The Life

by Martina Cole

  Daniel Bailey looked at his sons again, warily now. He licked his lips slowly, contemplating how best to deal with the situation he was in, and wondered how he’d reached the point where his own kids felt they were within their rights to question him as if he was a fucking romancer, a fucking no one. He shook his head in disbelief.

  His sons waited, on tenterhooks, aware that if he went off they would need their wits and their combined strength to subdue him. He was a hard old fucker – there was no doubt in any of their minds about that – but he was also a liability, and they were all agreed that this was something they had to address, no matter what the result might be.

  Noel raised his right hand instinctively to his chest. Daniel was stunned to see the boy caress the outline of what was obviously a gun.

  He challenged him. ‘What, you going to fucking shoot me, son? Is that what this is about?’ He was almost laughing as he spoke to him.

  Danny sighed. ‘We all carry guns, Dad, remember? You were the one who insisted on it. No one wants to have a fucking row about this, but we will if that’s what it’s gonna take. You nearly killed Derek, and there was no fucking need for any of it. Now we are back to square one, you wiped out in a fucking afternoon everything we have achieved over the last couple of years. All our credibility has disappeared, Dad. No one will want to deal with us in the future, because they won’t feel fucking safe, they will think you will fucking take umbrage over fuck-all, and they will be the next person you decide to batter senseless. This is about us working together as a team and about you giving us the respect we give you.’

  Daniel Bailey was looking at his sons as if he had never seen any of them before in his life. A detached part of him realised that they were boys to be proud of. They were trying to talk to him as men – as men who saw themselves as his equal. But it was a shocker because it occurred to him just how much he had taken them for granted; somehow along the line he had missed them growing up, growing away from him. They had all grown closer to each other and now they were a formidable team. He had never truly appreciated them, and that was a mistake he was now paying for big time.

  Daniel Bailey had only ever shown real affection to the women in his life and, of course, his brother Peter. He had only ever seen his boys as a potential workforce who would, one day, run his businesses alongside him. And, as his flesh and blood, he had assumed that they would always be as easy to manipulate, to manage, as they had been as children.

  Well, he had certainly fucking got that wrong! They had become great big lumps who he now saw he had seriously underestimated. He had to diffuse this situation, he knew that much.

  ‘Are you going to answer me, Dad?’

  Daniel Bailey nodded, his whole demeanour changing in an instant, as he attempted to appear contrite. ‘Derek fucking mugged me off, and you know me, boys – I don’t take kindly to people who think they can take advantage of my good nature.’

  ‘Look, Dad, it’s not just us who have had enough of your fucking antics, right? Uncle Peter has asked me to tell you that he is not impressed with your behaviour either. He makes sure you have your earn, and we, my brothers and me, your sons, are trying to keep up with Uncle Peter and his lads. We could be earning a lot more if you weren’t hanging round our necks like a fucking albatross. So you think twice before you threaten us in the future, because if we walk away, you won’t have fucking no one.’

  Daniel Bailey saw that if he wasn’t careful he would lose them once and for all. They were good earners, he knew that better than anyone. His eldest lad had a flair for negotiating with people, and he was fair. He had a lot of Peter in him actually, had his brother’s understanding of people’s weak spots, and how best to utilise them to his own advantage.

  But the mention of his brother’s interference was the final humiliation for Daniel as a man. That his own sons were willing to use Peter as a bargaining chip was not only an outrageous act, but also a seriously treacherous and humiliating one. It showed him just how far apart they had been driven. That they had already discussed him with his brother was demeaning, was wrong, all fucking wrong. The fact that Peter had not even bothered to talk to him personally was the final insult. But even feeling as he did about the whole situation, Daniel saw that he had no choice any more, he had to toe the line. The days of him demanding his sons’ obedience were long gone.

