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ge with a fortable clean…sheeted bed； the tiny kitchen full of food and mismatched china； and the little TV in the corner of the sitting room： I don’ wanna watch no filth； Krystal； turn that off。
Krystal had liked Sukhvinder； but Sukhvinder’s mother had killed Nana Cath。 You did not differentiate between members of an enemy tribe。 It had been Krystal’s avowed intention to pulverize Sukhvinder； but then Tessa Wall had intervened。 Krystal could not remember the details of what Tessa had told her； but it seemed that Fats had got the story wrong or； at least； not exactly right。 She had given Tessa a grudging promise not to go after Sukhvinder； but such promises could only ever be stop…gaps in Krystal’s frantic ever…changing world。
‘Put it down！’ Krystal shouted at Robbie； because he was trying to prise the lid off the biscuit tin where Terri kept her works。
Krystal snatched the tin from him and held it in her hands like a living creature； something that would fight to stay alive； whose destruction would have tremendous consequences。 There was a scratched picture on the lid： a carriage with luggage piled high on the roof； drawn through the snow by four chestnut horses； a coachman in a top hat carrying a bugle。 She carried the tin upstairs with her； while Terri sat in the kitchen smoking； and hid it in her bedroom。 Robbie trailed after her。
‘Wanna go play park。’
She sometimes took him and pushed him on the swings and the roundabout。
‘Not today； Robbie。’
He whined until she shouted at him to shut up。
Later； when it was dark – after Krystal had made Robbie his tea of spaghetti hoops and given him a bath； when the funeral was long since over – Obbo rapped on the front door。 Krystal saw him from Robbie’s bedroom window and tried to get there first； but Terri beat her to it。
‘All righ’； Ter？’ he said； over the threshold before anyone had invited him in。 ‘’Eard you was lookin’ fer me las’ week。’
Although she had told him to stay put； Robbie had followed Krystal downstairs。 She could smell his shampooed hair over the smell of fags and stale sweat that clung to Obbo in his ancient leather jacket。 Obbo had had a few； when he leered at her； she smelt the beer fumes。
‘All righ’； Obbo？’ said Terri； with the note in her voice Krystal never heard otherwise。 It was conciliating； acmodating； it conceded that he had rights in their house。 ‘Where you bin； then？’
‘Bristol；’ he said。 ‘How’s you； Ter？’
‘She don’ wan’ nuthin’；’ said Krystal。
He blinked at her through his thick glasses。 Robbie was clutching Krystal’s leg so tightly that she could feel his nails in her skin。
。电子书
‘Oo’s this； Ter？’ asked Obbo。 ‘Yer mum？’
Terri laughed。 Krystal glared at him； Robbie’s grip tight on her thigh。 Obbo’s bleary gaze dropped to him。
‘An’ ’ow’s me boy？’
‘He ain’ your fuckin’ boy；’ said Krystal。
‘’Ow d’you know？’ Obbo asked her quietly； grinning。
‘Fuck off。 She don’ wan’ nuthin’。 Tell ’im；’ Krystal virtually shouted at Terri。 ‘Tell ’im you don’ wan’ nuthin’。’
Daunted； caught between two wills much stronger than her own； Terri said； ‘’E on’y e rounda see—’
‘No； ’e ain’t；’ said Krystal。 ‘No； ’e fuckin’ ain’t。 Tell ’im。 She don’ wan’ nuthin’；’ she said fiercely into Obbo’s grinning face。 ‘She’s bin off it fer weeks。’
‘Is tha’ right； Terri？’ said Obbo； still smiling。
‘Yeah； it is；’ said Krystal； when Terri did not answer。 ‘She’s still at Bellchapel。’
‘Noffur much longer；’ said Obbo。
‘Fuck off；’ said Krystal； outraged。
‘Closin’ it；’ said Obbo。
‘Are they？’ said Terri in sudden panic。 ‘They ain’t； are they？’
‘Course they are；’ said Obbo。 ‘Cuts； innit？’
‘You don’t know nuthin’；’ Krystal told Obbo。 ‘It’s bollocks；’ she told her mother。 ‘They ’aven’ said nuthin’； ’ave they？’
‘Cuts；’ repeated Obbo； patting his bulging pockets for cigarettes。
‘We got the case review；’ Krystal reminded Terri。 ‘Yeh can’t use。 Yeh can’t。’
