Page 105 of Kicks

The earnest expression on her face mainlined straight to his heart.

“I understand,” Billy said. “I only wanted to be there in case you needed back up now and again.”

“I know and I love you for it. I’ll be fine. I can do it.”

“Oh, darling, of course you can.”

“Don’t think I won’t be begging you to come up loads.”

“Okay, well maybe we could invest in a place. When the money comes through. You don’t have to live there. It would be somewhere for me to stay. I still want to explore Manchester, thank you.”

The relief coming off Crystal was palpable.

“Have you been worrying about telling me?” Billy asked.

Crystal nodded.

“You silly thing. All I’ve ever asked of you is honesty. What did Mum always say?”

“No truth is as bad as a lie.”

“Dead on.”

“That’s what Eddie said.”

Adrenalin coursed through his system at the very mention of Eddie. “What? You’ve seen him?”

“Yeah. I went to say goodbye.”

Of course she would. In the blink of an eye his little sister had turned into a compassionate young woman.

“And what exactly did he say?”

“That I should tell you the truth. How he didn’t and it’s ruined everything.”

Even through this second-hand hit, Billy’s addiction to Eddie suddenly reignited. “How did he look?”

“Shit.”

“Anything else?”

“Not really. He seemed really down that he’d fucked it all up. That’s all.”

Billy stared out of the window. He didn’t even have the energy to tell Crystal off for her language. Let Manchester United worry about that.

The marina below seemed pretty quiet. So Eddie was down, was he? Why did that make Billy feel hopeful?

He couldn’t let that in. Once Crystal got herself settled in Manchester, Billy would focus on finding a decent man.

“I bet you can’t wait to get your old life back,” Crystal said. “It’s been four years.”

“Yeah,” Billy replied.

Crystal scrambled off the sofa. “I’m going to finish my packing.”

She went off to her bedroom. Billy watched her go.

My old life?