by Martina Cole
Reeva was happy that her grandchild, Aiden Junior, was a big part of her life. After all, he was her baby’s baby. She had struck up a truce with Jade these days. They were not exactly bosom buddies, but they tolerated each other. In truth, Reeva had come to quite like her. Love her or loathe her, Jade was a woman after her own heart in many ways. She didn’t suffer fools gladly and she knew how to take care of herself. She was a survivor and Reeva got that. Despite her initial feelings for Jade, she had come around to seeing that she was a strong-minded woman. And that was an essential attribute if she was going to be with Aiden.
Her Aiden loved Jade but he was not a man who could be depended on to be faithful. He treated her shamefully in many respects and because of that Reeva could find it in her to feel bad for the woman and understand Jade’s wariness where he was concerned. At the end of the day, Aiden was her son, her boy, and Reeva would always stand by him even though, as the years went by, that was getting harder and harder.
Jade had always given her her due, treated her with respect, and Reeva could not fault her as a mother or as a family member. And she was thrilled that Jade was happy for her to look after her grandson.
At four, Aiden Junior was as bright as a button − something that did not escape his doting grandmother. She saw this as proof of her own children’s strength and intelligence rather than something that he might have inherited from Jade or her side. Whether Reeva liked Jade or not, she was devoid of anything even resembling family − that was just a fact.
Now this was Reeva’s happiest time of day, when she had him to herself and his parents were at work. She was dreading him starting school, even though it would only be part-time at first. They would miss him. Tony loved the little fella too, and all her kids were mad on him − especially Agnes. She was like a proper little mum to him.
At thirteen, Agnes was developing fast and, with her blue eyes, she was a dark-haired version of Reeva. But that was where the similarity ended. How it had happened Reeva could only guess, but her daughter was a real Holy Joe, never out of the fucking church. Her bedroom was like a shrine to the Virgin Mary, and she had enough sets of rosaries to start her own market stall. Even her nan was worried about her – and Annie was the one who had always forced religion on them. And, as for their priest, Father Hagen! Well, talk about encouraging her. She went to six o’clock Mass every morning and evening prayers. She spent more time in that church than she spent at home. Still, Reeva was convinced that once she discovered boys that would change. And the change couldn’t come quick enough as far as she was concerned.
As she played with her grandson she sighed with happiness. Aiden was making a good life for their family, and that was all that mattered to her. That and this young lad, who for some reason she treated better than she had ever treated her own kids. She had been on far fewer benders since her little prince had been in her care − only the odd weekend − and, if she was honest, she felt better for it. Tony took the piss out of her and she knew he had a point – she was a better parent to this boy than to all her other kids put together. She loved being a granny, but unlike with her own kids, she could give this fucker back as and when it suited her. That was the best thing of all.
Chapter Forty-One
Jade was not happy. She was being rowed out of Aiden’s latest gig. He was up to all sorts of skulduggery and the fact that she was not a part of it bothered her.
Throughout their whole time together he had listened to her advice, had asked her opinion and respected her thoughts on any of his deals. In reality, she had not just been his sounding board, she’d also been the person who had made sure that his plans came to fruition. He was a clever bugger with a natural fucking knack for the dark side. He could always find a con or a way of making any deal that bit sweeter. But he had always relied on her to be the voice of reason, especially when she was teaching him the different businesses. She had taught him well and they were a fucking good team. Her expertise and his willingness to create new earns was their strength and was what gave them the edge.
This time, however, he was deliberately going out on his own, making sure that she did not have any idea what he was dealing with. That hurt, especially as she made a point of discussing everything she was involved in with him, and she made it clear that he understood just how much she respected his advice. His ego was bigger than Cheops’s fucking Pyramid, but she had always made a point of never treating him like the boy he was, even when she had felt like it. Because for all his fucking so-called nous, without her at his side, showing him the ropes from every angle – not just Eric Palmer’s – he would have been hard pushed to learn everything as quickly and as thoroughly as he had.
