Page 146 of The Man Upstairs

“Skilled enough that people know a fucked-up pervert was driving it.”

“Yeah, well. Get another can of spray paint if you want to. Do the other side.”

I got up to leave, but he grabbed my arm, but this time there wasn’t any violence in it.

“Wait a minute, will you?”

I sat back down.

“Fuck,” he said, and put his hands over his face. “Things are so fucked up.”

“With your dad? There’s a surprise.”

“Don’t be a bitch. I’m being serious. Dad’s not coming back now, for real.”

“I didn’t think he was anyway.”

Jayden dropped his head at that, and I realised he’d had dreams. Of course he had.

“He’s met someone,” he said. “Some stupid bitch from up in Wrexham.”

“Wrexham?”

“Yeah. He went to hang out with some loser mates of his, and met her.”

I wasn’t surprised. I wouldn’t want to even guess how many partners Scottie had had in his life. Largely behind people’s backs. But that wasn’t Jayden’s fault. I felt sorry for him. He’d had as manymothersas I’d hadfathers.

“He says she’s different,” Jay said. “But he’s talking bullshit, as per. She’s got four kids, and went to prison for dealing last year. He already says they’re his world and call himDad.”

“Sounds worse than here.”

“Yeah. And he’s staying there.” He sucked in a breath. “Could have at least picked somewhere posh to go. Might have had a rich stepmother.”

“Maybe.” I paused, then asked. “Does my mum know?”

“Yeah. But she doesn’t give a toss.”

“Really? Who said that?”

“She did, and everyone knows it. She’s seeing Tom Mackley now. The guy from Blackpole.”

“What the – Tom Mackley? Are you sure?”

“Yeah, Tom Mackley. Old guy. Daughter called Char who moved to Ronkswood.”

I looked at him, trying to digest it.

“Mum is seeing Tom Mackley?”

“Yes. She’s singing his praises every chance she gets.”

“At the Brewery?”

“Of course at the Brewery. That’s where she is every night, when she’s not at his place.”

My mum had a new boyfriend… and I didn’t know about it. A wave of relief washed over me, to know that Mum was with someone that wasn’t Scottie. But it was still weird.Horrible. I’d had no idea.

I knew Tom Mackley, kind of. Mum was friends with his daughter, Charlee, or used to be. They worked in the same care home when I was still in primary school. I couldn’t help but smile, because Tom was older than Julian. He had to be at least fifty-five. Probably older. He’d been married from eighteen, but his wife passed away a few years ago, which was awful. I remembered Mum going to her funeral. I also remembered how Mum had said life would have been mega different if she’d had people around her like Tom and Debbie growing up, and not her own mum and dad who’d thrown her out like she was nothing.