  He looked once more at his sons, saw their handsome faces, knew he should be proud of them, knew that most men in their world would be patting themselves on the back, thrilled at having produced four fine sons who were savvy, respected and, best of all, loyal to their own flesh and blood. But, instead, Daniel felt betrayed.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Peter Bailey was happy. He was in one of his own pubs, relaxing with his wife, kids and grandson. He had bought this pub a few months earlier. It was in the heart of Essex, and the countryside surrounding it was stunning. It was a real family place, and he loved that he could go there with his nearest and dearest, have a nice meal, a few drinks and, more to the point, conduct certain parts of his businesses in peace and tranquillity. The beer garden was packed, and he was pleased to see the children playing in the small playground he had recently had installed. It was a perfect Sunday afternoon – the weather was good, the gardens looked well tended, and the punters were nice people with smart cars and money to spend.

  Ria had been the one to suggest getting a decent chef in, and she had been right – it was more than paying off. Word had spread about the quality of the grub and they were now getting so many bookings they were considering extending the premises.

  As he sipped his beer, he sighed contentedly. Delroy grinned at him, and he shrugged nonchalantly. ‘What? What’s so funny?’

  ‘You, sitting there like a day tripper, all relaxed and full of bonhomie.’

  Peter laughed himself then. ‘I suppose that’s just what I am really – today anyway. I’m just out with my family, having a few beers, and enjoying the good weather. What more could I want.’

  Delroy nodded in agreement. ‘Good fucking investment this – people have money to spend, and somewhere like this is perfect. Look at them. Smiling, contented and, above all, willing to weigh out for a meal as well as their drinks. Whoever coined the term “family pub” should be knighted.’

  ‘Too right.’ Peter picked up his pint and sipped it once more. This was the first time in ages he had felt so relaxed. Since the trouble with his brother, he had been on edge, knowing that his silence over the debacle had not been appreciated. He was aware that people felt he should have chastised Daniel to show that he did not condone his brother’s actions. But, as much as he had wanted to, he just couldn’t do it to him. There were too many people waiting their chance to settle old scores with Daniel; if he turned his back on his little brother publicly, it would be like finally admitting to everyone that he was finished with him for ever.

  His nephews were growing up into decent men, good earners and, more important than anything else, they were loyal right down to the bone. They worked hard, and they were up against it with their father’s natural lunacy fucking it up for them!

  Peter pushed the thoughts out of his head; he was sick of still having his brother invading his life. He was out with his family, he wanted to enjoy the day.

  He watched as Imelda came out of the pub with a tray of drinks. She was a good girl and, as much as it had pained him to admit it, Delroy had been a good husband to her. Oh, Peter knew he took a flyer occasionally, but then that wasn’t a big deal. It was when a man had a regular bird that the trouble started. No, all in all, he was pleased with Delroy, he had proved his loyalty, and come up trumps with the idea to buy the clubs. And now he was a Face in his own right, so he had nothing to prove.

  Delroy got up and helped Imelda with the tray of drinks and, as Ria walked back to the table holding her grandson’s hand, Peter realised what a lucky man he was. He had so much – it was time to start enjoying it properly. His boys were old enough to take over th
e lion’s share of the business, and that would give him and Ria the opportunity to spend some time together before they were too old to really enjoy themselves.

  ‘Uncle Peter?’

  ‘Hello, lads.’

  It was young Danny and his brother Davey. Peter smiled widely at them both, pleased to see them and, as they sat down at the table, gratified to see their obvious pleasure in their surroundings. It was the first time they had been to this pub, and he liked that they were immediately impressed with it. They were good lads. They had never come to him complaining about their father’s behaviour – they had enough loyalty to try and sort out any creases by themselves. They were clearly relieved though at his intervention over Derek; he knew better than anyone how awkward his brother could be when the fancy took him.

  Delroy went off to get them drinks, and Peter said quietly, ‘How did he take it?’

  Danny shrugged his shoulders. ‘Better than I thought but, to be really honest, he was only swayed when we mentioned you. He’s a strange man, Uncle Peter.’

  Peter sighed heavily, the joy of the day deserting him. ‘How are things on the street?’

  Danny sat back in his chair, his blond hair golden in the sunlight. Peter had to admit just how good-looking his nephews were – they were really handsome.

