Reckless Moments

Chapter 3 – Our missing years

Doris and Beth took Belinda back to the house where her mum had been looking after the children for her. They were all sat there expectantly, Marge thinking that finally Belinda was free from that twat. Gary and Jack thinking they needed to look after their Mum and their sister, they were going to be the men of the house now, not entirely understanding what was going on but knew Dad wasn't coming home for a while. Molly thinking how much she would miss her Dad and why couldn't he come home, he was always tickling her and making her laugh. Molly sitting next to Jack silently crying as he put his arm around her shoulder. She knew that something was very wrong but no one was telling her what it was but her Daddy wasn't coming home, she had worked that out. He had to, he tucked her into bed most nights, bought her a stuffed dog which she took to bed every night and read them both a story. Her Nan must be wrong he wasn't a bad man, but her mum was crying so maybe he was.

Doris came to sit next to her and hugged her close, Molly was such a sweet little girl far too young to realise what was going on. "Well come on then one of you" barked Nan "How long did the twat get" Doris closed her eyes, how could she go on like this in front of the kids, couldn't she see how upset they all were.

"8 years Mum" wailed Belinda "8 fucking years, and you can piss off if you are going to keep on like this"

"I was only asking Bells no need to go off on one"

"Do you know what Mum piss off back to your maisonette, and while we are on about it you only got it cos my Dave threatened the bloke at the council, we should have left you in that prefab with water running down the fucking walls every winter" Marge's eyes opened wide, Belinda had never turned on her like that before

"Come on Bells" soothed Beth guiding her towards the stairs so she could pack a few things and she could look after her in Bath. If she was being honest she was looking after herself as much as Belinda. Her William was on his way to the Falklands to fight a war, she missed him already and she had lived years with him going away on tour, he'd done several in Northern Ireland but this felt different somehow, maybe it was because he was so far away. A house full of kids and one of her oldest friends would help to take her mind off worrying about it all. His parents had moved out of the house years ago and closer to the city leaving the huge house to William, her and their two boys. His mother was just as worried as her and it wasn't helping that she would often break down in tears when she came over. It was constantly on the news and she didn't want her boys to know all that was happening out there, Charles in particular always seemed to feel things so deeply. All of them had gone to Southampton and waved William off with their little flags but that didn't stop the fear he might not come back. William was a Major in the army and was often away but they had always shielded the children from the news, never discussed his tours in their presence so they didn't really know all that he saw. She did though, some of the things he had told her, his nightmares, men he had lost, not knowing all the time who was your friend or enemy but trusting in the men you served with. She so wanted Belinda to come to Bath, even if only for a few days just to stop this constant tightness she felt in her chest.

There was a light tap on the door and Doris went to open it giving Fred and Sam a warm welcome. Gary and Jack stood up grinning as Molly ran across the room her arms outstretched waiting to be picked up by her uncle Fred, which he did. Dave had always tried to shield her from the life with her being so young and she must be really confused about where he had suddenly vanished to, that he was going to be gone for a long time. The boys he guessed sort of knew but even they probably didn't realise they would be virtually grown men by the time he got back. At least he had news that Dave was going to Maidstone prison, not too difficult to get to from here.

"I'll drive you all to Bath in the Jag first thing tomorrow" he beamed, he loved that car, the way it purred when he turned the ignition and it was about time it had a run out rather than the congestion of London. "Don't you worry about a thing Bells, as soon as he can have visits, I'll make sure to take you down to Maidstone."

-OG-

Fred and Sam took their mugs of tea into the garden, they hadn't really spoken much lately, both of them really busy with the businesses now that Dave wasn't about, plus they had been visiting him in hospital and taking Belinda to see him, trying to take some of the load off her with the kids.

