent you, but beg him to stay. If he says no, start crying, Joey.’

‘OK,’ Joey said sadly. He really didn’t want his grandad to leave. The house would feel so empty with just him and his nan rattling about.

Stanley was sitting on the sofa drinking a mug of tea. As Joey walked into the room, Stan put his mug on the table and stood up.

‘Please don’t go, Grandad. I don’t want you to leave. I love you,’ Joey begged.

Joyce smiled as she stood earwigging in the hallway. Joey was that good an actor, he should have gone to drama school, and as for Stanley, the silly old goat, he certainly wouldn’t have the guts to walk away from his distressed grandson.

When the doorbell rang, Joyce nigh on jumped out of her skin. ‘Oh, it’s you. I don’t think he’s leaving now,’ she confidently told Jock.

About to tell him to go back home, Joyce was shocked to see Stanley walking towards her with his case in his hand.

‘Put that in the van, Jock, while I sort out the pigeons. We’ll dismantle the shed and take it at the weekend,’ he said.

Joyce gawped at him. ‘You can’t go now, Stanley. Look how upset Joey is. You can’t leave him like that – you’ll break the boy’s heart. And how would Jessica feel? If she’s looking down, that girl would be disgusted by your behaviour.’

Stanley had no intention of changing his mind. How dare she use their dead daughter as blackmail? ‘I’ve spent my whole life doing things to please other people, Joycie, and it’s about time I started looking out for myself. Joey can come and stop with me whenever he wants, I’ve told him that.’

Aware that nothing and no one was going to change her husband’s mind, Joyce let rip at him. ‘You nasty, selfish old bastard. Go on then, get out and take them disease-ridden fucking birds with ya. I should have divorced you years ago, Stanley Smith. You’re nothing but a waste of space that’s dragged me down all my life and I’ll be better off without ya.’

While Jock stood open-mouthed, Stanley went off to the shed to collect his babies. He didn’t want Joycie to see him cry; he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.

As Barry Macarthy was let back into the cell, Eddie tried to shut out the sound of his droning voice.

Macarthy, better known as Big Bald Baz, was a total head case and Eddie had had ructions with him years ago, when they were just teenagers. He had been about eighteen at the time and had been enjoying a quiet drink in a boozer in Mile End one evening. All of a sudden there was a fracas a few feet away, and Eddie had watched in horror as Baz smashed a glass straight into some girl’s face, ripping her cheek in half. Ed had always hated blokes who roughed up women, so, being a gentleman, he’d immediately intervened and got a damn good hiding for his troubles.

Eddie had stood no chance that night. Big Bald Baz was at least eighteen stone back then, and two of his mates had joined in as well. Even at the tender age of eighteen, Eddie wasn’t one to forgive and forget. Six weeks later, he’d returned to the same boozer with his dad, brothers and uncle and they’d given Big Bald Baz and his pals the hiding of their lives.

From that day onwards, Baz and his mates had given the Mitchells a wide berth. Ed had seen him about and heard plenty of stories about the fat bastard over the years, but they’d never spoken since.

Ed now knew why the screws had been laughing at him. Big Bald Baz was looking at a life sentence for murdering his old woman. Eddie had read all about it in the newspapers. The evil scumbag had even chopped off her hands and pulled out her teeth to hide her identity. The police had enough evidence to charge Baz, even though they didn’t have him bang to rights, and the case had made front-page news.

‘You’re quiet, Mitchell. I ain’t gonna lamp you one again, if that’s what you’re worried about,’ Baz said, laughing.

Eddie ignored him. He hadn’t spoken to the fat, arrogant prick since he’d first entered the cell yesterday and he wasn’t about to start now. Turning the pages of his book, Ed pretended to be engrossed. He wasn’t, of course. All he could think about was Jessica.

As Stanley slammed the front door, Joycie glanced at Joey. ‘Go on, love, go and pick the dogs up,’ she urged him.

As soon as her grandson had left the house, Joyce ran to the kitchen and poured herself a large brandy. ‘So much for not drinking it again,’ she mumbled when the sickly taste hit the back of her throat.

