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The exams came and went, and I was relieved that thein the tests careat surprise Even Max, Albie, and Ryan seemed unusually happy that we’dwent off to party, celebrating Christmas and the end of term, I had a shift at Daisy’s I spent so little time there now co forward to catching up with Rhonna and Mike Unlike the Eed the to hear how I did on my exams Half an hour after me, and ten le apology for her tardiness and proceeded to take over all of the tables I’d been covering for her So far, I’d see over my boyfriend’ incident relatively unscathed, so either Katrina had been so drunk herself that she didn’t re up her ammunition for a day that she could really e less and less All she could do was humiliaterelaxed and happy that ently as I wiped down the tables then went to take an order froet you?" I asked

"Well, I believe you knohat I wanted, but thought better of giving it to me," O’Connell’s mum replied

"I mean, ould you like from the menu?"

"Let’s cut the shite, shall we? I wouldn’t put anything froreasy spoon inside me I’m here to talk about whyout that putting herself outside of one of Mike’s awesoers would be far less detri it with alcohol Sylvia was scary and inti with scary and intie in a no holds barred slanging much with her For a start, I had far too much respect for Rhonna and Mike for that, but above all else, it just wasn’t nified but firm

"Sylvia, I respect the fact that you’re Con’s mum, and we’ve discussed your concerns, but the bottoether I understand that you have reservations about our relationship, but I really think that you should discuss those with Con and not me"

I was as polite and respectful as I could be, which, in the circumstances, was probably more than she deserved, but venom filled her face, and I didn’t think this would end well

"What do you know about love, youlittle whore? You saw an easyfor the free ride!"

None of this was true, but that didn’t matter to Sylvia Despite ht I was the only thing standing between her and her h, she was out of luck if she thought she could scare me off, because now I saw her for the cruel and evil bitch she really was, and when I thought about how the ry, innocent child, I was enraged

"I love hih to want to take care of him, and despite what you’d hoped for, your son and I are in this for the long haul If you want to salvage whatever relationship you have left, then I suggest you come to terain You aren’t welcoet the ently froht behind him, and I was mortified by all of the attention

"Corenuinely shocked to see hi here? I was very clear when I told you not to go anywhere near Em and not a week later, here we are"

"I orried about you, Con You’re e, you should be playing the field and enjoying yourself You wouldn’t listen to reason and it’s clear that lust has fogged up your brain, so I’ve come in the hope that Emily has a littleat our little scene, and I really didn’t want to be part of this train wreck

"That’s it, Ma We’re done I’ve told you how I feel about Eood and pure in ave you a chance to stay in touch with me if you just backed off I don’t make empty threats, so we’re done I’ve cleared the last of my stuff out of the house, and from now on, there will be zero contact between us, so don’t even bother asking for food or booze onna get Everything I ether I can’t stop you turning up to yht if you come there And if I ever find out you’ve so ain, you’ll be sorry A, but he was so wound up by this point that I could see hiether As much as I loved that he’d defendedhim Sure, his mum was a complete bitch, but she was still his mum To have to cut your only parent out of your life, just to have a chance at a happy future, was such a tragic thing He was cutting Sylvia out in the same way that I’d done with my own mother We’d made our stand and decided that fro, and it started with the two of us O’Connell needed to re closer, I said nothing but slipped er drain out of hiratitude in his eyes that toldhe couldn’t

"Please, baby I’ here, but don’t cut ot no idea how hard it is to raise a child as a single parent You don’t knohat I’ve been through to put food on the table when you were growing up I depend on the ive me now for food Please don’t abandon me now just because you’ve met someone new"