‘And you’re a liar, Michael. Now get out of this house. I want to speak with Katy alone.’
‘Just let me explain,’ Michael begged.
Ordering Antonio to take Camila upstairs, Bella told Katy to take Nathan in the lounge. She shut the door, and turned to Michael, her eyes blazing with fury. ‘Get out! And don’t fucking come back until I tell you to,’ she hissed.
Michael’s eyes welled up. ‘Please don’t do this, Bell. I had a fling with Katy when you fucked off to Italy that time. You weren’t even answering my calls. I didn’t think you were coming back.’
‘You disgust me. That girl looks young enough to be your daughter.’
Not sure what else to do, grabbing his car keys, Michael bolted from the house.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Katy was comforting Nathan when Bella walked into the room. He’d seen Michael drive off through the window. ‘My friend is parked at the bottom of your drive with her son. Is it OK if I let her know what’s going on?’ Katy asked awkwardly.
‘Tell your friend and her son to come inside. I need to see to my children, then I’ll put the kettle on,’ Bella replied.
Bella went upstairs. She was still in a complete state of shock. ‘Don’t cry, darling. Everything is going to be OK,’ she assured her inconsolable son.
‘Is that woman Michael’s girlfriend?’ Antonio sobbed.
‘No. She isn’t Michael’s girlfriend.’
‘But she said her son was Michael’s,’ Antonio insisted.
Camila didn’t understand what was going on, but knew it was something bad because Antonio was so upset.
‘I’m going to talk to Katy and find out the truth. Can you stay up here and look after Camila for me, Antonio? As soon as Katy leaves, I’ll call you and we’ll order our takeaway.’
‘I’m not hungry now. Can I go to Edward’s house, Mum?’
‘No. Mummy doesn’t want anybody finding out about this, OK? And I need you to be brave and take care of your sister. I promise you everything will be fine.’
‘Where’s Daddy gone?’ Camila asked.
‘I don’t know. But he’ll be back soon,’ Bella reassured her daughter.
‘I don’t like that Katy, Mum. Tell her to go away,’ Antonio said.
‘I will. But I need to speak with her first. You two stay up here and I’ll call you when she’s gone.’
Hearing the front door shut, Bella left her children huddled together on the bed. How could Michael do this to them? She had never in a million years suspected him of cheating on her.
‘This is my friend Lucy and her son Jonny,’ Katy said.
‘Hello. Sit down and make yourselves comfortable. Would you like tea, coffee or something stronger?’ Bella asked.
‘I’ll have a wine please, if you have any? Orange juice, or any soft drink will be fine for Nathan and Jonny. What do you want, Lucy?’ Katy asked.
‘Coffee, please.’
Bella returned minutes later with a tray and placed it on the coffee table. ‘Help yourselves to cake, boys.’
‘Where has my dad gone?’ Nathan asked, innocently.
Bella studied the child. He looked eerily like Michael, far more so than Daniel and Lee did, and Bella guessed that Katy had dressed and styled his hair in such a way that he resembled his father even more. ‘I’m not sure where your dad is. But you’re bound to see him again very soon. Would you like to play with some toys in the other room?’
Nathan looked at his mother for approval. ‘Go with Bella, love. She’ll show you where the toys are. Take your drink and cake with you. And you, Jonny,’ Katy smiled. This was all going far better than she could ever have imagined.
Bella led the boys into the play room, then sat opposite Katy with a steely glint in her eyes. ‘I want you to tell me everything from the very beginning. No bullshit. The truth.’
In a complete daze, Michael Butler drove towards Whitechapel. His mother was going to be livid that he’d kept a grandson a secret from her, and Michael wanted to break the news in person before anybody else did.
Hearing Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, Michael turned the volume down. The song was in the charts again, and Michael could remember 1975, the year it was first released, like it was yesterday. Nancy had loved it, and he’d queued up in Downtown Records to buy the single for her.
Feeling melancholy, Michael angrily switched the radio off. Perhaps he wasn’t destined to be happy? Nancy had loathed him so much in the end, she’d chosen to take her own life. Now Bella hated his guts as well.