Taking the bottle into the lounge with her, Joyce slumped on the sofa and topped up her glass. She had to tidy up at some point. The house was still littered with dirty glasses, cans and overflowing ashtrays, but for once she didn’t know where to start. Knowing she’d be ill if she didn’t eat something, Joyce walked over to the table where the half-eaten food lay. She grabbed a sausage roll and heaved as she nigh on swallowed it whole. Two more brandies later, the realisation of what had just happened suddenly sunk in.

‘How could you be so callous, Stanley? How could you leave me at a time like this?’ she said between sobs.

By the time Joey returned with Buster and Bruno, Joyce had drunk half a litre and was screaming the house down. Wary of the nutty old woman, the dogs immediately flew out to the garden to get away from her.

‘You sound ever so drunk, Nan. Don’t drink no more,’ Joey said worriedly.

Joyce rarely showed her emotions, but when she did, there was no stopping her. ‘Thirty-six years of my life I gave to your grandad, and this is how he treats me,’ she screamed.

Joey felt uncomfortable as he tried to hug her. ‘Why don’t you go and have a lie down? You might feel better if you get some sleep, Nan.’

‘Sleep? Sleep? I want revenge. Revenge for all them years I wasted on that bastard.’

As his nan stood up and staggered towards the kitchen, Joey sat frozen to the spot. He could hear her rummaging about in the big cupboard, but didn’t have the guts to ask what she was looking for. Hearing the kitchen door slam, he crept over to the window. He gasped as he saw his nan zigzagging down the garden with his dad’s big hammer in her hand.

‘Shit!’ he shouted as he ran outside. Surely she wasn’t going to hurt the dogs.

Joyce had had little to smile about for weeks, but as she lifted the hammer and smashed it through the side of Stanley’s beloved pigeon shed, she began to laugh. ‘You fucking bald-headed old bastard,’ she shrieked, as she let fly again.

Wishing they were back at Pat Murphy’s, Buster and Bruno cowered next to the fence.

‘Nan, stop it. What are you doing?’ Joey yelled.

‘Your grandfather deserves all he gets. Shame he’s took them pigeons home with him. I could have killed ’em and cooked ’em in a nice pie,’ Joyce cackled.

Petrified by the look of madness on his nan’s face, Joey ran back into the house. If only Frankie was here, she’d know what to do. At the sound of more wood splintering, Joey knew he had to do something. Dashing upstairs, he grabbed his phone. ‘Please answer, please answer,’ he said out loud.

Thankfully, his wishes were answered. ‘Uncle Raymond, you need to come to the house quickly. Nanny’s gone loopy, she’s smashing Grandad’s pigeon shed up with a big hammer. I don’t know how to stop her. Please hurry up. Please.’

CHAPTER FOUR

Frankie felt nervous as she followed Jed into his parents’ house. She’d spent many a night in Jed’s trailer but, apart from a few hellos and goodbyes, she’d had very little contact with his parents, Jimmy and Alice.

‘Hello Frankie, you come and sit down ’ere next to me,’ Alice told her warmly. ‘You know what these men are like, all they wanna do is talk business,’ she said, laughing.

Frankie was surprised to see the table laid.

Noticing her expression, Alice smiled. ‘Didn’t Jed tell you? We’re having a nice family meal. Billy and Marky, Jed’s brothers, will be here soon with their wives and chavvies. Now you’re living here and having my grandchild, we gotta introduce you to the family, ain’t we?’

Frankie felt like a fish out of water. She had been nervous enough officially meeting Jed’s parents, let alone his brothers and their wives.

While Alice waffled on about baby names, Frankie studied the decor in the house. It was decked out in china and some of the ornaments were like those Jed had in his trailer.

‘What are you looking at – the china? Or my Jimmy’s brass collection?’

‘Both,’ Frankie said, embarrassed.

‘I’ll take you upstairs later and show you me handmade dollies. Beautiful they are, Frankie. All we need now is for you to have a little girl, so we got someone in the family to appreciate ’em. Did Jed tell you that I was pregnant and recently lost a baby?’