  ‘We’ve smoothed most of it over, but the bookies are fucking antsy now, as you can imagine, after the old man’s latest escapade. Typical fucking bookies! Rob each other blind, but cut one of the bastards and they all bleed.’

  Peter Bailey put his head back and laughed loudly. ‘Never a truer fucking word spoken, but they’ll get over it. What we need to do now is ensure that it never happens again. I have swallowed about as much as I can, and you know that. I could have rowed him out a long time ago, but I didn’t. Now I am telling you all, you can have your share, but if he steps out of line once more, I will fucking take him out myself.’

  Danny and his brother both dropped their heads in embarrassment.

  ‘Do you know the worst of it, boys? Your father doesn’t even think he’s done anything wrong. When he attacks like that, it means nothing to him.’

  No one said a word then. They just sat back in their chairs, and waited patiently for Delroy to bring out their drinks.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Lena was excited because today her Noel was bringing a girl home to meet her. It was the first time any of her sons had officially invited a girl round to the house. Oh, she knew they had snuck girls in – she wasn’t stupid – but the boys had always made sure they were gone by the morning. And now here was her Noel bringing home a girl he was obviously keen on, and she was really thrilled at the prospect.

  She had knocked up a nice sponge cake and some sandwiches, and she had also made a quiche and a huge bowl of salad. She looked around her kitchen and, for the first time, wished she had as nice a house as Ria. Not that they couldn’t have afforded it, but Lena would rather have the cash. Most days she felt her home was more than adequate, if not exactly luxurious.

  She wiped the worktops down for the twentieth time, and looked out of the window to check on Tania. She smiled to herself as she saw her daughter sitting on the grass, playing with her dolls while chattering away to herself. Tania had a great imagination, and she was not a child who was constantly demanding attention – unlike the boys who had driven her mental from the moment they had opened their eyes, until she had finally got them back into their beds.

  She heard the front door open and, plastering a wide smile on her face, she waited for her son to bring in the girl he was obviously really keen on.

  Noel came into the kitchen and, looking decidedly sheepish, he introduced the girl who was standing behind him in the hallway. All Lena could really see was that the girl was tiny, but as she walked into the kitchen, Lena smiled in delight. She was an angel; she had a thick head of auburn hair, and green eyes – it was a startling combination. She was very fine-boned, with cheekbones you could cut paper on, and a trim figure that was in perfect proportion.

  ‘This is Christine Marks. Christine, this is my old mum.’ Noel’s voice was full of pride as he made the introductions.

  As the girl held out her hand, the front door banged open noisily and Theresa Bailey burst into the kitchen, all excited and looking at Christine Marks as if she was a prime cow on sale at the auctions. She said loudly, ‘Jaysus, Noel, she’s fecking gorgeous.’

  Noel laughed with a mixture of delight and embarrassment. ‘This is my nana, Theresa Bailey. Just about as Irish as you can get and, Nana, this is Christine Marks. You’ll be pleased to know she’s from good Irish stock!’

  The women took to each other immediately and Noel, seeing that, was deeply relieved. Sitting down at the kitchen table, he watched quietly as they chatted amongst themselves. He was madly in love with Christine, and he had prayed like a Benedictine monk all day long that she would get on with his mother. If they had not taken to each other, he knew he would have had to out her, and that would have been hard. But the fact of it was, you could have fifty birds and five wives in your lifetime, but you only had one mother.

  Daniel Bailey came home to find his wife and his mother entertaining a young girl, and his son Noel sitting in the kitchen watching it all like some kind of fucking imbecile. He was the first of the boys to go looking for a wife, and she was a nice-looking girl, no doubt about that but, as he was introduced to her, and feigned interest in what was going on around him, his mind was on other things.

