When Sammi’s parents left, Little Vinny gave his girlfriend a kiss. Their son was now four days old and the doctors were going to take him off the machine helping him breathe this afternoon. ‘He’s gonna be OK, Sammi, so stop worrying.’
‘But say he can’t breathe on his own? I just want to take him home. I can’t go home without him. Even if they discharge me tomorrow, I can’t leave him.’
‘Sam, these doctors know what they’re doing. Look at some of the poor babies in that unit. Our boy looks massive compared to most. He’s gonna breathe just fine on his own, trust me. My dad and nan are coming up later. My nan can’t wait to meet him. Now let’s choose a name. I know you think it’s tempting fate to choose one before he comes off that machine, but we have to name him, whatever happens.’
‘I want to call him Oliver.’
Little Vinny turned his nose up. ‘Why Oliver?’
‘Because a couple of years after Millie was born my mum fell pregnant again. My dad was desperate for a son and Mum was having a boy. He chose the name Oliver, but unfortunately my mum lost the baby, then had to have a hysterectomy. I know it would mean the world to my parents if we named our son Oliver. A lovely tribute to the little brother I never got to meet.’
Unusually for him, Little Vinny felt unable to say no. He’d been a right bastard to Sammi during her pregnancy and wanted to make up for his wrongdoings. Plus getting in her father’s good books could only be a positive thing. Meg had softened towards him already, but Gary still loathed him. Little Vinny could see the hatred in his eyes. ‘I suppose Ollie Butler ain’t so bad. Whatever makes you happy, babe.’
Sammi-Lou threw her arms around her boyfriend’s neck. ‘Thank you, Vin. I can’t wait to tell my mum and dad. They’ll be so chuffed.’
Nancy Butler crept up the stairs. She’d just spoken to the police, who’d confirmed no further action would be taken against Daniel unless new evidence came to light.
Having been unable to sleep, relief had seeped through Nancy’s veins until she’d seen her eldest son grinning like a Cheshire cat out the corner of her eye. Daniel was as guilty as sin, Nancy knew he was and she was determined to find out the truth, hence her earwigging.
‘Told you the Bakers would be too scared to grass, didn’t I? I overheard Nan and Auntie Viv talking once. Dad beat up Brad and Kurt’s uncle and put him in hospital because their mum kept playing her music loud,’ Nancy heard Daniel bragging.
‘Really?’ Adam replied, slightly confused. His dad was quite a gentleman at home, unless he was arguing with his mum, and Adam couldn’t imagine him beating up his nan’s next-door neighbour so badly that the man had ended up in hospital.
‘Yeah, really. Nobody dare upset our dad or family, Adam. We’re Butlers, that’s why people are so scared of us,’ Daniel said, his voice full of pride.
Recoiling from her sons’ bedroom door, Nancy felt physically sick as she crept back down the stairs. How had it come to this? Her brother had always insisted that her sons would end up on the wrong road. Said it was inevitable, them being Michael’s sons. How Nancy wished the ground could open up and swallow her right now. No way was she going to allow Daniel to get away with what he’d done. He needed to be taught right from wrong and if that meant her telling the police the truth, then so be it.
Madam Lydia lived in Islington, not far from the Angel, and as Michael neared her premises he started to panic. Fortune-tellers had always put the fear of God into him, ever since his mother had told him a horror story about one many years ago. ‘We’re a bit early, Bella. Let’s have a quick drink in that boozer, eh?’
Bella smiled. She could sense Michael’s apprehension and was enjoying every second of it. ‘OK. But just the one drink. Madam Lydia is not a fan of people drinking alcohol before she stares into her crystal ball. She says it hampers the reading. I know you’re a disbeliever, Michael, but you will be shocked at how accurate Madam Lydia is. She has film stars and pop stars visit her from all over the world. I have no idea if this is true, but the friend who first introduced me said Mick Jagger had once flown all the way from Germany to see her while he was on tour.’
Michael dragged Bella into the boozer. The quicker he got this bollocks over with, the better.
‘Christ! This is posh. Who you borrowed it off?’ Queenie Butler asked, as she stepped into the shiny new-looking black Mercedes. Since Vinny had come out of nick, he’d been driving around in Jay’s motor, but this was a bit of a step up.
