The Family Firm

Chapter 34

Katie looked at him a moment before nodding and peeling off her jacket. 'Thanks, Fred. A cuppa rosy would be nice, actually.'

Frankie felt the absence of her brother and turned just in time to watch the exchange, the smile on her face faltering slightly before she hid it behind her glass of wine, from which she sipped generously. Once Freddie had disappeared into the kitchen, she cleared her throat and sat forward. 'Katie, did you see Niamh's ring yet?'

'Ring?' Katie asked, brows raised at Junior.

Niamh leant forward, extending her hand this time to Katie and wiggling her slender fingers. 'He proposed last night. It's Cartier.'

The brunette admired the ring a moment or two, impressed at its splendour but at the same time acknowledging its gaudiness. She never could understand the obsession with diamonds. Jewellery had never really been her thing, anyway.

'That's really summink, Niamh.'

'Innit just?' responded the blonde affectionately, curling up against Junior. She was enjoying the attention, and Junior was happy to give it to her.

Freddie had taught him everything he needed to know about birds, and he had taken every word to heart. He said that marriage wasn't for everyone, especially considering it had never worked out for himself, but that if Junior found a good bird willing to be a wife and a mother, then he should snag her before she was able to slip away. Women always gossiped, that was just the nature of things, so she couldn't be someone you opened up to about things, but she had to be able to handle "the life", as he called it. That suited Junior right down to the ground, because Niamh had known his reputation and had sought him out because of it. Every bird like a bit of a bad boy, didn't she?

Suddenly, Niamh sat forward as a thought crossed her mind and reached out longingly to Katie. 'Please, tell me you'll be me maid of honour. Oh, Katie, I couldn't bear it if you weren't.'

Katie opened her mouth and closed it a few times, glancing to Junior, who was looking at her. 'Er... how could I say no?'

Niamh squealed loud enough that it startled her, and leapt up from her spot beside Junior (which Katie mentally remarked she was surprised was even possible, considering the two were practically attached at the hip). She was much taller than Katie, and thinner, too, and she wrapped her arms around her, practically crushing the brunette against her petite frame. 'Oh, Katie, you're an angel. I knew I could count on you.'

Freddie returned with a cup of char just in time to witness the spectacle, and chuckled, watching his daughter with admiration. 'Found out about the wedding, I reckon?'

'Yeah,' responded Katie as she took the offered mug. 'Real exciting, that. Thanks for this, by the way.'

Smiling at her, he clasped his hand around her shoulder, and the gesture did not go unnoticed by Frankie. She was watching them like a hawk from her spot on the sofa, her legs tucked unladylike beneath herself. She knew she should have been ashamed at her jealousy—Katie was his daughter, for Christ's sake—but she couldn't help it. She was drunk, and everything suddenly had a sad hue around it. Freddie had been paying attention to every woman who wasn't her that night, Niamh was gorgeous and thin and fucking perfect, and Junior was marrying the bitch, which meant he would be leaving her. She would be all on her Jack Jones in the big house, and she was old, and she was going to die alone.

She burst into tears, and a few people reached over to stroke her comfortingly, but for the most part her drunken emotions were right on schedule and no one really paid much heed. Junior, however, was annoyed at his mother's blatant attention-getting, and let out a sigh through his lips. Forcing himself to look concerned, he turned to her passively.

'Mum, what's the matter?'

Frankie squeezed her eyes shut tight, but no matter what she did, the tears kept coming. 'Noffing. I just don't want you to leave me...'

Junior almost rolled his eyes. He loved his dear old mum to death, but this argument was getting old. He'd already reassured her all throughout the night last night and that day as well that by marrying Niamh he wasn't going to be leaving her, he was just growing up.

'I'm not gonna leave you, Mum. How many times do I have to tell ya?'

'Don't worry, Mrs E,' said Niamh, then, reaching out to clasp her hand comfortingly. 'I'm not stealing yer son away.'

Frankie shoved her away violently. 'Don't touch me, all right?!'

Beth steeled herself in annoyance and told her daughter lowly, 'You're embarrassing yourself, Franks.'

'Oh, come off it, Mum,' she responded bitterly. 'You're the one that's fucking embarrassing. Remember...remember that Christmas when me and Fred was kids, and you told Da...'

'Frances,' Charlie warned, quieter than his wife had, only because he was embarrassed. 'Come on, now, that's enough.'

Frankie, however, was laughing harshly as she regaled everyone around her with the sour memory from their past. 'Mad as a fucking hatter, her, and Da, of course, was pissed, because it was a day ending with the letter "Y"...'

'Now Frankie, I'm warning ya,' Beth snapped. 'Keep talking, and I swear to Christ I'll knock the stupid right out yer loaf.'

'Oh yeah?' she retorted, jabbing an acrylic nail to her mum's collar bone. 'You gonna hit me? Then fucking hit me, you old bitch.'

Beth was shocked, staring open-mouthed at her daughter as Freddie pulled her away and off the sofa by her shoulders. As she stumbled backward against his chest, she continued taunting, 'Yeah, that's what I thought. That's what I bloody well thought!'

Freddie wasn't embarrassed by her; he only wanted to stop the fight. He knew she was bothered by something—he liked to think he knew her better than she knew herself—and so of course he would have a chat with her and get it sorted, like he always did. But they had been so wrapped up in the argument that they hardly noticed the new arrival until Frankie had practically barrelled right into him.

'Dad?' said Junior, and the room turned to look at Donny.

He had grasped onto Frankie's upper arms when she stumbled into him, and he looked her up and down with a smile on his face. 'Bloody hell, Franks, you're pissed. Are you all right?'

Freddie, like the rest of his family, was staring as Junior stood and joined his father on the other side of the room.

'Dad,' he said. 'You're here.'

'Of course I am,' responded Donny, a big grin on his face. 'I heard you was engaged. I couldn't miss the celebration, now, could I?'

As father and son reunited for the first time in years, everyone watched in awe. Freddie felt his mouth go dry and his face go numb. He wasn't seriously back, was he? After all they'd been through? After all he'd done?

Beth clasped her hands together and grinned from ear to ear. 'Donny Boy!'

The prodigal son had returned. God save them all.