by Martina Cole
Aiden and Colin were both aware that Eric Palmer was talking crap; he was well out of the game. Without Aiden and Jade he didn’t have a fucking say in anything any more. Oh, he still had his creds − Jade made sure of that, as she always had done.
But it was a completely different world now. Not that any of them would ever have pointed that out, of course. Eric could still see a good earn when he was offered one. What Eric Palmer didn’t have any more was the physical presence that was so important in this day and age. He was one of the old guard; he had known the Krays and the Richardsons. Eric had the stories and, more importantly, he had the life experience that was always something to be respected in the world he inhabited. But, at the end of the day, Eric was an old man. The people that they were dealing with were young and brash. In the drug-dealing world, many of their suppliers were lucky to get past thirty. It was a different world in more ways than Eric Palmer and his cronies could ever imagine.
Aiden didn’t ever not give Eric his due. He was still a man to be reckoned with, Aiden would always ensure that. No one would ever be allowed to treat him like a fool. But the bottom line would always be that, for all of Eric’s hands-on approach to his new businesses, and for all his big investments, he was still an old Moustache Pete. And, these days, without Aiden O’Hara and his brothers, Eric Palmer would not be taken as seriously as he was.
Aiden shrugged nonchalantly. ‘What can I say, Eric? I can only hold my hands up, mate. You are right. I have been completely out of order.’
Colin Clark took his cue and, like Aiden, he stood up and apologised profusely. ‘Eric, I knew I did a wrong one. Like Aiden, I can only hold my hands up. But all I can say in my favour is that I love Agnes. And I am heart sorry it had to come on top today of all days.’
Timmy Clark watched cynically as his brother, Colin, and Aiden O’Hara acted as if they were both ashamed and embarrassed over their actions; they were both so over the top. It was quite an act. But, like Jade, as much as he appreciated that they had put Eric Palmer’s mind at rest − which of course was important, especially with this latest deal they had negotiated − he also knew that these two men were both devoid of anything even resembling decency or loyalty. They were as fucking selfish as each other. The pair of them were like little kids, and spoiled little kids at that.
Eric felt that he had made his point, and Jade and Timmy made sure that he believed that. But as they drank together, and acted like everything was OK, Jade wondered why she still protected the man that she knew could never be faithful to her or anyone else. But she had invested so much of her time and effort in him, and that was something she could never forget. The men around her were acting like nothing had happened and, instead of pleasing her, it just depressed her. Even Timmy Clark was playing the game. As always, Aiden got his own way. As always, he swerved anything that might show him in a bad light, show him up for what he really was. That she was instrumental in that, and always had been, was starting to irritate her.
But, as usual, she kept her own counsel, and made sure that everybody’s drinks were replenished, and that everyone was happy and ready to move forward. She knew what was expected of her.
Chapter Eighty-Nine
‘You don’t look at all well, Nan.’
Annie was looking her age and she knew it. She was also feeling it. ‘I’m just a bit tired. All this wedding stuff, I suppose.’ She laughed as she said it and Agnes smiled gently. ‘Fastest wedding I have ever known! I mean, it’s not like having a baby out of wedlock is frowned on any more!’
Agnes sighed. She didn’t care what anyone else thought − she was not going to have a baby without the benefit of marriage. That just wasn’t her and, as far as she was concerned, this child she was carrying would thank her one day. Agnes Clark!
Even though she had her reservations about the love of her life, it was too late to do anything about them now. For better, for worse, as the saying went. She had seen a different side to her chosen mate lately, but she magnanimously put it down to the circumstances of their betrothal. She still loved him, but she wondered now if that was enough for either of them. Aiden had made his feelings plain, and she knew that her Colin was chary of the outcome of their union.
Annie held out her arms and her granddaughter went to her willingly. Annie wondered at how her girl, who was so intrinsically good and clever, had walked herself into what could only be described as a dilemma.