Aiden’s problem was that he was an arrogant fuck, and she had the knack of heading him off at the pass, so to speak. She was his voice of reason, even if he would never admit it. He was still a young man, but he looked and acted a lot older − her relationship with him was what kept her at the top these days. That hurt. It really smarted, because she was a serious earner, and she kept the day-to-day shite running smoothly because Aiden could never be bothered with the nitty-gritty. He couldn’t sustain enough of the long-term interest needed to keep all these bright ideas of his going. He left that to everyone else – mainly Jade, as she knew better than anyone else. He couldn’t see that businesses needed nurturing, needed to be looked after and watched over. He was often bored within weeks and then he went on to the next thing that caught his imagination. She would then bring in the right people in the right positions to ensure that everything ran smoothly, so he could swan around like the dog’s fucking gonads looking for his next earn. Without her, everything would fall apart, and she had a feeling that Eric Palmer was as aware of that as Aiden was. But Eric’s attitude was ‘you don’t have a fucking guard dog and bark your fucking self’. The fact that Aiden was now branching out on his own not only offended her, but it also worried her. Without a guiding hand, he wouldn’t look at the fine detail of his latest venture – and then it would be too late. Even more worrying was her suspicion that if he didn’t want her to know about it then it was obvious he did not think she would approve. She had a feeling that Eric Palmer was on board and that he and Aiden were up to something dangerous, something they knew she would not want to be part of. Her fear was that Eric Palmer would more or less hang Aiden out to dry if it all went pear-shaped, and that was something she would not fucking countenance.
Chapter Forty-Two
Aiden was absolutely thrilled with his latest business venture. Eric Palmer was, as he told Aiden at every available opportunity, as happy as the proverbial pig in shit. It was a departure for both of them, new territory, and the whole concept was just full of opportunities that would make them all a really serious earn.
When Aiden had explained his idea initially, Eric had been very wary. But, once he had thought it through, he had seen the cleverness of Aiden’s proposition. The boy had a knack for seeing the potential in a scam and this latest one was fucking perfection. Now, as long as they used their brains and made sure that no one could pinpoint them as the instigators, they were home and fucking dry. It was a piece of piss, which was how Aiden had so picturesquely described it. Eric believed that Aiden was right about using front men to do the deals, and that had all been arranged and agreed upon.
Now they were enjoying the celebration of a deal well done, and an earn beyond their wildest dreams. If Eric had a few misgivings, they were damped down by his greed; he chose not to dwell on them because, when all was said and done, this was Aiden’s fucking baby. If it fell out of bed he could feign innocence − which was Eric’s fallback position with everyone he worked with. He made sure nothing could ever come back to him.
Also, they were now playing with some seriously big boys, and if it did go wrong, the only person in the frame would be Aiden. On the other hand, if it came out on top he would have an in with the men who controlled the international markets. It was a win–win for Eric, but it was a serious g
amble for Aiden. And they both knew that.
Chapter Forty-Three
Agnes O’Hara hated being herself. It was not easy being the only girl in a family of boys, especially when her older brother was someone like Aiden. Everyone was scared of him − even some of the teachers at her school. Except the nuns and the priests; they were not impressed by anyone and Agnes liked that. Not that they didn’t try and screw him for every penny they could, and Aiden was quite happy to let them squeeze him for contributions − he relished being in a position where he could give them the readies they needed. Playing the big man proved that he’d been right to follow his own road and not take up the chance of university down the line.
But that was Aiden all over − it was important to him to look and act the big man. And, of course, he loved the opportunity to lord it over everyone in his orbit, playing the rich, benevolent benefactor. Her mum and her brothers ate that all up.