Frankie nodded. ‘I’m sorry, Alice.’

Alice’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Rushed to hospital bleeding to fuck I was, and do you know the worst thing about it?’

Incredibly uncomfortable, Frankie wished Jed would reappear. He’d gone into the other room with his dad. ‘What?’ Frankie asked awkwardly.

‘The nurse asked me if I wanted to know the sex of it. I said yes and she told me it was a girl. All I ever wanted was a daughter, and although I was blessed with three beautiful boys, I still crave one. Billy and Marky have got three kids between ’em and they’re all boys as well. The doctors say it’s too dangerous for me to have another one now, so I need you to produce me a little granddaughter, Frankie. Do you think you can do that for me?’

Frankie nodded dumbly. She wasn’t usually lost for words, but Alice was very loud and overpowering.

As soon as Jed and Jimmy returned, Alice went off to prepare the dinner. Jed was engrossed in deep conversation with his father, so Frankie amused herself by studying her new family.

Jimmy was tall and very broad-shouldered. He had dark brown hair that was greying round the edges and his nose was flat and was squashed towards the right side of his face. He was certainly no looker – Jed didn’t resemble him one little bit, thank God. Glancing towards the kitchen, Frankie watched Alice peel the potatoes. Apart from their eye colour, Jed didn’t really look like his mum either, as she was plump and short with long black hair. Alice had always considered herself to have a sixth sense, and without even turning around, she knew Frankie was watching her.

‘If you’re that interested in what I’m doing, come out here and peel these carrots,’ she chuckled.

Frankie was mortified as she slunk towards her. ‘I was just looking at your kitchen. It’s very pretty,’ she said apologetically.

Alice handed her a strange-looking object. ‘Peel from the top downwards,’ she ordered.

Frankie had rarely prepared or cooked anything in her life. Her mum had been the boss in the kitchen, and Frankie barely knew how to boil an egg.

Alice snatched the scraper out of her hand and showed her exactly how to use it. ‘One golden rule, Frankie. You need to be a good cook to keep your mush happy. A good-looking boy like my Jed could have any filly he wanted. You don’t wanna lose him now, do you?’

‘No,’ Frankie whispered.

Alice smiled. ‘Well, that’s settled then. From tomorrow while Jed’s out grafting, you come to me and I’ll teach you how to cook.’

The doorbell saved Frankie from replying.

‘Go back and sit at the table. That’ll be one of Jed’s brothers, and his wife will need some female company.’

Like a scolded puppy, Frankie sidled into her seat.

Sitting at the table alone, Jed smiled at her. ‘How you getting on with me mum?’ he asked.

‘Great,’ Frankie lied. She could hardly tell Jed that his mother frightened the living daylights out of her.

Jimmy reappeared with a fattish lad, who had the same piercing green eyes as Jed, and a tarty-looking blonde girl. Jed nudged Frankie and urged her to stand up.

‘Frankie, this is my brother Billy and his wife, Shannon.’

Frankie politely shook hands, disliking both Billy and Shannon on sight. Billy had a slobbery kind of look about him and Frankie noticed him staring at her breasts. Shannon was just hideous. Her hair was dyed a yellowish blonde, showing at least two inches of dark brown roots. She was dripping in gold jewellery and her outfit consisted of a denim skirt so short that it barely covered her buttocks, a pink boob tube that looked far too small, and knee-length white plastic boots. Considering she was obviously about five months pregnant, she didn’t look good, to say the least.

A sulky-looking dark-haired boy ran into the room and Shannon grabbed him. ‘This is Billy Junior, but everyone calls him Mush.’

Frankie smiled politely as little Mush kicked his mother in the shins. ‘He’s lovely,’ she lied. ‘When is your other one due?’

As soon as the room fell silent, Frankie knew she’d said the wrong thing.

‘Shannon isn’t pregnant, Frankie,’ Jed said, embarrassed.

Frankie was mortified. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Shannon glared at her, then at Jed. ‘Trust you to end up with some dinlo gorjer,’ she said nastily.