Ava had gone to a friend’s birthday party with Destiny, so Queenie was wrapping up some last-minute gifts. Her heart wasn’t in it though. Usually, she loved Christmas, but this year she could not wait for it to be over. ‘Get off the presents, Fred. I’ve bought you a doggy stocking. Not that you deserve one,’ she mumbled.
When the front door opened and closed, Queenie yelled, ‘I’m in ’ere, Viv.’
Michael walked into the lounge. ‘It’s me. I thought you had the flu.’
‘I did. Feel a bit better today though,’ Queenie lied. ‘You OK, boy?’
‘No, Mum. I’m anything but OK. Listen, there’s something you need to know. I should’ve told you years ago and I’m so sorry.’
Queenie stood up. ‘Whatever’s the matter?’
‘I’ve got a son you’ve never met. His name is Nathan, and he’s five.’
Holding on to the armchair for support, Queenie Butler shook her head in total disbelief.
It didn’t take long for Bella to get the measure of Katy. Reasonably pretty. Could’ve made a living as a topless model, but wasn’t that bright, and it was clear she was completely obsessed with Michael.
‘So what you are trying to say is that you and Michael have not been in any kind of relationship since I came back from Italy? Is that correct?’ Bella questioned.
‘Yes, and no. Michael visits me and Nathan regularly, and I can’t fault the way he provides for us. He pays the rent and all our bills – and so he should. Nathan is his son, after all,’ Katy replied, rather shirtily.
Lucy Tompkins felt embarrassed. All things considered, Bella had been ever so nice. Katy was in danger of showing herself up. She’d drunk far too much wine and was beginning to slur her words.
‘What Bella is actually asking,’ said Lucy, ‘is whether you and Michael have slept together since he found out you were pregnant. The answer’s no, isn’t it? Be honest with Bella. Michael has always visited and provided for you, but you’ve never been in any kind of relationship with him, have you?’
Feeling like a stupid schoolgirl, Katy glared at her friend before locking eyes with Bella again. ‘No. The relationship myself and Michael have is extremely platonic for the sake of our son.’
Bella forced a smile. ‘Would you like another glass of wine, dear? Or are you ready to leave now?’
Queenie was unimpressed at the sight of her youngest son crying. She’d brought her boys up to be tough, and saw tears as a sign of weakness. ‘Pull yourself together, boy. Of course I’m upset you kept Nathan a secret from me, but it ain’t the end of the bloody world. We can move on from this and I can get to know him now, so that’s all that matters. I can’t wait to meet him. Does he look like you?’
Nodding his head dismally, Michael buried his face in his hands. He’d already explained to his mother that Katy had turned up at the house earlier with Nathan in tow. ‘Bella won’t forgive me, Mum. She’s always been completely loyal and would never betray me in such a way. I should’ve come clean as soon as I found out Katy was pregnant. I feel terrible. What am I meant to say to her? That’s if she ever speaks to me again. And what about Cami? That little girl’s gonna be heartbroken when her mother kicks me out. So is Antonio. I’m such a dickhead, I truly am.’
Queenie’s blood was at boiling point. Here was her wonderful son, distraught over that Italian slapper who was harbouring a far worse secret herself. ‘Don’t be fretting about her. She’s hardly Saint Bella hers
elf,’ Queenie spat.
Michael looked up, startled. His mother had always adored Bella and vice versa. ‘What do you mean by that?’
Queenie sighed. There was no point waiting until after Christmas now, seeing as Michael’s Christmas had been ruined already. ‘There’s no easy way for me to say this, but I need you to promise me you’re not going to blame your brother. It isn’t his fault. Vinny was as shocked as anybody.’
‘Blame him for what?’ Michael felt the blood drain from his face.
‘I’ll tell it to you straight, boy. It turns out Bella had a fling with your brother. It was many years ago when you and Bella weren’t together. I only found out a matter of days ago, but it’s obvious Antonio is Vinny’s son.’
Thunderstruck, Michael stared at his mother as though she were mad. ‘This has to be some kind of a sick joke, right? Nah, no fucking way. Antonio’s father is a Yank. My Bella would never touch Vinny with a bargepole – and that’s a fucking fact. Who told you this shit? Tell me! Who told ya?’ Michael bellowed. ‘It’s insane.’