‘It’s mine, Mum. Bought it this morning. Only six months old. The previous owner croaked it, apparently.’
‘Oh, dear Lord. It looks a bit like a hearse. I hope it isn’t cursed.’
Vinny smiled. His mother’s superstitious nature never failed to amuse him. ‘Did you and Auntie Viv pop down the Roman?’
‘No. Too bleedin’ cold, so we decided against it. There’s a new soap starting in February. Viv showed me the article in the Sun. Set in the East End in a fictional area called Walford. I bet it’s a right load of old shit. Doubt they’ll have proper East Enders acting in it either. What d’you reckon?’
‘I dunno, Mum, and to be honest I don’t really care. I’d rather stick pins in my eyes than watch soaps.’
Queenie squeezed her son’s hand. ‘The boy’s going to be OK, you know. I’ve been feeling positive ever since I got up this morning and saw those two magpies staring at me from the conservatory window.’
‘Little Vinny won’t cope if that baby don’t make it, Mum. He isn’t strong enough. I didn’t realize quite how much Molly’s death had affected him until the other day. He’s still really cut up about it and it’s obvious he blames himself.’
‘And so he bastard-well should. If it wasn’t for his inability to stay awake, that dear little girl would still be alive.’
Glancing at his mother, Vinny saw the twisted expression on her face and turned the volume of the radio up. She had no compassion at times. The woman was as tough as old boots.
The last time Michael Butler could remember feeling this nervous was when he and Vinny had kidnapped Trevor Thomas, driven him to East Hanningfield, then tortured the poor bastard to death.
‘I see a beautiful dark-haired woman who has stolen your heart. This woman is your soul-mate,’ Madam Lydia whispered.
Michael stared at the old bird. She looked about fifty, had red hair and a pleasant face. Michael wasn’t silly. If Bella had booked this appointment then of course Madam Lydia was going to describe her. He imagined the diamond stud in her nose and patterned headscarf were all props to make her seem like the real deal.
‘I see another woman, blonde, but she is moving towards the background, then completely disappears out of sight.’
‘I’ve never had a reading before. Am I meant to ask questions?’ Michael asked awkwardly. He felt like a right plonker, sitting opposite this woman. Vinny would cane him if he ever found out he’d visited her.
‘You can ask me questions if you wish. Some I may be able to answer, some I might not.’
‘Do you see me with the blonde woman or the dark-haired one in the future?’
Making a strange humming noise, Madam Lydia stared into her crystal ball. ‘The dark-haired woman. But, wait, there is a man, a horrid man who will not allow you to be happy. He is evil. He’s watching over you. Watching and waiting.’
Feeling completely freaked out, Michael asked about the blonde woman again.
Madam Lydia was not feeling comfortable. It was very rare for her to stare into her crystal ball and see nothing but tragedy ahead. ‘The blonde woman has vanished. I cannot see her any longer.’
‘What about my brother? Can you see him?’ Michael asked, testing the fruitcake.
‘Yes, I can see your brother. Did he take his own life? I have a strong vision of him. He looks similar to you and he is smiling. This is a sign he wants me to tell you he is happy now.’
Michael felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. Had Bella told Madam Lydia his past for a wind-up?
Or was the old bird for real? Deciding to test her again, he asked ‘Can you see my kids?’
Shutting her eyes, Madam Lydia massaged her crystal ball, then opened her eyes again. ‘I can see two boys. One is dark, the other blond. They are going to work with you one day. I can see a club with lots of flashing lights.’
‘I have three boys, not two.’
Madam Lydia felt herself shudder. She wasn’t getting very good vibes from this gentleman at all. ‘I am so very sorry, but I must cut this reading short. I have one of my migraines coming on. I will not charge you, but I wish you well for the future.’
‘Is he OK?’ Little Vinny asked anxiously.
The female doctor smiled. ‘Your son seems to be breathing perfectly well all by himself.’
‘Cheers, God,’ Little Vinny mumbled, holding his girlfriend close to his chest.
Sammi-Lou had tears of utter joy streaming down her face. ‘Can we hold him properly now?’