Reeva smashed into the room like the proverbial bull, laden down with a bottle of champagne, smoking her usual joint. ‘Come on then, ladies, let’s get this fucking show on the road! Tomorrow you are going to be a married woman!’ As she poured the drinks, she said sadly: ‘I would love to have got married, Aggs. It’s the only sacrament I will never get. Better write to the fucking Pope, eh?’
They laughed with her, but Annie, in a rare display of affection, hugged her daughter to her tightly. ‘Still time! You might get Tony up the aisle, you never know!’
Necking a whole glass of champagne in three gulps, Reeva said seriously, ‘Mum! No one’s that fucking optimistic!’
Suddenly Agnes saw just how much her single state had always bothered her mum and she found herself fighting back tears.
Reeva poured herself another large glass of champagne and, holding it up in a toast, she said with her usual bravado, ‘Never say die, eh? More chance of this silly mare having a hen night!’
They all laughed, but it was laughter tinged with sadness.
Chapter Ninety
The lap-dancing club was closed for a private party, which was Colin Clark’s stag do. This was Aiden’s idea, and when Timmy and Colin arrived it was very quiet, with no one even on reception. They looked at each other warily and walked through into the actual club itself, where everything, including the stages, was in darkness. They turned to one another in confusion when suddenly all the lights went on and Aiden was walking towards them both, holding out his arms in a gesture of friendship. The music started up and the girls began to dance slowly around the poles. The club was packed with men from their world.
‘Welcome, my son, my new brother from another mother!’
Timmy and Colin were both unsure how to react, which was exactly what Aiden wanted. Putting his arms around both their shoulders, he said earnestly, ‘What can I say, Colin? I’ve behaved fucking atrociously. You know you were right. Agnes is a grown-up. But she is my baby sister, you know.’
Colin was so pleased at Aiden’s change of heart he embraced him immediately. ‘I would have been the same, mate. It’s family. I understand.’
Timmy walked behind them as they went into the fray − because that was exactly what it felt like to him. The girls were dancing on their podiums, the men were getting drinks and the music and the sweat were just becoming noticeable. All he wanted was this night over with and the morrow as well − the wedding that Aiden had arranged – as quickly as humanly possible. None of this felt right.
Chapter Ninety-One
Jade walked in with a bottle of Bollinger and a fake smile. But no one except Reeva worked that much out.
‘Beautiful dress, darling, you will look a million dollars tomorrow.’
Agnes smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. ‘I hope everything is going to be all right, Jade. I’m still worried about Aiden, you know!’
She was on the verge of tears so Jade said as brightly as possible, ‘Well, you can stop worrying, darling. Aiden has arranged Colin’s stag for him, as you know, and he’s determined to build some bridges.’
Reeva saw the pleasure in her daughter’s face at this news and could have happily kissed Jade on the mouth.
Annie sipped her champagne and watched as her granddaughter seemed to practically collapse with relief. But this was only to be expected; after all, Aiden had not exactly been discreet about his opinion of the situation.
‘Thank you, Jade. I know this is because of you, darling.’
Jade hugged her but didn’t comment. In all honesty, this chan
ge of heart had nothing to do with her at all. Instead she said, ‘Come on then, let’s get this party started, eh?’
Reeva chuckled, ‘Yeah, party of the century. She can’t drink because she’s in the club, and in a minute we will be overrun with her Mass mates! Still, the stripper I ordered should sort it!’
Agnes squealed in dismay as Reeva said in mock sorrow, ‘Don’t worry. That was just a joke! Unfortunately!’
Chapter Ninety-Two
Colin Clark had been stripped, covered in baby oil and, as the men all laughed, he had been completely demolished by the drag queen who was supervising the night’s entertainment. He was drunk, so was Aiden and, as they staggered around together with their arms around each other’s shoulders, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. No one seemed to know how they were meant to react at the actual wedding itself. The workforce took their cue from the O’Haras – meaning, of course, Aiden. And there had been a lot of quiet speculation about what the upshot of the actual wedding day might be.
