Christmas to Come: a heartbreaking coming of age saga set in London's East End by Carol Rivers (first e reader txt) 📕

bed was made up with no one it. Puzzled, Micky continued to the spare bedroom where the coughing noises seemed to have come from.

Bella appeared, closing the door behind her. 'Micky! I didn't hear you come in.'

'Who's in there?' he demanded suspiciously.

'A very sick little girl,' his wife told him softly.

'What's she doing here?'

Bella crooked her finger and whispered, 'Come and sit by the fire and I'll tell you all about it.'

After Micky had eaten his dinner, Bella told him everything. 'Why didn't you tell me about Mary?' Micky asked, frowning.

'I didn't want to upset you.'

'You can say that again! Is she still on the game?'

'No, she's cleaning floors.'

'Huh, pull the other one!' he muttered. 'Are you sure this kid is hers?'

'You've only got to look at Teresa to see she's a Doyle.'

'After what your mother did to you and Terry, how can you get back with her?'

'I'm not, Micky,' Bella protested indignantly. 'If it hadn't been for our son making a friend of Teresa, I wouldn't have set eyes on her again.'

'Are you sure she's on her own?'

'She's a widow, like I told you.' Bella didn't explain how bitter Mary had sounded over Jack Router's death. She knew it would make him angry.

'Good riddance to bad rubbish, that's all I have to say.' Micky narrowed his eyes. 'Is it catching, what this kid has got,?'

'No. She's ill because the prefab is so damp. The water is running down the walls and the smell is awful. She didn't even have a proper bed. The medicine the doctor gave me should help the chest infection. That and clean air to breathe and some nourishing food. You do see how I couldn't leave her there? She's my little sister after all.'

Micky sank his face into his hands and drew them up into his hair. 'Did the old witch ask after Terry?'

'No.'

'You mean she still doesn't even know if he's alive or dead!' Micky demanded furiously. 'Nothing's changed, has it? All she cares about is getting down the boozer.'

They sat in silence for a while until Bella felt it was safe to ask her all-important question. 'Micky, I've been worried about you. Where have you been?'

'At the club, of course.'

'You've been away two days,' she reminded him. 'I've been really worried.'

'No you haven't. You've been playing Florence Nightingale and enjoying yourself.'

'Micky, that not true. You could have got word to me, somehow.'

'Now don't start on me, Bells. I've had enough for one week. I'm not best pleased with the news you've brought me this evening. What with this kid and the club - '

Alarmed, Bella asked, 'Has there been trouble, then?'

He lowered his empty glass to the floor and sat back. 'Yeah, a bit. Just don't say I told you so, all right? A couple of locals gave us aggro and we had to show them the door. I stuck around in case they came back, that's all.'

'Were they Billy McNee's men?'

He rolled his eyes. 'Course not. I told you, he won't bother us again.'

'You never know, Micky.'

'Look, Bells, I'm not having a go at you about that kid in there, am I? Fair's fair now. I can see you was in a spot and did the best you could. You never know what's round the corner, the perfect example being your old girl. If I told you last year that a kid sister would be appear on the scene you would have laughed in my face, wouldn't you?'

'Yes, but I didn't have a choice in all this Micky. You did. You needn't have gone into business with Ivor.'

'We've been over this before,' he replied irritably, his face angry again. 'The money I earn provides a good life for us. It allows you to stay at home and look after Michael and not work your fingers to the bone like some have to do. You don't want for nothing, neither does our son. And whilst that little girl is under our roof, neither will she. In fact I'm willing to bet your old lady has tapped you up already.'

Bella dropped her gaze, knowing Micky could see right through her.

'It's all right, love, don't worry, I know the position you're in,' Mick said in an understanding tone. 'Your mother is skint and you aren't. But she can sniff the ackers a mile off and it wouldn't surprise me if she had all this planned from the start.'

'She didn't, Micky. It was me that called on her.'

'Yeah, but how do you know she didn't spot you and Michael at St Nicholas? She told you herself that she's been a year in Collier Street. Maybe she's been looking for you ever since he pegged it.'

'I never thought of that.'

'Bit of a coincidence all this, isn't it?'

Bella didn't know what to think. Would Mary really be so conniving?

'Picture this,' Micky continued. 'The old boy kicks the bucket. She's on her uppers and not exactly coining it in. What does she do next? Go out and find a job like any normal person? You must be joking! Mary Doyle thinks, I'll find my long lost daughter and sponge off her. That crafty cow is going to use her noddle, despite it being corroded by a lifetime of booze. She's got nothing in this world, only you, and she knows it. You are her light at the end of the tunnel. So mark my words, you will be dipping your hand in your pocket from here on in.'

Bella was silent. She couldn't argue with Micky's logic because in her heart she knew every word was true.

Suddenly Micky stood up. He reached out and drew her into his arms. 'Come on now, cheer up. I'm just saying watch your back. And don't worry about the money. I'll give you more cash each week to cover expenses.'

'Oh Micky, I do love you.'

He kissed her, stroking her face softly. 'Now, it's late and we've burnt the candle at both ends, but let's agree on this. I'll let you get on