"Can't believe it" sighed Sam "Eight bloody years, I'm gonna miss the bugger, won't be the same seeing him locked up in there" As he remembered them all, at school, at the gym, down the pub. "Nah it won't but it will be down to us to keep him positive" sighed Fred, lost in his own memories and Sam nodded in agreement taking another sip from his tea

"Fred somethings been bothering me about that job and I've been meaning to have a word" said Sam slowly and carefully trying to gauge Fred's expression as he saw him raise an eyebrow "The money…how come it wasn't all recovered at the scene"

"Tony reckons one of the cops took it"

"Possible I spose" shrugged Sam "What about Derek, he was outside waiting for it"

"Can't have, he would have scarpered as soon as the blues and twos showed up" although he drew his lips into a frown "He would have taken the lot if he had the opportunity, brought it back to divvy up"

"Would he" huffed Sam "I ain't so sure, he's always been..." he paused "I don't know secretive, a bit snidey" Fred's eyes bored into Sam "Tony thinks we were grassed up, you saying it might have been Derek?"

"Dunno mate, I don't know what to think after this, we were so careful" he shook his head looking down at his mug of tea "Maybe I'm just a bit paranoid or something, it's all been a bit of a shock, the job, Dave's accident.." his sentence trailing away. He looked back up to see that Fred was still staring at him intently. "Well we keep an eye on him for a bit, see if he is splashing the cash about" responded Fred and Sam nodded in agreement "He's been asking if we have another job in the pipeline as the last one went tits up"

"If we do, it's just you and me mate, until Dave gets back, OK" growled Fred in a low voice that held more than a hint of the anger he felt. Dave, Sam and him had been a team since their school days, where one was the other two weren't far behind and he wasn't sure how he felt about another job without Dave there. "I'm not sure I totally agree with you that Derek is behind this but I ain't ruling it out either, but as the old saying goes keep your friends close and your enemies closer" his grin almost menacing as he said it. Fred stood a little straighter as he drank the last of his tea "Come on Sam let's take the boys to the park for a bit, leave the women to sort out Belinda."

-OG-

Fred and Sam took the two boys out and across to the park for a kick about, leaving the women sitting at the dining table drinking tea and talking in whispers. No one seemed to remember Molly was even there. She crept up the stairs to pick up her stuffed dog Bennie, perhaps her dad was in the park with Uncle Sam and Uncle Fred, she was big enough to play with them too. She wiped her hand across her face to get rid of the tears everyone had gone and left her, her Dad, her brothers even her mum had forgotten her.

It was many minutes before Doris noticed that the front door was open and she looked around the front room and couldn't see Molly there, the TV still on and showing cartoons. "Belinda" she called out "Belinda where is Molly". The women galvanised into action checking all the rooms and garden calling out for Molly, before going to look up the street

"Could she have followed the boys to the park?"

"No she couldn't have" answered Belinda "She knows not to cross the road without an adult or her brothers"

"I think we should go and check" soothed Beth and they set off in the direction of the park "She can't have gone far". They saw Fred and Sam with the boys and let them know that Molly was missing. They agreed to split up to look for her. It was Fred and Gary that found her, her brother telling her off for scaring their mum.

"Sorry" she said her eyes filling with tears as she hugged her stuffed dog "I thought you might have been playing in the park and dad was here and you forgot about me" her lip quivering as Fred picked her up "Bennie wanted to smell the flowers first"

"Gary, go run and find your mum tell her we found Molly and she's alright" he sighed turning to start walking back across the park, to where they had been playing football. Poor kid he thought, she must be so confused about what was happening.

Belinda came running up to them tears streaming down her face closely followed by the rest of them. She took Molly from Fred and hugged her tightly smothering her in kisses

"Stop it Mummy she giggled

"Don't you ever go off on your own again and you know not to cross the road unless you are holding hands with someone who knows how to cross them safely"

"Sorry" nuzzling her face into her mother's neck.

"No harm done Bells" said Doris rubbing Belinda's back "Let's get them all back home"

Later that evening Belinda was tucking her daughter up in bed, the blankets up to her chin and her arm tightly wrapped round that bloody stuffed dog that Dave bought her, she really must sneak it away from her one night and wash the filthy thing.