The big money was on Aiden causing ructions, but it seemed that had all been put to bed and he had had one of his lightning changes of heart. That wasn’t anything unusual − as they all knew he blew hot and cold all the time; one minute he’d be smiling at you like he was your long-lost brother and the next time you saw him he could stare right through you as if he had never met you before in his life. But what could you do? No one was going to front him up, that much was guaranteed.
Colin and Aiden rolled through to the small back bar that was specifically used by the boys for business or their pleasure, depending. Inside, they fell on to a large leather Chesterfield and when Colin slipped off and fell on to the hardwood floor, they both laughed uncontrollably.
‘Come on, my son, let’s get you up.’
Aiden struggled to lift Colin and instead he ended up on the floor with him. They were still giggling like schoolboys.
In the end, they slumped on to the floor together, leaning back against the sofa to keep them upright.
‘Fuck it, I don’t think I can get up and go to the bar!’
They cracked up laughing again.
‘I’m so glad you and me are mates again, Ade. I missed this, having a laugh and that.’
Aiden nodded his head in agreement. ‘Same here, Col! But fuck me, I was annoyed.’
Colin nodded. Each time he put his head down, he belched, and soon they were off laughing again.
‘Tomorrow will be a fucking great day, Colin. Wait till you see her dress. She will look splendid!’
Now the word ‘splendid’ set them off laughing again.
‘Fucking splendid! And you will look top-hole, Colin!’
The rest of the O’Hara brothers all bundled noisily into the room. As Eugene went to the bar to make more drinks, Porrick and Patsy helped the two men up and dumped them unceremoniously on to the Chesterfield.
‘What a fucking great night.’
Timmy Clark walked in and, even though he had had a few drinks, he wasn’t half as wasted as everyone else.
Porrick was laughing his head off at something that Eugene had said and suddenly Aiden was up and off the sofa and confronting the two brothers.
‘You taking the fucking piss?’
Patsy sighed and, putting down his drink, he went to where his older brother was staring out Porrick as if he was his mortal enemy.
Porrick was shaking his head and, sighing heavily, he said, ‘What the fuck are you on about, Ade?’
Aiden started to laugh, but he looked manic, from his red-rimmed eyes to his crumpled suit. ‘You think I’ve forgotten, don’t you, Porrick?’
Patsy put a restraining hand on Aiden’s arm and was immediately shrugged off roughly.
‘You called my Jade a whore. Or, more to the point, you said our sister wasn’t a whore like Jade. Remember now, you red-headed prick?’
Patsy and Eugene instinctively stood between the two of them, and then Porrick said quietly, ‘I’m fucking sorry, Aiden, but you know I spoke the truth.’
Patsy pushed his little brother away shouting, ‘Are you on a fucking death wish? It’s Aggs’s wedding tomorrow and you two decide now that you want to have a fucking straightener?’
He grabbed Aiden around the shoulder and turned him round so he was facing the door. ‘Eugene, you go now with Porrick. Timmy, you take Colin, and we will see you all tomorrow, OK?’ He pushed and cajoled his brother back on to the Chesterfield. Once the room was cleared, he said angrily, ‘You are off your nut again and you are supposed to be giving Agnes away tomorrow! Honestly, Ade, you are getting out of hand. Porrick didn’t mean what he said and you know that. He was making an observation that day, and we were all out of sorts.’
Aiden closed his eyes and nodded imperceptibly.
Patsy sat down on the sofa and, putting his head into his hands, he said seriously, ‘It’s like you are on a self-destructive bent, Ade. You are without any kind of fucking off switch. Jesus Christ, sometimes I wish I could take your fucking batteries out!’
His voice was so honest and so perplexed that Aiden burst into laughter.
‘You are absolutely fucking right, Patsy. But you know me. I just don’t think, I react.’