In a huff, Shannon stomped out to the kitchen to see Alice. ‘I’m sorry, Jed, you know what Shannon’s like, she didn’t mean what she said,’ Billy mumbled, as he followed his wife out of the room.

‘Don’t worry, she’ll be OK in a minute,’ Jed soothingly told Frankie.

‘What’s a gorjer? I’m sure you told me once before, but I’ve forgotten,’ Frankie asked. She already knew from Jed’s expressions that dinlo meant stupid.

‘It just means a non-gypsy girl. You sit ’ere a minute while I go and sort it out,’ Jed said.

As Frankie sat alone in the dining room, she put her head in her hands. Apart from Jimmy, who didn’t say very much, Jed’s family were just awful, and for the first time since she’d met Jed, Frankie had doubts as to what she’d let herself in for.

Another person in the middle of a crisis was Raymond, who was currently pacing up and down his deceased sister’s living room. It was Polly’s mum’s birthday that night, and he was meant to be taking them to a select West End restaurant.

‘You ain’t gonna leave me here on my own with Nan, are you, Ray?’ Joey asked solemnly.

Shaking his head, Raymond sat on the sofa. His fucked-up family were doing his head in lately, and all their dramas certainly weren’t doing his relationship any good. Ray picked up his mobile. Polly was sure to be well pissed off when he told her he had to cancel yet again.

Desperate for a bit of privacy, Raymond told Joey to take the dogs out for a quick walk. As soon as the door slammed, he made the call.

‘I’m sorry, babe, but I don’t think I can get there tonight. Me mum’s ill; I’m round there at the moment. The doctor’s upstairs with her as we speak.’

‘Oh Raymond, you must come. It doesn’t matter if you get there late. What’s wrong with your mum? Is she really ill or is it just flu or something?’

Raymond rubbed his tired eyes. He loved Polly and would be devastated if she grew sick of his problems and binned him. He debated whether to tell his girlfriend the truth, but quickly decided against it. How could he tell her that his father had fucked off and his mother had taken a hammer to the old man’s pigeon shed? Polly’s parents had their faults. Her mum was a big drinker and her dad was a bit of a know-all but, compared to his own parents, they were reasonably normal.

‘I think it’s all the grief caught up with her. She had a funny turn today and fainted. Joey’s here on his own with her. I can’t leave him, Polly.’

‘Where’s your dad?’ Polly asked. ‘Can’t he look after her?’

‘No, he’s got a few problems of his own, so he’s had to go away for a few days. I’m so sorry, Polly. I’ll make it up to you, I promise, babe.’

Polly, for once, wasn’t so understanding. ‘I’m furious, Raymond, absolutely furious,’ she screamed, as she slammed the phone down.

Pissed off with events, Raymond went into the kitchen and poured himself a large Scotch. To say his life had been difficult recently was a huge understatement. Polly was the only thing that even got him through the days, and he knew it was time to reward her patience and perhaps propose.

Ray took a swig of his drink as he heard the doctor coming down the stairs. ‘Well?’ he asked hopefully.

‘I’ve sedated your mother and she seems comfortable. She’s probably just suffering from a mixture of stress and grief. Losing a child affects people in different ways and it might have caused a minor breakdown. I suggest we see how she is in the morning and go from there. I’ve done all I can for now, but she might need to be hospitalised for a short period. I know a very good psychiatrist and I’ll leave you his card just in case you need to contact him.’

Raymond thanked the doc and showed him to the door. Polly and her parents would be well impressed if they knew that his mother was on the verge of being shoved in a loony bin.

When Joey returned with Bruno and Buster, Raymond spoke to him gently. ‘Listen, mate, Nanny’s fine. The doctor’s given her something to calm her down. Now I think the best thing I can do is shoot over to your grandad’s and see if I can sort things out between them. You don’t wanna be stuck here with your nan and neither do I. If Grandad comes back, he can take care of her.’

Joey looked scared. ‘What if she wakes up while you’re gone? You’ve seen what she’s done to the shed, Ray. What if she goes off her head again?’