She could hear her mum calling her for her dinner and sighed. She had begun to hate living in this environment, pandering to her eldest brother’s every whim. Her mum thought the sun shone out of his arse; if he told her that black was white she would agree with him. Her mum treated him like visiting royalty, even though he left his son here for days on end, because he and Jade ‘worked’ so hard. They bankrolled this place and that was all her mum seemed to care about. Along with young Aiden Mark Two, of course. Though Agnes loved that little boy with all her heart; he was like another brother to her. Aiden loved that his son was adored and treated so well by everyone – he saw it as a validation of himself and his place in the community. That was important to Aiden − people giving him his due, and her mum loved it as well. That wasn’t hard to understand; after all, Reeva needed that approbation, given she had five kids without a father in sight. Her mum was as good a mum as she knew how to be, and for Agnes, at least, Tony had been a father of sorts − he cared about them all in his haphazard way. And unlike her brothers, he didn’t act as if Aiden was the Messiah coming to visit his followers. Not that her mum or her brothers could see that. They saw Aiden as the answer to their prayers. And Aiden fed on their adoration, because that was what he needed from everyone around him.
Reeva popped her head round her bedroom door, saying gaily, ‘Hello, lady. Your dinner is getting cold!’
Agnes followed her downstairs because it was easier than starting an argument. As she walked into the kitchen Aiden Junior piped up, ‘Aggie, Aggie, tell me the story of Daniel in the lion’s den again. My favourite one, that is.’
Reeva rolled her eyes to the ceiling, saying sarcastically, ‘A right fucking riveting yarn, that is, Aggs.’
Agnes ignored her mother and, smiling widely, she said to her nephew, ‘I always loved that story too. I will tell you it again later, OK?’
Reeva dished up her homemade lasagne and placed a mixed salad on the table. Then, sitting down with them, she lit a cigarette and poured herself a glass of wine.
‘So, Aggs, how was school?’
Agnes shrugged and said nonchalantly, ‘Good, Mum. It’s always good, you know that.’
Reeva smoked her cigarette and nodded her head, but she had no more interest in her daughter’s studies than she had in learning fucking plumbing. Agnes knew she only asked about her because she thought she should. Reeva just went through the motions. It made Agnes’s life easier because the less Reeva knew, the better for everyone.
Agnes ate her food and she enjoyed it. Whatever else her mum might be, she was a fantastic cook. Agnes loved her mum very much, but they didn’t understand one another. Agnes’s life was so far removed from her mum’s idea of happiness that it was like she inhabited another planet.
‘You off to Mass tonight, then?’
Agnes sighed heavily as she answered her. ‘Of course. I go every evening. You know that, Mum.’
Reeva smiled and Agnes knew exactly what was coming next, but she didn’t react − that would be a waste of time.
‘Well, how about me and you go out tonight instead? Have a girlie night together. There’s a big do on at the pub. We could do a bit of karaoke, have a laugh, you know?’
Agnes laughed then, a genuine laugh. ‘You ask me this all the time, Mum, and you know I won’t go. It really isn’t my thing.’
Reeva laughed too but said seriously, ‘How do you know if you don’t even give it a go?’
Agnes couldn’t answer her because she didn’t know how to answer her mother without insulting her.
Reeva sighed gently and rolled her eyes in annoyance. ‘One fucking night, Aggs. Just give it a go.’ She grabbed her daughter’s hand across the table and squeezed it tightly. ‘Just once, darling. Just give it a fucking chance. If you hate it I will never ask you again.’
Agnes knew that her agreeing would make her mother happy so she said lightly, ‘All right, then. But if I don’t like it, promise me you will not ask me again?’
Reeva grinned happily. She was convinced that if only her daughter got into the swing of things, she would find out what she was missing. All her girl needed was an invite into the real world, and the knowledge that going to Mass was not the be all and the end all. She was nearly fourteen years old and she was like Granny Grump. She was a beautiful girl and the world was passing her by. Reeva felt that it was her job to remind her daughter of that.
Chapter Forty-Four
Aiden was irritated and he made no bones about making sure everyone around him knew it. Jade was acting like he was a fucking inconvenience, and he could not get a certain Gerry Murphy on the phone. Gerry Murphy was the stepping stone he needed to complete this deal of a lifetime. Without him, it would all fall apart.