‘Yes. Of course you can.’
When a nurse placed her son in her arms without him being wired up to breathing apparatus for the very first time, Sammi-Lou stared at him in wonder. He only had a slight bit of hair, but it was blonde like hers, rather than dark like Vinny’s. ‘He’s so gorgeous, and look at his little chest moving all on its own, Vin.’
Little Vinny planted a kiss on his son’s forehead. ‘He’s absolutely perfect. I can’t believe we created him, can you?’
Meg felt very emotional as she witnessed the touching scene. She put her arm around Gary’s waist. ‘I told you he would be OK, didn’t I?’
‘We can’t keep calling him “he” or “boy”. Yous two thought of a name yet?’ Gary asked.
Sammi placed her son in her boyfriend’s arms. ‘Yes. We’ve decided to call him Oliver, as a tribute to the little brother I never got to meet.’
The tears finally came for Meg. ‘Oh, that’s such a lovely and thoughtful thing to do. Our Oliver can live on through yours. I’m so happy. Isn’t it a wonderful gesture, Gary?’
Gary Allen thought the gesture was anything but fucking wonderful. If his and Meg’s Oliver had survived he would have been an Allen, not a poxy Butler. Not wanting to upset his wife or daughter, Gary forced a smile. ‘Yeah. Nice.’
Not feeling at all hungry, Michael Butler ordered some food nevertheless, then sat down at the table opposite Bella.
‘Well? What did she say? You look as white as a sheet,’ Bella commented.
Michael necked his chaser in one, then took a sip of his pint. ‘That woman’s off her head, babe. Don’t be asking me to visit her again, will ya? A proper nutjob if I ever did meet one.’
‘Whatever did she say to you, Michael? Please tell me the truth. This was the whole purpose of our visit.’
‘Did you tell her about me or you? Or that my brother Roy killed himself?’
‘No. Of course not. I told her you were a work colleague of mine, and I swear on Antonio’s life I never mentioned anything else about you or your family.’
Michael momentarily froze. No way would Bella swear on her son’s life if she wasn’t telling the truth, so perhaps that mad old bat did have special powers? ‘She just freaked me out, Bella. She spoke about Roy taking his own life and she sort of described you as well.’
‘What did she say about me?’ Bella enquired.
‘You tell me what she said to you about me first. That was the deal we had.’
Bella squeezed Michael’s hand. ‘Madam Lydia described you to a tee and hinted that we were destined to be together. Is that what she told you?’
‘Yeah. Said we were soul-mates, but then started rambling on about some evil geezer who didn’t want us to be together.’
It was now Bella’s face that turned pale. That was the exact same story Madam Lydia had told her.
Queenie Butler rocked her family’s new addition in her arms. She felt far too young and glamorous to be a great-grandma, but the lad was a bonny boy and she’d already fallen in love with him. ‘Aw, bless him. He’s so gorgeous. Don’t look nothing like our side of the family though. Got your looks he has, Sammi. You thought of a name yet?’
Little Vinny slung an arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders. He hadn’t touched a drink since Boxing Day and felt like a new person. He had a future now. A beautiful girlfriend and a son. ‘We’ve decided to call him Oliver, Nan.’
Queenie Butler sneered. ‘Don’t like that name, do you, Vinny? Reminds me of the film where that poor little bastard was begging for food. Can’t you call him something else?’ Queenie asked her grandson.
When Little Vinny explained why he and Sammi-Lou had chosen to call their baby Oliver, Gary Allen stormed out of the ward. Not only did he loathe his daughter’s boyfriend. He despised the little git’s family even more.
Back in Islington, Michael pushed his barely touched lunch to one side.
‘Is your food not nice?’ Bella asked.
‘I’m just not hungry. I had a big fry-up in the café this morning.’
‘Don’t be worrying too much about what Madam Lydia said. She isn’t always spot on,’ Bella assured Michael. She could see how much the reading had freaked him out, so had decided it would be best not to tell him that Lydia had warned her about an evil man as well.
‘It’s the bit about my boys that scared me the most. How come she could only see two? Makes me wonder if Nancy had a fucking affair and one of ’em ain’t mine. She weren’t talking about Lee, ’cause she could see a blond boy.’
