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Nothing.
“What did you do with the money I gave you?”
“Your father owed some money,” she finally admitted, voice barely more than a broken whisper. “It couldn’t wait.”
“Jesus Christ, that was two hundred euro!” Blowing out a breath, I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. “It was for you and the kids, not his gambling debts and bar ticks! Do you have any idea how long that took me to save up?” I gaped at her. “Mam, that was a week’s wage to me. I won’t be paid again until the new year – and neither will you.”
“I know,” she whispered, sniffling. “I’m sorry.”
“And if the electric goes in the meantime?” I demanded, feeling panicked. “Or we run out of coal for the fire before either one of us gets paid next? What then?”
“Joey.“
“How are we going to heat them, Mam?” I choked out, heart thumping violently in my chest. “How are we going to keep them warm?”
“I’ll get paid my children’s allowance money next week,” she strangled out. “We’ll cope until then.”
“Your children’s allowance money?” I glared at her in disbelief. “You’re depending on an income that he hasalwaysblown on drink to get us by?”
“Your father is off the drink,” she was quick to defend. “He swears it this time.”
“Just stop.“ Holding a hand up, I turned and walked out of the kitchen before I lost it. “I can’t hear another word.”
“Joey, wait!”
“How long are we going to keep living like this, Mam?” I tossed over my shoulder. “Because I’m really running on empty here.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that maybe those kidswouldbe better off in care.”
Moving for the staircase, I ignored my mother’s pleading tone as she begged me to come back and talk to her and hurried up to my room.
“He didn’t leave them under the tree. The silly Billy hid our presents in your wardrobe, Joe,” Ollie exclaimed, clutching the weird-ass Gizmo-looking creature he had begged Santa for – the one Molloy and I had queued up for hours in the pissing rain to secure. “See?” He held up the creepy doll creature for all to see. “Santa’s the best.”
“Mind him,” I warned.Fucker cost me a half a week’s wages.
“Yeah.” Setting his new hurley down on my bed, Tadhg walked over to where I was standing in the doorway and wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging me tightly. “He really is the best.”
“O-ee, O-ee.” Pulling on the leg of my jeans, Sean grappled for my attention. “O-ee?” Reaching down, he grabbed his Elmo and held it up for me. “E-mo.”
“Good job,” I praised, sinking down to his level. “And see this fella?” I held the red teddy up to him. “He uses the potty just like Seany.”
“Happy birthday, Joe,” Shannon said from behind me, and I swung around just in time to see her produce a homemade cake from behind her back. “I know you’re eighteen today,” she added with a blush. “But I could only find four candles.”
“Make a wish, Joe,” Ollie cheered. “And don’t tell us what it is, or it won’t come true.”
“You made me a cake?”
Blushing a deeper shade of pink, my little sister nodded.
I cocked a brow. “An edible cake?”
“Is that so hard to believe?” she laughed. “I’ve been cooking your dinner for years and I haven’t poisoned you yet, have I?”
“Not yet.” Standing up, I ruffled her hair. “Thanks, Shan. Did you get the CD Santa left on your nightstand?”
“Yes.” She beamed up at me. “He was most generous.”