‘Nobody told me anything. I worked it out for myself. Vivvy and I were sorting through old photos recently. We came across some taken at Vinny’s fortieth. Viv thought Antonio was Little Vinny until I pointed out where the photo had been taken. The likeness at the same age was uncanny when we put the photo of Antonio next to one of Little Vinny.’
‘You’re mental! I ain’t listening to any more of this crap. Don’t you think I’ve got enough on my plate as it is?’ Michael shouted, standing up.
‘Sit back down and listen to me. You need to hear all of this,’ Queenie ordered. She hated to see the look of confusion in her son’s eyes, but he needed to know the truth.
Stomach churning, Michael sat back down as if in a trance.
‘I showed the photo to Vinny and, to cut a long story short, he confessed. He was as shocked as you. I’m so sorry, boy.’
Feeling as though his head might actually explode, Michael leapt to his feet and paced up and down the room. ‘Nah, nah, nah. This ain’t happening. Not Bella and Vinny. Never in a million. So he told you he fucked her, did he? Well, did he?’ Michael screamed, picking up his mother’s favourite vase.
‘Stop that! Stop it,’ Queenie yelled, when Michael aimed the vase against her wall. ‘Smashing my house up isn’t going to change the situation, is it? I know you’re upset, and you have every bloody right to be, but it’s that whore you need to blame. If anyone should’ve told you, she should have.’
Michael collapsed to his knees, tears of pure anger streaming down his cheeks. ‘If it’s true, why didn’t Vinny tell me?’
‘He should’ve told you, but he didn’t know how to. He recognized Bella on the night of his fortieth, that’s why she feigned illness and ran from the party. She recognized him an’ all, obviously. He didn’t know her as Bella. She’d told Vinny her name was Izzy.’
Michael made a strange gurgling noise. Bella had joked with him in the past that before she’d met him she’d often tell men she had no desire to see again her name was Izzy.
Queenie rubbed her son’s back. ‘Stay there. I’ll pour you a brandy. You’re in shock.’
The bottom having dropped out of his world, Michael stared at the big photo of him, Roy and Vinny that took pride of place on his mother’s wall. An image of Bella and Vinny writhing naked in bed together flashed through his mind, and Michael retched.
Hearing the sound of glass shattering, Queenie ran into the lounge. Michael was repeatedly smashing her favourite photo against the coffee table. ‘Stop it! Roy’s in that,’ she shrieked.
Michael now had a manic glint in his eyes. ‘And so is that cunt who has ruined my life. I’m gonna kill him. In fact, I’ll kill the fucking pair of ’em.’
‘Michael, no! Come back. Please come back,’ Queenie pleaded. When he didn’t, Queenie chased her son out to his car and stood in front of it.
As he reversed, Michael smashed into a Ford Sierra. He then performed a three-point turn and drove off like a deranged Stirling Moss.
Having missed out on last night’s drinking session, Vinny Butler had woken up this morning with an urge to get bladdered. He was spending Christmas at his mother’s and, like her, couldn’t wait for it to be all over with.
‘Sup up, you lightweight,’ Vinny ordered. Nobody else had wanted to come out to play, so Vinny had ordered Carl to accompany him. Like him, Carl was footloose and fancy free.
Carl downed his drink in one. ‘I’ll get ’em in. Why don’t you ring Jay Boy again, see if he’s up for it now?’
‘No point. Under the thumb, since he married Jilly. I did warn him about putting a ring on a bitch’s finger,’ Vinny chuckled.
‘Too right. More grief than they’re worth, women.’
When his pal walked up to the bar, Vinny smirked. It was hilarious to think that they’d first met when Ahmed had paid Carl to set him up. Ahmed’s plan had failed, and it always tickled Vinny that he and Carl were now such good mates. He really did hope that Turkish bastard was watching them from hell. Carl had turned out to be a decent asset to the business, a real grafter. The only grief Vinny’d had with him was when a couple of geezers he’d conned in the past had turned up at the club, kicking off over some dosh Carl owed them. They’d been sent packing with a stern warning of what their fate would be if they ever troubled Carl or turned up at Vinny’s club again.
‘What you grinning at?’ Carl asked.
‘Was thinking about when me and Jay Boy broke those geezers’ legs who turned up at the club looking for you that time. Ring your Uncle Frank, get him out for a beer. And don’t take no for an answer.’