"Mum, is daddy a bad man don't he like us anymore, is that why he's gone" her eyes looked huge staring up at Belinda and her heart broke for her

"No Molls course he's not, he loves you" she sighed shaking her head, her bloody mother really ought to watch what she says in front of the kids, she could kill her sometimes. How much did you tell them, and would she understand

"Your dad did something silly and it got him into trouble, he didn't want to go away and he wishes he could be here, he will come back but it will be a long time"

"When"

"A long time Molls" she brushed Molly's hair from her face and kissed her cheek "Tomorrow we can go and stay with your Aunty Beth for a few days, you'll like it there"

It had been an eventful day as far as Molly was concerned and she was very sleepy her eyes getting heavier as her mother stroked her forehead.

-OG-

Fred turned up early the next morning to drive Beth, Belinda and the kids to Bath. It would take about four hours as they were bound to have to stop at a service station or two on route.

Gary and Jack agreeing that they would split the journey and have half each in the front seat with Fred, watching what he was doing and asking about all the lights, pleading with him to go faster, they loved it when he overtook other cars. Molly sat in the back between the two women, her little legs sticking out in front of her, asking Beth lots of questions as she clung to her stuffed dog. He couldn't help but grin as he looked in the rear view mirror, he didn't think she had stopped chattering since she got in the car and they had got to Reading, not quite half way yet.

It was early afternoon before they all arrived at the Bath house

"Bloody hell Beth, I didn't realise you lived somewhere so posh" exclaimed Belinda staring up at the beautiful huge building "You sure you want my lot running about here" grabbing her arm "You ain't got lots of antiques or nothing have you?"

Beth threw her head back laughing at her friend "No Bells, I promise and some of the old vases and stuff left by my mother in law, I can point them out so they do smash them, I've been looking to declutter for years"

Fred picked up Molly to carry her inside as she whispered in his ear "Will I get lost again Uncle Fred, it's bigger than the park" he chuckled in response "No sweetheart you won't get lost."

She gripped his neck tighter almost choking him as two big boys came running out the door to greet their mum. That was Andrew and Charles his nephews, every time he saw them they seemed to have had another growing spurt, they were certainly going to end up tall like their father, not that he was short himself. Andrew must be about 12 by now only a couple of months younger than Gary, then Charles only 18 months younger than Andrew. The pair of them were growing up fast, good looking lads just like their father and the dark curly hair like him and their mother.

"Come on boys" beamed Beth ushering her boys back into the house so that Belinda, Gary, Jack and Fred carrying Molly could come in "I'll introduce you to one of my oldest friends and her children when we are all inside" patting Charles on his head and running her fingers through his curls as he looked at all the new people on the doorstep, the only one he recognised was his uncle Fred and he was carrying a little girl who was gripped to him tightly and hiding her face. "Bring the cases in Fred, thanks" grinned Beth as Fred rolled his eyes at his sister, couldn't she see he had his hands full. Belinda reached up and took Molly from him. Still Charles couldn't see her face as she buried it into the ladies neck, wrapping her stubby little legs round the blonde woman's waist.

"Cor Blimey" whistled Gary as he went into the hall and saw the tiled floor and the sweeping staircase and bannisters as it went up to the different floors. "It's like the Omen them stairs"

"What" exclaimed Belinda "You ain't old enough to see that, have you seen it Gary" and he rolled his eyes "Nah Mum only heard about it" he hid his grin, he had been to the pictures to see it. His mate's dad was the projectionist at the ABC in Hackney and sneaked them in so he didn't have to take the night off to look after them when his wife went out to work. If he was being honest he wished he hadn't, gave him funny dreams for ages after. He should have done what his mate did and go to sleep in the chair. He much preferred it if they just went to the Minors on Saturday morning.

They must be from his mother's side of the family thought Andrew raising an eyebrow, his Uncle Fred he knew he wasn't married so they couldn't be his. They were obviously coming to stay while his Dad was away judging by the suitcases coming in. He had heard his Mum and Dad talking when they thought he was in bed asleep and knew that his Uncle was a bit of a crook, perhaps all these people were too. This could be interesting.

-OG-

The Dawes clan had been in Bath for a few days. Beth was over the moon that her friend was staying, it was lovely to hear the laughter from a house full of children and the pair of them had spent ages catching up, talking late into the night, giggling over their past and sharing the odd bottle of wine as they tried to push their worries from their minds. In fact it was as if they were still teenagers and the intervening years had never happened, their friendship as strong as it had always been even though they hadn't kept in touch so much, since the children had been born. They both knew they needed this friendship, it was that that would get them through this.