‘Wha’s that？’ asked Obbo； fiddling with his lighter； but neither woman enlightened him。 Terri met her daughter’s gaze for a bare two seconds； her eyes fell； reluctantly； to Robbie in his pyjamas； still clinging tightly to Krystal’s leg。
‘Yeah； I wuz gonna go ter bed； Obbo；’ she mumbled； without looking at him。 ‘I’ll mebbe see yer another time。’
‘I ’eard your Nan died；’ he said。 ‘Cheryl wuz tellin’ me。’
Pain contorted Terri’s face； she looked as old as Nana Cath herself。
‘Yeah； I’m goin’ ter bed。 C’mon； Robbie。 e wi’ me； Robbie。’
Robbie did not want to let go of Krystal while Obbo was still there。 Terri held out her claw…like hand。
‘Yeah； go on； Robbie；’ Krystal urged him。 In certain moods； Terri clutched her son like a teddy bear； better Robbie than smack。 ‘Go on。 Go wi’ Mum。’
He was reassured by something in Krystal’s voice； and allowed Terri to take him upstairs。
‘See yeh；’ said Krystal； without looking at Obbo； but stalking away from him into the kitchen； pulling the last of Fats Wall’s roll…ups out of her pocket and bending to light it off the gas ring。 She heard the front door close and felt triumphant。 Fuck him。
‘You got a lovely arse； Krystal。’
She jumped so violently that a plate slipped off the heaped side and smashed on the filthy floor。 He had not gone； but had followed her。 He was staring at her chest in its tight T…shirt。
‘Fuck off；’ she said。
‘Big girl； intcha？’
‘Fuck off。’
‘I ’eard you give it away free；’ said Obbo； closing in。 ‘You could make better money’n yer mum。’
‘Fuck—’
His hand was on her left breast。 She tried to knock it away； he seized her wrist in his other hand。 Her lit cigarette grazed his face and he punched her； twice； to the side of the head； more plates shattered on the filthy floor and then； as they wrestled； she slipped and fell； the back of her head smacked on the floor； and he was on top of her： she could feel his hand at the waistband of her tracksuit bottoms； pulling。
‘No – fuck – no！’
His knuckles in her belly as he undid his own flies – she tried to scream and he smacked her across the face – the smell of him was thick in her nostrils as he growled in her ear； ‘Fuckin’ shout and I’ll cut yer。’
He was inside her and it hurt； she could hear him grunting and her own tiny whimper； she was ashamed of the noise she made； so frightened and so small。
He came and clambered off her。 At once she pulled up her tracksuit bottoms and jumped up to face him； tears pouring down her face as he leered at her。
‘I’ll tell Mist’ Fairbrother；’ she heard herself sob。 She did not know where it came from。 It was a stupid thing to say。
‘The fuck’s he？’ Obbo tugged up his flies； lit a cigarette； taking his time； blocking her exit。 ‘You fuckin’ ’im too； are yeh？ Little slapper。’
He sauntered up the hall and was gone。
She was shaking as she had never done in her life。 She thought she might be sick； she could smell him all over her。 The back of her head throbbed； there was a pain inside her； and wetness seeping into her pants。 She ran out of the room into the living room and stood； shivering； with her arms wrapped around herself； then she knew a moment of terror； that he would e back； and hurried to the front door to lock it。
Back in the sitting room she found a long stub in the ashtray and lit it。 Smoking； shaking and sobbing； she sank into Terri’s usual chair； then jumped up because she heard footsteps on the stairs： Terri had reappeared； looking confused and wary。
‘Wha’ssa matter with you？’
Krystal gagged on the words。
‘He jus’ – he jus’ fucked me。’
‘Wha’？’ said Terri。
‘Obbo – ’e jus’—’
‘’E wouldn’。’
It was the instinctive denial with which Terri met all of life： he wouldn’t； no； I never； no； I didn’t。
Krystal flew at her and pushed her； emaciated as she was； Terri crumpled backwards into the hall； shrieking and swearing； Krystal ran to the door she had just locked； fumbled to unfasten it and wrenched it open。
Still sobbing； she was twenty yards along the dark street before she realized that Obbo might be waiting out here； watching。