Finding her voice, she turned to Susan. ‘What have yer been doin’? Yer dirty little whore. Poor Kevin’s standing outside. What am I meant to tell him, eh? You’ve pulled some strokes in the past, Susan, but mark my words, yer brothers will disown you this time. Rip the family to pieces, this will.’

Not knowing what to do for the best, the midwife tried to defuse the situation by handing the screaming baby to Susan.

‘It’s not mine. I don’t want it. Get it away from me,’ Susan shouted. Thinking back, Susan realised that although she’d spotted, her periods hadn’t been normal ever since she’d slept with Royston. If only she’d gone to the doctor. She could have aborted the bastard kid without anyone knowing.

‘Do you want to hold him?’ the midwife asked Ethel.

Ethel shook her head. ‘No, I fuckin’ don’t.’

Tommy and James glanced at one another. They were both thinking the same as Kev, but neither wanted to admit it.

As the baby let out another scream, Tommy smiled. ‘Boy or girl, it’s got a pair of lungs on it. You’re gonna have some sleepless nights with that racket,’ he joked.

Kevin flopped onto a nearby chair. The waiting was playing havoc with his mind. He turned to James. ‘Go in there for me. I can’t take any more of this. Just find out what’s goin’ on, will yer? I’m dying to know if it’s a boy.’

James nudged his brother. ‘I don’t wanna see Susan with her legs up in the air. You’re the oldest, you go in, Tom.’

Tommy stood up. Somebody had to do the honours. He walked towards the delivery room and poked his head around the door. ‘What’s happening? Kev’s pullin’ his hair out. Is everything all right?’

Susan’s sobbing and his mum’s and nan’s stern faces answered his question. ‘You’re gonna have to wait outside,’ the nurse told him.

Tommy ignored her. He wasn’t moving until he found out what was wrong. He heard the baby cry and walked towards the cot.

‘Don’t look at it, Tommy,’ his mother said, pushing him away.

‘Let him fuckin’ see it. Let him see what his dirty whore of a sister has been up to. We can’t bleach it and pretend it’s fuckin’ white, can we?’ Ethel shouted.

Tommy felt sick as a pig as he peered into the cot. Unable to control himself, he lunged towards Susan. ‘You fuckin’ slag. Who’s the father, you fuckin’ whore?’

The nurses tried to stop him as he grabbed Susan by the hair and tried to drag her out of the bed. ‘Get security,’ one screamed.

‘Stop it, Tommy. You’re hurting her,’ Maureen yelled, as she grabbed him from behind.

Afraid for Susan’s safety, Nurse Zokora leaped into action. She was of African origin herself, and was more than used to the racist comments and behaviour that she was seeing and hearing. ‘Please, let us stop this fighting. We have a beautiful baby boy here. The child needs his mother and his family; he needs love, bless his soul.’

Ethel shook her head. ‘He’s one of yours, darlin’, not one of ours. I ain’t bein’ seen with a kid that’s as black as Newgate’s knocker. Imagine takin’ it out in a pram? We’ll be a laughin’ stock, us Huttons, the talk of the fuckin’ town.’

As two security guards rushed past, Kevin stood up. ‘What the fuck is goin’ on?’ he shouted, as he followed them into the room. ‘Susan, where’s my baby? Is it a boy? What’s wrong with him? Is he dead?’ Kevin screamed, as Tommy walked towards him.

Ethel was the first to answer. ‘He ain’t your son, Kevin. The baby’s as black as fuckin’ soot. It’s in that cot; look for yerself.’

Maureen shot her a look. She could be so tactless at times.

Kevin looked at Tommy. Ethel was winding him up, she had to be. Tommy shook his head. ‘Let’s talk outside, Kev.’

Kevin pushed Tommy out of the way and looked into the cot. ‘No, Susan, no,’ he sobbed, as he sank to his knees.

‘I’m so sorry, Kev. It was one night, I was drunk. Please forgive me, I’ll get it adopted and me and you can have another baby. Don’t leave me, Kev, please, I love you.’

‘You have to leave now. Only birthing partners are allowed in here,’ the security guard told Tommy and Kevin.

‘Touch me again and I’ll knock you out,’ Tommy shouted, pushing him away.

Maureen bent down and urged Kevin to stand up. ‘Come on, love, let’s get you out of here.’

Still sobbing, Kevin felt a bolt of anger surge through him. ‘What is my mum and mates gonna say? I’ve been taken for a right cunt, and it’s all that slag’s fault. Fuckin’ black man’s meat, she’s a fuckin’ whore. I’ll kill you for this, Susan, fuckin’ kill yer. Molly Muggins was right: sadness and tears, she said. When you get out of this hospital, you’re dead, you nigger-lovin’ slag.’

As he was led from the room, Kevin completely lost the plot. ‘I’m gonna fuckin’ kill some cunt,’ he screamed, as he pushed over the drinks machine.