‘You’re talking rubbish now, Michael. Of course Daniel and Adam are both your sons. You need to chill out a bit. Having a reading is meant to be a bit of fun, you know. You’re not meant to take it so seriously.’
‘I didn’t like the way she ended it either. It was as though she saw something bad in that ball of hers. I don’t believe for a minute that she actually had a migraine.’
‘I wish I’d never suggested you visit her now. You sound like my dad did when he used to tell my mum off for visiting that gypsy woman. Just put it to the back of your mind, OK? We hold the key to our future, not Madam bloody Lydia.’
Relieved to be back in Tillingham, Joanna Preston was in the kitchen making sandwiches.
Darren Grant crept up behind her and put his hands around her waist. ‘You OK?’
‘I feel much better now we’re home. My dad harping on about Vinny constantly was doing my head in. What’s Shane and Ava up to?’
‘Watching The Wizard of Oz. I can’t believe how well they’ve bonded, can you?’
Joanna turned around. ‘I’ve been thinking. It’s silly you paying rent on your flat when you spend most of your time here. Why don’t you move in properly?’
Darren grinned. ‘Wait there a minute.’
Returning seconds later, Darren dropped to one knee and opened a small red velvet box. ‘Marry me, Jo.’
‘Oh my God! When did you buy that?’ Joanna squealed excitedly.
‘Only recently. I asked your dad’s permission first and was going to propose at Christmas, but it didn’t seem appropriate after Vinny turned up. If you need time to think about your answer, I’ll understand.’
Joanna smiled. Darren was so kind and thoughtful. She’d had no confidence at all during her relationship with Vinny, but life with Darren was the opposite. He made her feel beautiful, desirable, loved and wanted. ‘Of course I’ll marry you.’
‘What you doing, Mum?’ Ava asked.
Joanna crouched down and hugged her daughter. ‘Darren and I are getting married, darling. You can be my bridesmaid.’
Perplexed, Ava put her hands on her hips. ‘But I’ve already got a daddy.’
Michael Butler smiled as Bella made her way back from the toilet. She was wearing a red leather jacket, red high-heeled knee-length boots, skin-tight faded jeans and a black fitted low-cut T-shirt. She looked incredible and Michael was well aware that virtually every other bloke in the pub had their eyes glued to her as well.
‘I got you another drink, babe.’
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br /> ‘Thanks. This will have to be my last though. I need to get home to Antonio.’
‘I was thinking. Do you fancy a night or a couple of days away? We could stay in a top hotel, or somewhere in the country?’
‘No thanks. I’ve already explained to you that I will not be your bit on the side again. It isn’t fair on me, you, Nancy or our children.’
‘Well, I’ve made my decision. It’s you I want, not Nancy, so I’m going to leave her. The boys are old enough to cope with the split now and I will still see them regularly. We can do family stuff together. My boys are great with kids, so they’ll love Antonio. We could all go on holiday. I do need to sort out my affairs before I drop the bombshell though. Nancy is sure to want a divorce when I tell her I’ve met somebody else, so I wanna start shifting some money out my bank and hiding it. She’s bound to go for half of all my assets. I was going to buy my brother out of the club completely, but I might have to re-think that one now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no tight bastard and Nance and the boys won’t ever want for anything, but I don’t see why she should get her hands on half the club.’
Bella was overjoyed, but also shocked. Michael had obviously thought this through and she hadn’t expected him to make such an important choice quite so quickly. They’d only bumped into one another again just over a week ago. ‘Are you sure this is what you want, Michael? I know it’s what I want, but it’s much simpler for me because I am single. I would never ask you to walk away from your children.’
‘I won’t be walking away from ’em, Bell. I’ll buy a nice gaff and they can stay over at weekends. A few years down the line they’ll be working for me anyway. I know this is what I want. Never been more sure about anything in my life.’
Bella leaned across the table and held Michael’s handsome face in her hands. No other man had ever come close in her heart. ‘You take as much time to sort your affairs out as you need.’
Michael grinned. ‘I’m gonna marry you one day, sweetheart. Bella Butler has a blinding ring to it, don’t ya think?’
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