Leon has begun to notice the things that make his mom cry: when Jake makes a lot of noise; when she hasn’t got any money; when she comes back from the phone booth; when Leon asks too many questions; and when she’s staring at Jake.
It’s the third night that Leon and Jake are both sleeping at Tina’s. It keeps happening all the time. Carol takes them up to Tina’s and then she leaves them there for a few days. Last week it was two nights and before that it was three nights and sometimes it feels like they’re never going home. Jake’s basket goes next to Leon’s den bed. Leon watches Jake for a few minutes because he makes special whistling noises when he breathes out and he makes his little hands into fists like Muhammad Ali. Jake opens his eyes and doesn’t even cry. His eyes have become bright, zingy blue but the middle is still perfectly black, like a drop of ink in the sea. Leon and Jake like to just look at each other for a while and then Leon sings a baby song or whispers something.
“Are you all right, Jake? Sleepy time, sleepy time. Close your eyes. You’re all right, Jakey. It’s all right. Sleepy time, Jakey.”
It’s peaceful and cozy in the bedroom with Jake and Wobbly Bobby and the heavy weight of the coats. He watches the smear of light on the wall, listens to the babies breathing, hears the sizzling tires on the wet road outside.
The next day Carol comes to collect them from Tina’s. She sounds excited and happy and stays for ages in Tina’s kitchen, so Leon creeps into the hall.
“I found him. Yeah, I went to his mate’s house and I just kept knocking. I knew someone was in and I shouted through the letter box that I just wanted to give him a message. I kept on knocking and then he answered the door. Tony did. Just like that. I was really surprised. So was he. I told you he wasn’t avoiding me. He just didn’t realize I was due. I mean, I told him but he forgot. He said he was working away. And anyway, he’s not very good with dates.”
Tina isn’t asking questions like she usually does. So Carol just carries on.
“He said he couldn’t talk for long because he had to get home. He’s still living with that cow but I don’t know why he’s still with her. Neither does he. I told him he could move in with us. I know he wants to see Jake but he’s got to be careful cuz if she finds out she’ll stop him seeing his little girl and he dotes on her. She’s done it before, she just uses his daughter to keep him. I’d never do that.”
Tina offers Carol a biscuit. Tina’s biscuit tin is always crammed full. Sometimes if there are lots of broken ones, she lets Leon pick them all out and eat them.
“No, thanks. Anyway, he said he’s moving out. She doesn’t know and he’s not letting on until he’s got everything in place. At his age, he wants to settle down for good.”
“His age?”
“He’s thirty-nine. You’d never know it, though. He’s not old or anything.”
“He’s nearly forty.”
“Thirty-nine. Honest, he doesn’t look it. He looks our age.”
“Twenty-five?”
“Well, you know, early thirties, but anyway, yeah, he said it hasn’t been right for years between them. You know me, Tina. I never meant to hurt anyone but he wasn’t happy even before he met me. If he was, he wouldn’t have given me a second look, would he? He told me once he’s got family in Bristol and Wolverhampton, so he’s not sure where he’s going but when he gets there, it’s gonna be just me and him.”
“And the kids,” says Tina.
“Yeah, of course. That’s what he means. Me, him, and the kids.”
“What about his daughter?”
“She’ll come as well.”
“Right,” says Tina after a while. “And he told you that?”
“We only had a few minutes but yeah.”
Leon goes back into the living room to check on Jake in his basket. He’s nearly four months old and he’s getting too big for his basket. He keeps hitting himself on the side and trying to get out and then he gets angry and makes noises like a cat. Leon got told off for trying to help him stand up, so Leon just watches now and tells Jake about different things he thinks he should know, like who is the best soccer player. But he doesn’t feel like telling Jake about living with a girl and a cow in Bristol because Jake would probably start to cry.