Fighting Back by Cathy MacPhail Page B

his shoulders slumped. He had changed. Since what had happened to his mother, Ming had changed. I thought I knew why. I would change too if anyone did that to my mum.
    Mum was singing when I went home. As soon as I stepped into the living-room she grabbed me and began waltzing around the room.
    ‘All right, Mum, I know,’ I said, disentangling myself from her. She can be so embarrassing at times. ‘Because of you the Laffertys have been carted off to jail. You’re wonderful!’
    She began screaming with excitement and shaking her head. ‘It’s even better than that, Kerry! Even better. What’s the most exciting thing that could happen?’
    Dad wanted us home.
    It was my first thought. He had split up with Rachel and we were going home. One big happy family again. I almost said it, till I realized that wasn’t what Mum meant. That hadn’t even crossed her mind. Only a couple of weeks ago it was all she thought about.
    Goodness, how Mum had changed.
    I shrugged my shoulders. ‘Tell me,’ I said.
    ‘We’ve got another house. Out of here. We’re moving, Kerry. Sergeant Maitland has seen to it. Moved for our own protection. Away from the Laffertys. Away from the scum who live here.’
    ‘They’re not scum, Mum,’ I heard myself say, and I meant it. I thought of Sandra, working so hard for her and Ming. I thought of the jolly Hippo Brigade, loving their nights at bingo. I thought of Mr McCurley, that big giant of a man who did the shopping for all his elderly neighbours. I thought of Ming, who had helped me, and been a friend. ‘They’re not scum.’
    She looked at me in surprise. ‘After all we’ve been through you can’t possibly like them. Did they help us? No.’
    ‘They’re frightened, Mum. Frightened of Ma Lafferty.’ I remembered how frightened I had been.
    ‘Well, you and me, Kerry, have done what none of them could do. We’ve got rid of the Laffertys. Once and for all.’
    ‘Not all of them,’ I reminded her. But she wouldn’t listen. She was too happy.
    Within the next few days we were to view our new flat, and if we liked it we could move in the next coupleof weeks. No wonder she was so pleased. Nothing was going to spoil her mood. After all, she said, Ma Lafferty was no one to be afraid of now. I knew different. Ma Lafferty was the worst one of all.

Chapter Twenty-Six
    The other flat was also on an estate. On this one, however, the gardens were well kept and tidy and there were no boarded-up windows. The flat itself was clean and fresh and Mum was delighted with it.
    ‘This is more like it,’ she kept saying.
    ‘It hasn’t got much of a view,’ I pointed out. It was on the ground floor and all we would be looking into was another flat.
    ‘So?’ Mum asked. And she immediately began measuring for curtains.
    ‘You’ve decided then?’ I asked her.
    ‘Well, I haven’t signed for it or anything, but I will. Any move out of that place has got to be an improvement.’
    She was right, of course. We had to get away from the Laffertys. It was the only way to be really safe from them. So why did I have this feeling in the pit of mystomach? Surely I didn’t really want to stay?
    Mum was just so happy, I could hardly believe it. She never mentioned Dad, and I noticed that his picture had been taken from above her bed and hadn’t been replaced. Now that was a really good sign.
    However, she was getting on everybody’s wick. She was so smug! She lifted her nose in the air whenever we passed any of the neighbours, and refused to talk to anyone. Whenever we got in the lift, when it was working that is, she just sucked in her cheeks and raised her eyes to the ceiling. I could see people fuming at her.
    They would all be as glad to be rid of her as she was to be rid of them.
    ‘So when are you moving?’ Ming asked me. I was on the balcony drinking my tea when he came out on his. Just like old times, I thought. And soon we’d never be able to do it again.
    ‘I don’t think it will be that