Ruby eyed him up. What on earth was a weasel like Freddie Harris doing on her doorstep on a Friday evening? Bobby rarely went to the pub any more, let alone with Freddie, so there was no reason for him to call by. She raised her eyebrows in anticipation. Freddie wilted a little under her scrutiny, then regained his confidence and lent against the door-post.
‘What d’you want this time, Freddie?’ Ruby sighed.
‘Not pleased to see me, Ruby Green Eyes?’ he leered, leaning in towards her.
‘I wouldn’t come any closer if I were you, or you’ll ’ave my dad to deal with.’
‘Don’t get your knickers in a twist, I’ve come for Bob,’ Freddie snapped, his hands now in the pockets of his low-slung jeans, the gold chains rattling as he moved. He kept looking over his shoulder, as if something was there.
‘Bobby! You’ve got a visitor,’ Ruby shouted over her shoulder, refusing to move. She wasn’t going to let him take one step inside her home. She didn’t trust him.
‘So, what d’you want my brother for, then?’ Ruby asked. She wouldn’t normally care what Freddie and Bobby got up to but today was different. The two men hadn’t hung out for ages, so why was Freddie sniffing round her doorstep? She wanted to know the answer, and she was damned sure she’d stay right where she was until she got it. It was clear as daylight that something was up.
‘Nuthin’ to worry your pretty head over,’ smirked Freddie as Bobby pushed past her, poking his head out the doorway.
‘What’s up, Freddie?’ Bobby said, grinning.
‘Well, er, it’s difficult to say, mate. Can we ’ave a little privacy?’ Freddie replied, staring overtly at Ruby.
‘There’s nuthin’ you can’t say in front of my sister. So, what’s it all about, Fred?’
Ruby couldn’t resist a victorious smile as she stared back at Freddie, who was now shaking his head, a dangerous grin on his face.
‘All right, all right, I see I’ve got to come out with it,’ the dodgy bloke answered.
‘And get on with it,’ Ruby muttered under her breath. She had just started reading an article about dating and was finding it fascinating. So far she hadn’t had much interest in the fellas around their way, but that could change.
‘I’ve got a bit of work for ya, Bob, if ya want it? A couple of the big boys need a favour, a safe that needs your kind of . . . persuasion.’ Bobby looked momentarily confused, but Ruby knew instantly what Freddie was alluding to.
‘You want my brother to do crooked work for you?’ she clarified, her eyes widened.
‘We’d make it worth your while,’ Freddie continued, ignoring Ruby completely.
Before Ruby could hit back, Bobby opened his mouth and set his mate straight. ‘We’re honest people, Freddie. I can’t do no crooked jobs, sorry but you’ll ’ave to tell your big boys no can do.’
With that, Bobby retreated back inside the house, leaving Ruby on the doorstep. Freddie had looked momentarily defeated but as he sloped off towards Star Park across the road, he looked back at her with a wolfish grin.
Ruby shivered. The nights were drawing in and already the leaves were starting to turn brown. She wasn’t altogether sure if that was the reason she suddenly felt icy cold.
CHAPTER 8
‘We’ve got something to tell ya both. You’d better sit down to ’ear it,’ Louie said as he ushered Ruby and Bobby into the front room. The window, bare of net curtains, looked out onto the road that separated the row of houses from Star Park opposite.
Ruby looked up at her mum and dad as they stood awkwardly by the sofa. She glanced at Bobby; he shook his head in response. What could this mean? Bobby smiled back at her, though he registered something, some confusion evident on Ruby’s face. She had noticed her mum looked exhausted these days, and suddenly Ruby wondered if there was something wrong. They sat together, like small children, on the brown fabric sofa, waiting.
‘Mum—?’ Ruby started to say but Louie interrupted her.
‘Don’t look so scared, Rube, it’s happy news. We’re, ahem, we’re ’avin’ a baby.’
There was silence for a moment as both siblings digested this latest news, news that neither thought they’d ever hear.
‘Well, one of you say somethin’,’ Cathy laughed nervously. ‘I know it’s a shock but we’re not that old!’
Ruby looked over at her parents. Louie had his arm around his pregnant wife, and Cathy was leaning into him, looking between the two young people expectantly. At first, Ruby wanted to think it was some kind of joke, but it was clear now it was no such thing. Her parents were having another baby at the age of forty.
‘But . . . but . . . you don’t look pregnant?’ was all Ruby could think to say.
‘Well, I’m only three months gone so I won’t show for another month or so,’ Cathy pointed out, though Ruby saw again how small Mum seemed, how slim and almost frail.
‘Bloody hell, Mum!’ Bobby interjected making them all laugh. ‘How are we goin’ to afford to ’ave a baby?’
It was Louie’s turn to speak. ‘Listen you two, I don’t want either of ya worryin’ about money. We’ll make what we ’ave stretch. Babies don’t need much, just your mum and a few nappies.’
Ruby raised her
