Page 78 of Kicks

He looked over her shoulder at Harry who was beaming.

“She did brilliantly,” Harry confirmed. “I reckon they’ll be in touch soon.”

Crystal moved away. “There’s a summer camp. They said if I’m accepted, I’ll be expected to go. That’s okay, isn’t it?”

“Wait. What?”

Billy had planned on having a summer of fun with Crystal before she knuckled down to do A levels. With the shop as it was, they couldn’t stretch to a holiday. He had planned on squeezing some days out in.

“Can I go?” Crystal asked.

“Let Billy have a second,” Harry said. “Why don’t you go and unpack?”

Crystal huffed. “I only asked.”

As she went to leave, Billy took her hand. “Whatever makes you happy. You know that.”

She kissed him on the cheek and ran off to her room, grabbing her bag on the way. Harry walked over to the window where Billy had remained rooted to the spot.

“What’s up?”

Harry always seemed to know when Billy was upset.

“We’ve got a problem.”

Unsurprisingly, they found the Pavilion guest house on a very scruffy street. Billy took in the litter that seemed to have replaced shrubs in most front gardens. There were at least two cars missing wheels and sitting on bricks.

“I can see why he needs cash,” Harry said.

They approached the building in question. A sign saying Vacancies hung in the window. Somehow that didn’t surprise Billy.

He rang the doorbell.

A man answered.

“What?”

“We’re here to see Brian Brookes,” Billy said.

The door was closed in their faces.

“A warm welcome for all,” Harry muttered.

“Let me do the talking. You try and be intimidating”

Billy hoped that Brian would clock the size of Harry these days and abandon his stupid idea. When Brian had gone into prison, Harry had been training to compete. There’d been quite the metamorphosis since.

Once again, the door opened. This time the man himself stood there.

“You didn’t take long,” he said.

His gaze was drawn to Harry.

“Who the fuck is this?”

“Don’t you remember me, Brian?” Harry asked. “Your other stepson.”

Brian’s eyes widened. That was a good start.