Billie Jo (34 page)

Chelle held her hand out. 'Friends?'

Jade shook it warmly and felt nothing but respect for
Michelle.

The door being flung open broke the moment.

'There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you.'

'Jade. This is Jane, my partner.'

Jade smiled. 'It's lovely to meet you, Jane. I'd best be
heading back now. Mike will wonder what's happened
to me.'

Waiting until the door closed, Jane wrapped her arms
around Chelle. 'You did it then?'

Chelle nodded. Jane was a big believer in forgiving.

'Make amends to everyone in life that you've hurt.
Then you'll start liking yourself and people will start to
like you' was her motto.

As they shared a passionate kiss, Chelle wasn't aware
of the door opening.

'Oh, for fuck's sake. Jesus, Mary and Holy Saint
Joseph,' Pearl said to Bridie in horror. 'Bejesus. My poor
Terry would turn in his grave, so he would.'

Heads held high, Pearl and Bridie stormed out of the
toilets.

'Hello, my little darling.'

Billie recognised Davey Mullins' voice immediately.
'Oh, Dave. I really didn't think you were coming.'

'Billie, this is my wife, Luna. Now where's this fucking
husband of yours?'

Giggling, Billie spotted Jamie and dragged him over.

'Jamie, this is the one and only Davey Mullins. As you
know, he was my dad's best friend.'

Jamie shook hands and got the couple a drink. Holding
Dave's arm, Billie turned her attentions to his pretty
Spanish wife.

'How did you manage to tame him, Luna?' she joked.

Luna smiled. 'Me tiger, Davey kitten.'

Dave handed Billie an envelope and ordered her to
open it. Billie was flummoxed at the keys and paperwork.
'I don't understand. What is it, Dave?'

Dave looked pleased with himself. 'It's a three-bedroom
house, sweetheart. It's situated in a nice little close in
Hornchurch and it's all yours.'

Billie slung the keys back at him. 'Don't be so stupid,
Dave, we can't take that. Anyway, Mum's offered to help
us buy a place.'

Handing the envelope to Jamie, Davey smiled. 'Where
is the Rottweiler?'

'Ssh,' Billie said. 'Don't be wicked, Dave, she really
has changed. In fact, I probably should have mentioned
it before. She's met someone, she has a girlfriend.'

'Whaddya mean, girlfriend?'

Billie tried to explain but his hysterical laughter
stopped her.

'Your mother turning into a rug muncher has made my
fucking day, Bill. In fact, tell a lie, it's made my fucking
year.'

Jamie couldn't stop laughing either. Davey Mullins
had his sense of humour and Jamie had liked him on
sight.

'Stop it, the pair of you,' Billie said seriously.

Crying with laughter, Davey walked away. Then getting
a hold of himself, he returned looking serious. 'There's
the address, Bill. It's all yours.'

'We can't take it,' Billie and Jamie said in unison.

Dave was pleased with Billie's choice of man. Terry
would have loved Jamie; the boy had good morals.

'Listen, guys. The present ain't from me.'

Turning to Billie, Dave rubbed her arm. 'Your dad gave
me the money before he died. I was looking after it for
him. He wanted you to have something, Bill, when you
were old enough to appreciate it. I purchased the house
out of your dad's money. The time is right for you, Bill,
to have what's owed to you.'

Billie started to cry. A present from her dad on her
wedding day was beyond her wildest dreams.

Hugging Billie tightly with one arm, Jamie shook
Davey Mullins' hand with the other. 'Thanks, mate. You're
a diamond.'

Winking at Luna, Dave smiled. For once in his life
he'd done the right thing and it felt absolutely fucking
wonderful.

Back in Brixton, Danny O'Leary was having the worst
day of his life and was unable to sleep. Picturing Jamie,
Billie and his son together was torturing him. They'd probably
be at the reception now, hosting a big fucking party.
Bitter beyond belief, Danny planned his revenge. He
needed something to focus on, get him through today and
the rest of his stretch. Billie, Jamie, Jimmy the Fish, they
all had it coming to 'em. Danny O'Leary was a face, a
fucking somebody, and when released he would show
everybody exactly what he was all about.

'Revenge is sweet
I am not silly
First on my list
Is fucking Billie.'

Danny liked his poem. He had made it up earlier and
had been chanting it for the last three hours. Laughing
hysterically, he sat up and repeatedly headbutted the wall.

The emotion of her dad's present had been too much for
Billie Jo. The toilet cubicle had been a godsend, enabling
her to spend a few minutes alone and pull herself together.
Desperate to tell Jade her news, she went over to her
table.

Dr Mike smiled as Billie approached them. Sensing a
girlie chat, he excused himself to make some important
phone calls. Billie explained to Jade about the house, her
dad, his wishes and the conversation she'd had with Davey
Mullins. Jade hugged Billie. She couldn't speak, the words
just wouldn't come. Nobody could ever replace Terry, but
it was time to move on. He was a legend, one of a kind,
and today proved that.

Jade smiled. 'I loved him so much, Billie. You do know
that, don't you?'

Rubbing Jade's arm, Billie was glad to see DJ and
Terry Junior appear by her side.

'Will you dance with me, Mummy?' Terry Junior asked
Jade.

'Will you dance with me, Mummy?' DJ asked, not
wanting to be outdone.