Gerry Murphy had brought this fucking deal to his table and promised him the fucking earth on a plate.
And now the bastard was suddenly not to be found.
Aiden was absolutely steaming with anger and humiliation. He had promised Eric the deal of the century, and now it seemed that it had completely fallen apart. No one fucked about with Aiden O’Hara and lived to tell the tale.
Patsy was frightened of his brother’s colossal temper, which was getting worse by the hour. He could see it in his stance, in his brother’s eyes and in the way he was stalking around the room like a man demented. Patsy wasn’t the Brain of Britain, but he could garner enough about his brother’s dealings without having a government White Paper on it. But Patsy would never let Aiden know that he understood everything that was going on − that was his safety net. His brother trusted him because he believed that he was not capable of working out the economics of their day-to-day dealings. In short, Aiden thought he was a fucking moron, and that suited Patsy, especially at times like this. He loved Aiden but he was sensible enough to understand that Aiden would not like it if he thought his brother knew the score. Patsy believed it was safer to play the fool.
He had no interest in making his brother see him as a threat. He had already had his card marked once, and wasn’t about to make that mistake again. He had a good earn himself these days, and his affiliation with Aiden was kudos enough. But he had cottoned on early as to how his brother’s brain actually worked. He watched his brother stalking around the plush office that he was so proud of, and made a point not to say a fucking dicky bird. He only hoped that Gerry Murphy was dead because, if he wasn’t, he soon would be and it wouldn’t be pretty. Murphy had committed the cardinal sin: he had fucked Aiden O’Hara off big time, and that didn’t augur well for anybody.
Chapter Forty-Five
Jade was cross that she was having to pick her son up from the pub, but she knew there wasn’t a lot she could say to Reeva. She had explained to her on more than one occasion that she didn’t like her little boy being in a public house − especially the ones that Reeva frequented. The principle of the fact that Reeva spent more time with her child than she did rankled, but Jade was honest enough to admit that she wasn’t really the maternal type. God Himself knew she loved her son, but she could not for the life of her imagine endless day
s in his company. That would be torture to her − she was climbing the walls after the first hour with him if they were alone. And looking after Aiden took up most of her time anyway. She had to be grateful that Reeva was much more suited to that than she would ever be and more than willing to take her son off her hands. She didn’t want to rock that boat. So she gritted her teeth and walked into the pub as if she was thrilled to be there.
Reeva was all smiles and friendliness as she waved her over to join them.
‘Hello, Jade, darling. You sit down and I’ll get you a drink, mate. I’m celebrating! My Agnes has deigned to join me for a night out!’
Jade smiled back and took a seat. Aiden Junior was wide awake and clearly thrilled to be in such an exciting environment. She pulled him on to her lap and, smiling genuinely now, she said to Agnes, ‘Finally wore you down, did she, Aggs?’
Agnes grinned. ‘I am thirteen and my mum thinks I should be out clubbing every night! The fact I do my homework is beyond her comprehension! She thinks I am a boring bastard and I have a feeling that she might be right.’
Jade didn’t laugh at her words, she just shook her head in despair. ‘You know what she’s like − if a man doesn’t fancy her she thinks she’s failed. She’s still stuck in the seventies. I mean, come on, Aggs. Look at her hair!’
They laughed together then.
‘When I think that she was pregnant at my age! I wish she wouldn’t try and turn me into her, you know.’
Jade hugged her son to her, and when she saw the thick make-up and the revealing clothes that Agnes was wearing thanks to her mother’s interference she felt a heaviness upon her. The girl looked much older than she was, and she also looked like a trollop. Reeva had dressed her in what she thought of as fashionable clothes but on Agnes they looked so wrong. The girl had so much going for her, if only Reeva could see that far ahead. Agnes was still a girl – a beautiful girl – but she was not trying to grow up before her time and Reeva seemed to take that as a personal insult. Agnes was developing by the day but, unlike other girls, she wasn’t interested in her body or her looks. As a girl who had been forced to grow up long before she was ready, Jade respected Agnes for that.
