The Graft by Martina Cole Page A

work, glad to see the back of them.
     
    Tyrell often wondered if that was why she had taken Jude under her wing the way she had; she had needed someone to love and Jude had come along at the right time. She had never seen Jude for the user she was, had never believed that Jude was capable of manipulating her.
     
    But Jude, knowing his mother’s weaknesses, had played on them, had used them to make herself into what his mother had wanted.
     
    It was why he had never gone for custody of his son. His mother had always talked him out of it and he had tried to please her in any way he could. Tried to make up for what had happened to her, tried to assuage the hurt inside her in any way he could.
     
    Then Sally had come along and it had been easier to leave Sonny where he was. Now he had to live with that, and, like his mother before him, his child was dead and gone, and there was nothing he could do to change that.
     
    Except wish that he had done things differently, as she did.
     
    For the first time ever he really understood what made her tick. Understood the gaping hole inside her that no one or nothing would ever fill. Could ever fill.
     
    Her last-born and his first-born had died senselessly, and now he knew how hard it was to come to terms with such a tragedy. To make some kind of sense of it all, when there wasn’t any kind of sense to be made.
     
    He pushed these thoughts from his mind. His hangover was making his head pound, he had an upset stomach and felt he would die of grief. All in all he was completely and utterly drained.
     
    Everywhere he looked were young men with bright smiles and their whole lives ahead of them. All around him were young men travelling to work or school, busily going about their lives, unaware that his son was cold and dead. As he got out of his car in Tulse Hill he wondered when they would be able to bury his boy.
     
    Dinny White, his gofer and sidekick, was waiting patiently for him. Dinny was light-skinned with a lightning grin and long relaxed hair. He knew how good-looking he was, he didn’t need reminding. He smoked dope constantly, was always in a good mood and was an exceptionally good listener. They strolled into a nearby house together, chatting about nothing.
     
    Dinny loved life and it was hard seeing his friend and boss so obviously unhappy. But he kept his own counsel. If Tyrell wanted to talk, he would.
     
    Inside the house Johnny Marks, a large white man with thick black hair and a pristine vest, was busy making tea. This house was the hub of Tyrell’s business. It was where he interviewed his doormen and where he paid them out. It was where he kept his different cell phones and where he conducted his other businesses - the ones his wife and mother had no knowledge of.
     
    Johnny Marks answered the door to them both.
     
    ’All right, Tyrell? Sorry about Sonny Boy, but he had it coming.’
     
    Only from Johnny would Tyrell have taken that statement.
     
    He shrugged.
     
    ‘Let it drop, eh, Johnny?’
     
    The other man opened his arms wide in a gesture of helplessness.
     
    ‘You better get used to hearing remarks like that because it’s the general consensus, mate. He was a pain in the arse and you know he was.’
     
    ‘He was still my boy.’
     
    Johnny smiled then, a wide white-toothed smile that made him look much nicer than he actually was.
     
    ‘How’s poor old Judy?’
     
    ‘How’d you think?’
     
    ‘Off her nut?’
     
    ‘Got it in one.’
     
    ‘Well, understandable, ain’t it? Now, shall we get down to business? Coffee or tea?’
     
    He made the coffee and brought the mugs through to the lounge on a tray. Tyrell envied Johnny his easiness with the world. Nothing fazed him. It was all either black or white.
     
    They started the business of the day.
     
     
Angela Leary was tired, she had not slept much the night before. As she tidied up the spacious kitchen of her son’s home she couldn’t help envying his wife the luxury that was