Patsy laughed ruefully, then said seriously, ‘Well, let’s react ourselves home. We have a long day tomorrow.’
‘I hope our Agnes enjoys it while it lasts.’
Patsy didn’t answer his brother, but couldn’t shake the terrible feeling of dread.
Chapter Ninety-Three
Reeva had tears in her eyes as she watched her daughter walk down the aisle of St Peter’s. It was an old-fashioned church and it seemed to fit into the whole theme of the wedding itself.
Agnes was dressed in a white gown with a high neckline that sparkled with small seed pearls. It fell to the floor in an almost Grecian look, and though there was hardly any of her actual body on display except her hands and face, she looked very sexy and very innocent at the same time.
Colin watched her walking towards him and felt his stomach flip. She looked amazing. Truthfully, he didn’t want to be married to anyone really, but he was lumbered with this beautiful girl now − all he could do was make the best of it.
Timmy Clark, his best man, watched his brother’s face and wished, not for the first time, that it was him Agnes was walking down the aisle to meet. Over the past weeks, he had fallen for her, and that was something he had never believed possible. He only hoped his brother looked after her, because he knew better than anyone that his brother, Colin, would rather be anywhere in the world right now than standing in this lovely old church.
Aiden walked beside his sister, looking suitably sombre. All the men were dressed in grey morning suits and they looked a handsome bunch. As they arrived at the altar, he pretended to grab his sister’s arm and run. The whole church erupted in laughter and then he gently placed her hand in Colin’s and patted him on the back in a brotherly fashion, which caused the congregation to give a collective sigh of happiness or relief, depending on their personal feelings.
The ceremony started and everyone relaxed into their seats.
But there was more laughter when Colin knelt down and, written in indelible ink on the bottom of his shoes, were the words ‘HELP ME’.
Chapter Ninety-Four
The reception was at the Pont de la Tour restaurant near Tower Bridge. It was closed for the day and, as Aiden looked around him, he was well pleased with what he saw.
He loved this restaurant anyway, but seeing the extra touches, from the decorated tables to the seven-tier wedding cake in white and silver, pleased him.
Jade had excelled herself, and he smiled gratefully at her as he saw the reaction of Agnes and Colin. This wedding was his gift to her, and he had made sure that his mother had fuck-all to do with any of it. If it had been left to Reeva, it would have been a garish and over-the-top event. Reeva had wanted to give her daughter the wedding that she never had. As Jade remarked, the dress Reeva had liked would not have looked
out of place on Miss Brazil at the Miss World competition. He could only imagine it.
He greeted the guests with his sister and her husband, while the boys kept their mother as far away from the drink as possible. Tony Brown had his work cut out because they had all asked him to try and keep her under control. But no one was really holding out much hope. She had started on the champagne early in the morning and was already louder than everyone else. She looked good, though, in a smart, well-tailored grey silk ensemble with high heels and a small fascinator on her crazy hair – Jade had seen to that. She had also arranged for a make-up artist, so Reeva didn’t have her usual thick eyeliner and bright red lipstick. Silk purses and sows’ ears came to mind, as he smiled at his mother brightly. The photos would look amazing, at least.
At the top table, Annie looked swamped, surrounded by all her grandchildren, and as Colin and Timmy both shook her hand and kissed her, Aiden nodded with pleasure. She deserved a fuss; she was a game old bird.
Eric Palmer, in pride of place at the top table, was positively beaming at everyone, and Aiden stopped to have a few words. It was a good atmosphere and everyone was on best behaviour.
‘That young Peter Gunn is a fucking rascal, eh?’
‘What are you talking about, Eric?’
Eric was still chuckling away as he said, ‘The shoes! “HELP ME!” I laughed like a drain!’
Aiden had not found it the least bit amusing himself, but he knew better than to say anything churlish, so he answered jovially, ‘He will fucking pay for that! Cheeky little fucker.’
