Chapter 64

??Hullo??? Joey wiped his mouth on a piece of paper towel.

??Uncle Joey, it??s me,?? a voice which sounded like its owner had just stopped crying, said.

??Simon? What??s wrong??? Joey found himself rising to his feet.

??Mum, she??s just told me that she won??t take me to the fireworks this Tuesday, and after she??d promised, too.??

Fuck!Joey thought. Carole was forever pulling shit like that. Didn??t she know how bloody lucky she was to have a kid? ??Why??s she not taking you???

??Her boyfriend is gonna take her out to the pictures or something!?? Simon??s voice dripped with disgust.

Joey shared his nephew??s opinion of his mother??s boy toy. He??d only met the slime-ball once, and within ten minutes had decided the bloke was a loser.

??Sorry, champ.??

??Are you doing anything that night, Uncle Joey? Will you take me? I??d rather go with you anyway. Mum never lets me have fun when we go out.??