  Tania came in from the garden and she slipped on to his lap. As he hugged her to him, he felt the loneliness of his life envelop him. He had once had it all – everything he had ever dreamed of, had ever wanted, and now it was ruined. First, his brother had abandoned him and now, it seemed, his sons had followed in their uncle’s footsteps. He was still a man to be reckoned with, was still a man who was known as somebody you didn’t mess with, but he was also now a man who was afforded no real respect. He had finally realised, at this late date, when his own sons, his flesh and blood, had confronted him, that everything he had ever believed in was a sham. Especially where his boys were concerned.

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Petey Bailey was watching the poker game with interest. His father was testing him by putting him in charge of the gaming clubs, that was clear enough – seeing if his son had the strength to resist the lure of the tables. So far, Petey felt he was doing pretty well; his urge to gamble was somewhat assuaged by the fact that he was creaming at least twenty per cent of the profits thereby ensuring himself a nice little earner on the side.

  It was in his nature to want a sideline of his own. His father would see it as a weakness but, even knowing that, Petey still felt the familiar thrill as he pocketed his ill-gotten gains. He had the gambler’s need to earn money for nothing, and he knew that he would always need that rush. He wondered how long it would be before his father found out he was on the rob. He knew he had to be careful if he was to regain the trust of the family and that made him hate them all the more.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Lena and Imelda were both laughing at Theresa as she described her latest beau. Ria poured wine for them all as she marvelled at the older woman’s lust for life.

  Theresa was the first person to admit that she had no interest in a relationship, but she still liked to be chased and, in truth, she did seem to be chased on a regular basis. At nearly sixty, she still had more than a vestige of her youthful good looks, there was no denying that. Lena knew her own daughter had inherited them, and she was glad; Theresa had been a beauty in her day.

  Ria was more pleased about Lena’s easy laughter, it was good to see her sister-in-law so relaxed. Ria knew the situation between the brothers was harder on her than any of them. Lena had said nothing to Ria about it since she’d asked her, in a roundabout way, to speak to Peter. Ria feared that Lena had taken a step backwards into her own world since she’d refused to help. But it was only a matter of time till it all came to a head and wha
t was Lena going to do then?

  Ria turned her attention to Theresa. ‘So, come on, who is it this time?’

  Theresa laughed loudly. Her eyes were a beautiful deep blue, and her laugh was as deep and husky as ever. ‘Well, he’s an old Face from years ago. Tommy Barker’s his name, done a serious lump in his youth, came out and earned his coin, as you do. Now he’s well set up with his own house, a nice business. I like his company. He makes me laugh.’

  Ria grinned. Theresa was a real character; she lived life to the full, and good luck to her as well. She had always gone through men like a hot knife through butter. ‘What was he away for, then?’

  Theresa shrugged her shoulders, and said sotto voce, ‘Murder, but it was a long time ago. It wasn’t a civilian or nothing like that. He ain’t an animal, it was just business.’

  Lena appeared genuinely shocked at her mother-in-law’s words, and Ria wondered at the woman’s ability to play the ingénue with two women who knew she had to be aware of at least some of Daniel’s lifestyle. No one was that fucking green, not in their world anyway.

  ‘You be careful, Theresa. Who did he murder?’

  Theresa smiled sadly. ‘It was a long time ago. Tommy was a gangster in the fifties and he killed a man who owed him money and respect. I remember it, actually. His wife died while he was banged up, and his kids were brought up by his sister. Sad, for everyone concerned. But, anyway, I like him. He’s a laugh, and good company to boot.’

  Lena was tight-lipped, and Theresa could see the disapproval on her face, as if she was above it all, not a part of the life they were living. Sometimes Lena’s insistence on acting as if her husband was a fucking saint really stuck in her craw. Who the hell did she think she was? Turning to her daughter-in-law, she said angrily, ‘Why the shocked face, Lena? You’re married to Daniel Bailey, my son. He has more than a few fucking bodies on his conscience – that’s if he actually has one, which I doubt very much and I’m his mother! So, in future, I would appreciate it if you didn’t act shocked at the men I have in my life. I have never answered to anyone and, Lena, my darling, I am not fucking starting now. So don’t you dare try and make me feel bad about the life I live. At least I’m not a fucking hypocrite!’