They were chatting in the kitchen about a trip out for them all so the kids could burn off some energy when there were shrieks from the hall and loud clattering. Charles came out of his bedroom from reading a book looking over the bannister, Andrew had been in the kitchen with Beth and Belinda. They ran into the hall to see what the noise was only to see Molly sitting on a tea tray and being pushed off the top stair by Gary. They had already pushed her off the top flight and she was now hurtling down the last flight shrieking and laughing with Jack clapping in excitement waiting to catch her at the bottom.

She got to the bottom, got up picked up the tray handle and started trying to drag it back up the stairs "Again Gaz again" Jack who had been waiting at the bottom to catch her took the tray off her starting to run back up the stairs laughing

"Gary, Jack" shouted Belinda "What the bleedin hell are you two doing to your sister"

"She likes it Mum" grinned Jack as Belinda's eyes moved to Molly's huge grin and her eyes shining with excitement "I do, I do" she enthused "Again Gaz" as she continued climbing the stairs

"Don't you realise how incredibly dangerous that was" said Beth her hands on her hips the boys heads dipping before a quiet "Sorry Aunty Beth" was spoken by both of them. Beth couldn't help but grin at all of them for their contrition and tried to cover it with her hand

"Does nothing scare that girl of yours Bells" asked Beth looking up the steep stair cases that her brothers had pushed her down sitting in a metal drinks tray.

"Nope not so far" laughed Belinda, "She's been coming down the stairs on her stomach for ages after she saw the boys doing it, frightened the life out of me the first time I saw her copy them"

"We'll take them to the park to burn off a bit of energy, shall we?"

"We're not outstaying our welcome are we Beth, I know my lot are a bit noisy"

"No course you're not Bell" patting her hand "I'm used to the boys giving me the odd fright, just a bit shocked when I saw your Molls hurtling down the stairs like that"

Andrew had been behind his mother and Belinda through the whole interaction. He couldn't help but smirk, so she didn't get frightened by anything did she, bet he could find something to frighten her. He'd have to have a little think. No point in asking Charles, he wouldn't know, has his nose buried into his books far too much of a goody two shoes. He would have to work it out for himself and when her brothers weren't about as they always looked after her.

-OG-

It was nearly a week later that he got Molly on her own, Gary, Jack and Charles had gone to the park, Charles was going to show them the rules of Rugby as they had never played and only knew about football. Apparently their criminal father took them to West Ham if they were playing at home, unless they were playing Millwall, whoever they were. Gary telling them they were a shit side and the Irons never dropped below the second division but now Millwall were back up. Jack adding parrot fashion what he had heard from his dad "The Bushwackers have bleedin long memories and we aint going to those matches"

He walked into the snug and saw Molly with her colouring book the corner of her tongue poking out as she was trying to concentrate, her dark wavy hair pulled into bunches and covering part of her face.

"Molly" he said and she looked up grinning at him "you want to go outside, we could climb trees?"

Her smile widened as her head nodded enthusiastically. Andrew put out his hand and she took it as he guided her out of the house and into the back garden and the huge tree at the bottom. He started his climb and grabbed her hand again to help her up, higher and higher into the branches. "Look we can see into the bedrooms" grinned Andrew and Molly gulped; she didn't really like it up here but Andrew was with her.

"So is your Dad in prison like Uncle Fred said" he asked and watched her face drop only bad men went to prison she thought, her Nan had told her that. "Not very bright if he got caught" he added "Perhaps Uncle Fred is better off without him hanging on, less likely to end up in prison himself"

"Uncle Fred is a friend of my dad" retorted Molly jutting out her chin.

"He's not your Uncle Molly, he's mine and my Mum isn't your Aunt" grinned Andrew spitefully "You're not a relative to him or my Mum, and they are not your Aunt or Uncle" he watched as her eyes widened and her eyes went glassy as if she was going to cry "they are nothing to you". Let's see her brothers get her out of this one he thought as he started to descend from the tree and left her there. He took one final look at her sitting up there gripped to the branch. Yes she looked frightened, seems her mother was wrong on that score.

