As Veronica saw the way her son and Linda Best looked at one another, she resigned herself to the situation. It was wonderful to see her son so happy, and this girl seemed to be the reason for that. He was a natural father, and watching him with those children made her realise just how stunted his life had been until now. That was Phillip's fault, but she would never admit that out loud, of course. Still, her heart was sore knowing her youngest son's life had been blighted for so many years. The guilt tore at her then, and she determined to do the best for him and his new-found little family. At least the girl wasn't a whore, she had a bit of something about her anyway She settled the children down in front of a DVD of Mary Poppins 'm the lounge, and then made a point of chatting to Linda about herself and her family as she finished cooking dinner for them all. Within the hour they were old friends.
Chapter Ninety-Three
'She seems nice, Jamsie.' Phillip's voice was quiet; they were smoking in the garden, and Jamsie was inordinately pleased at his brother's words. If Phillip liked her she was in.
'She is a nice girl, Phillip. Had a rough time of it, but she makes me happy, so what can I say?'
Phillip was amazed at his brother's demeanour. Jamsie was like a different person around Linda Best. It reminded him of when he had met Christine, he had wanted to be a better man for her. She had made him want more from life, so he could give her the world. 'The kids are nice and all, really well brought up, polite and that.'
Jamsie nodded in agreement. 'She's a good mother, I can't take that away from her. She's done a good job considering she's been on her Jack Jones with them.'
'Who're the culprits then?'
'The eldest girl's father is some bloke from West Ham, and the other three are by Robbie Foyle, the treacherous ponce. Never given her a penny towards any of them, and do you know, he fucking robbed them one Christmas. Nicked his own kids' presents! Fucking scum.'
Phillip looked suitably scandalised at his brother's words. 'I hope you had a word, Jamsie.'
Jamsie nodded. 'I done him one night in Canning Town, with a baseball bat. Told him if he went near them ever again I'd kill him. She don't know that, like – Linda ain't the type of person who can handle trouble. She's more of a keep-your-head- down-and-hope-it-goes-away kind of girl.'
Phillip laughed softly. 'Well, she's certainly won Mother over.'
Jamsie paused a moment, before saying, 'Look, Phillip, I know me and you have had our differences, but I swear to you, I'll make it up to you and Declan. My life is finally on some kind of even keel, and I want it to stay like that. I have been finding out everything there is to know about the motors and, when you're ready, I'll take you through it.'
Phillip nodded thoughtfully. He was staring at his brother in that vacant way he had sometimes and Jamsie found he was holding his breath with nervousness. Then, offering his hand out, Phillip shook his brother's hand, squeezing it tightly as he said genuinely, 'Good luck to you, bruv, she's a nice girl. Even Christine seems to be getting on with her, she ain't stopped talking since she came in. Are you going to marry her?'
Jamsie nodded happily. 'Yeah. Be a mug not to. She's my world now, Phillip, her and them kids.'
Phillip nodded in absolute agreement. 'They are your family now, mate, and family is all that really matters. Do Mum good to have some more little ones to dote on, she needs all that.'
Jamsie was thrilled at the turn of events, and smiled happily at his brother.
'Come in to the office tomorrow, and we'll get the ball rolling. There's a nice house I own not far from here, Jamsie, four bedrooms, large semi-detached. Just needs a bit of TLC. It's yours. Call it an early wedding present. I'll have the people renting it out by the end of the week.'
Jamsie was shocked and overcome at his brother's generosity. 'Oh, Phillip, what can I say?'
Phillip waved his thanks away quickly, and went into the house. Jamsie was going to be a lynchpin for their new business, so that meant he needed to be treated as one of the family, and he now needed to be seen to be treated as an integral part of the business. Hence the new house, and the new wage. Personally, Phillip still hated him for what he had done, but he wouldn't let on about that. It wasn't going to gain him anything, whereas being nice would get him everything. As always there was an agenda and, as always, Phillip kept the real agenda to himself.
Jamsie was over the moon to be invited once more back into the fold, and he privately toasted his brother's generosity before rejoining the others inside.
That Linda was amazed they were being given a four-bedroom house, in a nice road, was an understatement. She almost fainted with the shock and, when she looked at Veronica Murphy and saw the woman's obvious pleasure at her good fortune, she burst into tears of happiness and relief. Phillip put his arm around her shoulder and said loudly, 'I think I am going to be my brother's best man, Linda, so you and the girls had better start planning the wedding. After all, that house was a wedding present.'
Linda was speechless and, when Jamsie nodded at her, she started to cry once more. Veronica was happier than she had been in years – Linda had potential, and Jamsie was back in the family proper. She saw Christine hug the girl and wish her the best, and she felt that her family was finally growing and evolving again, and that was what families were meant to do. Veronica loved her family to death, and that was not an overstatement. No matter what, you protected them, each and every one of them.
Chapter Ninety-Four
Jonnie Piper was a small man, but he was still not someone you would look at and dismiss. He had an air about him that said he could be a bit of a menace if crossed and, from what Phillip had heard, it was a reputation he had earned fair and square.
Phillip was surprised to find that he genuinely liked Jonnie. He had a good sense of humour and a catalogue of stories that were as funny as they were interesting. So he was well pleased with this initial meeting. Especially as Jonnie had come down to see him, and not vice versa. It was the little things that pleased Phillip Murphy, and the fact this man had travelled down to see him without question went a long way. If the meeting was on his turf, then he had the natural advantage. Piper also seemed impressed with the farm, and that told Phillip that he was a man of a discerning nature. He had treated Old Sammy with respect too, and listened to what he had had to say, suggesting that he was a gentleman. Scally or not, Phillip was pleased to be dealing with someone of such calibre. He saw no reason why they couldn't all earn together and enjoy the partnership, for the time being at least. So, all in all, Phillip was a very happy man.
Piper's wife had been his companion for over twenty-five years, and over the course of this first meeting she and Christine were already like bosom pals; both were first wives, and each still adored by their partners. In fact, the similarity between the two men in some respects was uncanny. They were like two peas in a pod in every way except looks. They had a natural affinity that seemed to give them a really solid understanding of each other. Both had fought to get where they were, and both had set ideas about how they conducted their private lives. Like Phillip Murphy, there was no scandal to be heard about Jonnie Piper. No little birds in the offing, or errant kids on the local housing estates. Phillip saw that kind of behaviour as disgusting; disrespecting your wife and kids was something he found anathema. Chasing skirt when you should be chasing the dollar was a mug's game and left you open to all sorts of situations decent men avoided like the fucking plague. To Phillip, it showed a weakness of character and inherent untrustworthiness: if you could swindle your own close family, then you were capable of anything.