Being no more than eighteen stone between them, the security guards were well out of their depth. ‘Call extra security,’ one shouted to the other.

As Kevin continued smashing up the hospital, Maureen and Ethel walked outside. Distraught, they sat on a wooden bench. ‘I can’t believe this is happening. What are we gonna do, Mum?’ Maureen asked.

Ethel shrugged her shoulders. ‘Don’t ask me. I suppose it’s best all round if she has it adopted.’

Maureen shook her head. ‘She can’t do that. No matter what colour it is, it’s still our flesh and blood.’

Ethel stood up. ‘Well, it ain’t my flesh and blood. I’ll never be able to show me face down the bingo or the market again. I’m goin’ home now. Need a lie down, I do. I want nothin’ more to do with Susan or the fuckin’ kid.’

Maureen watched her walk away. Part of her wanted to do the same, but she couldn’t.

‘Poor bastard,’ Tommy said, as they sat in a nearby pub drowning their sorrows a couple of hours later.

‘I wonder what’s gonna happen to the baby. Do yer think she’ll keep it?’ James asked his brother.

‘Fuck knows, but I ain’t having nothin’ to do with it, and neither are you, Jimmy boy. I could kill our Susan – talk about trash the family name. I wish I knew who the father was: I’d kill the black cunt.’

James kept quiet as he sipped his drink. He remembered seeing Susan and Royston together. They’d both looked dishevelled and Tommy’s welcome-home party was about nine months ago. He decided to say nothing. Tommy was a loose cannon, and James didn’t want him to get himself locked up again. He changed the subject. ‘Where’s Mum, Tom? Did she go home or stay at the hospital?’

About to answer, Tommy was aware of laughter coming from the bar area. He turned around and came face to face with Tibbsy, Benno and Dave Taylor. ‘What’s funny?’ he said.

‘We hear your Susan had her baby. What did she have?’ Tibbsy asked, nudging the others.

Tommy looked at James. News travelled fast in the East End, and he needed these goons like he needed a hole in the head. He never used this boozer himself, and had he known his old pals did, he would have gone elsewhere. ‘Why don’t you fuck off, you losers,’ Tommy told them.

Dave Taylor was very drunk. Killing himself with laughter, he decided to be brave. ‘I heard she had a golliwog.’

Tommy jumped up and smashed Taylor in the face with his pint glass.

‘I’m calling the police,’ the barmaid screamed.

‘Leave it, Tom, they ain’t worth it,’ James shouted, trying to break up the fracas.

As Tibbsy and Benno joined in, Tommy went mental and all hell broke loose. Desperate to stop his brother from getting nicked, James could do only one thing to stop the fight.

‘It’s their mate’s kid, Tom. It belongs to Royston Ellis.’

As the sound of sirens echoed in the distance, Tommy spat on the ground and brushed himself down.

‘You called yer own mate’s kid a golliwog, yer fuckin’ two-faced mugs. Grass me up, and I swear I’ll kill all of yer.’

As Tommy and James left the pub, Benno, Tibbsy and an injured Dave Taylor were totally lost for words.

‘Why don’t you stay with her? Help her bond with the baby,’ the nurse had told Maureen.

Susan had been in a terrible state. Totally exhausted, she had finally sobbed herself to sleep.

Maureen checked that Susan was breathing OK and stood up. She’d dozed off on the chair, and her neck was as stiff as a board. The baby was nowhere to be seen, and Maureen felt guilty as she thought back to earlier.

‘Get it out of my sight. I hate it – it’s ruined my life. I never want to see it again,’ Susan had screamed at the nurse.

As the door opened, Maureen smiled. Nurse Zokora had been so nice to her. ‘Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?’

Maureen nodded. ‘I’ve got a mouth like a camel’s arse, a cup of tea wouldn’t go amiss. Where’s the baby?’

‘I’m looking after him in another room. He is so beautiful; why don’t you come and see him?’

Maureen followed her into the nicely decorated room. As she looked into the cot, she was surprised to see him wide awake.

‘Would you like to hold him?’ the nurse asked.

Maureen automatically nodded. Half of her wanted to touch him, the other half was telling her not to form too close a bond.

The nurse handed her the child. ‘I won’t be long. I’ll go and get your cup of tea for you.’

Maureen stared at the child. He was big for a newborn, and had striking features. She sat on a chair and stroked his cheek. ‘We’re goin’ to have to think of a name for you soon,’ she whispered.

As he clenched her little finger, she felt the tears roll down her cheeks. ‘You look like a Johnny to me, but I’ll have to check with your mum if that’s OK first.’

He gurgled and she held him close. It didn’t matter what colour he was, he was her grandson and he needed her. She smiled at him.

‘I won’t let you be adopted. If yer mum doesn’t want yer, then Nanny’ll take good care of yer.’

Nurse Zokora stood outside listening to the conversation Maureen was having with herself. She smiled. These racist people were all the same and, apart from the odd one, they all came round in the end.