Gary, Jack and Charles came back from the park about an hour later after having come to the conclusion that maybe Rugby shouldn't be dismissed as an easy game.

Gary took his glass of water out into the garden where he heard whimpering. Looking around he couldn't see anything but he recognised the noise it was his sister Molly, where was she and why was she crying. She very rarely cried, she must be hurt.

"Jack, get out here" he shouted and Jack came to the back door followed by Charles. "Can you hear that" he asked and the three boys listened, walking down the garden and the whimpering getting louder. "Molly where are you" called Gary

"Here" came a voice and a sniff. The three boys looked up and saw Molly clinging to a branch high in the tree her eyes red and her face soaked from crying. "How did you get up there" Gary asked gently

"I've climbed this tree lots of times" started Charles "I'll go and get her, I know how to climb it, I'll lower her down to you" and he started to make the climb before they could stop him. He sat on the branch next to her. Her dark brown hair stuck to her wet face as she had been crying so much, her green eyes staring at him. "How did you get up here Molly?" he asked putting his hand on her shoulder and she flinched "Andew left me here" she sniffed and wiped her hand across her snotty nose the other gripped to the branch. "He didn't come back" Her green eyes boring into his with distrust. He knew his brother could be a bit nasty at times, he had seen him at school with some of the smaller boys, the way he spoke to him sometimes. But why would he do this to Molly she was so little.

"Molly we need to get down out this tree" he cajoled "I can help you and your brothers are waiting at the bottom to catch you, look see there they are" Still she kept staring at him not saying anything her eyes slowly moving in the direction he was pointing, how long had she been sat up here, poor kid. He could see why her brothers were so protective over her, because right at this minute that's exactly how he felt. Her bunches blowing in the breeze, tears streaming down her face and gripped to the tree and looking like her world was ending.

"Come on Molly, I promise I won't let you fall" his dark eyes staring into hers

"You promise Charlie" she whimpered, he didn't really like being called Charlie but it wasn't the time to correct her, he needed to get her to let go of the branch and start the climb down. He held out his hand and she took it. He was seething that his brother had done this, what possessed him to be so cruel. It took ages to cajole her across the branch and down onto the next. When they were far enough down he held both her hands as she looked up at him with her large green orbs

"I'm scared I don't want to" she cried

"You can do this Molls" called Gary "I'm here and so is Jack we'll catch you" she took one final look at Charles and he nodded and she released her grip on his hands and she dropped into her brothers arms, clinging to Gary's neck she was so relieved she was out that tree.

"You better not 'ave been in on this Charlie" growled Gary and scowling at him before turning to walk back to the house carrying an upset Molly.

"I wouldn't do something like that" he tried to say but Gary was already out of earshot. He heard the sigh from Jack next to him

"When Uncle Fred and Mum told us about Dad, he told us it was our job to look after them while he was away and Gary takes it dead serious, he won't want to let our Dad down" Jack looked away from Gary's retreating back to Charles, "He's angry but he'll calm down, I don't think he thinks you had anything to do with it"

"Are you and Gary close?"

"Course we are mate, we're bruvvers ain't we. We do everything together" Charles just shrugged, there was only 18 months between him and Andrew but he didn't feel close to him, in fact if Andrew was with his friends he spent most of his time telling Charles to go away, find someone his own age to play with.

It was a couple of days after the incident in the tree when Charles came out of his bedroom, going downstairs to the kitchen for a drink. Belinda and Beth chatting again over a cup of tea and Belinda saying that they should start thinking of going home. He hoped they might have stayed longer, his mum looked so happy having her friend here, he knew how worried she was about Dad being in the Falkland's. She thought he didn't know too much about what was happening out there, but he did. He read the papers when he popped out to the shops for his mum. He had heard about the sinking of some of the ships, HMS Sheffield, and a couple of frigates from what he had read so far, even a Merchant ship the Atlantic Conveyor, he remembered seeing the picture of the captain that had been killed and he thought he looked like the man on the Fish Fingers advert. He drank his water while staring out the kitchen window. His dad had to be alright, the army would have come and told them if he wasn't. There was no one out there playing as he put his glass on the draining board and left the two women talking. Walking through the hall and out through the front door.