‘OK. It’s noisy in ’ere. I’ll ring him outside.’
When Carl walked away, Vinny stared at his phone as it burst into life. It was his mother; much as he loved her, he couldn’t be doing with discussing the Michael and Bella situation again. He wanted to forget all his troubles, even if it was only for one day.
Vinny ignored the call, then when it rang again immediately afterwards, made a decision to turn the bastard thing off. Tomorrow, he would tell his mother his battery had died. Surely one stress-free day wasn’t too much to ask for, was it?
Bella was savouring a large glass of red wine and trying to act as normally as possible for the sake of her children. Katy and Lucy had left about an hour ago and Bella had cheered up the moment they walked out the front door. Katy had been wearing extremely high-heeled boots and had stacked it, flat on her face, while trying to walk across the gravel.
Once the coast was clear she’d sat her kids down and explained things as best as she could. Antonio was still in an inquisitive mood. ‘How old exactly is Nathan then? Because he looks young, and I don’t remember you splitting up with Michael.’
Knowing she had an even worse secret, Bella had already decided not to kick Michael out. She was obviously furious with him and certainly wouldn’t forgive him overnight, but having met Katy, she knew the airhead was no threat to her. She would also be making some changes. No way was Michael paying for Katy to live a life of luxury in a three-bedroomed house after this. Neither was he spending time with Katy and Nathan. If Michael wanted to spend time with his son in future, he would do so with her and their children present. And if Katy didn’t agree to that, Michael would be banned from seeing Nathan until she did. Bella was far from stupid and had guessed that Katy thought by turning up here today it would spell the end of her and Michael’s relationship. The thick cow would then have tried to get her claws into him herself.
‘Mum, answer my question,’ Antonio demanded.
‘Do you remember that time we lived in Italy with Nonna and Nonno?’
Antonio nodded.
‘Well, Michael and I weren’t together then. We’d not been getting on, which is why we went to Italy in the first place,’ Bella lied.
‘Mummy, I’m hungry,’ Camila piped up.
‘I’ll order us some food and ring Daddy to tell him to come home. Oh, and we don’t m
ention any of this to Nonna and Nonno when they arrive tomorrow. We don’t want to spoil their Christmas, do we?’ Bella warned, looking directly at her son.
‘Of course not, Mum,’ Antonio replied.
Autopilot having well and truly kicked in, Bella dashed into the other room, took a deep breath and dialled Michael’s mobile. He didn’t answer.
Queenie Butler was in an absolute panic. Both her sons’ phones were now switched off and she dreaded to think what might be happening. ‘Let’s get a cab to Vinny’s, Viv. He was at home when I spoke to him this morning and he didn’t say he was going anywhere.’
Vivian poured her sister a brandy and ordered her to calm down before she gave herself a heart attack. ‘Nosy bastards are still out there, all stood round that car, gossiping. Anybody would think Michael had crushed the bastard thing,’ she added.
Queenie sighed. It turned out the car that had borne the brunt of her son’s anger belonged to a visiting relative of Mouthy Maureen. She’d already sent Viv out there to tell them any damage would be paid for. ‘Sod the neighbours. I can’t just sit here. I’ve never seen my Michael in such a state and I know he’s gonna do something stupid. I need to find both my boys before a murder takes place.’
Ava quietly shut the front door and took Fred off his lead. She marched into the lounge. ‘Who’s getting murdered?’
‘Nobody, darlin’. Your nan was talking about something on TV,’ Vivian assured the child.
‘But the telly ain’t even on,’ Ava retorted. She wasn’t daft, knew what she’d heard.
Queenie stared at Fred in disgust as he positioned his beloved Teddy on her lap and began humping away. ‘That’s what is wrong with this fucking world. God dropped a massive clanger when he created a John Thomas,’ she hissed.
Ava screamed when both Fred and Teddy were unceremoniously dumped on to the floor. ‘That’s wicked, Nan. You’re horrible.’
‘Ava, take Fred upstairs, there’s a good girl. Your nan isn’t very well today,’ Vivian whispered, as she ushered the child from the room.
Tainted Love: The gritty new thriller from the #1 bestseller Page 24