‘She won’t,’ Raymond said confidently.

Approximately half a mile down the road, Frankie’s night was going from bad to worse. Shannon was now extremely drunk and kept throwing nasty little digs her way. Jed was oblivious to what his sister-in-law was up to. He was too wrapped up discussing business with his dad and brother. As the three men stood up to leave the table, Frankie’s heart lurched. Surely he wasn’t going to leave her alone with his mum and Shannon.

Noticing her look of despair, Jed called her into the hallway. ‘What’s a matter, babe?’

‘Where you going?’ Frankie asked him fearfully.

Jed put his arms around her and squeezed her buttocks against his groin. ‘I won’t be long. I’m only going in the lounge to have a game of cards with me dad and Bill.’

‘Please don’t leave me on my own, Jed. Your sister-in-law really doesn’t like me. Ever since I said I thought she was pregnant, she’s been saying horrible stuff and giving me daggers. I feel like a gooseberry with her and your mum. I don’t really know ’em that well, so can’t I just go back to the trailer?’

Jed pulled away from her. ‘No, you can’t, Frankie. Me mum’s just cooked you dinner and if you fuck off, it’s rude. We’re living together now, so you’re gonna have to get used to our way of life. It’s the norm in travelling families for the women to sit chatting and the men to go off and do other stuff. You’ve gotta learn to mix better. If Shannon gives you a hard time, then give it to her back.’

Frankie’s eyes welled up, but in seconds tears were replaced by fire. ‘OK, I’ll be polite, but if she keeps getting on my case, then I’ll tell her her fortune. And as for your mum telling me she needs to give me cooking lessons otherwise you’ll leave me, if she starts again, I’ll tell her an’ all.’

Frankie went to walk away, but Jed violently yanked her back by the arm. ‘Say what you like to Shannon, but don’t you ever disrespect my mum, else you’ll have me to deal with.’

Shocked by the way he’d grabbed her and the look on his face, Frankie lowered her eyes. ‘Of course I won’t, Jed. I’m sorry.’

As Jed kissed her and went off to play cards, Frankie wandered back into the kitchen.

‘There you are,’ Alice said, patting the seat next to her.

Shannon glared at Frankie. ‘Now you’re back, gorjer girl, I’m going outside for a smoke.’

Alice smiled as Shannon left the room. ‘Between me and you, I’ve never liked Shannon that much. Old shitty drawers is my nickname for her. Jimmy’s great-great-grandfather was Irish, but why my Billy married an Irish tinker, I’ll never know. They ain’t decent travellers like us English ones. Scum, they are. Take no notice of her behaviour. She’s just jealous because you’re prettier than her,’ she whispered to Frankie.

Shocked by Jed’s mother’s kindness, Frankie was lost for words. She didn’t want to involve herself too much in family business she knew nothing about, and Alice had been all over Shannon like a rash earlier.

‘Where’s Jed’s other brother, Marky?’ she asked Alice.

‘Oh, Marky can’t make it. Rang up over an hour a go, he did. His youngest chavvie, Teddy boy, fell over. Got a big gash down his leg, he has, and they’ve taken him up the hospital.’

Frankie didn’t know how to react. ‘Will he be OK?’ she whispered.

Alice laughed. ‘Teddy’s a tough kid. He’ll be fine. You just worry about yourself and that grandchild of mine, Frankie. I dunno if Jed’s told you, but I can see the future. My grandma was the same, and her mum before her. It’s a gift that’s been passed down through the generations. You know I told you earlier that the nurse asked me if I wanted to know the sex of my child when I miscarried. Well, I already knew it was a girl. Jimmy didn’t believe me – that’s why I wanted ’em to confirm it. I also knew that my pregnancy was cursed. I kept telling my Jimmy, but he wouldn’t listen.’

Alice smiled sadly and held Frankie’s hand. ‘I know you’re having a little girl, Frankie. I can sense it, in fact I’ve never been so sure of anything in me life.’

Frankie’s eyes were as big as flying saucers. ‘But, how do you know?’ she asked. Alice was staring at her and completely freaking her out.