He was surprised to see Molly sitting on the kerb, it looked like she had her arms wrapped round her legs and her chin on her knees. "What are you doing Molly" he asked sitting down on the kerb next to her

"Nufink" she turned grinning at him "I think me bruvvers forgot me"

"Where are they?"

"In the park"

"Well, why don't you go over there then"

"I can't silly" she replied looking at him her eyes wide in shock and shaking her head at him "I'm only little, I'm not allowed to cross the road on me own" she tutted continuing parrot fashion having been told many times by her mum that she mustn't, even her brother, Gary told her not to cross without him. She thought everyone knew that.

"Shall I take you across then" he smiled her head bobbing up and down enthusiastically that she could go to the park and Charlie was going to take her. He stood up and wiped the dust off the back of his trousers, Molly seeing what he was doing copied the action. They were stood at the kerb when she put her hand in his and squeezed it tight, looking up at him grinning "You have to hold hands when you cross the road Mummy said". Charles felt the colour come up his neck and into his cheeks, he was holding hands will a little person and a girl at that. He hoped none of his friends were about and could see him, he would never live this down, they would tease him relentlessly.

They crossed the road and he shook his hand free of hers before anyone was likely to see. He looked down at her slightly bewildered expression before she shrugged, grinned up at him and ran off into the park.

"Wait Molly" he called after her as she made a bee line for the swings and slides, not even bothering to look for her brothers who were here somewhere. She was already half way up the steps of the slide by the time he caught up with her and watched in horror as she lay down on her stomach and slid head first to the bottom, he only just managed to grab her shoulders before she came off the end her face destined to hit the concrete.

"Don't bloody do that Molly, it's dangerous" he tried to sound angry as she giggled at him her hands over her mouth

"You swore Charlie"

"You must have heard swearing before" she nodded grinning her eyes spotting the swings and she was off again. He should have left her sitting on the kerb, he could have gone round his friend's house but instead he was running around after a kid with no sense.

"Push me Charlie" she shouted at him already seated on a swing and not one of the ones she should have been in for her age group. He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged, kicking the ground with his trainer "Don't think so" Out the corner of his eye he saw Gary and Jack walking towards them, thank goodness for that he thought, they can bloody push her. She saw her brothers as they stood next to Charles

"Gaz push me" she ordered and her brother grinned as he walked behind her and did just that. Jack standing in front and pushing from that side. Charles looked on his mouth hanging open at the danger, could they not see that. Molly's legs flaying out in front of her and he was surprised she hadn't kicked Jack in the face as he pushed and Gary was having to jump to grab the seat to push her back. If they let her go much higher she was going to do a complete loop of the swing. All the time Molly squealing with laughter and shouting "Higher" "Hold tight Molly" shouted Jack as he gave her another push. They had obviously had a very different upbringing from him and Andrew thought Charles, his dad was always going on about being grown up and responsible, to think things through and recognise the danger of what you were doing. She wanted to hold his hand to cross a road that had hardly any traffic but yet was quite happy on a swing that could have very nasty consequences if she didn't hold on tightly to the chains. He couldn't bear to watch

"Shall we go and play football" he suggested to the two brothers who stopped what they were doing and Molly's swing slowly came back under control or so he thought. The two boys nodded

"Gaz swing" pleaded Molly

"No Molls, that's enough or you'll be sick" he took her hand "Come on you can look after all our stuff"

They walked across to the main part of the park taking off their shirts and giving them to Molly who promptly sat down with them all huddled round her and giving evils to any dog that came over and tried to sniff them.

-OG-

While Belinda and the kids were in Bath trying to deal with the fallout from Dave being incarcerated he was lying on his bunk his hands behind his head. The tame screw that Tony paid had told him that Belinda was going to Bath with the kids for a couple of weeks while he sorted the VO and to give him a list if there was anything he needed. He also told him to send visiting orders to Tony, he would like to see him.

