The Know by Martina Cole Page A

hospital he rang around and arranged a few meetings then made his way back to his mother’s by his usual mode of transport, unlicensed taxi cab.
     
    Jon Jon knew that he could only drive himself after he had passed his test. He was shrewd enough to realise that with his growing reputation he was a candidate for a tug at any moment, and driving without a licence would be such a stupid nicking he would never take that chance. He had no respect for people who went to prison for driving convictions; they were an embarrassment as far as he was concerned. Once he passed his test he would wear a seat belt and make sure the rent on the car, meaning the tax and insurance, was always up to date. Sometimes it paid to be legal. He wouldn’t even drive over the speed limit because he would never open the door for Old Bill in any way.
     
    And now he was in with Paulie the chances of a decent motor were getting better by the day.
     
    He wondered how his mother would react to his having taken the job. After all his talk he felt as if he had let himself down, but it was too good an opportunity to miss. And knowing his mother like he did, he felt sure she would understand his motives.
     
    All in all, he was finally getting somewhere in his life.
     
    It was a good feeling.
     
     
Joanie was laughing as usual. Kira was dressed up in some of her old clothes and Jeanette, for once being a proper girlie girl, was helping her little sister to make herself up. As Joanie stirred the beef casserole she had cooked for dinner, she listened to their chatter. Jeanette had spent hours going through her wardrobe when she was little, dressing up, putting on her makeup and perfume. She had been a dear little thing once.
     
    She missed them all small. Life had been so much easier then; she had been their world and they had been hers. Now only Kira still wanted her really. The others tolerated her haphazard affection, though in fairness to Jon Jon he hugged her when he knew she needed it. He had been the honorary man of the house for so long, he was like the husband she had never had!
     
    She laughed once more at this thought. But deep inside she knew it wasn’t funny in the least. None of the kids’ fathers had stayed about long after their conception, let alone until the actual birth. But she had kept her kids and she was glad that she had. When all was said and done, they were all you had in the end. Joanie didn’t remind herself that they were all she had had in the first place.
     
    She was smiling as usual when she turned and looked at Kira, standing in the kitchen doorway.
     
    The smile was wiped from her face in an instant.
     
    Kira looked like a grown woman and it was frightening somehow. Her eyes were heavily made up, and her lips were lined in red and glossed and looked so full they were a permanent pout. Her blonde hair was backcombed and seemed fuller, even sexy. It was like looking at her child in ten years’ time, except poor Kira would look like a babe outside then while inside she would still be a child.
     
    Kira picked up on her mother’s mood and her face dropped.
     
    ‘Have I done wrong, Mum?’
     
    Joanie hugged her and said loudly, more for her own benefit than her daughter’s, ‘No, love. It’s just a shock, that’s all, seeing you so grown-up.’
     
    Kira relaxed and hugged her back.
     
    ‘Can I keep it on, show Jon Jon and everyone?’
     
    Joanie shook her head as she thought, I can just imagine his face if he was presented with this!
     
    ‘No, sweetie, you wash it off. Your dinner will be ready soon.’
     
    Kira nodded and walked back to the bedroom. Joanie could feel her heart racing in her chest. It had been almost surreal, seeing her like that. She’d looked so much like an adult, and a beautiful adult at that. The worst thing of all was that Kira had looked like a miniature version of Joanie herself at the same age.
     
    She gulped at her glass of red wine and puffed deeply on her Benson. As she