Page 73 of Coming Home to Hope Street

‘I’m not a scrounger though.’ Livvy shook her head in disbelief, her face darkening. ‘And I bet that makes you feel superior now that you’re so flush! I suppose now you’ve met Doug you think you’re safe from poverty.’

‘I was never destitute!’

‘Ihad nothing all my life.’

‘And whose fault is that? You had an opportunity to make something of yourself when you left to go to college, but you didn’t. You dropped out.’

‘I had no money to do what I wanted. Unlike you.’

‘Wehad to watch every single penny. I couldn’t work and had to claim benefits to look after Mum. Do you hear me complaining? No, I just took it on the chin and got on with it. I didn’t run out like you did.’

‘But—’

‘I didn’t come running back after twenty years either because I had nowhere else to go. So don’t you lecture me about this. I couldn’t afford a car. I never took a holiday. I never went out far in case Mum was ill. Hope Street has been, and still is, my life. You have no right to judge me because Doug has money. Did you think I manifested him out of thin air, my rich partner?’

‘Of course not.’

‘Idothink you sent for Kieran to come and live here, so you could take advantage of the situation.’

‘I did not do that!’ Livvy pouted. ‘I didn’t even know you were with Doug until I arrived.’

‘That’s a likely story.’

‘It’s the truth.’ Livvy moved to the door but turned as she was about to leave. ‘Do you want to know the real reason I came here with Pip? We were going to be evicted. I’d got behind on the rent, even though I was doing two jobs and Kieran owed money that I ended up paying back. I’ve shielded Pip from this for years; tried to get along with Kieran for her sake. But there comes a time when you can’t keep doing what feels wrong for the sake of your child. Although you wouldn’t know that, not having children of your own.’

Hannah couldn’t have been more shocked if Livvy had slapped her across the face. But she didn’t have time to reply as Livvy continued.

‘He’s addicted to gambling. Over the years I’ve been with him, it’s got worse. Every time he leaves, he returns as a reformed character. Says he’ll never do it again. Says he’ll stay away from the bookies and the card games he loves. It’s okay for the first couple of weeks but then he goes back to his ways. He used to steal from me – money I needed for food and bills. And every time I took him back because of Pip. I stayed with Kieran for her, so can’t you see? I was trapped too – and I – I wanted to come home a long time ago. But I couldn’t.’

‘Too right,’ Hannah spat, now on the defensive. ‘You chose to leave.’

‘Yeah, sometimes I wish I’d never come back at all.’

‘SometimesI wish you’d never come back either.’

‘Oh, don’t worry. Me and Pip will find somewhere else to live. And contrary to belief, it will be without Kieran. If you must know he’s gone, and I don’t think he’ll be coming back. I certainly don’t want to see him ever again because…’

‘Because of what?’

‘Because it was him who broke into the community centre and stole the money.’

Hannah’s jaw dropped. ‘You’re joking, right? Wanting to make me feel sorry for you.’

‘I wouldn’t do either of those things.’ Livvy explained what had happened about the robbery while Hannah listened in dismay. ‘I’ve had it on my conscience ever since,’ she finished.

‘What did you do?’

‘I went to the police, of course.’

‘You shopped him?’

‘Oh, so now you think I’m wrong to do that to him?’

‘No, I’m just a bit shocked, that’s all.’ Guilt washed over Hannah as she realised what had been happening. How Livvy had been trying to shelter herself and Pip from Kieran. ‘Did the police catch him? That’s why he isn’t here anymore, isn’t it?’

Livvy shook her head. ‘He did a runner with the money. But not before hitting out at me.’

Hannah’s shoulders dropped. ‘Oh, Livvy.’

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