Homecoming

Erin was discharged from hospital the following morning and was dreading the next few days. God only knew how she was going to manage, with Bobby demanding to see his son and Paddy threatening to beat the crap out of him, refusing him entry to his home and having a dig every time their paths crossed. It didn’t look like it was going to be the tranquil homecoming she’d envisaged.

“God, Carol, I’m exhausted, and those idiots are certainly not helping,” she said as she put the baby back in his crib, having eventually settled him down to sleep.

“I have to say, it’s a brave man who would front your father up. Bobby Mack has certainly gone up in my estimation,” her friend chuckled.

“It’s not funny, and what about those goons outside in the Porsche?”

“Who the hell are they? And would you listen to that music?” sneered Carol.

The cacophony of noise emanating from the flash black car was unbelievable.

“They’re some relation or another of Bobby’s, cousins I think. His backup, apparently.”

“Backup? Do they know who you are and who they’re taking on?” Carol was amazed. “Jesus, Erin, if they don’t move by the time your dad gets home, there really will be murder.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“They certainly don’t look as if they could afford a car like that.”

“Oh, I’m sure they can’t,” Erin laughed. “It was a Mercedes yesterday, so I think they just ‘borrow’ them.”

“Shh! Here he comes. Hi, you okay?” Erin asked the father of her child as he presented her with an enormous bouquet and an even bigger teddy bear.

“These are for you.”

“Thanks. Carol, could you take the flowers out to the kitchen and see if you can find anything to put them in?”

“A dustbin perhaps?” Carol muttered as she left the couple alone.

“How’s my son this morning?” asked Bobby, standing over the crib and poking the sleeping baby.

“For heaven’s sake, Bobby, I’ve just spent the last half hour trying to settle him,” she snapped as the child began crying again. “Pass him over to me.”

“No way, I don’t do babies.” Bobby backed right off.

“He’s not ‘babies’, Bobby, he’s your son and you have to get used to handling him.”

Not a chance, thought Bobby. That’s her job, not mine. “He’s too little for me, maybe later when he’s bigger. I thought we could go and register him today?”

“Plenty of time for that, and are you sure you want to make this legal, especially after all your doubts?” Erin faced him. “I mean, you were mouthing off last night about his parentage and your virility.”

“How the devil do you know that? I only had a couple of beers with my cousins! I wasn’t out on the lash or anything, we were only having a laugh.” Bobby was more than a little perturbed that she knew anything about his movements, never mind a conversation between him and his family.

“Glasgow may be a big city, but when it comes to the Coyles, we know everything. Nothing is secret and especially not somebody dissing Paddy Coyle’s daughter and grandson.”

Christ, this was unbelievable. He’d met up with his two cousins immediately after leaving the hospital. A phone call had brought the two lads, John and James, immediately. Even though Bobby hadn’t seen, or kept in touch with his mother’s side of the family for years, that didn’t matter, they were more than happy to give Spanish Bobby, as they called him, a bit of backup. Especially when the guy obviously had a few bob and was the co-owner of the biggest nightclub in Spain. If they played their cards right, that would be the holidays sorted for the next few years.

Sitting outside the house with music blaring, the cousins shared a spliff and were fantasizing what they would do to the Big Man if he turned up.

“I’d fucking knock him out,” John caressed his trusty baseball bat. “A couple of taps should do it,” he smiled at the thought.

“Naw, I’d just fuckin’ shoot him,” said James, checking out his weapon.

“Is that a fact, big boy?”

James was hauled from the passenger seat by his hair and unceremoniously kicked about the gravel path.

John was out of the car and halfway down the drive in a flash to avoid receiving the same treatment, but he was still shouting insults and obscenities from a very safe distance.

“Fucking morons. What the fuck are those two idiots doing on my property?” Paddy roared at no-one in particular.

The racket had Erin, Bobby and Carol all at the window. Bobby, seeing his cousin lying injured on the path, ran outside.

“You have to be kidding, boy. You don’t really think you can take me on, do you? Erin, dial 999. This stupid fucker’s going to need an ambulance.” Paddy sneered at the young guy.

Bridget’s car screeched to a halt as she pulled up to the house. Jesus, she’d only been gone half an hour. Seeing one body lying on the path, another young guy swaggering back up the drive, and her husband and grandson’s father squaring up to one another, she was thankful there hadn’t been a long queue at the chemist.