-OG-

He'd been in Maidstone for a several months now and had made his way down to the canteen, queued for his breakfast and was staring at the plate wondering what some of it was. His legs and back were still giving him lots of jip and he was sure it wasn't the end of his hospitalisations judging by the pain in one of his ankles, his foot really didn't look right. A whole year either in hospital or on remand, if he could just keep his head down maybe he could get out a bit early because eight years was stretching out before him, although his time on remand had helped. He felt a hand on his shoulder "Hello Dave, sorry to hear about your accident" he looked up to see who was speaking to him, no one had really bothered with him since he had arrived. He gulped his eyes widening, couldn't believe that someone like him had even remembered him "Hello Reg, it's been a while" as he tried to think when, must have been that charity event back in…must have been '67 because England won the world cup the year before. He'd seen them about of course before they got arrested but hadn't really spoken since that night.

"Me and Ron always kept an eye on your career Dave, you were a good earner"

"Thanks"

"It was your Dad that got you into the boxing wasn't it, same as ours, how is he" he grinned as he sat down with his own breakfast, a couple of other blokes also joining them and Dave reckoned they might have been his minders.

"Sorry to hear about your Mum" ignoring the reference to his dad

"Thanks Dave but at least they let me and Ron out for the funeral and she got a good send-off"

"How is he?" still ignoring the question about his Dad and who still hadn't been in touch since his incarceration, his Mum had died years ago but he thought his Dad might have been to see him. He had never been happy that he had got involved with Tony, always wanted him to be a professional boxer, thought he would have a good career in the boxing ring, that weren't ever going to happen now. Still, to cut him adrift like that though, bit rich never bothered to turn up to the wedding, or come see his grand kids, but still he thought he might have let bygones be bygones and paid him a visit.

"Life of riley from what I hear Dave, living like a lord so I hear"

"Broadmoor ain't he" and Dave could have kicked himself, what a fucking idiot.

Reg threw his head back laughing "To be expected who shoots someone in the head in a pub full of people, still he's me brother" he shrugged "Anyway the reason for this chat…" and Dave couldn't help but gulp, surely, he hadn't pissed him off. What with his legs and that, he wasn't in a position to fight his way out of a wet paper bag at the moment and one of those minders was a big fucker.

"That last job was a bit suss, Tony thinks so too" Dave shook his head not really understanding "We think there is a traitor" he huffed "We have a grass, the Sweeny shouldn't have been there, most of them were on the payroll we would have been told" Dave's eyes opened wide, he had a funny feeling when he was in the hospital something wasn't right and this was now being confirmed to him

"Too late to do anything about it now though Dave, but keep your head down and your nose clean in here and we can see what we can do about getting you out of here early for good behaviour"

"I intend to" answered Dave

"But there will be people that want to keep you here, go to the gym keep your fitness up, any troubles you let me know"

"Not much I can do on the outside now" rubbing his leg "Boxing is gone"

"It would have been anyway Dave, younger fitter men" Reg shook his head "You had a sound business head" he smirked "That's where your future lies" patting him on the arm "When you get out of here of course"

Reg stood up and picked up his breakfast tray his minders following suit as they walked away. He had only been inside for months, Reg had been here more than 10 years already and still had another 20 to go. How does anyone deal with something like that? In his mind's eye all he saw was Belinda and her distraught face.

He would do as Reg had suggested, he was still a young man and he wouldn't be old when he got out, he needed to keep fit apply himself or he would go under with the weight of everything he was missing. Belinda and the kids were his life and while his world was shrinking daily he couldn't get them out of his mind. He looked around the canteen at the other prisoners some openly looking at him. Thing is by Reg coming over like that it had created a bit of a problem, the old lags would know who he was and leave him alone, the young ones, they would try and take him on for no other reason than to make a name for themselves believing it would bring them a bit of kudos in here. There was probably more politics going on in here than the house of bleedin commons he thought.

-OG-

The years were stretching out before him as he lay on his bunk, his hands behind his head as he closed his eyes. In his dreams he was in his bed in their house in Stratford and he was lying next to Belinda, listening to her soft breathing as she slept. Another day done and another day closer to getting out.