Taking Jade by the hand, Billie stood up. 'Come on,
let's pull ourselves together. My dad would have hated us
to be upset like this.'

Five minutes on the dance floor did the girls the world
of good.

Giggling, Jade questioned Billie. 'What do you think
of Dr Mike then?'

Billie blew a kiss. 'Gorgeous, reminds me of George
Clooney.'

The music was blaring. Jade moved towards Billie to
make herself heard.

'I haven't told you my news yet, have I?'

Billie laughed. 'You're not pregnant, are you?'

Jade shook her head frantically. 'Definitely not. Mike's
always working, chance would be a fine thing. No seriously,
Mike's been offered a job in London, at Bart's.
We've discussed it and I think he's going to take it. Very
shortly yours truly will be moving back near you.'

Billie smiled at Jade. 'That's fantastic. We can see one
another all the time and so can the boys.'

Noticing Jamie sitting at a table with Davey Mullins,
Billie joined them.

'How's my beautiful bride?' Jamie crowed.

'I'm fine,' Billie said, sitting down next to him.

Davey Mullins watched in amazement as Chelle and
her fancy piece smooched on the dance floor.

'Who'd Adam and Eve it, eh? And she ain't even
drinking,' he muttered.

Billie took a sip of champagne. The day had been so
hectic that she wasn't even merry.

'Don't take the piss out of her, Dave. I'm pleased for
Mum. You know that she's sorted herself out. Her turning
into a raving lesbian doesn't bother me at all. I can never
remember her being this happy before. Even when I was
little, she was never very contented.'

Davey Mullins held his hands up. 'Horses for courses
and I promise I won't say another word.'

Pulling Jamie's head towards him, Dave whispered in
his ear, 'It looks like a fucking man, the bird. Do you
reckon it wears one of them strapadicktomes?'

Unable to control his laughter, Jamie stood up and took
his wife's arm. 'People are leaving now, Bill. Best we say
our goodbyes.'

Once the disco had finished, the hotel emptied pretty
quickly.

'The fucking English have no idea how to enjoy themselves,'
were Bridie and Pearl's parting words.

Spotting Hazel, Billie went over to her. 'Thanks for
coming and, more so, thanks for looking after Mum in
her hour of need.'

Hazel hugged Billie. She was a lovely kid and she had
always been fond of her.

Tiff's parents kissed Billie goodbye. 'Well done, you,'
they said as they waved.

Billie thanked her bridesmaids and saw Brenda and
Valerie into a cab. 'Now, girls. No fighting over your
grandson, you can both share him.'

Brenda and Valerie roared. Two extremely different
people, they had forged a friendship in unusual circumstances.

With the crowds disappearing, Billie was desperate for
her mother and Davey Mullins not to bump into one
another. Billie had told her mum that he was there, she'd
had to, although she hadn't yet mentioned her wedding
present from her dad. Her mum had been wonderful today.
She had even surprised her with a fantastic honeymoon
and Billie would hate her to think she'd been upstaged.
Billie would have to tell her, obviously, but would gently
break the news in the next few days.

'Are you going now, Mum?'

Billie was desperate to stop confrontation at any cost.
Chelle smiled. She might never have won the 'Mother of
the Year Award', but she knew her daughter inside-out.

'Billie, I'm fine. Don't worry about Dave, I have no
problem with him.'

Jane put a supportive arm around Chelle's shoulders.
They'd spoken about Davey Mullins earlier.

'Goodnight, Jade. Goodnight, Mike.' Billie kissed Terry
Junior, who was asleep in Jade's arms. 'Thanks for coming
and I'll call you tomorrow.'

Davey Mullins hadn't known Jade was there. Spotting
her, he dashed after her. He'd never seen the kid and was
desperate for a look at his best pal's produce. Walking
back in, he came face to face with his very worst nightmare.
Michelle held out her hand.

'Dave, you were a good friend to Terry and I respect
that. No hard feelings, eh?'

Dave leant against the wall. 'I never ripped you off,
girl. I did what Terry would have wanted. I bought a
property and gave it to Billie today.'

Michelle smiled. 'It's a funny old life, ain't it? You
married, me with a bird. Who would have thought it, eh?'

Davey laughed. 'Enjoy yourself, Chelle, you're a long
time dead, girl.'

'I will, don't you worry.' Without a backward glance,
Chelle walked away.

A short while later, Chelle dropped Billie, Jamie and
DJ home. Thanking her for all she'd done, Billie waved
as she drove off.

'Unbelievable, the change in her, isn't it?'

Jamie chuckled. 'If that's what a bit of pussy does for
you, best I hunt round for some meself.'

Punching him playfully, Billie ordered him to put DJ
to bed.

Kicking off her shoes, Billie lay on the sofa. She was
happy but also very tired. She smiled as Jamie lay down
beside her.

'Blinding day, weren't it, girl?'

Billie kissed his forehead. 'It was fantastic; it was the
best day of my life. Marrying you was wonderful, and
the present off my dad was the icing on the cake.'

Lifting his tired head off her shoulder, Jamie wrapped
his arms around Billie.

'Do you know what? I fucking love you, Mrs Jackson.'

Billie kissed him tenderly. 'You could never love me
as much as I love you. Thank you, Jamie, for everything.
You have made mine and DJ's life complete.'