Page 38 of Kicks

Crystal returned and handed him some Barbieyoghurts. He screwed his nose up.

“Are you joking?”

“They’re on offer. Go on. If we save the vouchers, I can get a sweatband. It’ll look great at practice.”

Billy shook his head. “Go on.”

She gleefully dropped them in. Billy suspected he would be eating a lot of BarbieStrawberry Surprise in the near future.

“Did you have a good day?” Crystal asked as they continued browsing.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Oh I’m over all that now,” Crystal announced. “The girls think it’s brilliant. They want me to get them free dildos.”

A middle-aged woman next to them with a severe bob spun round aghast.

“My apologies,” he said. “The youth of today, eh?”

She glared at him and resumed peering at the clotted cream.

“Will you be quiet?” Billy said. “There will be no free dildos. And certainly not for your under-age cronies. Bloody hell, Crystal. You’ll get us closed down before we even open.”

“Calm yourself,” she said. “I didn’t say I would do it.”

They turned the corner. He hoped the woman’s interest in cream would keep her there long enough for them to lose her.

“At least you’ve come round to the idea,” Billy said. “That’s something. Get us a snack for the car.”

They had done this ever since Crystal had moved in with him. She was given little tasks while he got the essentials.

He hoped he was giving her life lessons. Maybe he was simply indulging her.

She came with pork pies.

“A classic yet strong choice,” Billy said.

They resumed walking.

“In answer to your original question, I had a good day thanks. I’ve got rid of the stock and Eddie is coming on Monday.”

“Is that the one you fancy?”

Billy stopped dead in his tracks. There was only one person this had come from.

“When did you see Harry?”

“He met me after he’d left you,” Crystal replied. “We went for a burger.”

“You never said.”

“I don’t tell you everything.”

“Evidently. Can you find some chicken thighs?”

Crystal clapped her hands together. “Are you doing a curry?”

“Certainly am.”