Against the Tide by Groom Nikki

Author:Groom, Nikki [Groom, Nikki]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781511527644
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2015-04-09T23:00:00+00:00

Marc places two pints of lager on the table and throws me a packet of crisps.

“Cheers, mate,” I respond, raising my glass to him and taking a mouthful of the sharp cold lager. “So, how’s Emma?”

“She’s good. Getting big now.”

“Eh?” I frown. “What do you mean?”

“She’s pregnant, Finn. You didn’t know?”

“No, man. I didn’t know.” I shake his hand across the table. “Congratulations! That’s fantastic news.”

“Yeah.” He smiles, a real gooey smile which just shouts happiness. “It is. We never told anyone until she was in the safe zone. She’s nearly halfway along.”

“I’m happy for you, man. I really am.”

“Thanks, Finn. It’s just so weird, you know? A little person, growing inside of Em.”

“And in a few months that little person will be out and screaming.”

“Yeah, thanks. It’s going to change everything. Already has.”

“No wonder you want me to come back to work.”

“Finn, there’s no pressure. Come back when you’re ready, if it’s too soon I’ll understand.”

“No. If I’m honest, it’ll always be too soon to start moving on with my life, and with everything else, I just don’t know when I’ll be thrown back to that dark place. But I need to get back to some kind of normality.” I shrug, not wanting to make any promises for fear of breaking them.

“How’s your mum doing?”

“She’s hanging in there. But …” I swallow around the huge lump that has formed in my throat at the mention of my mum. “She hasn’t got long, Marc. She’s thinner, more tired, and there’s no way of making her better. So−”

“I’m sorry, mate. You’ve been dealt a shitty hand, huh?”

“Yeah, some fucker up there doesn’t like me.” I glance up to the ceiling and shake my head. “Probably karma for all the dodgy stuff I’ve ever done before.”

“Nah. It’s just life, mate.” He shrugs and gives me a small smile.

“Yeah, I guess. All that stuff with Lizzie has added years on her, me too. I feel like an old man, especially with all the shit that’s still going on.”

Marc leans back in his chair and grabs his pint. “Wanna tell me about it?”

I take a swig of my beer and place it back down on the table, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “How long have you got, Marc?” I laugh wryly.

“Well, Em likes me back for tea, but if you need longer …”

“Short version, I found out Lizzie was drugged. Her drink was spiked by a dealer called Damien Brooks, who decided he didn’t like me asking around about him, so he thought he would pay my mum a visit, and−”

“Wait. Did you just say Damien Brooks?”

“Yeah, why?” I push myself up in my seat and lean forward to him.

“Shit, I knew I’d seen his face somewhere before.” Marc sits up and places his pint on the table before pinching the bridge of his nose and taking a deep breath.

“What, Marc? How do you know him?”

“I don’t know him. That skyline in the garage? It’s his. Thought he seemed like a dodgy fucker.

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