At last I saw him comin, an I said, ‘The shop is closed, wha will I do about me mask?’
‘Never mind the mask, get on the fuckin bike,’ he said.
So I kept quiet. I felt really let down. No mask after all tha!
When we got back, me ma was sittin up in the bed, waitin. Jackser went down te get paraffin fer the lamp, an me ma was ragin. ‘Wha kept him? Who was he wit?’
‘I don’t know, Ma. I was mindin the bike.’
‘What! Ye didn’t go up wit him?’
‘No, Ma, he left me te mind his bike.’
‘He was wit another woman, tha’s wha he was doin!’ she said. ‘Why didn’t ye watch him?’
‘I couldn’t, Ma, an he didn’t buy me a mask. He said he would!’
‘Was he lookin at dyed blondes?’
‘No, Ma!’
‘He was!’ she said.
‘No, Ma! He wasn’t lookin at any dyed blondes.’
‘Tell me the truth an I’ll give ye a penny.’
‘Will ye give it te me now, Ma?’
‘When you tell me the truth, I will.’
‘Where is it, Ma? Give me the penny now an I’ll tell ye.’
‘Here!’ an she gave me a penny. ‘Now, wha was he up to? Why was he gone all this time?’
‘I don’t know where he went. He left me te mind the bike.’
‘So tha’s it! He didn’t want you te see wha he was up te, cos he knew I’d find out. Was he lookin at women?’
‘Yeah, Ma! Dyed blondes.’
‘Are ye sure? Ye told me he wasn’t!’
‘He was, Ma.’
‘An did he say anythin te them?’
‘No! He was jus lookin.’
‘Ye’re not tellin me everythin tha he was up te.’
‘I am, Ma! He was whistlin at two dyed blondes in high heels.’
‘I knew it! Ye never told me tha.’
‘Will ye buy me a mask, Ma, if I tell ye the rest?’
‘Ye’re makin a fuckin eejit of me. I want te fuckin know wha he was up te.’
‘He wasn’t up te anythin, Ma.’
When he got back, me ma roared at him he’d been wit another woman. He said she’s only in the place five days, an he’ll do wha he likes. An she’d better not talk, cos she had two bastards from different men, an no other man would take in a woman wit two bastards an give them a home. An if she kept this up, she can take her two bastards an get the fuck back on the streets where he found her.
Me ma wouldn’t let go an asked him why he didn’t take me up te see wha he was doin. Why did he leave me well outa the way? He lunged at her, draggin her from the bed an throwin her on the floor. I ran te the corner an hid behind the chest a drawers. I watched as he punched an kicked her, an she kept tryin te get up. The babby woke up an started cryin wit the fright. I wanted te get over te him, but I couldn’t move.
Jackser stopped killin me ma an looked up at the babby. I was terribly afraid. Jackser’s eyes were bulgin, an he was dribblin from his mouth. I was ready te grab me babby, an I was watchin Jackser’s eyes when suddenly he plunged the babby from the bed an charged out the door onta the landin. ‘I’ll fuckin show you, ye whore.’
Me ma jumped up, an I raced out after him. He held the babby by one leg over the banisters an was threatenin te drop him down inta the hall. Me ma was screamin, an I was screamin, an the babby was givin piercin screams. He was frightened outa his life. Me ma was tellin him not te drop the babby, an the people from downstairs came out an were lookin up. Jackser was foamin at the mouth an tellin everyone she was a whore an these were her bastards – she expected him te take another man’s leavins. I was creepin down the stairs, hopin te find somethin te catch the babby in an tryin te think of a way te stop Jackser from killin me babby brother. The man from downstairs was talkin up te Jackser an tellin him it wasn’t worth doin time fer. ‘An you a good man. It’s not many that’d take in another man’s childre. Fer the love of God, give the child back te his mother.’
Jackser asked the people te tell me ma how lucky she was an not be drivin him te have te chastise her. Me ma put out her arms fer the babby an said, ‘No! I won’t be tormentin ye again. Just give me the babby.’
‘Here, take it,’ he said. ‘An count yersel lucky he’s not splattered in the hall.’
Me ma won’t leave Jackser, she won’t hear of it. The woman next door told her te leave him quickly. ‘Get away from him, he’s an animal!’ she said. But me ma won’t listen.
Jackser put bread an sugar in a bowl an poured hot milk. He told me te give it te the babby. I sat on the floor wit the babby an gave him a spoonful. He loves it. Then I took a spoonful. It’s gorgeous! Jackser said the babby will thrive on it. Tha’s wha his mother gave te her childre when they were small, an now Jackser is thirty-five.